The Lakers and Warriors have been evenly matched with each other since last season, making their clash on Saturday night a must-watch with seeding consequences for both. As the Warriors picked up a 128-121 win, star guard Stephen Curry had some words for Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell.
Stephen Curry: “Come on, come on!”
D'Angelo Russell: “Hell no, go at his a**!” (To LeBron isoing on Curry)
Then, after Curry hit a three, he told DLo: “Get your b*tch a** on the court”
Lastly, Curry asked: “Who you’re talking to?” after Klay Thompson and D'Lo exchanged words
Curry and D'Lo were former teammates during their shared time with the Warriors, but Russell didn't share the court much with Curry. D'Angelo joined the team in a sign-and-trade which sent Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets, but would be traded again within a season-and-a-half to the Timberwolves for Andrew Wiggins.
The Wolves sent him to the Lakers last season and he's been thriving off late. He ended this game with 23 points and 13 assists. He's averaging 17.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists
Curry led the Warriors to an important win with Anthony Davis getting hurt for the Lakers. He dropped 31 points in the game. He's averaging 27.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists this season.
Russell and Curry have a healthy respect for each other, but this is arguably the biggest rivalry matchup in the West right now. They aren't two top teams, but Lakers vs. Warriors will draw heaps of attention and ultimately lead to some chippy moments in the game.
The Lakers And Warriors Headed For A Play-In Clash?
It seems inevitable that the 9-10 Play-In matchup in the West will feature the Lakers and Warriors unless one of the teams goes on a run and drops one of the Kings, Mavericks, or Suns into the 9-10 matchup. The standings have seen the Lakers and Warriors switch seeds repeatedly, but neither team has been able to climb up to the top eight.
The 9-10 matchup seems nearly set in stone, and fans reckon this may lead to the most-viewed Play-In game ever. The Lakers and Warriors met in the Play-In in 2021, with the Lakers eliminating Golden State in that matchup. They met in the second round of the 2023 Playoffs with the Lakers winning. Can they continue this run in a matchup this season?
LeBron James has shown up for games against the Warriors through this stretch, hitting the game-winning three in their 2021 Play-In matchup, dominating with an injured ankle in the 2023 Playoffs, and has two season-defining performances against the Warriors this year.
The 9-10 Play-In means the loser would see their playoff hopes dashed while the winner will have to also beat the loser of the 7-8 matchup. The playoff route for both teams is incredibly challenging, and they'll have to eliminate each other if they hope to make the postseason.
This will be a thrilling end to the season, provided both the Warriors and Lakers can make their chase of a top-six seed interesting by going on a late-season win streak.
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