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A cubist interpretation of the intense on-court battle between LeBron James and the shorthanded Lakers against Stephen Curry and the Warriors.San Francisco Today
LeBron James led the shorthanded Los Angeles Lakers to a 119-103 win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, scoring 26 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. The Lakers are battling the Houston Rockets for the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, with both teams having two games remaining and the Lakers holding the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Why it matters
The win keeps the Lakers in the hunt for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, which could be crucial given their injury issues. The absence of Warriors star Stephen Curry also put a damper on what could have been another marquee matchup between two of the league’s biggest stars in James and Curry.
The details
With the Lakers dealing with a number of injuries, including to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, James stepped up to steady the team. After the Lakers gave up a 9-0 run to start the second quarter, James hit a contested three-pointer to get the team back on track. He also fed the ball to Deandre Ayton, who finished with 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting.
The Lakers (51-29) are fighting to maintain home-court advantage over the Houston Rockets, who won their eighth straight game on Thursday.Both the Lakers and Rockets have two games remaining in the regular season.
The players
A 41-year-old superstar forward for the Los Angeles Lakers who led the team to victory with 26 points and 11 rebounds.
The star point guard for the Golden State Warriors who missed the game due to a chronic knee injury, disappointing fans who had traveled from New Zealand and Australia to see him play.
JJ Redick
The head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers who acknowledged the team’s struggles with injuries and lineup changes throughout the season.
Luka Doncic
The Lakers’ injured player who is currently in Spain receiving treatment on his hamstring and is in ‘relatively good spirits’ according to Redick.
Austin Reaves
The Lakers’ injured player who is out with a Grade 2 left oblique strain and has benefited from staying with the team during his recovery.
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What they’re saying
“It’s been fun to watch as a fan, and it’s been fun to be a part of it the last couple years.”
— JJ Redick, Lakers coach
“What I told the team today — I think this is important — is we have had a very disjointed season because of all the injuries and throughout the year, we, collectively, staff, players, we’ve had to figure out the best path forward with whatever group is available.”
— JJ Redick, Lakers coach
What’s next
The Lakers and Rockets both have two games remaining in the regular season, and the Lakers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Lakers will be hoping to secure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs as they continue to deal with injuries.
The takeaway
Despite a season filled with injuries and lineup changes, the Lakers have managed to stay in the hunt for a top-4 seed in the Western Conference. LeBron James’ leadership and performance have been crucial, and the team will need continued contributions from role players to secure a favorable playoff position.