In a wire-to-wire style, the Los Angeles Lakers pulverized the Golden State Warriors, 127-97, to seize the Game 3 of their Western Conference Semifinals affair on Saturday night time.
After squaring the series in Game 2 again residence in San Francisco, the Warriors had been trembled by the balanced effort and the smothering defensive activation made by the Lakers to utterly hoist the 2-1 series edge in Los Angeles.
Anthony Davis regained his supreme kind, dominating the Game 3 victory with 25 factors, 13 boards, 4 blocks, three assists, three steals and shot 70 p.c from the sector (7-of-10). With one other godly efficiency, he grew to become the primary participant since Houston Rockets nice Hakeem Olajuwon in 1986 to etch 25+ factors, 10+ boards, 3+ blocks, 3+ steals in 70+ p.c effectivity in a postseason recreation (per StatMuse).
On the opposite hand, LeBron James had 21 markers, eight boards and eight assists, whereas D’Angelo Russell carried L.A. on the first-half with a scorching 21 factors whereas firing 5 treys, changing into the primary participant in Lakers historical past with 20 factors and 5 three-pointers earlier than halftime of a playoff recreation (h/t ESPN’s Stats & Info).
Besides the star trio, the Lakers obtained loads of assist from Dennis Schroder who had 12 factors off the bench. Meanwhile, Lonnie Walker IV, who was seldomly utilized by coach Darvin Ham in these playoffs, rose into the event of the call-up and churned 12 factors in 24 minutes of exercise.
Swarmed by their two-way shortcomings and foul troubles by giving up 37 free-throws, the Warriors weren’t in a position to reply against the Lakers’ overwhelming rally as early because the second body. They grabbed a 40-29 lead, however had been surprised by L.A.’s 30-8 blitz to cap off the first-half with a 59-48 lead into the break.
The Lakers additional widened their hole against the Dubs within the third body, courtesy of James. After a passive first-half, the famous person feasted for 11 of his 23 whole factors within the interval alone, with Golden State additionally restricted to simply 20 factors, 86-68.
Following a Schroeder trey, Steve Kerr elected to bench all of his foremost items with 9:11 left on the ultimate body – a sign of waving that white flag on their camp. Steph Curry chalked 23 factors, with Andrew Wiggins including up 16 on the defending champs’ lowly night time taking pictures 39.6 p.c from the ground.
With the Game 3 dub, the Lakers have maintained their historic win streak for each Game 3s, additional extending it to 10 – standing because the longest in playoff historical past.
Los Angeles will as soon as once more host the star-studded series’ Game 4 on Monday.
