Stephen Curry’s exceptional performance on the court often proves challenging for opposing teams, including the Lakers.
Lakers Unable to Halt Stephen Curry’s Dominance.
The Golden State Warriors secured their ninth victory in their last 11 games by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 128-110 at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Despite remaining in 10th place in the Western Conference, the Warriors are now just half a game behind the ninth-place Lakers.
In the game, Stephen Curry proved to be an insurmountable challenge for the Lakers’ defense. He scored a game-high 32 points and dished out eight assists, making it difficult for the Lakers to solely focus on defending him. Curry frequently utilized screens from players guarded by Anthony Davis. If Davis dropped back, Curry would take shots from beyond the arc, and if Davis closed out, the Lakers were left vulnerable at the rim.
Curry made six three-pointers out of 13 attempts, with four of them coming in the first quarter, where he scored 16 points. As Davis was drawn away from the paint, other Warriors capitalized on the open space and exploited their size advantage to attack the Lakers’ rim. Both teams ended up with 58 points in the paint, but the Warriors outperformed the Lakers by grabbing 15 offensive rebounds compared to the Lakers’ 10.
Traditionally, the Warriors are considered one of the smaller teams in today’s NBA, while the Lakers are known for their size. However, with LeBron James, Jarred Vanderbilt, Christian Wood, and Cam Reddish unavailable, the Lakers had to defend their opponents with mismatched lineups due to defensive switches. Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, and Trayce Jackson-Davis all took advantage of these mismatches and made crucial contributions. The Warriors’ swift and intelligent ball movement created easy scoring opportunities for these players.
Wiggins scored 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting, Kuminga added 12 points, and matched Curry’s game-high plus-minus of 25. Jackson-Davis converted eight of his 10 field goals, finishing with 17 points and four offensive rebounds. These efficient performances were complemented by the Warriors’ total of 32 assists.
Klay Thompson, who played off the bench, contributed five of those assists. Despite struggling with his shooting, going 1-for-9 from the field, Thompson made a positive impact by making smart passes to open teammates instead of forcing difficult shots. He also displayed his defensive prowess by engaging in a physical battle with Davis in the low post, enabling Wiggins to block the shot.
Davis shouldered a significant burden for the Lakers in the game, being relied upon for both offense and defense. He notched a double-double with 27 points and 15 rebounds, along with three blocks. The Warriors were content with Davis taking open jumpers from the free throw line, but he struggled to connect with his teammates, providing just one assist and committing three turnovers. The rest of the Lakers managed to make only 10 three-pointers out of 33 attempts, making it even more challenging for Davis to dominate in the paint.
NBA results from Thursday, February 22:
*Orlando Magic 116-109 Cleveland Cavaliers
*Detroit Pistons 115-129 Indiana Pacers
*New York Knicks 110-96 Philadelphia 76ers
*Brooklyn Nets 93-121 Toronto Raptors
*Phoenix Suns 113-123 Dallas Mavericks
*Boston Celtics 129-112 Chicago Bulls
*Houston Rockets 105-127 New Orleans Pelicans
*Los Angeles Clippers 107-129 Oklahoma City Thunder
*Washington Wizards 110-130 Denver Nuggets
*Charlotte Hornets 115-107 Utah Jazz
*Los Angeles Lakers 110-128 Golden State Warriors
*San Antonio Spurs 122-127 Sacramento Kings
The Thunder increased their lead over the Clippers in the Western Conference after a win in Oklahoma City. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and assisted on eight baskets. The Thunder’s defense was solid, blocking numerous shots. In the second half, the Clippers struggled as their top players missed many shots, leading to their defeat.