The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors convincingly on Saturday night.
The Los Angeles Lakers dismantled the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, 129-101, and several factors went into their big win.
All Gas, no Brakes
The Warriors opened the game with a Draymond Green dunk to go up 2-0, and it would be the only time they would have the lead for the rest of the game.
The Lakers’ offense immediately started to churn out points as they quickly mounted a 10-0 run. By the end of the first quarter, Los Angeles led, 33-20.
In the second quarter, the Lakers continued to score while holding Golden State at bay. They collectively contributed to their lead and widened the gap between them and the Warriors. By half time, Los Angeles led by 18 points, and at one point in the game, its lead ballooned to 32 points.
Solid Shooting
At No. 17, the Lakers’ 35.4% 3-point percentage ranks in the bottom half of the league. However, they were largely able to hit their perimeter shots against the Warriors. Los Angeles went 19-41 from beyond the arc, which is good for 46.3%. It was a collective effort for the Lakers, as LeBron James went 4-6 from deep, Luke Kennard went 4-7 and Jake LaRavia went 3-6.
Meanwhile, a Warriors team once again without the services of Steph Curry struggled mightily from 3-point range — shooting 27.3%. The only two players who could resemble any consistency were Moses Moody (4-10 3PT) and Al Horford (2-3 3PT).
LeBron’s Efficient Night
At 41 years old, LeBron James is still an athletic powerhouse, but the duration in which he can be an iron man is not what it used to be. Therefore, when his shot is falling, it makes his life easier. That was the case on Saturday. As previously mentioned, James hit four of his six 3-point attempts.
Overall, he went 7-13 from the field. It was a hardly a high-volume night for The King, but it was more than enough to help his team as he notched 22 points by the final buzzer. James also dished out nine assists in the victory to help keep his teammates fed.
Apart from a few seasons, James has largely been ineffective from deep in his career, and his 23rd season has not been any different. This year, James is hitting just 29.9% of his 3-point attempts. So, when an efficient night like Saturday comes along, it is a welcome sight.
After losing three-straight games, the win over the Warriors served as a way for the Lakers to reset. Their next two games are also against the struggling Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans; giving them additional opportunities to string together wins.