FSM Essential Recap: Lakers vs Warriors - Game 3 - 2023

FSM Essential Recap: Lakers vs Warriors – Game 3 – 2023

Franchise Sports Media

Los Angeles Lakers (43-39) | Golden State Warriors (44-38)

 

The Los Angeles Lakers bounced back and blew out the Golden State Warriors 127-97, taking the lead in the series at 2-1.

The Lakers vs Warriors played at the Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.

Not only did the Los Angeles Lakers as a whole bounce back to defeat the Golden State Warriors 127-97, but Anthony Davis also revitalized himself, leading the team with 25 points (7-of-10 FGs, 11-of-12 FTs), 13 rebounds, three assists, three steals, four blocks, and a +28 in +/-.

“This is gonna be a battle until the end,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “You can’t rest on your laurels. They’re the defending champions for a reason. We’re thankful we got this one, but come Monday, we’re gonna have a dogfight on our hands.”

LeBron James added 21 points (6-of-11 FGs, 2-for-4 3s, 7-of-8 FTs), eight rebounds, and eight assists. James started slow, however, as he didn’t take a single shot in the entire first quarter for the first time in his playoff career.

“That’s what he’s been, and that’s who he has to be this time of year,” Ham said of James’ hustle plays. “That’s why he’s a champion. Him putting that effort into doing the little things… it makes it easier for the other guys to do it.”

With his sixth rebound of the game, James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for fifth place on the NBA’s all-time postseason rebounds list, 4. Shaquille O’Neal – 2,508, 5. James – 2,484, 6. Abdul-Jabbar – 2,481.

“Stay off the TV and stay off social media,” James on what he has emphasized to his teammates, specifically the younger ones. “You win a game, and everyone is the best player in the world. You lose a game, and everybody is throwing dirt on you.”

Anthony Davis came up big in this one

Lonnie Walker IV gave the Lakers a big lift off the bench, with 12 points (4-of-6 FGs, 2-for-4 3s), four rebounds, two steals, and one block in 24 minutes after he’d been out of the playoff rotation.

The start of the Lakers vs Warriors’ first half. 

D’Angelo Russell was huge for the Lakers, totaling 21 points (8-of-13 FGs, 5-for-8 3s), three rebounds, and five assists.

“I feel like I was prepared for this situation,” D’Angelo Russell said. “Prepared myself mentally and physically to have success under these circumstances.”

For the Warriors, Stephen Curry was held to 23 points (9-of-21 FGs, 4-for-10 3s), four rebounds, and three assists. Klay Thompson only had 15 points (5-of-14 FGs, 3-for-9 3s), seven rebounds, and six turnovers.

“We’re one of the best defensive teams in the league, if not the best,” James said of the Lakers having a better defensive effort in this one. “And in order for us to reach our potential, we need to defend at a high level.”

One adjustment from Ham was that he put Lonnie Walker IV in Los Angeles’ second unit, in a spot where Troy Brown Jr. had been playing.

Outside of Russell, Los Angeles’ offense was non-existent early. A 13-2 push from Golden State, featuring a pair of 3’s from Thompson, turned a 21-17 Laker lead into a 30-23 deficit after 12 minutes. The Lakers’ offense settled for the exact shots that the Warriors wanted them to.

After trailing by 11 early in the second, Los Angeles rallied to take a 42-40 lead as James hit a corner 3.

Davis beat the buzzer with a left-handed layup around Kevon Looney to put Los Angeles up 11 at the half after they’d trailed by 11 early in the second quarter.

The end of the Lakers vs Warriors’ first half. 

Los Angeles’ defense was terrific, as they held Golden State to two points with 7:40 to play in the third quarter.

The start of the Lakers vs Warriors’ second half. 

The Lakers (15-of-31) made two more 3’s than Golden State (13-of-44) in this one. The Warriors hit 21 3s in Game 1 and Game 2. Los Angeles was also +16 at the free-throw line despite missing nine attempts.

James and Davis said that Game 3 would be about their defense. They held Golden State to 36.4 percent FGs so far and forced 13 turnovers. They had seven steals and five blocks and led 71-55.

A huge difference from Game 2 was James’ and Davis’ free throw attempts. In Game 2, they were 1-for-1, while in Game 3, they were 18-of-20 total from the charity stripe.

The Lakers held the Warriors to 18 points in the second quarter and 20 points in the third quarter after allowing over 40 points in each of those periods back in San Francisco.

With the Lakers up 98-72 and nine minutes to go, Warriors coach Steve Kerr pulled Curry, Green, and Thompson. Still, he had a competitive bench group of young guys: Jordan Poole, Donte DiVincenzo, Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and Gary Payton II. 

Ham went with Schroder, Reaves, Walker IV, Hachimura, and Wenyen Gabriel.

It was the best-case scenario for the Lakers with the huge lead, as they were able to rest James and Davis. James played 32 minutes, Davis 33, both headed to the bench with seven minutes to play, and Los Angeles was up 105-77.

In other news:

“It’s a proud moment to see my son go to college,” James said of his son Bronny James’ commitment. “He’s the first one to go to college in my family. I’ll take this cherry on top with this dub.”

The final score of the Lakers vs Warriors was 127-97, Lakers.

The Lakers will now take on the Warriors on Monday, May 8th, at 7:00 p.m. PT.

 

– Jake Ideguchi-Furukawa – Franchise Sports Media

Follow Jake on Twitter @jguchi_

Follow Jake on Instagram @jguchi_

Follow The Franchise on social media

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube