Golden State Warriors vs LA Lakers: 3 key matchups that could determine the outcome - May 19th, 2021 | NBA play-in Tournament 2021
The LA Lakers and Golden State Warriors are all set to battle it out in the Western Conference's seventh-place vs. eighth-place play-in tournament game on Wednesday at Staples Center.
The matchup will feature two of the league's biggest stars in the last decade, LeBron James and Steph Curry, who have met a plethora of times in the post-season before.
The winner of the game will face the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs, while the losing team will face either the Memphis Grizzlies or San Antonio Spurs to determine who finishes as the eighth seed.
The LA Lakers and Golden State Warriors have both been on a sublime run of form, winning five and six consecutive games, respectively.
The Purple and Gold defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 110-98 in their previous game. The Dubs, meanwhile, overcame the Memphis Grizzlies 113-101 to clinch the eighth seed.
3 key matchups to look out for in the Golden State Warriors vs. LA Lakers play-in tournament game
The Golden State Warriors and LA Lakers have two highly talented rosters. However, both teams rely heavily on their star players.
For the Warriors, it's Steph Curry and Draymond Green, while for the LA Lakers, it's LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Basketball is a team sport, but quite often, games of this stature depend heavily on how the player battles turn out to be.
On that note, we'll take a look at three key matchups that could be vital with regards to the outcome of the game.
#3 Andrew Wiggins vs. LeBron James
Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins will face one of the biggest challenges of his career when he goes head-to-head with LA Lakers' talisman LeBron James on Wednesday night.
Wiggins has been on a terrific run of form and will be eager to produce a big game performance to help his side win this tie. He had two huge games against the Grizzlies and Suns in his last two outings, scoring 21 and 38 points, respectively.
If Wiggins can produce a high-scoring effort and limit LeBron on the defensive end, the Golden State Warriors will have a great chance of winning this tie.
However, the latter is a beast in the post-season and will be more than ready for the challenge. James looked really good and shrugged off concerns regarding his injury in the last two games he featured in for the Lakers, and could cause problems for the Warriors.
#2 Steph Curry vs. Dennis Schroder
Steph Curry is undoubtedly the Golden State Warriors' best player and will be the toughest challenge the LA Lakers have to overcome in this game.
With Dennis Schroder playing the point guard position for Frank Vogel's side, he is likely to guard Curry for most of the game.
Schroder will need to be at his defensive best to limit Steph as much as possible. However, the German's work ethic and ability to play at high intensity will be something Steph will have to be mindful of heading into the contest.
Curry is the overwhelming favorite to win his matchup against Schroder, owing to his tremendous form in recent weeks.
#1 Draymond Green vs. Anthony Davis
The battle between two of the best defensive players on the court will be an intriguing matchup to watch out for. Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green and LA Lakers' Anthony Davis are expected to play key roles at both ends of the floor for their respective teams.
Davis is a better offensive player, though, and will need to be limited by Green as much as possible.
If the former does get going, the matchup will tilt heavily in favor of the LA Lakers, who are the overwhelming favorites to win this tie anyway. But a quiet night for Davis could bolster the chances of a Golden State Warriors win.
Nonetheless, unlike the other two matchups, this one seems well balanced and will be crucial in determining the fate of the game.
Also read: Golden State Warriors vs LA Lakers Prediction and Match Preview - May 19th, 2021 | NBA Play-in Tournament 2021