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Thursday nights belong to the NBA on TNT and we have a star-studded matchup for the second game of the doubleheader. The Golden State Warriors, led by Steph Curry, are making the short trip to Los Angeles to take on LeBron James and the new-look Lakers. With the all-star break right around the corner, both teams look to make a run and solidify themselves in the playoff picture.
We are going to preview this matchup throughout this article, while also recapping how each team’s season has gone this year and making a pick for the game. Let’s dive into our Warriors vs Lakers matchup picks on TNT.
The Warriors’ season has not been all sunshine and rainbows. They currently have a 25-24 record and are tied for the 10th seed with the Mavericks in the Western Conference. Steph Curry has missed some time this year, not playing in nine games so far, but when he is in, he is still a great player.
Curry is averaging just over 22 points per game and just under 40% from downtown. What the Warriors are missing is a second guy to step up. Jonathan Kuminga was taking a step forward, averaging just under 17 points per game. Unfortunately for him and the Warriors, he suffered an ankle injury and has missed a lot of time since then. He will miss this game and more extended time.
Andrew Wiggins has done a nice job stepping up, averaging 17.5 points per game and has done a good job on the defensive end. But at this point, we know who Andrew Wiggins is and there is a reason this is a .500 team with him as their second-best offensive threat. The guy who has taken a step back this season is Draymond Green. His defensive numbers are fine; however, he is shooting just 41% from the field, which is the lowest percentage he has had since the bubble season.
If the Warriors want to turn their season around, they are going to need to get more from the veteran presence of Draymond Green.
The Lakers are starting to roll, winning three in a row after losing Anthony Davis to an ankle injury and then eventually in the Luka Dončić trade. It has not been easy, either; they beat a bad Wizards team, a good Knicks team and another good Clippers team.
LeBron James has been terrific during that three-game span. James is averaging 27 points, 10.5 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game. But it has not just been him who has stepped up—his running mate, Austin Reaves, has been great.
Reaves has had the ball in his hands more in those three games and it has gone well. He is averaging over 21 points per game, over 6.5 assists and over five rebounds. But one guy who has flown under the radar is Rui Hachimura, who has scored over 20 points in those last three games as well.
If these role players keep playing like this and Luka Dončić comes back shortly, this Lakers team is going to be dangerous if they can figure out the defensive side of things.
The Warriors head into this one on the second night of a back-to-back, which is a slight disadvantage for them. This is the third matchup between these two teams this season and the Lakers have won the first two meetings.
Anthony Davis dominated the first meeting, but he is no longer with the Lakers. However, LeBron James pitched in with 25 points and 12 rebounds and the Lakers won 118-108. In the second meeting, it was just a narrow two-point win for the Lakers with Stephen Curry going for 38 that night, knocking down eight three-pointers. Anthony Davis played just seven minutes in that game, so that game is a good barometer of what we can expect in this one. LeBron had another double-double in that one with 31 points and 10 assists.
With that said, we like what LeBron James can do against this Warriors team, especially with the way he has been playing since the departure of AD. With Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura stepping up, we like what James can do distributing the ball. So, our Warriors vs. Lakers pick is going to be on LeBron James to have more than eight assists.
Dylan has had a love for sports since he was a kid. Four years ago, he decided to dive into the sports content-creating industry specializing in Fantasy Football, NFL and NBA. He has since had his work published on sites that include Fantasy Alarm, Fansided, and Fantasy Six Pack.