BBNBA: Anthony Davis drops 30/23 for Lakers in Game 1 win over Warriors
If Game 1 was any indication of what lies ahead, the Lakers-Warriors series is going to do incredible TV numbers.
On Tuesday, the two California franchises went head-to-head to open up the Western Conference Semifinals. LeBron James vs. Steph Curry was the headliner, considering the four straight years those two faced off in the NBA Finals (2015-18) and the unspoken rivalry that has brewed ever since. While the circumstances are much different than those days when LeBron was playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, there is still plenty on the line. No. 6 Golden State is the defending NBA champion. No. 7 Los Angeles is the most popular brand in basketball. Pit them together and you’re going to get plenty of eyeballs. Have the game come down to the final seconds and the anticipation for the rest of the series explodes.
Game 1 was a dream for the NBA. While LeBron and Steph didn’t have monster games — 22 points and 11 rebounds for the former, 27 points on 10-24 shooting for the latter — there was plenty of drama. The Lakers blew a 14-point lead down the stretch only to survive the Warriors’ comeback wave. Jordan Poole took one of the ballsiest (dumbest?) shots you’ll ever see from a non-superstar, and he’s been ripped to shreds by the internet for missing that potential game-tying shot with under 10 seconds left.
But all that aside, Anthony Davis was the biggest winner from the Lakers’ 117-112 Game 1 win on the road.
The former Kentucky Wildcat looked like a top 5 player in the league, finishing with 30 points, 23 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks (with just one turnover) in 44 minutes of action. Only one other player in NBA history, Tim Duncan, has recorded that type of line during the postseason.
Davis shot 11-19 from the field too. 14 of his points came in the first quarter before he added another nine in the second. He was a beast on the defensive end of the floor, blocking away shots at the rim that would have been timely buckets for the Warriors’ comeback attempt. Davis also became the first Laker since Shaquille O’Neal to finish with a 30-point, 20-rebound outing in the playoffs.
“I thought AD had a great game. Obviously he dominated and he got blocked four shots and altered some others,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, per the NBA. “That’s what this team has been doing now for the last few months. They have been one of the best defensive teams in the league for a reason and he’s a huge part of that.”
LeBron added after the game that Davis’ No. 3 jersey will be in the rafters one day.
It wasn’t just Davis who had a huge game for the Lakers, though. Fellow former ‘Cat Jarred Vanderbilt was spectacular on the defensive end, taking on the challenge of defending (or sprinting all over the court, honestly) Curry for most of the time he was in the game.
Vando finished with a modest stat line of eight points, six rebounds two assists, two steals, and two blocks in 25 minutes, but it was how he limited Curry that has his value for L.A. skyrocketing. He chased Curry around all night long, refusing to give the all-time greatest shooter any space to get rolling. Vanderbilt came up with multiple steals and blocks that came at the perfect time for the Lakers.
He requested ahead of Game 1 that he take on the task of guarding Curry. There’s even a tweet going around showing that Vando held Curry to just 2-10 shooting whenever he was the primary defender. Impressive stuff. Incredible game all-around.
Game 2 is set for Thursday night at 9:00 p.m. EST on ESPN. Appointment TV.
Knicks take Game 2 against Butler-less Heat
After the No. 7 Miami Heat upset the No. 5 New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the home team got on the board in Game 2. Down Jimmy Butler due to a sprained ankle (and Tyler Herro due to a previously suffered broken hand), the Heat couldn’t take a commanding 2-0 lead as the Knicks came away with a tight 111-105 win, knotting the series at 1-1.
After sitting out Game 1 with his own ankle issue, Julius Randle returned in Game 2 for the Knicks. They sure did need him too, as the former Wildcat dropped 25 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists in 37 minutes while shooting 8-18 from the floor. Randle has been up and down in the postseason so far, but he shined on Tuesday. Jalen Brunson chipped in 30 points for the Knicks, hitting the biggest three-pointer of the night that gave New York a five-point lead with under three minutes left.
Unfortunately, Immanuel Quickley continues to trend in the wrong direction since the playoffs began. He played just nine minutes — his lowest through seven outings this postseason — and only managed six points on 3-7 shooting, missing all four of his outside shots. When his defense isn’t up to snuff and he’s not knocking down shots consistently (shooting 35.2 percent from the field in the playoffs), head coach Tom Thibodeau is going to have a tough time justifying more minutes.
Meanwhile, in the loss, Bam Adebayo did what he could for Miami, finishing with 15 points (5-10 FG), eight rebounds, and six assists in 38 minutes. Many have criticized Adebayo for his lack of aggressiveness, especially with Butler on the mend. Taking just 10 shots certainly isn’t ideal for the team’s best available player. But at the same time, if Butler returns for Game 3, the Heat’s formula in the playoffs so far has been working wonders. If it ain’t broke…
The series now shifts to Miami for the next two games. Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST on ABC.
5/2/23 statistics
| Player | Score | PTS | FG (3PT) | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | +/- | MIN |
| Anthony Davis (LAL) | 117-112 W @ GSW | 30 | 11-19 (0-2) | 23 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 44 |
| Julius Randle (NYK) | 111-105 W vs. MIA | 25 | 8-18 (3-9) | 12 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 37 |
| Bam Adebayo (MIA) | 105-111 L @ NYK | 15 | 5-10 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -9 | 38 |
| Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL) | 117-112 W @ GSW | 8 | 2-7 (1-3) | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 25 |
| Immanuel Quickley (NYK) | 111-105 W vs. MIA | 6 | 3-7 (0-4) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -6 | 9 |
| Wenyen Gabriel (LAL) | 117-112 W @ GSW | 0 | 0-0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Tyler Herro (MIA) | 105-111 L @ NYK | DNP-Hand | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Tonight in the NBA
Eastern Conference Semifinals
8:00 (TNT): No. 3 76ers (Maxey) @ No. 2 Celtics | PHI leads 1-0
Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard