Anthony Davis delivered a dominant performance with 36 points and 13 rebounds, while LeBron James added 25 points and 12 assists to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 118-108 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. The win marked the Lakers' third straight and improved their record to 25-18, a season-best seven games over .500. Los Angeles has now won five of its last six games as it continues to solidify its place in the Western Conference standings.
The Lakers were in a battle through the first half, with neither team building a lead larger than six points. However, Los Angeles broke the game open midway through the third quarter. Max Christie sparked a decisive run with back-to-back 3-pointers, giving the Lakers a 74-65 lead. The Warriors, unable to generate much offensive momentum, never got closer than six points the rest of the way. Christie’s contributions off the bench were crucial as the Lakers capitalized on Golden State’s depleted roster.
LeBron James, playing in his 25th regular-season meeting against Stephen Curry, orchestrated the Lakers’ offense with precision. His 12 assists complemented Davis’ scoring outburst, as the Lakers leaned on their star duo to control the tempo and exploit mismatches. James now holds a 13-12 edge in his head-to-head regular-season matchups against Curry.
Defensively, the Lakers stifled Golden State in the second half, holding Curry scoreless after halftime. Curry, who finished with 13 points and nine assists, went 0-for-8 from the field in the final two quarters. The Lakers’ ability to limit Curry’s impact was a turning point, as Golden State struggled to find offensive consistency without key forwards Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga, both sidelined with injuries.
The Lakers also capitalized on the Warriors’ mistakes, including the end of Curry’s streak of 37 consecutive made free throws, which came to a halt in the second quarter. While the Warriors entered the game with the league’s top free-throw shooter, the Lakers maintained their composure and used timely defensive stops to control the game.
Now riding a wave of momentum, the Lakers head into a four-game East Coast road trip starting Monday in Charlotte. With Davis and James playing at a high level, Los Angeles looks to continue its strong stretch of play. We grade every player who made the court wearing Purple and Gold.
Anthony Davis: A+
Stats: 36 PTS, 13 REB (3 OREB, 10 DREB), 3 AST, 3 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO, 2 PF, 13-23 FG, 0-3 3PT, 10-12 FT, +9, 36 MIN
Davis was the clear standout in the Lakers' win, dominating both ends of the floor with 36 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. His scoring efficiency was impressive, shooting 13-of-23 from the field and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line. Davis controlled the paint on both sides of the ball, making his presence felt throughout the game and helping lead Los Angeles to victory. His all-around performance played a major role in the Lakers’ success, and he earned a well-deserved A+ for his efforts.
LeBron James: A
Stats: 25 PTS, 5 REB (1 OREB, 4 DREB), 12 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TO, 0 PF, 12-25 FG, 0-1 3PT, 1-2 FT, +11, 35 MIN
James continued to showcase his basketball IQ and leadership with 25 points, 12 assists, and 5 rebounds. While his shooting was less efficient (12-of-25 from the field), his ability to facilitate the offense and keep the ball moving was crucial to the Lakers’ success. His defense on Curry in the second half was also important, and his 12 assists demonstrated his unselfish playmaking. James' playmaking and leadership were instrumental in the win, earning him an A.
Austin Reaves: B+
Stats: 16 PTS, 5 REB (1 OREB, 4 DREB), 7 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TO, 0 PF, 6-10 FG, 1-4 3PT, 3-3 FT, +17, 39 MIN
Austin Reaves contributed 16 points and 7 assists in 39 minutes, playing a solid all-around game. He shot 6-of-10 from the field, though he struggled a bit from beyond the arc, going 1-of-4. Reaves’ playmaking ability and defensive effort helped keep the Lakers' offense flowing. He was a key contributor off the ball and provided a stabilizing presence when the game was tight, earning a B+ for his performance.
Dalton Knecht: B-
Stats: 13 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 5-9 FG, 3-7 3PT, 0-0 FT, -10, 23 MIN
Knecht provided a scoring boost off the bench with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-7 from three-point range. While his shooting was solid, he was less effective in other areas, grabbing just 1 rebound and committing 1 turnover. His -10 plus/minus suggests he struggled to make a lasting impact in the game’s more crucial moments, but his scoring efforts were still a valuable part of the Lakers’ victory.
Cam Reddish: B-
Stats: 13 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 1 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 5-9 FG, 3-7 3PT, 0-0 FT, -10, 23 MIN
Reddish, like Knecht, contributed 13 points off the bench, shooting 5-of-9 from the field and 3-of-7 from three-point range. He added 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 block. His performance was solid but not spectacular, and while his scoring helped provide a spark, his -10 plus/minus reflects that the Warriors were able to keep the game close during his time on the floor. Overall, his scoring and defense helped, but there’s still room for improvement.
Max Christie: B-
Stats: 11 PTS, 8 REB (1 OREB, 7 DREB), 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 4-5 FG, 3-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, +4, 31 MIN
Christie made an important impact in the third quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers that helped the Lakers pull away. He finished with 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 assist in 31 minutes, shooting 4-of-5 from the field and 3-of-4 from three. Despite his strong shooting performance, his limited contributions outside of scoring and his 1 turnover left a bit to be desired.
Dorian Finney-Smith: C+
Stats: 8 PTS, 3 REB (0 OREB, 3 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 3-4 FG, 2-3 3PT, 0-0 FT, +20, 26 MIN
Finney-Smith scored 8 points on 3-of-4 shooting, including 2-of-3 from three-point range. He grabbed 3 rebounds but didn’t offer much else in terms of playmaking or defense. His +20 plus/minus was the best of any Lakers player, which indicates his presence was positive on the court, but he still could have been more impactful overall. He contributed efficiently but didn’t make a major impact outside of his shooting.
Jarred Vanderbilt: C+
Stats: 2 PTS, 4 REB (2 OREB, 2 DREB), 2 AST, 3 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TO, 3 PF, 1-2 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, +6, 12 MIN
Vanderbilt had a modest performance with 2 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals in 12 minutes. He was active defensively, which helped disrupt Golden State’s rhythm, but his lack of scoring and efficiency (1-of-2 from the field) limited his impact. His +6 plus/minus showed that his defensive contributions were helpful, but he will need to continue improving offensively.
Gabe Vincent (#7): C+
Stats: 7 PTS, 0 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 4 PF, 3-8 FG, 1-6 3PT, 0-0 FT, +1, 25 MIN
Vincent had 7 points, 2 assists, and a block in 25 minutes but struggled with his shot, hitting just 3-of-8 from the field and 1-of-6 from three. His +1 plus/minus suggests he wasn’t a major factor in either a positive or negative direction, but his defensive effort and playmaking were helpful at times. While he didn’t have an explosive game, he provided steady minutes and contributed when needed.
Jaxson Hayes: C
Stats: 0 PTS, 3 REB (2 OREB, 1 DREB), 1 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -8, 12 MIN
Hayes played 12 minutes but didn’t score any points, finishing with 3 rebounds and 1 assist. He was a non-factor offensively and didn’t impact the game in any meaningful way. His -8 plus/minus reflected his lack of presence on both ends of the court, and despite his rebounding, he wasn’t able to provide much support for the team during his time on the floor.
Shake Milton: N/A
Stats: 2 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 2-2 FT, -4, 5 MIN
Milton had a quiet 5-minute appearance, scoring just 2 points on 0-of-1 shooting. He also had 0 rebounds, and 0 assists, and didn’t have much of an impact on the game and gets a N/A.
