"I PRAYED FOR TIMES LIKE THIS" - Lakers fans go berserk after LeBron James and crew reach Western Conference Finals

LeBron James and the LA Lakers have punched their ticket to the Western Conference Finals after dispatching the Golden State Warriors. LA's 122-101 win on Friday night ended the Warriors' title-repeat bid in six games.

Laker fans poured in their excitement on Twitter after setting up a showdown with the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in the next round:

"I PRAYED FOR TIMES LIKE THIS"

Despite the presence of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the LA Lakers started 0-5 before ending up with a 2-10 mark. They had just a 0.3% of making the playoffs but still found a way to extend their season via the play-in tournament.

GM Rob Pelinka's trade deadline moves were crucial in turning the team into a more balanced and deeper unit. The Lakers' moves gave "King James" the kind of pieces he has had success with throughout his 20-year NBA career.

The Lakers started Game 6 with a sense of desperation and urgency that they didn't seem to have before. They didn't want to play a winner-take-all Game 7 at the Chase Center where the Golden State Warriors will be boosted by their home fans.

Golden State Warriors v Los Angeles Lakers - Game Six

Los Angeles built an early 17-point lead before the defending champs rallied to trail 31-26 entering the second quarter. The Lakers were determined to continue building on their lead with Austin Reaves' 54-foot heave beat the buzzer and ended the first half with a 56-46 lead at halftime.

Mindful that the Warriors have been the best third quarter team in the NBA for nearly a decade, the Lakers doubled down on their defense. They countered every mini-run the Bay Area team threw at them.

After winning another quarter, LeBron James and the LA Lakers took a 14-point lead into the final period. Anthony Davis was just a terror on defense, particularly inside the paint, kept Golden State's inside forays to a minimum.

Darvin Ham handed Austin Reaves the duty of hounding Steph Curry following Dennis Schroder's ejection. The former undrafted rookie buckled down to work and helped contain one of the NBA's most explosive and deadliest scoring threats.

Curry finished with 32 points on 11-28 shooting, including 4-14 in three-pointers. Klay Thompson was even worse. The native Californian was embarrassingly inept on offense, hitting just 3-19 shots and missed all but two of his 12 three-point shots.

The Golden State Warriors couldn't get the Splash Brothers going on with their season on the line.

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LeBron James and the LA Lakers are excited to be back in the Western Conference Finals

LeBron James had 30 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, two steals and one block. He hit at least 30 for the first time in the postseason since Game 5 of the 2020 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat.

The four-time MVP's impact was all over the court. LA were buoyed by their home fans but they played composed basketball knowing they have James leading the charge.

LeBron James almost had a quiet night, content with brilliantly controlling the tempo of the game. He made his presence felt on both ends of the floor.

Golden State Warriors v Los Angeles Lakers - Game Six

The LA Lakers also got a superb performance from Anthony Davis who took a hit to the head in Game 5. AD finished with 17 points, 20 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. He was the biggest thorn in the Warriors' side for most of the series.

LeBron James and co. will now head to Denver to take on the top-seeded Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. Game 1 at the Ball Arena begins on Tuesday, May 16.

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