NBA Christmas Day included five games, but the main event was in Chase Center between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. It’s the first matchup of the season between these teams and the first between NBA legends LeBron James and Stephen Curry.
At 7th and 8th in the West, these teams are pretty evenly balanced and it was reflected that way in the box score. It was even at 23 points for both teams after the first quarter and it stayed that way through the first half. It wasn’t until the third quarter when the Lakers gained some real separation and they rode that momentum to the win (115-113).
LeBron James led the Lakers with 31 points, 10 assists, and 4 rebounds on 12-22 shooting. Austin Reaves was second in scoring with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists on 8-20 shooting. Off the bench, Dalton Knecht dropped 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists on 5-9 shooting.
Stephen Curry single-handedly led a Warriors comeback in the second half and his heroics tied the game down the stretch. He finished with a game-high 38 points, 6 assists, and 1 rebound on 14-24 shooting. Andrew Wiggins contributed 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists on 8-19 shooting. Meanwhile, Jonathan Kuminga dropped 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist on 4-10 shooting.
In the most highly anticipated matchup of the day, the Lakers not only came out victorious, they made a statement against one of the signature teams in the West. The bad news is, it may have cost them Anthony Davis for some time after he suffered a left ankle sprain.
Role Players Stepped Up
The Lakers started the game with both superstars, but Anthony Davis only lasted 7:12 minutes before leaving the game with an injury. He scored 0 points, went 0-3 from the field, and was -7 in his limited time on the floor.
But in his place, the Lakers got some key contributions from others. As usual, LeBron James carried much of the burden with 31 points, 10 assists, and 4 rebounds but he was not alone. Rui Hachimura finished above his season average with 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist on 6-12 shooting. Max Christie (who started tonight) scored 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists and made some huge plays down the stretch.
Of course, the star of the show was Austin Reaves. While he’s been inconsistent all season, he stepped up tonight when the Lakers needed him with a 26-point triple-double. It was also his game-winning layup that helped the Lakers win the game.
30 Team Assists
With Darvin Ham and previous head coaches, the Lakers struggled to move the ball and get everyone involved in the offense. But with JJ Redick, the Lakers have prioritized ball movement and it was in full effect tonight.
Two Lakers players had over 10 assists tonight while four others tallied multiple assists. In total, they had 30 team assists compared to the Warriors who finished with 26. The free-flowing offense created clean looks for the Purple and Gold, who were able to knock down their shots at a consistent pace (45.1% shooting).
Without Anthony Davis for the next few games, the Lakers will have to rely on their role players to fill his shoes and step up on both ends of the floor. Fortunately, they showed some great signs tonight but it remains to be seen if they can maintain this good play for an extended time.
Clutch Play Down The Stretch
The Warriors came storming back in the second half and Stephen Curry himself nearly stole the win with a couple of late-game shots. They allowed 37 points in the fourth quarter and almost gave the game away before some key execution down the stretch.
By going 18-18 from the charity stripe, the Lakers left no points on the table and they were able to withstand Steph Curry’s hot shooting in the fourth. Of course, Austin Reaves was the hero of the night with a 26-point triple-double, including the game-winner that avoided a disastrous result for the Lakers.
With LeBron James running point, you know the Lakers are always going to find the best shot and while their defense struggled tonight, they were able to score when it mattered the most. For them to compete in the West this year, they’ll need to maintain this execution in the fourth quarter and they’ll have to lean on guys like LeBron and Austin Reaves.
Tonight’s narrow victory moved the Lakers up to 17-13 this season, good enough for 6th in the West behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, and Denver Nuggets.
The Lakers have a few days off before their next game against the Kings at 10:30 PM EST at Crypto.com arena. On the 31st, they face the Cleveland Cavaliers at 9:00 PM EST at Crypto.com arena. Finally, the Lakers face the Portland Trail Blazers at home at 10:30 PM EST.
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