Golden State Warriors 100-103 LA Lakers: 5 Talking points as LeBron James and co. qualify for the 2021 NBA Playoffs
The LA Lakers outlasted the Golden State Warriors 103-100 in a defensive slugfest on Wednesday night to secure a place in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. LeBron James led the cause for the defending champs and fittingly scored the go-ahead basket that gave his side the ultimate lead with a minute to go on the game clock.
The Golden State Warriors looked like the better team from the get-go and were seemingly on their way to the postseason. But as has been the case all season, the LA Lakers flicked a switch in the second half to eventually escape with a win.
The likes of LeBron, Anthony Davis, Draymond Green and Stephen Curry all chimed in with crucial plays in this humdinger of a game. Without further ado, let's look at five talking points from the Purple and Gold's crucial win over the Dubs.
#1 Turnovers cost Golden State Warriors the game
The Golden State Warriors played with a higher intensity to start tonight's game. They were more active on the perimeter, they defended pick-and-rolls with aplomb and boxed out well on the boards. They held the LA Lakers to just 32.6% shooting in the first half.
Most importantly, the Golden State Warriors controlled their possessions well. Coupled with some fiery shooting from Stephen Curry, the Dubs entered the half-time break with a 13-point advantage.
Things changed in the second half as the LA Lakers shored up defensively end. The likes of Curry and Draymond Green were left scrambling for room, and the Golden State Warriors committed a ton of turnovers during this period, 15 to be precise. This allowed the Purple and Gold to cut the deficit to just two points by the end of the third before eventually taking the lead and claiming a win.
#2 Alex Caruso was the X-factor for the LA Lakers
Renowned mainly for his dogged defense, Alex Caruso impacted the game on both ends of the court for the LA Lakers tonight. While the likes of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder struggled in the first half, Caruso led the scoring for the LA Lakers with 12 points on 100% shooting.
He took a backseat offensively after the break, but Caruso continued to hustle and annoy Steph Curry on the perimeter. He even helped in slowing down Curry late in the fourth quarter, after the latter caught fire while being guarded by Schroder. Caruso managed to effect three steals in total against the Golden State Warriors.
#3 LeBron James and Anthony Davis turn things around in the second half
The LA Lakers' golden duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis flattered to deceive in the first 24 minutes of tonight's matchup against the Golden State Warriors. Neither player showed the aggression or conviction that they're generally associated with. Davis settled for shots from distance while LeBron lacked explosiveness. The two players shot a combined 3-of-19 from the field during this period.
As was the case for the LA Lakers, the fortunes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis also changed in the second half. LeBron started making much better plays and was finding more ways to finish at the rim. Davis still wasn't his aggressive self on offense, but his jumpers started to fall. He also moved to the five and protected the rim with authority.
LeBron eventually ended up scoring the game-winning three-pointer for the LA Lakers with the shot-clock winding down. Interestingly, he was poked in the eye by Draymond on a play just moments ago and had trouble with his vision.
King James finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists while going 7-of-17 from the field. Meanwhile, AD had 24 points and 12 rebounds. Both guys managed two steals and a block each.
#4 Stephen Curry and Draymond Green deliver for the Golden State Warriors
The biggest positive for the Golden State Warriors tonight was the fact that both Stephen Curry and Draymond Green managed to perform to expectations despite being hounded by defenders all night. Curry had a slow start, but he scored in double-digits in each of the last three quarters to finish with 37 points on 52.2% shooting.
Draymond Green organized the Golden State Warriors defensively and had a box score that's typical of his playing style these days. Draymond finished with two points, nine rebounds, eight assists, three steals and three blocks. His quick switches and solidity at the rim were crucial in keeping LeBron and AD quiet in the first half.
Even though the Golden State Warriors wound up losing, the close result and the performance of their two stars would give them courage ahead of their next play-in game.
#5 The LA Lakers are ready for the playoffs
The LA Lakers entered tonight's play-in game against the Golden State Warriors on the back of a five-game winning run. But things didn't go according to plan for Frank Vogel's men in the first half.
The Purple and Gold needed to make adjustments and find an extra gear to their game against the defensively astute Golden State Warriors. That's exactly what LeBron James and co. did as they showcased more desperation in their efforts down the stretch. The LA Lakers put their foot down, hustled harder and turned the game around.
While the Lakers have been known to do that from time to time, we haven't seen them recover from adversity regularly enough of late. That they managed to do so against one of the hottest sides in the NBA suggests that the LA Lakers are ready to dominate in the NBA Playoffs.
Also read: Golden State Warriors 100-103 LA Lakers: Twitter erupts as LeBron James and co. outlast Stephen Curry's crew