Golden State Warriors: 3 Reasons season opener versus LAL matters

Golden State Warriors: 3 reasons why season opener versus LAL matters

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 18: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts as he drives between LeBron James #23 and Dennis Schroder #17 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a 115-113 Warriors win on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Staples Center on January 18, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

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May 19, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots a basket over Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the first half of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Golden State Warriors Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

Revenge against the Lakers, a team that got the better of the side last time

The Warriors lost three of the four contests against the Los Angeles Lakers in the previous season which also included the loss in the play-in game. It didn’t help their case that LeBron James sunk a long, go-ahead clutch three with 58.2 seconds remaining to send them reeling.

And he did that with an injured ankle and compromised vision after being poked in the eye by Draymond Green. That bucket was key as the Lakers prevailed with a 103-100 win. Steve Kerr’s troops had a chance to send it to overtime, but Kent Bazemore had a sad inbound pass that sealed the deal for the other side.

Now, they have a chance to start afresh and get the better of the hosts. It might be a noisy Staples Center, but what better setting to start by creating some deafening silence in the arena?

The new-look roster winning the opening game will also send a ‘watch-out-for-this-bunch’ warning, something Curry outrightly expressed after being ousted by the Grizzlies. “You don’t want to see us next year,” he said (via NBC), and if the team is healthy, this statement’s spot on.

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