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This Day In Lakers History: Trevor Ariza’s Steal Gives L.A. Series Lead Over Nuggets In Western Conference Finals

In the NBA Playoffs, sometimes one or two big plays determine the outcome of a series, and the Los Angeles Lakers have historically found themselves on the right side of those big moments.

Such was the case on May 23, 2009, when a clutch steal from Trevor Ariza sealed a road win against the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. The victory gave the Lakers a crucial 2-1 series lead.

The Lakers and Nuggets had split the first two games at Staples Center, and both were nail-biters that were decided by two and three points, respectively.