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The LA Lakers bullied the Golden State Warriors to rack up a 128-97 blowout win on Monday night at the Chase Center. The defending champs led 65-50 and shot 60% from three in the first half. The Dubs hardly threatened the visitors after halftime as LeBron James and Montrezl Harrell took matters into their own hands.
Despite playing in front of their home crowd, the Golden State Warriors couldn’t muster the energy needed to match the LA Lakers’ intensity. Other than Stephen Curry, whose shooting was on point from the start, there was very little contribution coming from elsewhere for the home team. They went just 35.1% from three and turned the ball over 22 times, practically shooting themselves in the foot.
Over on the LA Lakers' side, everything was clicking as they shot 62.8% from the field and 40.7% from three. Five players scored in double-figures with each one scoring at least 14 points.
Check out the game’s five hits and flops:
Hit: LeBron James (LA Lakers)
LeBron James had a quiet first half, taking only five shots and scoring nine points, but he got his teammates involved.
King James was aggressively driving to the basket all game and kicking out to open teammates. There were moments when he would turn the ball over without much pressure from the Golden State Warriors. Though he had six turnovers, the 17-time All-Star orchestrated the team’s offense to near-perfection.
He made tough fallaway jumpers and hit his first three-pointer in the fourth quarter. The four-time MVP added another one moments later to push the LA Lakers' lead to 28 with 7:20 left in the contest. In just 30 minutes of action, he finished with a triple-double, registering 22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.
Flop: James Wiseman (Golden State Warriors)
There’s a reason why James Wiseman is coming off the bench even though he’s more talented than Kevon Looney. The rookie center could only manage seven points on 3-of-7 shooting. Though he had eight rebounds, he couldn’t stop the LA Lakers’ Montrezl Harrell from scoring in the paint. Wiseman was a step slow, not just in defending Harrell but also against the opposing team’s other cutters.
The young seven-footer was visibly frustrated, especially when he elbowed the LA Lakers' backup center. Wiseman was fortunate that he wasn't thrown out of the game but he fouled out eventually.
Hit: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
Stephen Curry held a shooting clinic from the opening tip. He had 15 points after the first quarter and 20 before halftime. Scoring on drives, jumpers and threes, the two-time MVP showed his entire repertoire to finish with a team-high 27 points. He could have scored more if the game had been close but his teammates wasted his effort.
Thankfully, there was a moment in the game for the Golden State Warriors to celebrate. Curry tied Guy Rogers (4,855) for the franchise record in assists with 4:18 left in the first quarter. Later, the Golden State Warriors guard grabbed the assists crown with a pass to Kelly Oubre Jr. early in the third quarter.
It was a special moment that the team knew was coming and they showed a tribute video to appreciate the former scoring champ’s accomplishment.
Flop: Kelly Oubre Jr. (Golden State Warriors)
On a night when Curry needed help, Kelly Oubre Jr. wasn’t able to provide the needed support. Oubre had a decent output with 12 points but some of this scoring came in garbage time. He played solid defense but the Warriors play best when he’s scoring at a high volume as well.
Unfortunately, Oubre's contributions came too little and too late. The 6-foot-7 swingman was a -28 in on-court plus/minus, the worst among his teammates.
Hit: Montrezl Harrell (LA Lakers)
It was the Montrezl Harrell show for the LA Lakers as he scored 19 points in the first half and continued his dominance in the second. Last season’s Sixth Man of the Year was almost perfect from the field as he showcased his superiority over the Warriors' big men.
When he entered the lane, Montrezl Harrell was met with little resistance from the Dubs’ frontcourt players. The rest of Harrell's Purple and Gold teammates found him repeatedly cutting to the basket or simply waiting in the paint for an easy deuce. He finished with a team-high 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the floor.
