In one of the stranger NBA games of recent memory, the Warriors just made a big move towards the West Play-In picture.
Golden State pounced on the Anthony Davis-less Lakers, winning 128-121 Sunday (PHL) at the Crypto.com Arena.
The finish to the game was marred by a comedy of errors, with two lengthy reviews that first took away a LeBron James three off the board, and then one that awarded the Lakers a possession after Draymond Green stepped out of bounds when it was initially called Golden State ball.
After the reviews, multiple more stoppages occurred, as the shot clock refused to work. To end the final minute and a half of the game, Lakers PA announcer Lawrence Tanter was counting down the shot clock himself.
In the actual game setting though, the Lakers were in control early until Davis exited the game in the second quarter, with his eye shut off after taking a hit to the face.
Anthony Davis left the game after being poked in the eye in the 1st quarter.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 17, 2024
Hope he’s alright 🙏
pic.twitter.com/jtjkLOUAob
That’s when the Warriors took over, taking a one-point lead at the half and keeping the Lakers at bay through the fourth and to the buzzer.
Steph Curry finished with 31 points for Golden State, despite a scoreless first quarter.
Stephen's putting on a SHOW in L.A. 🎬 pic.twitter.com/CmLPK2Jg5A
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 17, 2024
Klay Thompson added 26, while Jonathan Kuminga was good for 23 for the Warriors, who now improve to 35-31 and a 2-1 lead over the Lakers in the season-series, which could decide homecourt in the first Play-In game.
The Lakers got 40 points from LeBron, and 23 points and 13 assists from D’Angelo Russell.
AD finished with eight points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block before his exit after 11 minutes and 57 seconds of play. The Lakers are still virtually tied with the Warriors at 9th in the West with a 36-32 record.
