The Los Angeles Lakers had a golden opportunity to put away the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals and rest up for the next round of the playoffs.
Instead, if they’re going to advance, they will have to do so the hard way.
Los Angeles quickly fell behind, 17-5, but caught up almost as quickly, and it looked like the the game was going to be competitive. But a 16-5 run to end the second quarter gave the Warriors a 70-59 lead at halftime, and the Lakers never really recovered.
They tried to fight back in the fourth quarter, but they ended up merely trading baskets. They settled for too many 3-pointers and failed to string together defensive stops, leading to a 121-106 loss.
To make matters worse, Anthony Davis took a shot to the side of his head in the fourth quarter. He exited the game shortly afterward. He was taken off the court to be evaluated, and he never returned. Chris Haynes of TNT reported that Davis was taken to the locker room in a wheelchair, and now there is a great deal of concern for Game 6 with his status seemingly up in the air.
Just 48 hours after some thought the Lakers were a lock to win the series, the mood surrounding the team has darkened considerably.