Rivals Week: The week of January 23rd isn’t just the final stretch before Black History Month; it is also the week when a few of the most rivaled NBA teams face off against each other. On Saturday, January 27th, the Golden State Warriors took on the Los Angeles Lakers at home in the Chase Center to end the NBA’s rival week (with 18,064 in attendance). This game was one for the book, as it marks the 50th time that Steph Curry and LeBron James have met. Although the game ended in a 145-144 point double-overtime loss for the Warriors, Curry still holds a four-game lead over James in their rivalry (27-23).
GSW Standout Statistics: Curry ended the night with 46 points (the highest amount on the team and his 30th time having the team’s high this season) while also knocking down 43% of his 21 three-point attempts. Klay Thompson put up 24 points (six of those being from behind the three-point line), Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins scored 22 points, while Draymond Green added eight to the final score on his first start since January 6th. Though Golden State played hard through regulation and the first overtime, they fell short as they were unable to secure the final basket to pull off the win.
Steve Kerr: Head Coach Steve Kerr debuted a new starting lineup. The new line substituted forwards Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green for Dario Šarić and Kevon Looney. This was the first time Green had started since coming off suspension 21 days prior. The new starting line came together and set 122 points in stone throughout the game, with those starting on the bench putting up the remaining 22 points.
Loss Streak Struggles: Not only is this the Warriors’ second loss in a row, but this is the second time in a row in which they fell short of the win by a single point. With the season in full effect, the Warriors are looking for a new approach to end the season with a positive record. After suffering a six-game win desert between November 8-18th—the longest loss streak they’ve had this season—the team has been struggling to make a return as one of the NBA’s top teams (currently, they reside 21st).
Sources: ESPN.com, LandOfBasketball.com, The Athletic, NBA.com