It’s no secret that the league gets more physical as the playoffs draw closer, and the Warriors feasted on that opportunity on Saturday. In a drama-filled preview of what could be a play-in matchup, the Warriors gutted the LA Lakers with a 128-121 victory. A major reason for their success was HC Steve Kerr’s words, urging them to bring the playoff toughness to every moment of the rest of their schedule. And so, that’s what they did. Their physical style of play was on full display as the Warriors out-rebounded the Lakers 45-39 and tussled their way to grab most of the loose balls.

The results were immediate. With the recent trend of officials calling fewer fouls in recent weeks, the Warriors limited the Lakers, who went into the game averaging 23.8 free-throw attempts per game, to just 18. “I always enjoy that time of year where you’re not getting the ticky-tack fouls, you’ve gotta play through some contact,” said Draymond Green of this recent shift. He further added, “Cause we are a team, we don’t sell calls. You can’t get Steph to sell a call if his life depended on it. Klay’s not going to sell a call. We are a team that naturally plays through that.” But wait. Let’s rewind a bit. That’s not what he went on record saying in December last year.

After taking a swing at Phoenix Suns’ center Jusuf Nurkic, Draymond Green said that his intentions were not to hit Nurkic but to sell a call. That’s right, sell a call. “I sell calls with arms. I don’t fall to sell a call. I’m not a flopper. So I was just selling a call…unfortunately, I hit him.” However, it’s possible Draymond Green was just trying to make an excuse back then to avoid getting suspended once again. However, Draymond’s efforts were futile since the league sanctioned an indefinite suspension for his ‘history of unsportsmanlike acts‘, which lasted up to 12 games.

However, what’s more important right now is that the Warriors improved their record to 35-31, overtaking the Lakers for the ninth seed in the Western Conference. But for the Lakers, it was more than the Warriors’ physical play that limited their production.

Injury, shot clock malfunctions, and more

At 2:47 remaining in the first quarter, Anthony Davis suffered a corneal abrasion after receiving an elbow to the left eye from Trayce Jackson-Davis. This injury forced Davis to sit out the remainder of the game, leaving the Lakers undersized at the rim. Despite LeBron James’ impressive 40-point performance, the Lakers were unable to overcome this setback on Saturday.

To add to their woes, the LA shot clock started malfunctioning towards the end of the game, forcing the Lakers to restart again and again. At one point, only 15 seconds of basketball had been played in the fourth quarter, while 16 minutes had ticked by in the real world. Ultimately, the teams had to resort to manual counting, with Lakers PA announcer Lawrence Tanter announcing the shot clock out loud. This led to an unceremonious end to an otherwise thrilling game. The contest concluded with a turnover by James, followed by a lob from Draymond Green to Jonathan Kuminga.

Trending

Shaq Warns Lakers Locker Room Of Jeanie Buss Game Plan If Darvin Ham & Co Fail Vs Nuggets

April 24, 2024 09:42 PM EDT

Heat Injury Report: Latest On Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson Ahead of Game 2 vs Celtics

April 24, 2024 02:46 PM EDT

Joel Embiid Banned By Empire State Building After Dangerous Incident On Court With Mitchell Robinson

April 26, 2024 02:59 AM EDT

“So Rigged”: All Hell Breaks Loose as Jamal Murray Forces LeBron James’ Lakers Into Bitter Embarrassment

April 23, 2024 06:21 AM EDT

“It’s Just Basketball”: LeBron James Rambles About Anxiety After Lakers Fall To Nuggets At Home

April 26, 2024 07:55 AM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest NBA stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

Warriors’ 30 Sec Shot Clock Advantage Over the Lakers Sparks Rigging Accusations Against the NBA