The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors opened their second-round series on Monday night coming off their respective upset first-round series. The two California teams may be getting a ton of buzz, though it’s easy to forget that the Lakers are the No. 7 seed in the West while the Warriors are the No. 6 seed.
The Lakers won Game 1 by a score of 117-112, getting contributions from multiple players on the team. LeBron James had a strong game. However, he no longer has to carry his team alone and do everything against these Warriors.
James, who scored 22 points on 9-for-24 shooting, spoke postgame about the win and the Lakers’ mindset coming into this series.
“We’ve been playing playoff basketball for about 2 1/2 months now just to punch our clock to be able to play right now in the postseason,” James said. “We were very resilient tonight. … We know how great they are on their home floor, so to withstand that, it’s another good step for our ballclub.”
James knocked down 1-for-8 from the three-point line and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed 11 rebounds, dished out four assists, and added three blocks.
Playoff Anthony Davis Rises
Anthony Davis had a monster game for the Lakers. Davis scored 30 points on 11-for-19 shooting. Davis knocked down 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. Davis also cleaned the glass with 23 rebounds and dished out four assists. Warriors’ Head Coach Steve Kerr spoke on Davis and his dominance postgame.
“I thought AD had a great game. He dominated and he got blocked four shots and altered some others,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “This team has been doing that for the last few months. They have been one of the best defensive teams in the league for a reason and he’s a huge part of that.”
Absolutely Dominant 📝 pic.twitter.com/dHkvFZocpE
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 3, 2023
The handles
The lob
The JAM pic.twitter.com/oJXSgDA3l0— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 3, 2023
More Lakers Contributions
- D’Angelo Russell scored 19 points, grabbed three rebounds, and dished out six assists.
- Austin Reaves scored 10 points, grabbed five rebounds, and dished out three assists.
- Dennis Schroder scored 19 points, grabbed two rebounds, and dished out three assists off the bench.
The Lakers will remain in San Francisco for game 2 of their series against the Warriors. Tip-off from the Chase Center is on 5/4 at 9 pm Eastern/ 6 pm Pacific.
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 3, 2023
