SAN FRANCISCO (95.7 The Game) — With 3:50 remaining in the fourth quarter of Game 1, Jordan Poole hoisted a corner three that found only the rim. Andrew Wiggins flew in for an offensive rebound, kicking it out to an open Klay Thompson. His follow-up 3-pointer fell flat. Wiggins again muscled his way to the loose ball and found Stephen Curry for a third and final try at a long-distance attempt. Curry’s shot missed left. Three quality looks for Golden State’s scoring triumvirate. Three misses.
The Warriors' legs looked tired on that possession. In their 117-112 loss on Tuesday night to the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State hoisted a season-high 52 three-pointers, 13 in the fourth quarter. The makes often came in bunches, including three amidst a 14-0 run that drew the Warriors even with 98 seconds left. It wasn’t enough.
After a grueling, seven-game series, Golden State felt their edge would be rhythm over rest. Rhythm proved to be not enough. The Warriors made 15 more 3-pointers, and took 14 more field goal attempts, but were bruised by a physical Lakers interior on both ends of the court. Los Angeles outscored Golden State 54-to-28 on points in the paint behind the force that was Anthony Davis.
Davis joined Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Wilt Chamberlain as the only Lakers to score 30+ points, grab 20+ rebounds, and dish 5+ assists in a playoff game. Decent company. Davis had four blocks, one on a would-be game-tying layup attempt by Curry with 1:10 remaining. The Lakers forward also altered an abundance of shots, including a missed floater from Poole with 41.1 seconds left.
The Warriors found success against Davis after going small, but that also forced pressure on their perimeter defense. The Lakers raided the paint and got to the line, making 25-of-29 at the stripe. Though the Warriors did a fine job of taking care of the ball (eight turnovers), defending without fouling was a problem. That prevented the Warriors from getting out on the break.
When the Warriors made their run, it was with a one-big lineup featuring four shooters around Draymond Green.
“That was an incredible effort on our part,” said Klay Thompson after the game.
It was. It also looked like the Warriors were running on empty as a result.
Steve Kerr didn’t see it that way, citing the late run and the Lakers playing a shorter rotation as reasons for being the fresher team – Kerr used 10 different players in the first half alone. However, when Los Angeles separated in the second half, it was due to attacking from the inside out. Conversely, the Warriors settled for jump shots after being deterred by the Lakers' length and rim protection. That could certainly be attributable to necessity or style more than choice, but the Warriors undoubtedly got three-happy in a game they tried to play with pace.
That pace led to superior transition scoring, but not enough to offset the Lakers' best advantage: Physicality. After the game, former Warriors guard D’Angelo Russell referenced how prior postseason series can prepare teams for it, even though rest didn't play into the Lakers going up 1-0 in the series. The Warriors only had 48 hours between series, while the Lakers had two extra days to recover from theirs.
Chase Center’s crowd felt like it gave energy to the fatigued bodies of Golden State, especially in the final quarter. The Warriors last push moved the Lakers to the brink, but not over the edge. It looked like a race for Golden State to take the lead before their legs gave way and jump shots flattened out. They nearly got it done. Yet, shooting 50+ three-pointers against a top-two 3-point defense will only lead to trouble. Interestingly, the Warriors are now 1-3 when making 20 or more three-pointers this season.
While Game 1 is always a “feeling out” game, according to Kerr, the Warriors have some choices to make. All of them have repercussions.
Do they go small and try to outrun the Lakers, putting themselves at risk of running out of gas? Do the Warriors maintain the two-big rotation that boasted the best five-man lineup (statistically) in the NBA? Do they attack Davis in order to open the lane, knowing they’ll have shots blocked or altered? Either way, the Lakers have got the Warriors in a double-edged sword situation.
Even still, Golden State nearly defended its home court despite a two-day rest disadvantage. That's gone now that Los Angeles also has to play every other day. It’s up to the Warriors' rhythm to help them even the series in Game 2.
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