Anthony Davis celebrates after draining a playoff buzzer-beater. (Getty Images)

Anthony Davis yelled “Kobe” after hitting the biggest shot of his young NBA career. He sprinted down the sideline and jumped into a swarm of teammates who were eager to mob him.

Davis’ special shoutout was an obvious homage to the late great Kobe Bryant — the legendary Los Angeles Laker who had a habit of sinking game-winning shots throughout his Hall of Fame basketball career.

“That’s a shot Kobe Bryant would hit,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said of Davis’ 3-point shot from the wing in front of the Denver Nuggets bench to beat the clock. It lifted the Los Angeles Lakers to a 105-103 victory over the Nuggets in Game 2 of the 2020 Western Conference finals inside the NBA bubble at Disney World.

“To me, AD just flying through the wing like that, catch and shoot with the game on the line in the biggest moment of our season, nothing but net, that’s a Mamba shot,” Vogel said.

It was fitting the Lakers wore the special Black Mamba Nike jerseys in their dramatic win over Denver. Davis, who has only been a Laker for one season, said it’s no coincidence the 2020 Lakers play with more “swag” while wearing the Black Mamba uniforms.

“We just feel like we play a little different,” the 27-year-old first-team All-NBA forward-center said. “Our swag is a little different. Every time we put on those jerseys, obviously, we’re representing him. But especially in those jerseys. It was his jersey. The one that he created. Anytime we put it on we feel like we want to win.”

The significance of the game-winner wasn’t lost on Davis. He knew it will define his Lakers career. He also knew he put himself in rarefied air, joining a list of legendary Lakers who made unforgettable buzzer-beaters in the playoffs.

OneManFastBreak ranks the five best playoff buzzer-beaters in Lakers history.

5-Anthony Davis’ Mamba moment vs. Nuggets (2020)

The Lakers were down 103-102 with 2.1 seconds in the game. The play was drawn up for LeBron James to catch the ball at the elbow. But Rajon Rondo saw Davis break free from Mason Plumlee, who inexplicably decided to call switch at the last second instead of fighting over the top of the screen. Rondo fired a perfect bounce pass to AD, who caught the ball in perfect shooting position and launched a high-arching shot over the outstretched arms of 7-footer Nikola Jokic and swished it with no time left. AD called his walkoff 3-pointer the biggest shot of his career. He wasn’t afforded many opportunities when he was with the New Orleans Pelicans. Being with the L.A. Lakers has allowed AD to be on center stage. He now has the mic, and he’s not about to let it go.

4-Kobe Bryant sets Staples ablaze vs. Suns (2006)

Kobe was no stranger to clutch shots. He was at his absolute best when his best was needed. The Lakers entered their 2006 playoff series against Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns as underdogs. The Lakers were two years removed from the Shaq-Kobe era. This was Kobe’s team. He carried the franchise on his back during a season in which he averaged a league-leading 35.4 points per game and scored a mind-boggling 81 points against the Toronto Raptors. The Suns were championship contenders, but Kobe’s individual greatness pushed the Lakers to a 3-1 series before eventually losing in seven games. Few NBA fans remember the Suns’ comeback. Many remember Kobe’s heroics against the Suns in Game 4.

3-Derek Fisher beats the clock vs. Spurs (2004)

Can you attempt a shot with 0.4 seconds left? Derek Fisher proved you can. In the 2004 conference semifinals between the Lakers and San Antonio Spurs, Tim Duncan gave the Spurs a 73-72 lead after hitting an 0ff-balance fallaway shot at the top of the key. The Spurs fans thought the game was over and home team was poised to take a 3-2 series lead. San Antonio’s dreams were dashed with one improbable fling — a Fisher Fling. Before Gary Payton inbounded the ball, the Spurs double teamed Kobe Bryant to deny him the ball. Payton had to look elsewhere. Fisher flashed in front of him and received the pass. In one motion, Fisher turned to his left and fired a shot that barely left his left hand as the red light turned on. D-Fish tallied just eight points in the game, but none bigger than the last shot he swished with 0.4 seconds left. The Lakers went on to knock out the Spurs and advance to the conference finals.

2-Jerry West sinks 60-foot heave vs. Knicks (1970)

For many millennials and centennials, the name Jerry West doesn’t ring a bell. In the era of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, West’s name surfaces mostly as an NBA executive and special adviser on the Golden State Warriors. It might be time for generation Y and Z to learn some basketball history and see how West played a huge part in creating what the NBA is today. Google him, folks. West, known as Mr. Clutch for much of his career, made a shot during the 1970 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks that may never be duplicated. Dave DeBusschere’s short jumper gave the Knicks a two-point lead with three seconds left. L.A. had no timeouts, so Wilt Chamberlain quickly inbounded the ball to West, who took three dribbles before launching a desperation heave from the backcourt that somehow went through the hoop sending the game into overtime. Because the 3-point shot didn’t exist in 1970, it only counted as two points. Had West’ shot happen in 2020, it would have been an obvious game-winner. The Lakers went on to lose the game and the series, but the legend of Jerry West grew.

1-Big Shot Bob saves Lakers vs. Kings (2002)

Robert Horry built his NBA resume around making big-time shots in May and June. Because of his uncanny ability to rise up in big moments, he earned the nickname Big Shot Bob. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant were without a doubt the most valuable players during the Lakers’ three-peat. But the L.A. dynasty would have ended sooner without the heroics of Horry. You could make a strong argument the Lakers would not have beaten the Sacramento Kings in the 2002 conference finals without Horry. The Kings were seconds away from taking a 3-1 lead in the series when Horry bailed out the Lakers. Kobe and Shaq both had an opportunity to tie the game, but both missed. Kobe missed a driving shot in the paint while Shaq flubbed a point-blank shot in front of the rim that Vlade Divac ended up punching out instead of grabbing the ball. The loose ball bounced to the top of the key and fell into the hands of a guy with a reputation for making clutch shots. Without hesitation, Horry got his feet set and shot the ball over a rushing Chris Webber and drained it as the buzzer sounded for a 100-99 heart-pounding L.A. win. It was not only the greatest playoff buzzer-beater in Lakers history but one of the greatest playoff buzzer-beaters in NBA history.

Thunder coach Scott Brooks pressed all the right buttons in the series against the Spurs. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

What a difference a week makes. Last week the San Antonio Spurs were on a historic roll, winning 20 in a row and were a perfect 10-0 in the postseason.

Seven days later the unbeatable Spurs are going fishing after dropping four consecutive games to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Spurs’ season ended Wednesday night in Oklahoma City, as the young and hungry Thunder — led by three-time scoring champ Kevin Durant — overcame a 15-point halftime deficit in Game 6 and closed out the Western Conference finals series with a 107-99 victory.

The Thunder will get their first taste of the NBA Finals while the Spurs are left with a bitter taste in their mouths after dropping the ball on what seemed like a sure-fire championship. The Thunder showed remarkable composure for such a playoff novice, while the veteran-laden Spurs were the ones looking unsure and played out of character.

“As sad as disappointed as we are it’s almost like a Hollywood script for OKC in a sense,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “They went through Dallas, last year’s NBA champion. They went through the Lakers and they went through us. Those three teams represent 10 of the last 13 championships.”

It’s not often Popovich gets outcoached in a playoff series but Scott Brooks pressed the right buttons for OKC. It started with the hack-a-Splitter in Game 2, staying with Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins and deciding against small ball, and putting Thabo Sefolosha on Tony Parker in Game 3.

Brooks challenged his big men to switch every pick-and-roll and Ibaka and Perkins rewarded their coach with more energy and effort. There was a great moment in Game 3 in OKC when Perkins was caught in a switch with Parker and instead of backing up Perkins started clapping his hands as he moved forward on Parker, signaling to the Spurs point guard to “bring it!”

And instead of minimizing his role in the series Brooks increased Sefolosha’s minutes and although he didn’t completely shut down Parker he made it harder for the Spurs’ leading scorer to find open teammates because of his length.

Another adjustment Brooks made was the ball screens for Durant. He had Durant in high pick-and-rolls with Russell Westbrook and Perkins to create mismatches and forced Duncan and Parker in one-one-one situations against Durant and created better floor spacing for the OKC shooters.

After the Thunder tied the series at 2-2, Popovich gambled by starting Manu Ginobili in Game 5. It was an uncharacteristically desperate move by the four-time world champion coach. The move not only pushed Danny Green to the bench but it also junked up a rotation that had been so good all season.

In hindsight Popovich probably should have stayed the course and a former Spurs player was also critical of Pop’s decision to tinker with his lineup this late in the season.

Robert Horry, who won two titles with the Spurs, said on NBA TV’s “Game Time” what hurt the Spurs having Ginobili in the starting lineup is it zapped San Antonio’s scoring punch off the bench especially in the fourth quarter.

“It’s a tag team that him and Tony share,” Horry said. “First quarter Tony does his thing then Manu comes in the second quarter.

“They are both very ball dominant, and they get their plays off the pick-and-rolls,” Horry continued. “Now with the insertion of Manu it takes away that punch that you have and you need to keep that punch sometimes because it’s the rhythm you have and that’s what the team is used to and I just think it went helter-skelter kinda crazy with both those guys trying to handle the basketball.”

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant are one victory away from earning their fourth NBA championship ring. (GETTY IMAGES)

Move over Robert Horry. Step aside Steve Kerr and John Paxson. Make room for the newest member of Mr. Clutch in the NBA Finals: Derek Fisher.

When Fisher stepped into those two crunch-time shots in the fourth quarter and in overtime that powered the Los Angeles Lakers to a 99-91 victory in Game 4 of The NBA Finals, he simply planted his name into basketball lore. Kobe Bryant will most likely be the most valuable player of the The Finals, but Fisher just etched his image as the true defining moment of the 2009 Finals.

With 11 seconds left and the Lakers down by three at 87-84, Orlando decided to double team Bryant in the backcourt and rolled the dice, hoping for a miss. As soon as Trevor Ariza broke the Magic press and gave it to Fisher at midcourt, the 34-year-old savvy guard and a member of three Laker championship teams stepped into the vacuum provided by Bryant and unleashed a 3-point shot over Magic guard Jameer Nelson. It would have been one of the greatest shots in Finals history, only to be topped by Fisher in overtime when he drained a 3-pointer from the top of the arc that gave the Lakers a 94-91 lead with 30 seconds remaining in the extra session.

Two classic shots from a man who exudes class in every which way. Thanks to Fisher, who had missed his previous five 3-pointers before making his last two, the Lakers are one victory away from winning the franchise’s 15th championship banner, Phil Jackson’s record 10th title as coach and Fisher and Bryant’s fourth ring.

“In a championship run, you gotta have moments where you just need big plays. Tonight was one of them. Trevor made a big three, Derek obviously made two big ones. That’s what the journey is about,” Bryant said.

Where does Fisher’s shots rank among his individual accomplishments?

“Maybe 100, 101, something like that,” Fisher joked. “Naw, obviously, personally in the last couple of years, leaving this team and playing with these group of guys, it ranks up there at the top. Even greater than .4 because I feel like we’re as close as possible to our end goal.”

I have a responsibility to my team that if I’m going to be on the floor then I have to make a difference. None of us can’t continue to expect Kobe’s gonna save us. We have to be willing to take responsibility, accountability. I felt bad because Pau was kicking it out to me for some wide-open threes that I was missing. I promised him that I was not gonna miss those shots anymore even though Kobe was the guy who passed it to me, the last one I hit, I thanked Pau for warming up my elbow.”

Speaking of elbow, it was Bryant’s right elbow that knocked Nelson to the floor that allowed Fisher to step into an open 3-pointer with 30 seconds left in OT. As Fisher jogged back, he had the look of a champion.

“I just sensed it was the dagger. That was the one that would put us in a position to close out the game,” Fisher said.

It was similar to the play that Michael Jordan made during the 1997 NBA Finals when he drew a double team and kicked it out to Kerr, who swished a jump shot at the top of the circle that ultimately knocked down the Utah Jazz and gave the Chicago Bulls ring No. 5.

When Fisher was asked if he now considers himself a Mr. Big Shot, ala Robert Horry, he said he’s a few rings short of joining Big Shot Bob.

“I definitely don’t compare myself to Robert Horry. I’m quite a few rings shy of where he stands. He’s in his own category,” said Fisher, who credited his teammates and Phil Jackson for sticking with him despite his early struggles in the game. He finished with 12 points in 42 minutes.

“Just the way he’s willing to stick certain people that he believes can get the job done, and that is not always about statistically what this guy’s gonna bring to the table,” Fisher said of Jackson. “When this guy or these guys are on the floor together, as a coach he’s confident in those five guys’ ability to win a game. We had that type of group before, where it was myself and Kobe and Robert, and Rick Fox and Shaq. Those were the five guys, I don’t care who we were playing, those were the five guys who were gonna finish a game. With Trevor Ariza’s development, we have that five guys now that consist of Pau, Lamar, Trevor, Kobe and myself, we’re kind of becoming those five guys that when the game is on the line, more times than not, those are the five guys you’re gonna see out there.”

On the shot that sent the game into overtime, Fisher said the play was initially designed for Bryant, which was to be expected.

“The ball will always be in Kobe’s hands down the stretch unless the defense does something to take it away. When they trapped him, he kicked it up to Trevor and then he kicked it up to me,” Fisher explained. “Initially, I didn’t catch the ball cleanly so I wanted to make sure I gained control of the ball. I checked the clock really quick, as I continue to kinda dribble one dribble, two dribbles, three dribbles, I just noticed that Jameer was backing up and backing up and backing up and I just decided to go up and shoot. I felt like I had the space he wasn’t close enough to deter me from shooting. In that split second, I made the decision and it worked out better for me.”

If Fisher was the main hero of the game, there were too many guys who got the goat tag and all of them were on the Orlando side of the court, starting with Magic coach and ending with Nelson.

“We thought 11 seconds was too early [to foul], especially with the way we were shooting free throws,” said Van Gundy, whose team was 22-for-37 from the foul line in Game 4 and was 11-for-19 in the fourth quarter and in overtime.

“In retrospect, we gave him so much space to shoot the ball. We played him like we tried to prevent the layup,” Van Gundy continued. “We denied Bryant the ball, but we just didn’t play Derek Fisher. We didn’t guard him. It was my decision not to foul, and yes I regret in now but only retrospect. To me, 11 (seconds) was too early. I’m gonna have to look at it again.

“That will haunt me forever. We could have played that a lot better.”

In a postseason that has seen Orlando get victimized by big-time, game-winning shots in each round, Fisher’s shots will ultimately be the ones that will leave the deepest scars for Van Gundy and the Magic.