The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers will sq. off on the Chase Center on Thursday for headline motion within the 2024-25 NBA Christmas/Boxing Day schedule.
Both groups need to rebound from disappointing residence losses, and just one will go away the courtroom with their spirits lifted, whereas the opposite faces a humbling second straight defeat.
Golden State’s struggles continued Tuesday as they fell 111-105 to the Indiana Pacers, simply days after snapping a three-game dropping streak with a 113-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Despite a powerful offensive exhibiting within the first half – recording their second-highest scoring half within the final 12 video games – the Warriors couldn’t overcome an eight-point deficit on the break.
A 3rd-quarter rally wasn’t sufficient, and so they fell brief down the stretch.
Jonathan Kuminga led the cost with a career-high 26 factors off the bench, however the Warriors missed the scoring presence of Stephen Curry, who struggled with simply 10 factors on 2-of-13 taking pictures.
The defeat marked the Warriors’ tenth loss of their final 13 video games, leaving them at 15-13 and eighth within the Western Conference, just under the Lakers, who’ve a recreation in hand.
Thursday’s matchup continues a fierce rivalry between the 2 groups. The Warriors and Lakers have mixed for fireworks of their latest conferences, with 4 aggressive matchups in 2024 averaging a staggering 257.5 factors, together with a 145-144 thriller in January. Golden State has received the final three contests, including confidence to their bid for an additional victory.
On the opposite aspect, the Lakers need to bounce again after a 117-114 loss to the Detroit Pistons on the Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday.
Despite recovering from an early deficit, the Lakers dropped every of the ultimate two quarters to fall to their third residence lack of the season.
LeBron James, nearing his fortieth birthday, was the standout performer, recording 28 factors, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his eighth triple-double of the season.
After a combined December with 5 wins and 5 losses, the Lakers are hoping to construct some consistency of their push for playoff positioning.
Currently sixth within the West, they path the Los Angeles Clippers and are in want of a powerful end to the yr.
Thursday’s recreation marks their last street journey of 2024, with two residence video games towards the Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers on the horizon.
In phrases of accidents, the Warriors have only one concern: Gary Payton II is out because of a calf problem, having missed the Pacers recreation.
Draymond Green and Moses Moody, each of whom have been coping with accidents, returned to play on Tuesday and are anticipated to characteristic in Thursday’s recreation.
For the Lakers, Jarred Vanderbilt is sidelined with a knee problem, and received’t return till early January. Jaxson Hayes (ankle) and Christian Wood (knee) are additionally out however may return as quickly as subsequent week.
D’Angelo Russell is a serious doubt with a hand harm sustained within the loss to Detroit, whereas Jalen Hood-Schifino is battling a hamstring drawback.
Source: www.dailysabah.com