After a three-game slump that included slim losses to the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers got back on track with a 129-101 blowout of the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.
NBA leading scorer Luka Doncic continued to lead the way, notching 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists on his 27th birthday.
“We’re desperate, we needed a win like this. They got Steph [Curry] out, Jimmy [Butler] out, but they’re still a dangerous team, so that was a great win,” Doncic said postgame.
Lakers Make It Rain in San Francisco
After losing their last game against the Suns off a Royce O’Neale three, the Purple and Gold made sure to bounce back in a big way, as they shot an impressive 46% from downtown en route to the victory against the Warriors.
LeBron James knocked down all four of his threes in the opening quarter to dictate LA’s tempo early, while Doncic added four more consecutively to open the Lakers’ second-half surge.
Newcomer Luke Kennard also made four threes of his own, as the trio combined for 12 of the Lakers’ 19 made threes in the entire game.
Moreover, the Lakers also defended well from deep, as the Warriors, who are usually known for their shooting, shot an atrocious 27.3% clip from beyond the arc.
Warriors Continue to Struggle Without Curry
Still missing the services of Steph Curry, who has been out due to injury since the All-Star break, the Warriors remain in the Play-In bracket with a 31-29 record.
To make matters worse, newly acquired big man Kristaps Porzingis also missed his fourth consecutive game due to an illness.
With Curry and Porzingis being two of the biggest floor spacers on the team, Golden State’s shooting might continue to be below average in the team’s next few games.
The Warriors will try to redeem themselves in a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, while the Lakers will look to extend their winning streak against the Sacramento Kings on Monday.
