On December 26th, Beijing time, there was a highly anticipated matchup during the NBA regular season's Christmas Day games. The Golden State Warriors awaited the arrival of the Los Angeles Lakers at their home court for an intense battle.
Schröder, facing his former team, had an excellent three-point shooting performance, hitting multiple shots. The Warriors started strong, taking control early on, with Wiggins particularly impressive, scoring 10 points through a combination of drives and outside shots. The starters played well overall, but the bench seemed slow to heat up, struggling to keep pace on both ends of the court. The Lakers responded quickly, stabilizing the situation with consecutive successful defenses. However, unfortunately, Davis suffered an ankle sprain and returned to the locker room, leaving a potential problem. With a three-pointer from Knecht, the first quarter ended in a 23-all tie.
In the second quarter, James launched a sudden three-pointer from the outside, while Knecht became a substitute powerhouse, making strong finishes under the basket. The Lakers then went on a 9-0 run to take the lead. However, quickly widening the gap was not easy, as the game remained tightly contested. Coach Kerr made several substitutions, but they were not particularly effective, ultimately relying on the starters to resolve the issues. Tres scored efficiently inside, while Curry responded with consecutive three-pointers. The half ended with the score at 52-55, with the Warriors trailing by three points.
The third quarter began with a three-point shootout between both teams, neither willing to give ground, resulting in intense competition. Curry and Wiggins took on the offensive responsibilities, with the Warriors working hard to catch up. However, whenever they got close, the opposition would counter, making it difficult for the Warriors to change their disadvantageous position. Despite Davis not returning to the court, other Lakers players stepped up, with Hachimura and Reeves scoring consecutively, demonstrating a "all-for-one" mentality and growing stronger as the game progressed. The third quarter ended with the Lakers leading 84-76.
In the final quarter, Hachimura hit another three-pointer and then aggressively rose up under the basket to complete a 2+1, showing his tough character. Kuminga created fouls and repeatedly went to the free-throw line. The competition between the two teams remained tight, with no clear advantage. In the decisive moments, Schroder confidently shot from the outside, sinking the ball cleanly, followed by Curry's fast-break layup, reducing the deficit to just two points. With 22 seconds remaining, Christie calmly sank his free throws.
After a timeout, Curry executed a difficult move, nailing a three-pointer to keep the game suspenseful. The Warriors intentionally fouled, and Reeves made both free throws. However, Curry once again displayed his magic, launching a perfect arc on a long-range three-pointer to level the score. With six seconds left, Reeves completed the game-winning layup. The game ended with the Lakers defeating the Warriors 115-113. In this match, James scored 31 points and dished out 10 assists, while Reeves recorded a triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Hachimura contributed 18 points. With this victory, the Lakers temporarily returned to the top six with a record of 17 wins and 13 losses.
Curry fought hard on the court, making 14 of 24 shots, including 8 of 15 from three-point range, scoring 38 points and providing 6 assists. Wiggins also performed well, scoring 21 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. The Warriors' current record stands at 15 wins and 14 losses, placing them eighth. However, behind them, the Timberwolves, Suns, and Spurs are like fierce predators in hot pursuit, showing no signs of relenting. The ranking situation in the Western Conference play-in zone is extremely chaotic.
