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Golden State Warriors looking to reverse history against Los Angeles Lakers

By Peter O'Keefe

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 05: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles in front of LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a 124-116 Lakers win at Crypto.com Arena on March 05, 2022 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 2022 NBAE (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 05: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles in front of LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a 124-116 Lakers win at Crypto.com Arena on March 05, 2022 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 2022 NBAE (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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In many ways we’re not supposed to be here. Two teams that have been plagued by a raft of issues this season, yet now face each other in the Western Conference Semifinals. The second-round matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers signifies the teams’ first playoff series in over 30 years.

Despite the pair each having won the most championships in the league this century (Golden State are equal with the San Antonio Spurs), the Warriors and Lakers haven’t met in the postseason since 1991.

The Golden State Warriors will be looking to reverse history when they take on the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Not that it has any impact on this iteration of Golden State, but they will have history against them when the series tips off at Chase Center on Tuesday night. They’ll be looking to break the Lakers’ streak of six-straight playoff series wins against the Warriors.

The teams played each other in seven series between 1967 and 1991. The first one, also a conference semifinal matchup, was actually won comfortable by the Warriors 3-0 with an average winning margin of over 11 points.

It’s been slim pickings for Golden State ever since that initial matchup though, with Los Angeles winning six series in a row starting with a revenge 4-0 victory in the 1968 Western Conference Finals.

During those six series, the Lakers won 24 of the 32 games which included winning four of the series in either a sweep or gentleman’s sweep. With this second-round matchup predicted by many to be an evenly-fought, tight contest, we could see the teams face off in a Game 7 for only the second time in NBA history.

The 1977 Conference Semifinals saw the home team win every game throughout the series. Unfortunately for the Warriors, the Lakers held home-court advantage and saluted with a 97-84 victory in Game 7.

Next. 3 Golden State Warriors who need to lift from their first-round performance. dark

This series has been a long time coming, even if many of the combattants have seen each other in high-stakes basketball. We got a taste of postseason action when the Warriors and Lakers met in the 2021 Play-In Tournament, and this is sure to be an extension of that enthralling battle across  a long, tension-filled series.

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