The Lakers led Golden State 40-15 early in the second quarter Friday night at Chase Center. The Warriors won 112-95, and by the end it wasn’t even close.
Read that again. Golden State lost the first quarter 38-15 and won the last three quarters 97-57. A 38-point second quarter tied it 53-53 at the half, and Brandin Podziemski’s three with 51 seconds left in the third gave the Warriors their first lead of the night, 82-80.
How it was decided
The fourth quarter was over in four minutes. Golden State opened it on an 11-0 run, capped by a Stephen Curry step-back three from 27 feet and a technical free throw, to go up 96-80 with eight minutes left. The Lakers didn’t score in the fourth until 7:54 remained, and they never got closer than 12 the rest of the way.
The numbers
- Stephen Curry: 31 points, 8 of 14 from three.
- Brandin Podziemski: 21 points, 6 assists, 4 threes.
- Warriors: 22 of 46 from three and 31 assists on 38 baskets.
- Luka Doncic: 37 points on 12-of-27 shooting. Austin Reaves added 21.
- Lakers: 22 turnovers and four technical fouls.
My take
Curry is 38 years old and still the one guy in the league you can’t leave for a half-second. The Lakers learned that the hard way: Luka got his 37, and Los Angeles still got outscored by 40 over the last three quarters.
The bigger lesson is for every team that thinks a 25-point lead in the first half is safe against Golden State. It isn’t. It never has been. The Warriors are 3-3, the Lakers fall to 4-2, and I’d bet nobody in that Lakers locker room is talking about the first quarter this morning.
Full box score at ESPN.
Is any lead safe against Steph, Faders? Tell me on X @fiveandafade or on Instagram.
Every pick is free. Get them by email: subscribe here.
Jeremy Durham is a sports columnist for TriStar Daily and the founder of Five and a Fade.
