Brandin Podziemski becomes Warriors' new Splash Brother in win over Lakers

The Warriors' second-year guard shot 8-of-10 on three-pointers, including a banked-in buzzer-beater to end the first half. He added eight rebounds and six assists as the Warriors beat the Lakers 123-116.

Curry scored 37, and LeBron James scored 33 in what could be a preview of a first-round playoff matchup. The Warriors moved to a game behind the fourth-place Lakers with their first victory over their rivals to the south this season. It was a back-and-forth battle in the fourth quarter, with both teams trading big shots, but the Lakers never got closer than five points.

The difference from the first three matchups with the Lakers was that the Warriors didn't yet have Jimmy Butler. Butler's first game with Golden State was two days after a 120-112 loss to the Lakers on Feb. 6. Since then, the Warriors' record is 19-2 when Curry and Butler are both in the lineup.

Butler only scored 11 points Thursday night, but he added three steals. While he's almost single-handedly improved the Warriors' free-throw struggles, the biggest difference came with the Warriors' defense.

Draymond Green (11 rebounds, five assists) looks like the NBA's best defensive player — just ask him. He stripped Luka Doncic to protect the Warriors' six-point lead with 38 seconds to go, ending the Lakers' last, best chance.

Austin Reaves did one better than Podziemski by making nine threes in his 16 attempts, finishing with 31 points. Still, the Lakers have come to rely on Reaves' scoring, especially when James was out with a groin injury. The emergence of Podziemski as a scorer is massive for the Warriors.

Green, Curry and Butler are an aging Big Three, but Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga (18 points) and Moses Moody (13 points, three three-pointers) have become an effective Little Three. The trio of 22-year-olds is providing scoring, energy and surprisingly effective defense for the Warriors. The downside of the Butler-Green combo is a lack of outside shooting, but the young players combined to shoot 12-of-19 from deep Thursday.

Butler and Curry may have become a nearly unbeatable combo, but they wouldn't have done it Thursday without Podziemski.