The Golden State Warriors play host to the LA Lakers on Thursday night in a game two showdown from the Chase Center. The Lakers continued their success in the series this season, grabbing the win on Tuesday to set the tone for the series. During the regular season, the Lakers win three of four meetings. The Warriors know that this game is crucial, especially as they prepare for the upcoming shift to Los Angeles, while the Lakers can feel good about things if they can secure the sweep. With only one game on Thursday's slate, fans will not want to miss this matchup.
The Lakers have played the Warriors extremely well this season but there's no doubt that they'll want to make it a fifth straight win against their rivals. Three out of four of those wins have come by single-digits but they won't be daunted by the idea of a close game either. The more pressing concern is if they'll be able to replicate Tuesday's performance, especially considering they'll be on the road for the second time in three days. With a losing record on the road this season, making it two straight will be tough, especially as they play in one of the NBA's toughest environments. The Lakers can take absolute control of this series with a win on Thursday night and the idea of playing with house money could be enough to get them to the top.
Injuries were a major concern for the Lakers for much of the season but a recent return to health for key pieces has been crucial. Mo Bamba (ankle) is the only player on the current injury report, as he finds himself questionable for this one. His absence shouldn't impact how this one goes though.
AD's on another level. pic.twitter.com/mHRwonacLX
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 4, 2023
The good news for the Lakers is that they were able to grab the road win on Tuesday even despite not playing one of their better games of the postseason. The offensive rebounding proved to be valuable and if they can continue to get All-NBA levels of production from Anthony Davis, the sky is the limit for this group. Many analysts were talking about Golden State's elite three-point shooting but many have forgotten that LA had the league's second-ranked three-point shooting defense this season. The defense certainly looked strong on Tuesday but replicating that could be a challenge, especially as they stay on the road. Look for more of the ball to run through Lebron James but until the supporting cast can show their ability to shoot from the three-point line themselves, they eventually be in trouble.
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