ORACLE ARENA, OAKLAND, CA — The Los Angeles Lakers (9-31) were in Oakland to face the Golden State Warriors (36-3), in Kobe Bryant‘s last game at #Roaracle.
The Warriors welcomed back Draymond Green to the starting lineup, although like Stephen Curry and Curry’s recovery from a shin contusion, his left leg was wrapped in the locker room pregame, while his right ankle was in a bucket of ice. James McAdoo was out (toe).
For the Lakers, Julius Randle was listed as probable (foot) and Brandon Bass (foot) doubtful.
1st Quarter – #SplashBrothers vs Black Mamba
Bryant was heavily involved in the first few sequences as he got an upfake on the left baseline knocked away by Draymond Green, which led to a Klay Thompson in-transition pull-up triple from the right wing.
But Kobe came right back and made a catch-and-shoot three on the next possession, then added a step-back reverse between-the-legs move on the left wing against Brandon Rush for a long two-pointer..
Curry answered that with an immediate trey…
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…but the next few possessions were marred with sloppiness.
Bryant had his drive smothered by Andrew Bogut, but Thompson’s outlet was a “duck” of a forward overhead pass to Curry and the Lakers stole it easily. Lou Williams missed a three, then Curry lofted another touchdown pass to the streaking Green, but the layup dripped off the rim as Draymond went past Williams.
Kobe ended the string of misses by both teams with a scoop in the paint in traffic and Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton called timeout with game tied, 10-10, with 6:09 to play.
Out of the timeout, Curry made a catch-and-shoot triple from the right wing, assisted by Andre Iguodala…
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…but then missed his next two shots.
Later, Harrison Barnes checked in off the bench ,posted up D’Angelo Russell in the right block, took him strong into the paint, missed the shot, but Green was there for the putback to make it 18-13, Warriors, with 3:22 to go.
Thompson was short on a jumper, Steph rebounded it, then with some really low dribbles, got out of traffic on the right baseline with Kobe, and eventually found Klay on a cut for layup. Thompson also posted up the diminutive Williams and got two free throws, but Barnes on defense lost his man on two consecutive possessions and gave up a putback to Julius Randle and a layup to Williams.
Shaun Livingston subbed in for Klay and immediately got a layup, but Tarik Black got a hoop in the paint and the harm against LIvingston, although Black missed the free throw, and Randle ended the quarter with an inside bucket with 2.0 seconds remaining.
The Warriors held a slim 24-23 lead heading into the second quarter as Curry and Thompson had 9 apiece, Kobe 6.
2nd Quarter – A Near-Yawner
Golden State and Los Angeles traded buckets to start the second period, as Leandro Barbosa scored 7 points including a trey, but Russell answered with 5 and Jordan Clarkson hit a couple jumpers.
Green replaced Barnes at the 6:26 mark, but missed a runner and the putback right after it, then fouled Larry Nance, Jr. on the run back on defense in transition.
With 5:31 to go before halftime, the Warriors still held a one-point lead, 39-38, as Walton called another timeout. Los Angeles held a 22-10 advantage in the paint, while both teams were having trouble making shots, as the Lakers were at 43.6% and the Warriors 34.2%.
Out of the timeout, Clarkson got a putback dunk on a miss by Randle, but Steph answered right back with a pull-up triple from the top of the arc:
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Green was fouled on a pick-and-roll slip cut by Randle and Walton inserted Andre Iguodala to go “small ball” for the last few possessions of the half, but Curry missed a three from the left wing badly.
Draymond, however, got the offensive board, re-fed Steph, who retreated to the left corner, but Curry missed again off the rim.
Clarkson ended the half with a hanging, double-clutch layup that missed, and the Warriors had a 52-49 lead heading into halftime.
Curry had a quiet 15 points on an almost unnoticeable scattered 5-for-10 from beyond the arc, but he also had 3 turnovers, Thompson was stuck on 9 points, Kobe on 6, and Clarkson and Russell had 10 apiece. Green tallied 4 points, 6 rebounds, but no assists.
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