It was the first playoff matchup of Stephen Curry and LeBron James since 2018. This time, James came out on first.
LOS ANGELES — The reigning champion Golden State’s freewheeling, 3-point-centric style of play changed the N.B.A. and made Stephen Curry a household name. But on Friday night, the team couldn’t muster up one last overwhelming flurry of deep shots, bowing out to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Lakers won Game 6, 122-101.
Curry’s first playoff engage with Lakers star LeBron James during the 2018 NBA was one of the most impatiently anticipated in recent memory.
finals, when James was on the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the series ultimately didn’t match the hype, with blowouts in Games 2, 3 and 5 after a thrilling Lakers win to open the series.
In Game 6, Golden State seemed out of sorts right from the start. The Lakers opened the game on a 24-9 run. Golden State’s Klay Thompson missed nine of his first 10 shots; Curry missed four of his first five. Then, just before halftime, a last-second desperation shot by Lakers guard Austin Reaves sent Crypto.com Arena into a frenzy and Los Angeles to the break with a 10-point lead. In the third quarter, James led the push to extend the lead to 19 and the Lakers were in firm control entering the fourth quarter. Golden State never recovered.Lakers defeated against golden state warriors.
“You’re disappointed and kind of shell shocked that it’s over,” Curry said. “You’ve poured so much into every season, but going off last year you’re trying to defend and give ourselves the chance to keep advancing. It’s a tough way to for the season to end.”
This means the Golden State dynasty — four championships since 2015 behind Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green — may be at an end or at least on its way to a makeover. With among the most costly teams in the NBA and a fresh contractual agreement structured for bringing in big spenders, Golden State is undoubtedly going to make an effort to cut money spent. Given that Curry has been in charge for the past ten years, the team’s changes in status from a lost middle-of-the-road company to one of its most economically appreciated ones could be intense.
But this season was a slog for Golden State. It finished at 44-38 for the Western Conference’s sixth seed and had one of the worst road records in the league, at 11-30.
But there were moments when the team was able to dig for vintage performances.
Curry gave his best performances of his entire professional career in the first round of the semifinals.
Golden State faced the third-seeded Kings in Sacramento for a decisive Game 7. Curry struck seven 3-pointers and scored 50 points, which is an NBA record for a Game 7 success.
It was a reminder of the magic that had made his team so great.
In the conference semifinals, against the seventh-seeded Lakers, Golden State had home-court advantage.However, losing the first match in the home stadium affected the outcome of the championship.
. While Golden State looked dominant in Games 2 and 5, both at home, Game 4 was a series-turner: Golden State made several uncharacteristically sloppy mistakes down the stretch, dropping the team into a daunting 3-1 hole in the series.
It was ultimately too much for Golden State to overcome.
The series served as a reminder: It’s hard to stay on top for long.
. He had one of his better seasons this year but turns 34 next March, and Golden State may balk at offering him a maximum contract.In training camp, Green punched partner Jordan Poole, showing his propensity for excited behavior. He got the second-most amount of legal fouls in the league in the normal season.
The five-time All-Star Thompson continues to display indications toward becoming one of the NBA’s greatest shooters.
history, but at 33 years old and after two major injuries, he has noticeably slowed on defense. After his next season, his contract finishes.
The organization is trying to grow its young players while chasing a title, a plan that has resulted under criticism for placing excessive stress upon the 35-year-old Curry. The Golden State Warriors must also decide what to do with these youngsters. The 23-year-old guard Poole especially had a poor postseason season, which was disappointing that considers that Golden State expanded his contract by four more years and up to $140 million with them in October.
. Other young players, like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, both 20, were in and out of the lineup all season.
