After the Los Angeles Lakers’ Game 4 victory over the Golden State Warriors, LeBron James and Anthony Davis immediately embraced Lonnie Walker IV. James placed his forehead on Walker and likely credited him for the Lakers’ three-point victory.
"We don't win this game without Lonnie Walker tonight. That's for sure."
LeBron James on Lonnie Walker IV's 4th QTR performance in Game 4 pic.twitter.com/udd4MgieSU
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 9, 2023
“I’ve been telling him, I said, ‘Lonnie, stay ready. We’re going to need you at some point.’ And for him to be as young as he is, for him to have that professionalism, come out, stay ready when his number is called. We don’t win this game without Lonnie Walker tonight, that’s for sure,” James said.
Anthony Davis: "Last game he said he prayed for these moments when he was a kid. … Lonnie won this game tonight."
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) May 9, 2023
Walker was a starter early in the season but fell out of the rotation after the All-Star break. He only played 14 minutes in the entire first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies. However, he remained ready for when his opportunity would arise.
Bron and AD showing Lonnie Walker love ❤️ pic.twitter.com/qnX5OaEQqJ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 9, 2023
“Everybody’s role is different,” Walker said. “And you just gotta do what you can with the opportunity you have. You can’t really control how many minutes you play, when you play or when you don’t play. You just gotta stay ready.”
Walker’s contributions in Game 4 were crucial, as he scored all 12 of his points during crucial moments in the game. He also had three rebounds, two assists, and two steals, including a key board in crunch time while the Lakers protected a one possession lead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZGbxNVYXeY
“He’s a hooper,” Davis said. “He stays ready. He was big time for us tonight. That’s what we expect from him, he’s a really good player.”
The Lakers will need Walker to continue to perform at a high level in Game 5, which will take place back at Chase Center on Wednesday. While Walker’s contributions have been impressive, he remains humble and focused on the task at hand.
Lonnie Walker IV Emerges as a Key Player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Playoffs
Lonnie Walker’s impressive performance in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals did not go unnoticed by other NBA players. Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star Donovan Mitchell took to Twitter to shout out the Los Angeles Lakers rotational scorer. Mitchell, who was part of the Cavaliers team that lost to the New York Knicks in the opening round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, seemed to be impressed with Walker’s contribution.
In addition to Mitchell, Lakers star LeBron James also praised Walker for his vital performance in helping the team secure a win. Lakers legend Magic Johnson also gave a shoutout to Walker, commending him for “putting the Lakers on his back” during the crucial game. With the Lakers set to face the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of the series, all eyes will be on Walker to see if he can replicate his impressive performance and help his team advance to the next round.
