LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers were there waiting. Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers were right on the doorstep.

One more win would have set up a Western Conference finals showdown between the Los Angeles teams, the top two seeds who share residence at Staples Center. It would have been the most eagerly awaited series at Disney World, turning Lake Buena Vista into LA-ke Buena Vista.

The Denver Nuggets ruined those plans with a resounding rout in Game 7 that may have taken the air out of the bubble for some, but the Lakers say meant nothing to them.