The West’s ninth-seeded Los Angeles Lakers and tenth-seeded Golden State Warriors have a cloud of injuries looming over them as they head into a crucial showdown this Saturday. The Warriors are hopeful for the return of superstar Stephen Curry after his back issue. On the other hand, things appear less optimistic for the Lakers, with LeBron James listed as “questionable” while Anthony Davis is listed as “probable.”

This game could be a preview of what’s to come in the play-in tournament, considering both teams are currently eyeing the playoff positions. It’s their third meeting this season. The Lakers hold a 1-1 record against the Warriors this season, averaging a healthy 127.5 points per game. This matchup also marks their first showdown at Crypto.com Arena, where the Lakers have seven out of nine home-court games. Interestingly, the Golden State Warriors have lost every single one of their 11 games played at the venue.

GSW will be desperate for a win, having dropped 3 of their last 4 games. Their most recent loss was a blowout defeat against the Mavericks (109-99). Despite Kuminga’s impressive 27-point performance, the Warriors struggled offensively as a team, shooting a lowly 40% from the field and just 32% from three-point range. Klay Thompson’s quiet night (8 points on 3-13 shooting) further highlighted the lack of offensive prowess in Stephen Curry’s absence.

The Los Angeles Lakers, meanwhile, come into this game with a more positive record, winning 5 out of their last 8 games. However, they’ll be looking to bounce back after a disappointing 120-107 loss to the Kings. Despite a strong showing from Austin Reaves (28 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists), the Lakers fell short in the 3rd quarter, managing only 17 points, which allowed the Kings to take control of the game. While the entry of LeBron James seems less probable, will Anthony Davis be able to help his team against the GSW?

Anthony Davis’ Stats Against the Warriors

In their last showdown, the Warriors focused on walling off Anthony Davis with a forest of screens. This strategy, while mildly successful (since Golden State won that game), exposed a potential weakness in their play, a lack of anyone who could truly match up with the 6’10” beast.

Against the Warriors, Anthony Davis is averaging a career-high 28.0 points, 14.0 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.5 blocks per game. “The Brow” has a career average of 24.7 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. He’s been even more dominant this season, averaging 28.0 points, 14.0 rebounds, and a staggering 3.5 blocks in their two games.

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Traveling back to Game 1 of last year’s playoff, Anthony Davis raked in 30 points, 23 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 blocks. On that night, Davis shot a combined 11-for-16 against Kevon Looney and Draymond Green. Davis joined an elite one-man club with Tim Duncan that night becoming the only other player other than Tim in NBA history to reach those numbers in a playoff game.

Exploiting this weakness Golden State will be key for the Lakers. In their last encounter, rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis made use of the minutes Davis wasn’t on the court, scoring 13 points in just five minutes. Could the Warriors’ answer to Davis be, another Davis, Trayce Jackson-Davis? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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