By Jennifer Newell

1. Overview of the Game 1 match-up between Lakers and Warriors 

2. Recap of the game highlights, including LeBron James’ performance 

3. Analysis of the Warriors’ three-point attack strategy 

4. Discussion on how the Lakers managed to survive and take home-court advantage 

5. Reflection on what this means for both teams going forward in their playoff series 

6. Preview of what to expect in Game 2 between these two rivals

Overview of the Game 1 match-up between Lakers and Warriors 

In the journey of a Hall of Fame career, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Steve Kerr have reached a stage where they appreciate experiencing new things. For the first time, James will face these players on the path to the NBA Finals while on the road. The last time the Lakers and the Warriors, two iconic basketball teams from Los Angeles and the Bay Area respectively, competed against each other in the NBA playoffs was in 1991 when players like Magic Johnson and James Worthy won against Tim Hardaway, Chris Mullin, and Mitch Richmond.

This NBA playoff Game 1 between the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors felt natural and comfortable, despite being a new experience

 It followed the classic pattern of a “feel out” game. The two teams smoothly transitioned into the game, with both sides expressing their intentions. It was like putting on a well-worn pair of sneakers.

Recap of the game highlights, including LeBron James’ performance 

The Lakers beat the Warriors in the semifinals by being bigger and stronger. They also used more physical moves than the Warriors, who tried to shoot threes. As a result, the Lakers won with a score of 117-112 and gained the home-court advantage. Anthony Davis played exceptionally well, scoring 30 points and 20 rebounds, dominating in the paint. He did something special and was given a title.

 He was the fifth person to do this. The other four who had done it before him were Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O’Neal.

James said that the Lakers have had many strong players over the years

 They were really good at shooting, so their jerseys are now retired to remember them. He believes that once Anthony Davis is finished with his career, his jersey will also be retired. Davis’ fourth block of the game on Steph Curry and a missed three-pointer by Jordan Poole gave the Lakers the slight lead they needed for Dennis Schroder to secure the win with free throws.

Analysis of the Warriors’ three-point attack strategy 

Davis scored 30 points and got 23 rebounds in the game. James got 22 points and 11 rebounds. Schroder and D’Angelo Russell both scored 19 points each. Davis played throughout the entire second half of the game. Coach Darvin Ham said Davis did a great job. He said that it was exactly what he expected from Davis because he can do amazing things. 

On the other team, Curry scored 27 points, Thompson scored 25 points, and Poole scored 21 points as a substitute.

In the first game of the series, the Lakers were on the road and faced pressure when they went without scoring for 4 and a half minutes in the fourth quarter. During this time, the defending champions made a comeback by scoring 14 consecutive points, including a Curry three that excited the crowd in the final two minutes. However, the Lakers quickly began to attack the rim again, because it was in this area of the court that they had the most success and they were hard to stop, online casino betting immediately increased, many people love the real casino game online and sit comfortably in a chair in front of the scoreboard.

Discussion on how the Lakers managed to survive and take home-court advantage 

The Lakers secured the lead for good with Russell’s driving layup at 1:24, ultimately defeating the Warriors who had a 40% three-point shooting rate. Both teams faced different challenges in the first round and had to adapt quickly for the series opener. Coach Kerr acknowledged the need for quick adaptation.

To deter the Warriors’ elite shooters, the Lakers planned to adjust their defense by moving from the inside out and focusing more on chasing than fighting through screens. They directed their perimeter defenders to closely cover Curry, Thompson, and Poole, even if it meant giving up space inside the three-point line. As the NBA’s leader in three-point attempts, the Warriors aimed to capitalize on this strategy and gain a mathematical advantage.

Reflection on what this means for both teams going forward in their playoff series 

In the first half, the Warriors made 13 out of 30 three-point attempts while the Lakers only made one. Despite this significant advantage, the Warriors were also dealing with new obstacles. In the second round, they would face a tougher interior defense that they did not encounter in their previous series against the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers have a strong defense, and before the game, Ham expressed confidence that Davis would demonstrate his dominance by blocking shots, just as he did in the first round with 26 blocks.

In this series, his defensive presence may prevent the Warriors from attempting to score at the rim. However, Kevon Looney was able to create second and third chances for Golden State, showing some weakness in the interior defense. Looney’s 23 rebounds, including seven offensive rebounds, marked the first back-to-back 20-plus rebound performance for a Warrior since Nate Thurmond in 1967.

Preview of what to expect in Game 2 between these two rivals

Although the Kings were an entertaining team and gave the Warriors a good challenge, they lacked a dominant big man like Davis. Davis had a strong start, making nine of his first 10 shots and attacking any defender, including Looney, that the Warriors put in front of him. Towards the end of the game, the Warriors played small to lure Davis away from the basket and made a successful run with Looney on the bench. However, they still couldn’t defeat the Lakers.

Kerr praised Davis for his exceptional defensive performance, where he blocked four shots and disrupted several others. This aligns with the team’s recent defensive streak, making them one of the best defensive squads in the league. Despite Davis’s remarkable contribution, the Warriors will analyze the game footage to figure out alternative methods of attack for future matches. The Lakers have set the tone with their Game 1 victory, it’s now on the Warriors to determine if their strategy is sufficient.