In the aftermath of a massive blowout in Game 2, the Los Angeles Lakers were not particularly happy with how they played. For Anthony Davis especially, who finished with just 11 points and 7 rebounds, we can expect a better showing in Game 3, when the Purple and Gold return to Crypto.com arena.
Overall, while the feeling around the organization is optimistic, nobody on the Lakers is taking the Warriors lightly. As ESPN’s Brian Windhorst explained this morning, the Lakers actually have a reason to feel good about their chances heading into Saturday’s showdown assuming they can keep Stephen Curry in check.
“The Lakers get on the plane to go home tomorrow, they’re 1-1. LeBron only played 28 minutes, he played well. They didn’t exhaust themselves that much in Game 2 and we kinda saw this against the Grizzlies… it was not a surprise to see this type of performance from the Lakers. Another major strategic move by the Warriors was putting Steph Curry more as a ball handler and he ends up with 12 assists, one of the highest assist games he’s ever had in his career in the postseason. The Lakers double-team him because they’re afraid of him, as they should be, and Klay has a great shooting game. All of these things kind of go into the ebb and flow of a playoff series.”
"The Lakers double-teamed [Steph] because they're afraid of him. As they should be."
—@WindhorstESPN pic.twitter.com/gsM5E1ZVwa
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) May 5, 2023
So while the final result did not pan out in the Lakers’ favor, they are sitting in a pretty good position heading into Game 3. If they can contain the Splash Bros, get Anthony Davis going again, and protect their home court, they can put a chokehold over the defending champs and go back to San Francisco on Wednesday with a major advantage.
How Can The Lakers Advance?
As bad as Game 2 was for the Lakers, it only counted as a single loss. With the series still at 1-1 overall, either team can win and many are expecting a long and drawn-out 7-game battle.
If the Lakers want to come out on top, Anthony Davis will need to step up and show some consistency for the rest of the series. If not, Stephen Curry is more than capable of burying them in threes and ending their miracle title run before it ever gets started.
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