Lakers: LeBron James' Missed Dunk vs. Nuggets Cost LA Game 2, per Draymond Green

(Photo : Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) DENVER, COLORADO - LeBron James (#6) of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after losing to the Denver Nuggets in game two of the Western Conference Finals at Ball Arena on May 18, 2023 in Denver, Colorado.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green mentioned in his much-talked-about podcast, The Draymond Green Show, that LeBron James' missed dunk in the second quarter may have cost the Los Angeles Lakers Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.

"A big turning point in the game was the LeBron mishap on the dunk. That takes an eight-point lead to a 10-point lead. You get a time out there, everything's rolling," the Golden State veteran said.

The Denver Nuggets went on to take a gritty 108-103 Game 1 victory.

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LeBron James Misses Multiple Easy Looks

The botched dunk midway through the second quarter was not James's only costly mistake in the game.

A few plays before the infamous dunk attempt, the four-time MVP front-rimmed a wide-open layup which led to a Nuggets fastbreak.

In the game's decisive moments, with the Lakers down by four, James made a crucial steal with about 30 seconds remaining.

Surveying the floor, he saw Jamal Murray in front of him, to whom he had a size and strength advantage. He drove towards the basket in an attempt to slice the lead in half, but he failed to convert an uncontested layup that he usually makes.

James' uncharacteristic misses cost the Lakers six points on the board, and the team only lost by five.

The competitive Western Conference Finals shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday.

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