Will Defense Dominate As Curry, Warriors Visit LeBron, Lakers?

Today’s Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Lakers matchup lacks some of its star power, but it still stands to be a close, exciting game. The Warriors are on a season-long win streak, while the Lakers are still trying to get back on track.

Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Lakers Preview

Warriors Working Way Up West Standings

Expectations were low for the Golden State Warriors after the loss of Klay Thompson, which is understandable. However, the Warriors are far exceeding those expectations as the NBA season reaches its halfway point.

The biggest reason for that is their biggest star. The latest NBA MVP odds have Steph Curry behind LeBron, Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Luka Doncic. But he will have a real case of his own if this team can reach the postseason. Steph has had a few rough shooting games lately, including a 1 of 11 showing from three against the Pacers on Wednesday. But he knows when to use the other facets of his game when the shots are not falling. In his first 28 games this season, Steph dished out eight or more assists only six times. In his last five, he has done so four times and is averaging nine assists per game.

Golden State enters today’s game with seven wins in 10 games. That includes three consecutive wins, which is a season-high streak for the Warriors. That may sound a little strange to say about the Warriors, but that is an achievement for their current squad.

Lakers Batter Blazers to Break Big Skid

To get a season-high fourth win in a row, the Warriors will have to see off the Lakers, who got a much-needed, morale-boosting win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.

Before the Blazers’ visit, the Lakers had lost four in a row without Anthony Davis and were routed by 25 at Utah last Wednesday. The Blazers started fast, and the Lakers were up against the wall. But they fought back, and in the end, came away with a comfortable 102-93 win. LeBron showed why he is the MVP favorite, posting 28 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists.

The Lakers are a lesser team without AD, but the return of Dennis Schroder proved pivotal. Schroder scored 22 in his return Friday, his seventh 20-point showing of the season.

The Warriors already have a road win over the Lakers this season, as they won 115-113 at the Staples Center on January 18. In that win, LeBron and AD shot a combined 12 of 32 from the field, and the Lakers were 9 of 29 from three.

The Warriors have allowed an average of 114.3 points per game in road games against Western Conference opponents. That is a shade of their overall average of 112.7 ppg allowed this season. That said, with the Lakers’ offensive struggles without AD and an increased reliance on their defense, the under appears to have more traction as the popular play among the industry’s consensus picks.