Game 1 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors series was a nail-biting thriller, with both teams showing their strengths and weaknesses. During the game, LeBron James followed Stephen Curry all the way to the Warriors’ bench. After the game, Curry revealed that James was joking about having to guard him until he was out of the game.
Despite James’ playful antics, the Lakers had Jarred Vanderbilt primarily defending Curry throughout the game. Vanderbilt did an excellent job of containing Curry, who missed some open shots and only managed to score 24 points on 10-24 shooting from the field. Lakers fans were optimistic about Vanderbilt’s ability to slow down Curry, and he delivered in Game 1. His defense was a significant factor in the Lakers’ 117-112 win, giving them home-court advantage in the series.
Steph explains why LeBron followed him to the end of the Warriors' bench pic.twitter.com/H9Uwoh61nF
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) May 3, 2023
The Warriors, who dominated at home during the regular season, have now lost their last two home games in these playoffs. To avoid falling 0-2 in the series, they will need a herculean effort from Curry, akin to his Game 7 heroics against the Sacramento Kings.
The defining battle of this series will be the Warriors’ three-point shooting vs. the Lakers’ dominance in the paint. In Game 1, the Warriors connected on 21 three-pointers compared to only six for the Lakers. However, the Lakers had a massive advantage in points in the paint, leading 54-28. This trend is expected to continue throughout the series, giving the Lakers an edge in free throws.
For the Warriors to win this series, they will need to continue shooting lights-out from three-point range. Otherwise, the Lakers’ dominance in the paint will prove too much for them to overcome.
The series is shaping up to be a fascinating battle between the Warriors’ three-point specialists and the Lakers’ powerful attackers. With home-court advantage on their side, the Lakers are in the driver’s seat, but the Warriors have shown they are capable of pulling off spectacular comebacks. It will be intriguing to see how the rest of the series unfolds.
King James Dethroned: LeBron James Fails to Receive a Single MVP Vote for the First Time in His Career
On Tuesday night, Joel Embiid was named the NBA’s MVP for the 2022-23 season, ending his two-year runner-up streak. Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo finished second and third, respectively, which was not a surprise to most NBA fans. However, one name that was notably absent from the ballot was LeBron James, who did not receive a single vote for the first time in his career since he was drafted in 2003 as the first overall pick.
Despite James’ impressive performance this season, which included an average of 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game, he played only 55 games, which tied for his fewest played in an 82-game season. The Los Angeles Lakers ended their season with a 43-39 record and earned the No. 7 playoff seed.
James, who is now 38 years old, has won the MVP award four times in his career, and this marks his fourth runner-up finish. He has not won the award since 2013, with three runner-up finishes coming since then. Nevertheless, his absence from the MVP ballot in his 20th season is a testament to his legendary talent and exceptional longevity.
