Guard Jamal Crawford’s 3-pointer from halfcourt beat the halftime buzzer to give Los Angeles an 83-72 lead.
Advertisement
The Lakers looked lost on offense and helpless on defense. Using a 15-0 run along with their killer small lineup, the Warriors quickly gained separation from the Lakers. But it’s the Warriors’ world now and everyone else is welcomed to it.
The Golden State Warriors are having an incredible opening to their first season as National Basketball Association champs in 40 years, having already won their first 15 games in a row. They had shared the mark with the 1948-49 Washington Capitols and 1993-94 Houston Rockets.
But Warriors’ interim coach, Luke Walton, told the San Francisco Chronicle that, “Eventually, we will lose”. “Whether or not we get it, it really doesn’t affect our ultimate goal of trying to win a championship…It would be something nice to get along the way”, Walton admitted. “He’s so happy [for the team]. But for the overall success, he couldn’t be happier”.
Draymond Green finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Barbosa had 13 points and Klay Thompson added 11 for Warriors.
As Golden State’s lead continue to balloon to as many as 41 points, Bryant became increasingly irritated with his own performance, as well as the team’s.
Davis, whose rebound total set a season high, also blocked four shots and had two steals.
The Warriors only needed one quarter to decide the outcome, so the game never looked in doubt.
If there was any hope that the Lakers were going to end the Warriors’ win streak, Golden State made to crush that hope from the beginning, as they jumped out to a 30-11 lead by the end of the first quarter. Probably worse, coach Byron Scott’s young team was beaten to loose balls repeatedly.
The Lakers were the Warriors’ 16th consecutive victim. That Hawks team had Dominique Wilkins and Mookie Baylock who would later play for the Warriors. He was dealt to the Warriors in July 2013 in a three-team trade….
“That’s an unique atmosphere to be involved in and that’s what they have here”, Scott said. “I’ve been here 14 seasons, so I think I’m safe to say that”. “As late as last week, you could still purchase a ticket for this game on StubHub for as little as $110”, Papp said.
There was a celebration of sorts, but not much more than for any other victory in which they played well. Like I said, at the end of it, it would be very interesting.
“We might go up there and we might play like gangbusters up there”, Bryant said Sunday in Los Angeles.
Advertisement
After the game, Curry said in his television interview that it was “special” to be in the history books.
