The NBA battles continue to heat up as the Golden State Warriors hosted the Los Angeles Lakers at home. Prior to the game, the Warriors were ranked 8th in the West, while the Lakers were ranked 7th. This match was a crucial positioning battle, with Russell from the Lakers and Li Kyle from the Warriors absent due to injuries. The matchup between Lakers' star LeBron James and Warriors' star Stephen Curry was destined to be a focal point of the game. After four quarters of intense competition, the Warriors narrowly lost to the Lakers with a score of 113-115, suffering their second consecutive defeat.
In this game, the Lakers fielded a starting lineup of James, Davis, Christie, Hachimura, and Rivers, while the Warriors countered with Curry, Wiggins, Green, Davis, and Schroder.
The game started with the home team, the Warriors, quickly finding their rhythm and taking an early 10-4 lead. The Lakers relied on James to close the gap, but Davis had to leave the court after playing for more than 7 minutes due to an injury. The two teams remained neck and neck, with neither able to pull away significantly. With a three-pointer from the corner by Knecht, the Lakers caught up to 23-23. Knecht then completed a buzzer-beating block, ending the first quarter with both teams tied at 23.
In the second quarter, the Lakers improved their offensive efficiency, gradually taking the lead under James' guidance who scored 11 points in the quarter. Curry also contributed 11 points in the second quarter, and at halftime, the Lakers led the Warriors 55-52.
After switching sides, James assisted Christie to score under the basket, followed by Davis adding 2 points. Vincent and James then scored another 4 points, giving the Lakers a 7-point lead. Curry made two free throws to reduce the deficit, while Wiggins and Christie each hit a three-pointer. The two teams exchanged blows, with the Lakers maintaining a slight advantage. A mid-range shot by James and a three-pointer from the top of the arc by Hachimura forced the Warriors to call a timeout. At the end of the third quarter, the Warriors trailed the Lakers.
Entering the decisive fourth quarter, the Warriors failed to make up the points, and the game ended with the Warriors losing 113-115 to the Lakers.
So, where exactly did the Lakers fall short in this game? Perhaps the data can provide us with the answer!
Here are the performances of the starting players:
-
Curry played for 35 minutes, shooting 14 out of 24, including 8 out of 15 from beyond the arc, and 2 out of 2 from the free-throw line, scoring 38 points, 1 rebound, and 6 assists with a plus-minus of -1. As the team's backcourt core, Curry only scored 5 points in the first quarter, performing averagely. However, he scored 11 points in the second quarter and entered the game early. His performance on the offensive end was outstanding, especially his shooting from beyond the arc. Curry made several key three-pointers, delivering a perfect performance overall.
-
Wiggins played for 35 minutes, shooting 8 out of 19, including 3 out of 7 from three-point range, scoring 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists with a plus-minus of +4. As the team's frontline core, Wiggins scored 10 points in the first quarter, making commendable contributions on the offensive end. He controlled his turnovers well today and performed decently from three-point range, capitalizing on some opportunities. Overall, his performance was satisfactory.
-
Green played for 34 minutes, shooting 1 out of 6, including 1 out of 5 from three-point range, scoring 3 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists with a plus-minus of +2. As the team's starting power forward, Green had a low offensive efficiency today, with a poor shooting percentage. However, his defensive efforts were evident, as he protected rebounds well and delivered some impressive passes, revitalizing the team's offense and driving his teammates to score. Overall, his performance was basically up to par.
-
Davis played for 26 minutes, shooting 5 out of 7, scoring 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists with a plus-minus of +11. As the team's interior core, Davis' performance on both ends of the court was noticeable, especially after the Lakers' interior player Davis left the court due to injury. Davis was efficient on the offensive end and versatile on defense, protecting rebounds well and contributing blocks. He played very actively on the court.
-
Schroder played for 28 minutes, shooting 3 out of 10, including 3 out of 6 from three-point range, scoring 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists. As a new addition to the team, Schroder continued to partner with Curry, forming the backcourt for the Warriors. In the opening stages of the first quarter, Schroder made two consecutive three-pointers, showing his personal form. However, his performance was average for the rest of the game, with a fair number of turnovers. Undeniably, Schroder's performance was somewhat disappointing!
Other player performances:
-
Kuminga played for 27 minutes, shooting 4 out of 10, including 0 out of 4 from three-point range, scoring 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist with a plus-minus of -17. As a substitute player, Kuminga's offensive efficiency was not high, wasting some shooting opportunities. His defensive performance was average, and judging from his plus-minus data, his efficiency on the court was not high, with an average performance overall.
-
Bojemska played for 24 minutes, shooting 2 out of 5, including 2 out of 3 from three-point range, scoring 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist with a plus-minus of +2. Bojemska did not attempt many shots today. He basically capitalized on his opportunities on the court, delivering a satisfactory performance overall.
-
Hield played for 17 minutes, shooting 2 out of 6, including 1 out of 5 from three-point range, scoring 5 points with a plus-minus of -8. Hield came off the bench today. As a three-point shooter, he only made 1 three-pointer, clearly not meeting the team's expectations and performing averagely.
-
Payton played for 6 minutes, shooting 2 out of 2, scoring 4 points with a plus-minus of -4. He attempted 2 shots on the court today and made them all, delivering a satisfactory performance.
-
Looney played for 4 minutes without scoring any points. Looney did not play much time, and his overall performance was unsatisfactory.
With the Lakers narrowly defeating the Warriors, the Warriors suffered their second consecutive loss. In the three games that have already concluded, the Spurs lost to the Knicks 114-117, the Timberwolves defeated the Mavericks 105-99, and the 76ers defeated the Celtics 118-114. As a result, the latest rankings in the NBA Western Conference are as follows:
What are your thoughts on this?