Two of the NBA’s hottest groups coming into the All-Star break hope the week off hasn’t stalled their momentum as they go head-to-head Thursday evening when the Los Angeles Lakers go to the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.
The Lakers, although, will likely be lacking LeBron James on account of a lingering left ankle harm.
The California rivals start the second half clinging to the ninth and tenth positions within the NBA playoff race, spots that might grant entry into the play-in occasion.
The Lakers solidified their standing by successful their previous three video games following a loss to the Nuggets. They additionally had gained three straight earlier than the Denver sport.
Los Angeles was final seen prevailing 138-122 at Utah on Feb. 14, doing so with out James. The 39-year-old celebrity returned for Sunday’s All-Star Game however made himself accessible for simply 14 minutes as a result of ankle ailment.
The Lakers introduced on Wednesday that James would sit out the Golden State sport. His standing for Los Angeles’ Friday residence sport towards the San Antonio Spurs and Sunday highway sport towards the Phoenix Suns was unsure.
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“The most important thing for me is definitely my health, where I’m at right now, where our team is leaning,” James stated over the break. “We’re trending in the right direction. Obviously, with our Laker team, it’s been about health all year. Trying to do what’s best for me for the betterment of the team.”
James appeared a lot wholesome when the Lakers pulled out a 145-144 double-overtime highway win towards the Warriors on Jan. 27. He complemented 12 assists with 36 factors and a career-high 20 rebounds, enjoying 48 of the 58 minutes.
The Warriors rebounded properly from the defeat, successful eight of 10 earlier than the break. Their solely losses in the course of the run have been one other extra time affair at Atlanta and a house defeat by the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers after blowing a double-digit, fourth-quarter lead.
All-Star Weekend viewers noticed Golden State star Stephen Curry placed on a stunning 3-point-shooting show in his showdown with WNBA standout Sabrina Ionescu. But that was nothing new to Warriors followers, who noticed him make seven or extra treys in seven of his final 11 video games earlier than heading to Indianapolis.
He bombed in 9 3-pointers to account for a majority of his game-high 46 factors in final month’s loss to the Lakers to start his current flurry.
Curry received loads of assist when the Warriors — because the Lakers had achieved the evening earlier than — gained their remaining pre-break sport at Utah on Feb. 15. Coming off the bench for the primary time since 2012, Klay Thompson burned the Jazz for 35 factors.
Afterward, Curry admitted he wasn’t stunned by his longtime teammate’s efficiency.
“I think the natural evolution of all of our careers is trying to figure out how to continue to win, but it might look a little different,” he stated. “The way that he responded is the Klay Thompson that I know — the true competitor, the true dawg. He got (angry) and said, ‘Watch this.’ I think a lot of it is just knowing who he is.”
With playoff positioning more likely to be on the road, the golf equipment will meet two extra occasions this season — March 16 and April 9, each in Los Angeles.
