Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal criticized the Lakers' close win over the Nuggets on Saturday, saying relying on last-second heroics isn't enough for a true contender.
The Los Angeles Lakers survived a 127-125 overtime thriller on Saturday, defeating the Denver Nuggets thanks to a buzzer-beater from Luka Doncic.
Doncic broke free from a double-team, drove along the baseline, and launched a fadeaway shot. The ball dropped with just 0.5 seconds left in overtime, giving the Lakers the lead and sealing the victory.
Before that, however, it was Austin Reaves who forced overtime.
With the Lakers trailing 118-115 and only 5.6 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Reaves was fouled. He made the first free throw, intentionally missed the second, grabbed the rebound, and scored to tie the game and send it to overtime.
Still, NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal believes that kind of game isn't good enough for a true contender.
"If you have to rely on that, you're not going to win, and you’re not going to be a contender. I'm used to playing for coaches who wouldn't be happy with that game," Shaq said. "You're up 15 at home, you have to beat them by 15. Don't let them come back."
With the win, the Lakers improved to 42-25, extended their winning streak to five games, and moved up to third place in the Western Conference.
Wild ending Lakers vs. Nuggets:
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