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Warriors 112, Lakers 95
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
LOS ANGELES — After blowing a 20-point lead Thursday night against the Denver Nuggets, the Golden State Warriors avoided repeating the same mistake Friday night in a 112-95 win against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Guard Stephen Curry had a triple-double with 30 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the Warriors, who clinched a playoff berth. Curry became the first Warriors’ player since Wilt Chamberlain to record four triple-doubles in a season. Chamberlain performed his feat during the 1962-63 campaign.
Curry connected on 12-of-20 shooting, including four of five from behind the 3-point arc.
The win allowed the Warriors (49-30) to remain at No. 6 in the Western Conference race, 11/2 games ahead of the idle Dallas Mavericks. Golden State also snapped an 11-game skid against the Lakers at Staples Center.
Los Angeles (25-54), which dropped its sixth in a row, set a franchise record for losses in a season.
Guard Klay Thompson and reserve forward Marreese Speights scored 16 apiece for Golden State.
Forward David Lee, who missed seven games with a right hamstring strain and nerve inflammation in his leg, returned and came off the bench to score 10 points and grab 10 rebounds.
Warriors reserve guard Steve Blake faced the Lakers for the first time since being traded for forward Kent Bazemore and guard MarShon Brooks. Blake scored 13 points, dished out five assists and had five rebounds.
Guard Nick Young came off the bench to score 25 points to lead the Lakers. Center Jordan Hill had 18 points and 12 rebounds, while forward Ryan Kelly added 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Golden State pulled away in the second quarter, outscoring the Lakers 32-17 for 58-43 halftime lead. The Warriors maintained a double-digit lead for much of the second half.
One night after the Nuggets hammered the Warriors on the glass by a 63-38 margin, Golden State outrebounded the Lakers 57-42. The Warriors also had a 46-32 edge on points in the paint.
The Warriors prevailed despite playing without forward Andre Iguodala, who sat out with right knee tendonitis.
NOTES: Golden State coach Mark Jackson on Lakers G Steve Nash passing him this week for No. 3 on the career assists list: “I don’t feel good about being fourth,” Jackson joked. “But I will say it’s a tremendous honor when you look at the list, and being surrounded by (John) Stockton and (Jason) Kidd and (Steve) Nash and Magic (Johnson) and Oscar (Robertson) and Isiah (Thomas), it’s incredible.” … The Warriors have two of their three remaining games on the road, with visits to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday and to Denver to play the Nuggets on Wednesday. Those games are sandwiched around a home tilt against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. … The Lakers cap their homestand against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday followed by road games against the Utah Jazz on Monday and the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday to close the season.
