The NBA has four outstanding semifinal matchups right now, but none is more intriguing or anticipated than the Los Angeles Lakers versus the Golden State Warriors, and Game 1 on Tuesday lived up to the hype.
The Warriors jumped to a 10-2 lead, but Los Angeles fought back to make the game competitive. Anthony Davis feasted inside on both ends of the floor, and he prevented his team from falling behind by more than three points after the first quarter.
A few expected themes quickly emerged in the first half. The Warriors had a huge advantage in terms of 3-point shooting, setting a franchise record for first-half makes with 13. L.A. had its way in terms of points in the paint and free throw attempts. In the first half, the Warriors shot three foul shots while the Lakers went 16-of-17 in that category.
Meanwhile, the Lakers were 1-of-8 from downtown in the first half, but in the third quarter, they started to heat up from that distance while Golden State went just 3-of-10 from downtown, allowing them to take an eight-point lead at the end of the period. A 14-0 run by the Warriors allowed them to tie the game at 112, but L.A. scored the last five points to win, 117-112.
The Lakers, as they did in the first round against the Memphis Grizzlies, stole home-court advantage right away. Now the pressure is squarely on the defending world champs for Game 2.