Lakers vs Warriors came as a surprise to all those who ever discounted Steph Curry and his team of resilient fighters. The defending champions in the Lakers looked more like a #10 team when they played the Bay Area in their own arena. From LeBron James to Anthony Davis, it was a story of the struggle throughout the first half.
The Lake Show took its time to wake up and by the time that happened, GSW was already under complete control of the game. So where did the men in golden and purple falter?
LeBron James and Anthony Davis hit a new low
The otherwise scary duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis seemed extremely out of touch in the play-in. The stars combined for a meager 3/19 in the first half, losing important possessions and allowing the Warriors to take the pressure off Steph Curry.
LeBron and AD shot a combined 15.8% (3-19) in the 1st half, their worst FG pct in a half since becoming teammates (min. 10 FGA)
@ESPNStatsInfo pic.twitter.com/qA0VWbV33R
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 20, 2021
Not just this, the entire unit missed 31 shots and allowed the defenders in Andrew Wiggins and potential DPOY Draymond Green to rule the show.
The Lakers missed 31 shots in the 1st half, their most in any half this season.
The Lakers went a combined 2-18 when guarded by Green or Wiggins in the 1st half:
– 0-9 vs Wiggins, including 0-6 by LeBron
– 2-9 vs Green, including 2-8 by Davis pic.twitter.com/1YdjfX8LwU— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 20, 2021
For the Lakers, point guard Dennis Schroder went scoreless in the initial and did not kick-start his machine until the beginning of Q3. The one thing that they’re great at, their defense, that too seemed, unlike a #1 defensive team, making the matters worse.
Read also – Lakers vs Warriors Play-in: Why LeBron James Went Out of the Game Early?
Lakers vs Warriors: The Bay Area and their evolving strategy as the Lakers bounced
Big time bucket from SC30
@espn pic.twitter.com/0zntPrG36z
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 20, 2021
It is tough to believe, but the Warriors were searching for AD on the defense, for he was not at his best self. Steph Curry, with his pick-and-roll, was effective against the defensive powerhouse, at least at the beginning of the game.
For the Lakers, if not for the duo of Alex Caruso and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, they were out of the game sooner than one would imagine. Thanks to them, the Lakers soon found their communication in place as they began the fourth quarter 8-0, taking a crucial lead. The star duo finally shook themselves up and started converting those much-needed reverse layups and alley-oops.
The Warriors now required some exceptional performance from Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole if they were to cut short the deficit. Steph Curry entered the game with 10 minutes remaining and converted his sixth three-pointer of the night to make it a 2-point game.
With six minutes remaining (score 89-90 Lakers leading), who do you think will have to face the Grizzlies in their next game? Help us know in the comments.
The post Lakers vs Warriors Play-in: LeBron James & Anthony Davis Hit Season Worst Records as They Squander in First Half appeared first on EssentiallySports.
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