Klay Thompson led with 27 points, while Stephen Curry contributed 23 as the Golden State Warriors secured a 134-120 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, capitalizing on Anthony Davis’ absence due to injury.
Andrew Wiggins added 17 points for the 10th-place Warriors, who displayed remarkable accuracy from beyond the arc, hitting 26 of their 41 attempted 3-pointers.
Notably, Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green combined for 16 of these 3-pointers, with Green making all five of his attempts in the first half alone. This marked the highest number of 3-pointers ever conceded by the Lakers in a single game.
Despite his extensive coaching experience, Steve Kerr expressed astonishment at the performance of his star trio, acknowledging their proficiency despite what he perceived as suboptimal play. Kerr remarked, “I didn’t feel like we played that well, but we made a million 3s… To shoot 63% from 3, that’s crazy.”
Golden State Warriors (Via NBA/Twitter)
The Warriors’ recent surge, winning eight of their last nine games, has brought them within half a game of the ninth-place Lakers.
With the victory, Golden State also secured the tiebreaker advantage, positioning themselves favorably for potential play-in games. Draymond Green articulated the team’s confidence in their playoff prospects, emphasizing their belief in their collective abilities.
LeBron James led the Lakers with 33 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds, but their efforts fell short without Davis. James acknowledged the significant impact of Davis’ absence, stating,
“It’s hard for us to make up, especially having a guy like AD not playing. It’s almost pretty much impossible to make up for what he provides for our ballclub, both offensively and defensively.”
Davis missed the game due to lingering effects from a head injury sustained in a previous match against the Timberwolves.
Los Angeles Lakers Team (Via NBA/Twitter)
Despite his presence at the arena, Davis was unable to overcome the resulting symptoms of headaches and nausea. Coach Darvin Ham confirmed that Davis did not enter the concussion protocol but was sidelined due to discomfort.
The Lakers struggled defensively without Davis, failing to contain the Warriors’ offensive onslaught. Green noted the difference Davis’ presence makes, highlighting his ability to cover defensive lapses.
While the Lakers missed the contributions of Davis, James also faced challenges, arriving shortly before tipoff after battling illness. Nonetheless, the Warriors capitalized on their opponent’s vulnerabilities, with Green particularly shining with his unexpected 3-point performance.
Looking ahead, Ham emphasized the need for the Lakers to regroup and focus on their remaining games to secure a playoff berth, despite the setbacks they faced against the Warriors.
