Golden State Warriors: Depleted roster steps up to beat Lakers!
Golden State Warriors defeat Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday at Oracle Arena despite being heavily shorthanded.
Are the Golden State Warriors really that good, or are the Los Angeles Lakers really just that bad?
Playing without the likes of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, David West and Patrick McCaw, the reigning NBA champions successfully defended Oracle Arena on Monday against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers, winning 117-106.
The Warriors started off with a rather surprising 26-23, proving right off the bat they were not to be underestimated. The Lakers came back to tie the game at 55 by halftime after scoring 32 points on the Dubs in the second.
Golden State opened the second half with a 34-27 third quarter, establishing a 7-point lead going in the final 12 minutes. The Warriors closed out the night with a 28-point quarter, sweeping their season series with the Lakers.
Kevin Durant led the way for the Warriors on Wednesday against the Lakers, finishing with 26 points, five rebounds, six assists, two steals and one block in 35 minutes. He shot an efficient 10-of-19 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line, but a poor 1-of-7 from behind the arc.
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Nick Young dropped 18 points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal in 31 minutes, starting against his former team.
Two-way contract player Quinn Cook scored a season-high 13 points in 28 minutes as a starter, adding in two rebounds and one assist on 5-of-11 shooting from the field, 1-of-3 from long range and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe.
Kevon Looney tallied 11 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block, while Zaza Pachulia recorded a double-double with 10 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.
Looney notably finished a team-high +17 in 25 minutes as a starter.
Shaun Livingston added 13 points, four rebounds and two steals in 20 minutes off the bench. Omri Casspi also scored in double-digits off the bench, notching 15 points, seven rebounds and one assist on 7-of-8 shooting.
Next: Klay Thompson to miss significant time
Golden State improves their regular season win/loss record to 52-16, avoiding their third consecutive loss. They’ll play again on Friday when the Sacramento Kings come to Oakland.