The Los Angeles Lakers found themselves in a contest that had significant playoff implications for the third consecutive game.
They played the Golden State Warriors, who were sixth in the Western Conference at the beginning of the day. With a 46-29 record, the Lakers were two games ahead of the Warriors, who were ranked third.
At Crypto.com Arena, this matchup was billed as an early playoff-style contest. However, following a scorching start, the Lakers found it difficult to make baskets, as though the Warriors had frozen them out. The Lakers missed 11 consecutive field goal tries at one time between the first and second quarters, which significantly affected the game’s outcome.
They only fired They shot 35.7% from the field in the first half and 34.7% in the third quarter. They never fully recovered after falling behind by double digits late in the second quarter. L.A. scored 39 points in the fourth quarter and even went on an 11-2 run to get within five points, but they were unable to get stops or secure defensive rebounds when they needed them most, losing 123-116.
One of the main problems was defensive rebounding, or the absence of it.
The Lakers gave up 14 offensive rebounds and were out-rebounded 46-39 overall, which allowed Golden State to score 23 second-chance points.
The Lakers fell to fourth place in the Western Conference with this defeat. There won’t be a pause if they were feeling worn out, which looked plausible considering how brief their jump shots were. On Friday, they take on the New Orleans Pelicans, and on Sunday, they take on the formidable Oklahoma City Thunder, who have a 64-12 record.
Grades of Players
Rui Hachimura: An
Hachimura provided much-needed momentum to the Lakers. He made three of his six efforts from beyond the arc and scored 24 points on 9 of 15 shots. In addition, he contributed three assists and pulled down six rebounds. He got some easy baskets late in the game thanks to his off-ball mobility.
D, Jaxson Hayes
One would have anticipated Hayes to feast close to the rim because the Warriors were playing small. However, he didn’t really contribute offensively and didn’t make good use of his size in the basket. In 15 minutes, he only managed three rebounds and finished with just two points on one of four shots.
Reaves, Austin: An
Reaves made every effort to give the Lakers a chance to win. He put a lot of effort on the boards in the first half and started the game with back-to-back threes. Despite being quiet in the middle of the quarter, he scored 20 points on 7 of 11 shooting in the fourth quarter. In the closing 86 seconds, he made three clutch three-pointers to keep the Lakers in it, transforming into a flamethrower.
In 40 minutes, he finished with 31 points on 10 of 20 shooting, including 6 three-pointers (all in the fourth), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal.
D, Luka Doncic
Doncic never found a rhythm that was offensive. After shooting 3-of-11 in the first half, he didn’t get any better. Every time he drove into the paint, Warrior defenders surrounded him, and he missed all six of his three-point attempts.
He finished with eight rebounds, seven assists, one block, just one turnover, and 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting.
LeBron James: Excellent
LeBron finished with a team-high 33 points on 10-of-15 shooting, went 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, and made 8 of 9 free throws. He also had nine assists but committed four turnovers, including one with 2:23 remaining when the Lakers were down seven points. LeBron took it easy in the first half, scoring just eight points on 2-of-4 shooting, but he picked it up in the third quarter and made a big push in the fourth with eight quick points in less than 90 seconds, attempting to lead a late comeback.
D. Finney-Smith, Dorian
Finney-Smith struggled in this game despite recently shooting well from outside the arc. He just made one of six shots overall, missed all five of his three-point attempts, and only managed to score two points. He occasionally faced Steph Curry on defense and was competitive in certain situations, but his influence was minimal.
B, said Jarred Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt is a constant source of energy and bustle. He pulled down seven rebounds in just 13 minutes. He only made one of three shots from the field and scored two points, but the Lakers could have used a little more from him.
Gabe Vincent: D
Both ends of Vincent’s body ached. He only made one of five long-range shots and had no impact on defense.
Goodwin, Jordan: D
In 14 minutes, Goodwin made just one shot and failed to make it. Despite finishing without a point, he did provide two steals and three rebounds.
