The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers are lined up for a potential must-see first-round playoff matchup and a preview of what might go down will take place on Thursday in Los Angeles.
Revived by trade-deadline moves, the Lakers and Warriors are turning championship DNA into dueling title runs.
Behind rejuvenated play from Steph Curry, and the February addition of Jimmy Butler, Golden State is 19-5 since Feb. 8. That is the date of Butler’s Warriors debut after he was traded by the Miami Heat.
Curry put on another show Tuesday when he scored 52 points and rallied Golden State to a 134-125 road victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. Showing that his legendary shooting touch has not aged, Curry made 12 3-pointers to match a season high.
Butler added 27 points, and Draymond Green contributed a triple-double with 13 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. The victory came without Jonathan Kuminga (pelvis) and the continued absence of Gary Payton II (thumb).
Butler is scoring 17.5 points per game with the Warriors, while his basketball IQ and play on the defensive end is helping Golden State to thrive.
“Jimmy saved our season,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “The trade saved our season. Everybody knows that. But you watch what he did — 12-for-12 from the (free-throw) line. Steph goes off the floor, we’re running everything through him. Just a big-time defender, big-time two-way player.”
The Lakers have a season-saver of their own in Luka Doncic, who arrived in February from the Dallas Mavericks for Anthony Davis. Doncic has averaged 27.2 points with his new team and had 20 in a 104-98 home win over the Houston Rockets on Monday.
But the Lakers still go as LeBron James goes and even though the 40-year-old was limited to 16 points in the victory, his eight rebounds, four assists and two steals helped Los Angeles to the finish line.
The Lakers’ bench is also finding its way with Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent adding 20 points each. Lakers reserves outscored the Rockets’ bench 46-32.
Los Angeles is trying to get Finney-Smith to shoot more, and the confidence from teammates and coaches is making an impact. He was 6 of 11 from 3-point range.
“I always want to make the right read,” Finney-Smith said. “… So, it feels good when guys like (Doncic) and Bron are telling me to shoot. Because it could be the other way around.”
Vincent also made six 3-pointers against the Rockets.
The fight for playoff positioning in the Western Conference is not lost on the Lakers.
“It’s so close,” James said. “People are jumping each other, falling behind, whatever the case may be. For us, obviously, our mission is to lock in a playoff spot. We don’t want to have to play in the play-In. So, we understand what’s at stake.”
Doncic aggravated a sore elbow during the victory over the Rockets but intends to play against the Warriors.
The Lakers have won all three games against the Warriors this season, with the most recent coming Feb. 6 in a 120-112 victory at Los Angeles when James scored 42 points, while Curry had 37.
–Field Level Media
