The Los Angeles Lakers can get to the Western Conference finals by ending the championship reign of the Golden State Warriors when the two teams meet Wednesday in Game 5 of their best-of-seven series. The Lakers lead the series 3-1.
Game time is set for 10:00 p.m. ET at the Chase Center in San Francisco. According to BetOnline, the Warriors are -7 point favorites in Game 5 and -290 on the moneyline (Lakers +245). The total is 226.
Los Angeles is now favored to win the Western Conference (+135) followed by Denver (+180), Phoenix (+340) and Golden State (+950).
Los Angeles Lakers (51-42, 3-1)
With Monday’s 104-101 victory, the 7th seeded Lakers are now 17-5 since March 19. LA now needs to avoid their first three-game losing streak in three months to advance to the Western Conference finals against Denver or Phoenix. A No. 7 seed never has played in the NBA Finals in the current postseason format that began in 1984.
The Lakers got a Game 4 lift from seldom used Lonnie Walker IV. The former Miami Hurricane came off the bench to score 15 points in the fourth quarter:
LONNIE WALKER IV SHINES IN GAME 4!
15 points in the 4th quarter as the @Lakers secure a 3-1 series lead! pic.twitter.com/izyQzadxG8
— NBA (@NBA) May 9, 2023
Golden State Warriors (49-44, 1-3)
The Warriors have won 19 straight playoff series against Western Conference teams and overcame a 3-1 deficit once to do it, when they knocked off Oklahoma City in the 2016 Western Conference finals. However a LeBron James led team has never lost a 3-1 lead.
If Golden State is to keep the series alive they’ll need Klay Thompson to step up. Thompson has a reputation for big performances in Game 6s, but the Warriors won’t even get to one if he doesn’t play better than his 3-for-11, nine-point effort Monday:
Klay Thompson attempts the hero shot down 1 and misses. Kerr and Draymond throw up their hands in disgust and confusion! pic.twitter.com/tgvVYV4QtP
— hoops bot (@hoops_bot) May 9, 2023
Steph Curry continues to impress. Curry had a triple-double in Game 4, with 31 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds:
STEPH CURRY 4-POINT PLAY.
THIS GAME IS ELECTRIC ⚡️8 minutes left in Game 4 on TNT! pic.twitter.com/GEQJ9ldT97
— NBA (@NBA) May 9, 2023
Golden State Adjustments in Game 5
The Lakers have a lot to do with the situation the Warriors are in. The Warriors have a lot to do with that, too.
Golden State lives and dies by the three-ball and so far in the series, the shot isn’t falling. Curry and Thompson were a combined 6 of 23 from beyond the arc in Game 4 and the team shot just 29.3 percent from downtown. In the decisive fourth quarter, Curry and Thompson were a combined 5-for-14 shooting and 2-for-7 on 3s.
Take better care of the ball
The Warriors are prone to turnovers, and in year’s past, they have been able to overcome them. That’s not the case right now. They commit more turnovers per game (14.5) than any team remaining in the playoffs. They had 16 in Game 4, six coming in the fourth quarter and two in the final 9.2 seconds with the Lakers ahead by three points.
Golden State had just an 11-30 road record, and even though it won two in Sacramento in the first round, it lost both in Los Angeles.
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