SAN FRANCISCO — Steph Curry and LeBron James performed like they know they may not have too many Christmas Day video games left of their careers.
Curry and James traded buckets and the Warriors celebrity scored the workforce’s final eight factors, practically placing Golden State on his again.
With 12.2 seconds left, Curry drained a high-arcing nook 3 over James’ contest to chop the Lakers’ result in 111-110. He tied it six seconds later with one other trey off a beautiful Steve Kerr inbounds play.
However Austin Reaves, who completed with 26 factors, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, beat Andrew Wiggins (21 factors, 12 rebounds) off the dribble and banked house the game-winner.
For 2 middling groups, the all-time legends levitated like they’ve for the majority of the previous twenty years. However Reaves, stepping up in Anthony Davis’ absence, had the game-winner. For Warriors followers, Reaves was the Grinch. For the Lakers, he was their Santa Claus.
Reaves lifted the Lakers over the Warriors, 115-113, at hand Golden State (15-14) its eleventh loss previously 14 video games. Curry completed with 38 factors — a private Christmas Day greatest — together with eight 3s, and James poured in 31 factors.
The final two minutes of the primary half have been acquainted to any NBA observer from the previous 15 years: two icons buying and selling buckets.
Curry supplied a flurry, and James tried to match him. After Curry snaked inside for a finger roll, James blew previous Brandin Podziemski on the opposite finish. Curry answered with a rainbow 3 from 28 toes, then one other triple on a deadly step-back to discard Christie. In transition, he added a no-look dime to Jackson-Davis for a dunk.
Curry had two of the worst video games in his profession previously week — a two-point dud in Memphis and 2-for-13 evening in opposition to Indiana. However he’s nonetheless able to rising to the event. As he’s wont to do, he elevates underneath the brilliant lights.
At that time, James led the Lakers in scoring with 19 factors. Curry paced the Warriors with 16. Los Angeles entered half with a three-point lead, as Golden State did not punish the Lakers’ small-ball lineups.
The Lakers needed to play small as a result of Anthony Davis departed after seven minutes with a twisted ankle and didn’t return.
Curry returned to a extra normal substitution sample as a substitute of enjoying the primary and final 4 minutes of every quarter. It appeared to assist him discover a rhythm faster.
James however punished mismatches and drove to the cup relentlessly. He has taken considerably extra 3-pointers previously few years as he will get older, however shot six of his first 13 subject aim makes an attempt from contained in the lane.
Enjoying with a depleted roster, James managed every possession prefer it was the 2016 Finals. He’s not the identical freight prepare as he as soon as was, however you continue to don’t need to be in entrance of him on a quick break.
Draymond Inexperienced sank a nook 3 after 4 misfires; the Lakers willingly ceded him that shot. Then Curry canned a fallaway trey 5 minutes into the third quarter to knot the rating at 67.
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James (23) takes a shot in opposition to Golden State Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski (2) within the fourth quarter on the Chase Middle in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
However James helped engineer an 11-2 run to place the Lakers again up by 9, and so they carried an eight-point benefit into the ultimate body.
Kerr known as on Curry to get the Warriors again within the recreation. He saved them regular; when Curry checked out with 6:52 left, the Warriors trailed by seven. The bench trimmed it to a few for Curry’s return.
However a 3-pointer and a floater from Reaves — sandwiching a Curry missed layup — put the Lakers again up eight.
Curry nailed his Christmas Day-best sixth 3, however James responded with a deep pull-up of his personal. They every cracked 30 factors after which traded assists — James to Max Christie, Curry to Jonathan Kuminga.
James swatted Wiggins on the rim, however his signature block fell into Dennis Schroder’s lap for a 3. Curry raced down the ground for a reverse layup to make it a two level recreation with 25.7 seconds left.
Then Curry saved Christmas. Virtually.
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) walks off the courtroom following their 115-113 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on the Chase Middle in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
A miracle 3 within the nook over James pried the door open, chopping Los Angeles’ result in one. Then Kerr drew up an ideal play to spring Curry open 30 toes from the ring, and he rattled the game-tying bucket house.
The Chase Middle was rocking. Then, moments later, it went silent.
Reaves beat Wiggins to the cup and completed. Weak-side assist protection rotated late. There was no night-night, no silencer. Only a secondary participant stepping up and seizing the second in a recreation by which James and Curry shined.
In a recreation in opposition to a workforce with out its second-best participant — and primarily no facilities — the Warriors got here up with coal.
Initially Revealed: December 25, 2024 at 7:38 PM PST
