LOS ANGELES — Their identity only formed 2½ months ago. Yet, the Los Angeles Lakers have made clutch plays in pressure-packed situations.
Their identity formed through four NBA championship runs in six NBA Finals appearances. Yet, the Golden State Warriors have unraveled with late-game miscues.
The Lakers cemented a 104-101 win over the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series on Monday at Crypto.com Arena by mixing in valuable championship ingredients. Their star players made key defensive stops. An emerging role player made surprise contributions. And they all embraced each other after ensuring a 3-1 series lead with a chance to close out in Game 5 on Wednesday in San Francisco.
“Every game for us is another opportunity for us to experience something that we just haven’t had as a group,” Lakers forward LeBron James said. “We’re a relatively young group.”
Meanwhile, the Warriors lost their second consecutive game against the Lakers by acting like a young group instead of a championship-tested team. Their star players missed key shots. An emerging young player disappeared. And they all walked off the floor struggling to find answers on why they face elimination less than a year after winning an NBA title.
“You definitely use it as confidence,” Warriors guard Stephen Curry said, “that we can figure this out.”
In Game 4, it was clear that the Lakers have figured things out and the Warriors haven’t.
The Lakers figured out how to give LeBron James help while he still produced with 27 points, nine rebounds and six assists, albeit with poor shooting numbers overall (10-for-25) and from 3-point range (2-for-9). With the Lakers holding a 104-101 lead with 15 seconds left, James directed teammate Anthony Davis to switch onto Klay Thompson on the far corner moments before Draymond Green drove toward the basket and fired a pass to him. That resulted in a Warriors turnover, while the Lakers held a 104-101 lead with nine seconds left.
“We’ve been in enough actions where we can communicate to be able to figure out the …” James said, trailing off.
Davis interrupted, “Except the Minnesota play-in!” Then, Davis accidentally fouled Timberwolves guard Mike Conley on a close-out 3-pointer, resulting in three made foul shots to force overtime. The Lakers prevailed, though, in overtime by moving on from that mistake.
“I try not to bring it up,” James said, jokingly.
The two could laugh about it now. After showing inconsistency with his offensive potential, Davis dominated in all facets of the game (23 points, 15 rebounds, three steals). He fought through Green’s physicality. He adjusted well enough to the Warriors’ small-ball lineup with seldom-used guard Gary Payton II receiving the starting nod. He even contested one of Curry’s shots.
“Don’t give him an open 3 and stay in front of him; I think that’s pretty special,” Lakers guard Dennis Schroder said. “I don’t think I did that.”
Golden State Warriors uncharacteristic meltdowns
The Warriors could not figure out how to give Curry help. They essentially wasted Curry’s third career playoff triple double in points (31), assists (14) and rebounds (10) partly because they couldn’t absorb his poor shooting numbers overall (12-for-30) and from deep (3-for-14). After making a layup to cut the Lakers’ lead to 102-101 with 1:05 left, Curry’s night ended without a highlight reel. He missed an 18-footer (26.1 seconds left). He then misfired on a 30-foot step-back jumper (17.1 seconds).
“Obviously I took it because I thought I could make it,” Curry said. “I’m living with those.”
He couldn’t live with what happened next, though. While the Lakers had a 104-101 lead with 5.4 seconds left, Curry grabbed a jump ball before falling on the ground. Warriors coach Steve Kerr pleaded for a timeout. But Curry failed to make the call before losing the ball out-of-bounds with 1.5 seconds remaining.
“I didn’t realize or know how much time went off,” Curry said. “I was in the air coming down and I was on the ground. Actually, I felt like someone was behind me. I felt someone let it go. I wish I had a little bit more awareness to maybe call timeout knowing we had enough time.”
The Warriors seemed to run out of time before those miscues.
After showing mixed signs in his first full season since experiencing two-season ending injuries, the Warriors’ second-best player (Klay Thompson) fell short in a setting he usually thrives. He had only nine points while shooting 3-for-11 overall. With the Lakers nursing a 99-98 cushion with 2:15 left, Thompson misfired a 28-footer. With the Lakers still holding the same lead with 1:41 left, Thompson clanked a 26-footer. After dreaming about playing against his childhood team in the postseason during his 11-year NBA career, Thompson hardly created any stirring memories where his father (Mychal) calls games as the Lakers’ radio analyst.
“There are a couple late that he would probably like to have back,” Kerr said. “But that’s part of who we are as a team. We’re going to fire.”
Los Angeles Lakers’ strength-in-numbers
The Lakers have since taken that identity.
They may not have a definitive third star. But they have a lot of role players that could deliver on any given night.
Austin Reaves offered dependable outside shooting (21 points on 7-for-15 overall and 3-for-6 from deep) on a night that D’Angelo Russell struggled with his shot (four points on 1-for-10 overall and 0-for-4 from 3). After barely playing in the Lakers’ first-round playoff series, Lonnie Walker IV scored all of his 15 points in the fourth quarter. And after showing offensive and defensive tenacity all season, Schroder added 10 points and three assists.
“These guys’ eyes are wide open,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “They allow themselves not only to be coached, but be led by the other guys that are elder statements in the locker rooms.”
The Warriors have not shown such strength-in-numbers. After securing an extension last summer, Jordan Poole’s erratic play emerged again with a scoreless performance on four missed shots in only 10 minutes. Warriors second-year forward Jonathan Kuminga experienced a healthy scratch. Though Warriors guard Moses Moody had seven points, he also collected four fouls.
Nonetheless, the Warriors’ stars and role players equally shared the blame for lacking discipline with turnovers (16) and fouls (22). Green (five turnovers) and Curry (five fouls) were the biggest offenders.
“I think we had three or four illegal screens called. That was disappointing,” Kerr said. “I didn’t get a look at the replay on any of them. But there were a couple that were really disappointing just live. But the Lakers are a team that plays with a lot of gamesmanship. They understand how to get some calls. I thought they took some flops and were rewarded. I’ll have to see the replays. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe they were all legal screens. But it didn’t feel like it was watching it live.”
Either way, the Warriors face a 3-1 deficit for the third consecutive time in eight years. They overcame a 3-1 series deficit against Oklahoma City (2016). They did not against Toronto (2019).
The Warriors expressed optimism they can overcome another deficit. The Lakers have concerns that might happen. James lost to the Warriors three times out of four Finals appearances with Cleveland, but he helped the Cavs overcome a 3-1 Finals series deficit against them (2016).
“The one thing about when you play Golden State, you don’t have an opportunity to relax,” James said. “You just don’t. I’m not worried about us going in there comfortable. You just can’t do that against Golden State. It’s just not possible.”
Yet in Game 4, it somehow became possible that the Lakers showed more championship mettle against a team that won an NBA title less than a year ago.
Mark Medina is an NBA Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter and on Instagram.