Warriors Threaten Lakers for Playoff Spot: A Look at the Playoff Race in the West

Sports Editorial (USA), April 9 (EFE).- With only two games left in the regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers, without Anthony Davis and with a diminished LeBron James, lost a crucial duel 120-134 this Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors, enormous in the triple with 26 of 41 and who now threaten the ninth place in the West of the Angelenos.

The Lakers have a balance of 45-35 and are ninth in that conference ahead of the Warriors, who have a record of 44-35 and who also won the tiebreaker against the purple and gold after tonight’s victory ( 3-1).

LeBron’s men have two games ahead before lowering the curtain on the regular phase: on Friday in Memphis against the Grizzlies and on Sunday an explosive face-to-face in New Orleans against the Pelicans also involved in the fight in the West (they are now sixth with 47-32).

For their part, the Warriors, launched with eight wins in their last nine games, still have three games to play: Thursday against the Portland Trail Blazers, Friday against the Pelicans and a close on Sunday against the Utah Jazz.

Steve Kerr’s men therefore depend on themselves against the Lakers to be ninth: if they win the three remaining games and the Los Angeles team win the two they have left, both would have a balance of 47-35 but the tiebreaker would favor those from San Francisco.

In addition, the Warriors also have eighth place within reach of the Sacramento Kings (45-34). Further away, but also involved in this enormous mess of the West’s ‘play-in’, appear the Phoenix Suns (46-33, seventh).

It is worth remembering that there is a huge difference between the final play-in positions. For example, the seventh plays against the eighth on their court and, in case of losing, they still have a bullet left also at home against the winner of the ninth-tenth.

Thinking about the case of the Lakers, falling to tenth position would force them to play and win at home two games in a row to enter the playoff. In this sense, maintaining ninth place would allow them to at least play the first match on their court.

Bad luck has also crossed the path of the Lakers, who this Tuesday could not count on Davis who suffered headaches and nausea before the game. Additionally, LeBron, still recovering from the flu, was a doubt until a few minutes before tip-off.

Klay Thompson (27 points with 5 of 10 in triples) and Stephen Curry (26 points, with a perfect 6 of 6 from the perimeter, in addition to 7 rebounds and 8 assists) led a sniping exhibition in which Draymond Green also stood out ( 15 points, with 5 of 7 in triples, and 6 rebounds and 10 assists).

These lethal Warriors were just one triple away from equaling their best all-time mark in a game with 27. The absolute NBA record belongs to the Milwaukee Bucks with 29 three-pointers in 2020.

Not only did Golden State dazzle in attack, but in defense it also excelled with 12 blocks in total. Both the Spanish Usman Garuba and the Dominican Lester Quiñones played a couple of minutes when the match was already decided.

For the Lakers, LeBron tried in every possible way and finished with 33 points (14 of 22), 7 rebounds and 11 assists. ‘King James’ had the help of Austin Reaves (22 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists) and Rui Hachimura (20 points and 11 rebounds).

In the first half there were two protagonists: the great defense of the Warriors, which left the Lakers at 40% in field goals, and a sensational Green with a 5 of 5 in triples.

Golden State had a very complete first half, as its offense also worked at full capacity (impressive 15 of 22 in triples), and went to halftime with the game under control (60-71).

The Lakers showed pride in the third quarter and came within just 5 points, but a trend of the night was that, in LeBron’s rest minutes, the Warriors took the opportunity to distance themselves on the scoreboard.

Thus, the visitors created a 0-10 partial to close the penultimate period and reach the outcome with a significant margin (89-106).

The Angelenos did not give up, responding to the blow with a 9-0 run in the final quarter.

But the Warriors did not get nervous, they continued to tighten their defense and crush their rivals from the outside and closed a brilliant and very important victory.

2024-04-10 05:03:57
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