2018 NBA CHAMP GST WARRIORS v. 2020 NBA CHAMP LA LAKERS
Warriors: 58-24, 1st Pac Div, 3rd Off, 11th Def
d. Spurs West 1st Rnd 4-1
d. Pelicans West Semis 4-1
d. Rockets West Finals 4-3
d. Cavs NBA Finals 4-0
#37 overal seed
d. '87 Pistons (2-0, Curry/Durant PotG)
d. '96 Magic (2-1 Steph 1 PotG)
d. '07 Spurs (2-1 Steph/KD)
Regional Final: d. '12 Bulls (2-0 KD)
Sweet Sixteen: d. '15 Rockets (3-1, Steph 2/KD 1)
Coach: Steve Kerr
Starters
C JaVale McGee (30 Nevada) 4.8 PPG 22.3 PER 2.7 Win Shares .5
F Draymond Green (27 Michigan St) 11 16.1 6 2.8
F Kevin Durant (29 Texas) 26.4 26 10.4 5.5 VORP
G Steph Curry (29 Davidson) 26.4 28.2 9.1 4
G Klay Thompson (27 Washington St) 20 16 4 1
Rotation Reserves
C Zaza Pachulia (33) 5.4 17 3.3 .5
F David West (37 Xavier) 6.8 20.9 3.5 1.3
F Jordan Bell (23 Oregon) 4.6 18 2.9 1
G Shawn Livingston (32) 5.5 11.6 1.8 -.3
G Andre Iguodala (34 Arizona) 6 11.2 3.2 .7
Leaders: Curry: 1st FT%, 4th PER, 1st True Shooting, 5th Eff FG%, 2nd WS/48, 3rd +/- 3rd team All NBA
Durant 5th Blocks/Gm, 1st Team All NBA
KD and Steph are both 29, both 20+ PER (along with McGee and West) Durant's got double digit WS. These are the back to back GSW Champs, the last title in tha run (as of early 2022); top 3 offense in 2018. Four All Stars - KD/Steph, 27 year old Draymond and Klay. The Warriors broke the record for largest NBA Finals point differential. Durant was the MVP of the NBA Finals. Draymond was 2nd Team All Defense.
Lakers: 52-19, 1st Pac Div, 11th Off/3rd Def
d. Blazers West 1st Rnd 4-1
d. Rockets West Semis 4-1
d. Nuggets West Finals 4-1
d. Heat West Finals 4-2
#52 overall seed
d. '74 Celtics (2-0, LeBron 2 PotG)
d. '08 Jazz (2-0 Davis/LeBron)
d. '71 Bucks (2-0 Davis/LeBron)
Regional Final: d. '02 Spurs (2-0 LeBron/Davis)
Sweet 16: d. '95 Sonics (3-1 LeBron 2/Howard)
Coach: Frank Vogel, Asst Jason Kidd, Lionel Hollins
Starters:
C Dwight Howard 34 7.5 PPG 18.7 PER 5.4 WS .7
F Anthony Davis 26-Kentucky 26.1 27.4 11.1 5.4
F LeBron James 35 25.3 25.5 9.8 6.1 VORP
G Rajon Rondo 33-Kentucky 7.1 12.4 1.4 .2
G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 26-Georgia 9.3 11 3.7 .5
Rotation Reserves:
C Javale McGee 32-Nevada 6.6 19.4 4.7 1
F Kyle Kuzma 24-Utah 12.8 12.2 2 -.2
F Danny Green 32-UNC 8 10.8 3.4 1.1
G Alex Caruso 25-Texas A&M 5.5 10.8 2.3 .5
G Avery Bradley 29-Texas 8.6 8.9 1.5 -.2
Leaders: LeBron: 1st Assts, 1st Assts/Gm, 5th +/-, 3rd VORP, 1st Asst%, 2nd Trip Doub, 1st Team All NBA
Davis: 3rd Blocks, 3rd Blocks/Gm, 4th PER, 4th WS, 3rd WS/48, 4th Def Rtng, 5th Block %, 1st Team All NBA
Howard 5th Def Rtng, 3rd Off Reb %
The Covid Champs were just okay offensively, but had the third best defense in 2020; The King is 35, he and 26 year old Anthony Davis both cross 25 PER. Both were All Stars and Davis was All Defense first team; LeBron won the NBA Finals MVP. We will see some McGee on McGee action in this series.
The 2008 NBA Champion Celtics await the winner - we get the Warriors against LeBron, the Bay Area against LA. Battle of 2 NBA Champions.
Matchup:
C Howard (Lakers)
F Davis (Lakers)
F Push
G Steph (Warriors)
G Klay (Warriors)
Bench: Bench
Gm 1: Oakland: Oracle: Dick Stockton/Hubie Brown/Dr Jack Ramsey
1Qtr
9 Warriors 8 Lakers 8
Warriors Klay(3) Klay(3) KD
Lakers AD, Howard, LeBron, Howard
6 Warriors 17 Lakers 14
Warriors McGee, KD(3) KD, KD
Lakers AD, KCP, Rondo
2nd Elite 8 series - Durant loves going at LeBron, he opens with 9
3 Warriors 27 Lakers 22
Warriors KD, KD, Zaza, West, KD
Lakers McGee, McGee, LeBron, AD
1Score Warriors 31 Lakers 24
Warriors Zaza, Livingston
Lakers Kuzma
How about 15 first quarter points from Kevin Durant?
2Qtr
9 Warriors 37 Lakers 28
Warriors West, Steph, Klay
Lakers Green, LeBron
6 Warriors 44 Lakers 37
Warriors Klay(3) Klay, KD
Lakers McGee, Rondo(3) AD, leBron
Klay's got 13; McGee's scored for both teams.
3 Warriors 51 Lakers 41
Warriors Steph(3) Dray, Steph
Lakers Bradley, AD
HScore Warriors 59 Lakers 46
Warriors Klay, Steph(3) KD(3)
Lakers Rondo, Rondo(3)
LA has lost just once all tournament - but they'v been behind here since the tip
3Qtr
9 Warriors 71 Lakers 54
Warriors Steph(3) West, KD, Dray(3) Iguodala
Lakers Howard, AD, LeBron, AD
6 Warriors 77 Lakers 57
Warriors KD, Steph, McGee
Lakers AD(1) Caruso
Game 1 is a wipeout; it's a full Warriors party here in Oracle.
3 Warriors 82 Lakers 64
Warriors McGee, McGee, Dray(1)
Lakers Rondo(3) KCP, AD(1) LeBron(1)
3Score Warriors 93 Lakers 68
Warriors McGee(1) Steph(3) McGee, Dray(3) steph
Lakers Caruso, AD
10 for Curry in the third; Dubs will go up a game.
4Qtr
9 Warriors 96 Lakers 74
Warriors Dray(3)
Lakers Rondo, leBron, AD
6 Warriors 102 Lakers 85
Warriors Klay, Bell, Livingston
Lakers KCP(3) AD(3) AD, AD(3)
3 Warriors 113 Lakers 92
Warriors Livingston, Klay, KD(3) Iguodala, McGee
Lakers LeBron(3) Kuzma, Howard
FScore Warriors 116 Lakers 100
Warriors Cook, Young(1)
Lakers Dudley(3) Smith(3) Cacok
Never a game; the Warriors control it throughout.
KD: 27 pts/9 assists/5 boards-Player of the Game
Steph: 20 pts/6 assists/5 boards
Klay: 19 pts/6 boards
McGee: 13 pts/10 boards
Dray: 12 pts/10 boards/5 assists
LeBron: 16 pts/10 assists/7 boards
Davis: 28 pts/9 boards
Rondo: 15 pts
Howard: 8 pts/13 boards
McGee: 6 pts/13 boards
Gm 2: Oakland: Oracle: Dick Stockton/Hubie Brown/Dr Jack Ramsey
1Qtr
9 Warriors 10 Lakers 3
Warriors McGee, Steph(3) KD, KD(3)
Lakers Rondo(3)
6 Warriors 17 Lakers 10
Warriors Steph(3) Steph, Dray
Lakers Rondo(3) Bradley, AD
Warriors out quickly - looking to take game 2 at home.
3 Warriors 23 Lakers 21
Warriors Klay, McGee, McGee
Lakers Howard, LeBron, AD(3) LeBron, McGee
1Score Warriors 29 Lakers 26
Warriors Zaza, West, Iguodala
Lakers AD, Kuzma, LeBron(1)
Javale v Javale early on in this one.
2Qtr
9 Warriors 37 Lakers 33
Warriors Bell, Livingston, Looney, McGee
Lakers Kuzma(3) KCP, KCP
6 Warriors 41 Lakers 37
Warriors McGee, Dray
Lakers AD, LeBron
8 for Warriors Javale.
3 Lakers 48 Warriors 47
Warriors KD, McGee, Zaza
Lakers AD, LeBron, LeBron, Rondo(3) Green
HScore Warriors 53 Lakers 52
Warriors Steph, KD, Klay
Lakers AD, mcGee
We got a tight one; LeBron's got a dozen.
3Qtr
9 Lakers 65 Warriors 57
Warriors KD, Klay
Lakers Rondo, LeBron, Howard, AD, AD, Caruso(3)
6 Lakers 70 Warriors 59
Warriors Dray
Lakers AD(1) McGee, Caruso
Anthony Davis has 18 - Lakers have opened this up
3 Lakers 76 Warriors 64
Warriors Dray, Dray(1) West
Lakers LeBron, Kuzma, AD
3Score Lakers 82 Warriors 74
Warriors Steph(3) Klay, Dray(3) KD
Lakers AD, Rondo, Howard
Warriors get a little closer - but LA is 12 away from taking home court advantage.
4Qtr
9 Lakers 92 Warriors 85
Warriors Steph(3), Steph(3) Steph, Klay(3)
Lakers LeBron(1) LeBron(3) LeBron, AD, KCP
6 Lakers 96 Warriors 92
Warriors KD, Steph(3) KD
Lakers LeBron, LeBron
5:26: GSW: Durant strokes a 17 footer.
4:49: GSW: Durant drills a triple from the wing and the Dubs are up 1
4:26: LAL: KCP comes back with a corner 3.
4:17: GSW: McGee is on the floor for both teams - Warriors JaVale hits a 10 footer and it is 99-99
3:58: LAL: Danny Green hits a corner 3.
3:42: GSW: JaVale rams home a dunk over himself.
2:30: GSW: KD turnaround in the paint. 103-102 Dubs
2:07: LAL: Danny Green hits another 3
1:51: GSW: Durant from the wing - he's got 13 in the quarter and it's 105-105
1:19: GSW: JaVale banks home a 9 footer and Golden St is up a bucket
:24: GSW: That could do it - Durant has just taken over. 109-105
:18: LA: Kuzma in traffic cuts it to 2
They put Durant on the line. Hits both Warriors by 4, 15 seconds.
Anthony Davis quick layup.
Durant hits 2 more FT
KCP hits a deep triple, Warriors by a point with 5 seconds left.
Durant hits 2 more FT, 2 seconds left - Warriors by 3 - LA gets a chance to tie after the time out.
Quick to LeBron - he takes a 35 footer at the buzzer -
GOOOOOOD!!! GOOOOD!!! GOOOOD!!!! LEBRON JAMES TRIPLES AT THE BUZZER TO FORCE OT!!!
Warriors 115 Lakers 115
OT
4:35: GSW: Draymond miss - but JaVale is there to ram it home.
3:44: GSW: Warriors lost that 4 pt lead with 15 seconds left despite making all their FT down the stretch, Durant strokes home another bucket.
2:33: GSW: Steph drives and scores.
2:13: GSW: Steph deep triple - it's a 9 point game - the Lakers have not scored in OT
1:33: LAL: LeBron.
1:19: GSW: That's the dagger - Steph hits another 3 to make it a 10 pt game. It's done.
KCP triple, KD bucket. Final
FScore: Warriors 129 Lakers 120
Great comeback by the Lakers and an absolute bomb at the buzzer by Lebron to force OT - but the Warriors totally lock LA down in OT and take it.
KD: 38 pts/16 boards/11 assists-Player of the Game
Klay: 11 pts/5 boards/4 steals
Steph: 32 pts/11 assists/7 boards
Dray: 12 pts/11 boards
McGee: 20 pts/9 boards
LeBron: 30 pts/13 assists//7 boards
AD: 26 pts/12 boards/5 assists
KCP: 15 pts
Howard: 6 pts/12 boards
Rondo: 13 pts/8 boards/5 assists
McGee: 6 pts/10 boards
Gm 3: LA: Staples: Bob Costas/Bill Walton/Dick Vitale
1Qtr
9 Warriors 8 Lakers 6
Lakers Rondo, Howard, AD
Warriors Klay, KD, KD, KD
6 Warriors 15 Lakers 12
Lakers AD, KCP, AD
Warriors McGee, Steph(3) Dray
The Warriors win both home games and now can sweep their way into the Final 4.
3 Warriors 24 Lakers 17
Lakers AD(1) LeBron, Bradley
Warriors Dray, Steph, Steph(3) KD
1Score Warriors 41 Lakers 24
Lakers AD, Caruso(3) Kuzma
Warriors McGee, McGee, McGee, Mcgee, McGee, KD(3) Bell, West
It sure looks like thats that - the Golden St Warriors are just rolling through the Lakers, they will head to the Final Four and a 7 game series against the 2008 Boston Celtics.
2Qtr
9 Warriors 50 Lakers 29
Lakers AD(3) LeBron
Warriors Livingston, Zaza, KD, Iguodala(3)
6 Warriors 55 Lakers 33
Lakers Rondo, Howard
Warriors Klay, KD(3)
LeBron's tournament will come to an end - the great Warriors dynasty lives on.
3 Warriors 57 Lakers 37
Lakers Kuzma, Bradley
Warriors West
HScore Warriors 66 Lakers 43
Lakers AD, LeBron, Green
Warriors Steph, McGee, KD(3) KD
21 first half points for Durant - he will be Series MVP.
3Qtr
9 Warriors 73 Lakers 52
Lakers Bradley, Howard, Kuzma(3) Howard
Warriors Steph(3) Steph, Javale
6 Warriors 78 Lakers 66
Lakers LeBron, AD(3) AD, McGee, KCP(3) AD
Warriors Klay(3) McGee
LA scores 23 in the first 6 minutes of the quarter.
3 Warriors 85 Lakers 72
Lakers Bradley, AD, Caruso
Warriors West, West, Steph(3)
3Score Warriors 92 Lakers 76
Lakers AD, Rondo
Warriors Klay, West, Dray(3)
11 for Davis in the third. Still a 16 point Warriors lead.
4Qtr
9 Lakers 96 Warriors 81
Lakers Green, LeBron, Rondo(1)
Warriors KD, Steph
6 Warriors 102 Lakers 87
Lakers AD, LeBron, AD
Warriors Steph, KD, Zaza
6 minutes away from the sweep.
3 Warriors 106 Lakers 90
Lakers AD(3)
Warriors West, West,
FScore Warriors 115 Lakers 95
Lakers Cacok, Dudley(3)
Warriors Jones, Jones, West, Young(3)
Sweep. The Lakers came into this series with just one loss in the tournament and they get swept clean away by the Warriors - setting up a great semi-final between 2 NBA Champions, the Celtics v. the Warriors. 32 for Davis, Triple Double for LeBron.
KD: 25 pts/10 boards/7 assists-Player of the Game/Series MVP
Steph: 22 pts/8 assists
Klay: 9 pts/6 boards
Dray: 7 pts/13 boards/5 assists
McGee: 18 pts/4 blocks
West: 16 pts
All Tournament Team 1st Team
C Shaq ('98 Lakers 7 PotG)
F Garnett ('08 Celtics 11 PotG)
F Giannis ('20 Bucks 9 PotG)
G Magic ('89 Lakers 6 PotG)
G Harden ('15 Rockets 7 PotG)
All Tournament Team 2nd Team
C Duncan ('13 Spurs 6 PotG)
F Kawhi ('17 Spurs 7 PotG)
F LeBron ('20 Lakers 7 PotG)
F Duncan ('15 Spurs 7 PotG)
F Durant ('18 Warriors 8 PotG)
G Kobe ('09 Lakers 6 PotG)
G Westbrook ('11 Thunder 5 PotG)
G Curry ('18 Warriors 5 PotG)
