Lakers Vs Warriors: LeBron hits 1,000th Lakers 3, leads 129-101 win as Luka celebrates 27th
In a decisive road victory that snapped a three-game skid, the lakers vs warriors game ended 129-101 Saturday night, and LeBron James became the second player in franchise history to make 1, 000 3-pointers with the Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron, 41, started hot, making his first four 3-point attempts and finishing with 22 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in 28 minutes. The win pushed the Lakers to 35-24 while Golden State fell to 31-29.
LeBron’s milestone and a first-half burst
James’ four first-half 3-pointers were the most he’s recorded in a single half this season; he entered the break with a game-high 20 points. The milestone made him the second Laker to reach 1, 000 made 3s, joining Kobe Bryant in franchise history. Career totals noted in the game: James has made 2, 618 career 3s, including 1, 251 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He missed the first 14 games of this season with sciatica but has been healthy since.
Luka’s birthday scoring run and supporting cast
Luka Dončić, who turned 27 on Saturday, heated up in the third quarter with four straight 3-pointers early in the period and finished with 26 points, eight assists and six rebounds in 29 minutes. Austin Reaves added 18 points in 28 minutes; Luke Kennard scored 16 points, his best with the Lakers so far, and Jake LaRavia provided 15 points off the bench.
How the game unraveled at Chase Center
The Lakers built control early: a 17-point lead in the first quarter, 24 in the second, 30 in the third and a 32-point edge in the fourth as they coasted to the final margin. The Warriors dug themselves a double-digit hole in the first quarter. Los Angeles shot 53% from the field and 46% from three-point range as a team; another tally from the game shows the Lakers went 19 of 41 from long range.
Lakers Vs Warriors: depth chart, injuries and absences
Golden State was shorthanded. Stephen Curry is still nursing a right knee injury and said in a midgame interview with Malika Andrews that "it's going to be a little longer" before he returns and that he "hasn't gotten on the court yet. " Kristaps Porziņģis remained out with "illness, " and the Warriors were also listed without Jimmy Butler, noted as out with right anterior cruciate ligament surgery. Those absences left Golden State unable to keep pace.
Coach and player reactions
Lakers coach JJ Redick called it "our most complete game post-All-Star break, " praising execution on both ends. James said, "We just needed to get a win... get back on the right front and I think we did that tonight, " adding that sustaining a 48-minute effort was key after recent losses. Redick credited a mix of set plays and isolations for the hot shooting, noting LeBron made a couple of iso threes and Luka "got hot to start the third quarter with some set plays and then the iso three. "
Stat list and oddities from the box
- All-time Lakers 3-pointers list as presented in the game notes: 1) Kobe Bryant: 1, 8272) LeBron James: 1, 0023) Derek Fisher: 8464) Nick Van Exel: 7505) Byron Scott: 595
The Lakers are 2-3 since the All-Star break and had dropped recent games, including a loss to an injury-depleted Phoenix Suns team on Thursday in which the Suns prevailed when Royce O’Neale hit a game-winning three with less than a second left. Los Angeles will host the Sacramento Kings at Crypto. com Arena on Sunday night as it tries to remain in the top six of the Western Conference. James is in his eighth season with the Lakers after joining in 2018; his contract expires at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, his 23rd season in the league.
