Los Angeles Lakers Grab Impressive All-Around Victory Against Warriors

The Los Angeles Lakers upset the Golden State Warriors with a nearly brilliant all-around performance.

Like most games at the Staples Center this year, the Los Angeles Lakers were playing in front of a captivated audience against a superior opponent. On Sunday, the team hosted the Golden State Warriors, in the midst of their historic run at the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ 72-10 record.

Stars such as Rihanna and Jack Nicholson were on hand to witness Kobe Bryant’s last battle with a rising legend in his own right, Stephen Curry.

Surprisingly, the Lakers fed off the undeniable energy and buzz of the atmosphere, leading to a historic victory, 112-95.

The history made was due in large part to the team’s record at point. The Lakers became the first team with a .200 winning percentage or worse (12-51 going into the game) to defeat a team with a .900 winning percentage or better in the Warriors (55-5 entering Sunday).

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The best part about this game wasn’t a large comeback from either side, nor was it a duel between Bryant and Curry. The Lakers’ inspired performance spawned an unlikely night of shooting, where the Warriors were an abysmal 13.3 percent from behind the arc. Curry’s one made three-pointer was the biggest surprise on the evening.

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The Warriors led the NBA in three-point shooting going into the game at 41.7 percent.

To add to the bad shooting, the Warriors allowed big games from the Lakers’ young trio of Jordan Clarkson, D’Angelo Russell, and Julius Randle.

After missing his last game with a strained patellar tendon, Clarkson showed Lakers fans why he is likely to be the next go-to guy in seasons to come. He led the Lakers in scoring with 25 points, including making 4-of-6 from long-range. Clarkson’s athleticism and energy were on full display as he made plays all over the court.

D’Angelo Russell continued his scoring streak, eclipsing the 20-point mark for the fifth time in his last six games, averaging 22.6 over the stretch.  Russell spoke about Kobe motivating the team throughout the game:

To follow up from the frontcourt, Randle notched his 26th double-double on the year with 12 points and 14 rebounds.

It wasn’t just the young guys doing it for the Lakers, as the veterans like Marcielo Huertas and Brandon Bass contributed plenty of hustle and scoring. Huertas had a career-high of nine assists on Sunday.

The play of the day may have come off of a Russell to Huertas then Bass finish at the rim.

Not to forget the other youngun’, Larry Nance Jr. served up some fine slams as well, including an after-the-whistle cradle-rock:

Byron Scott was certainly impressed with the team and their efforts in an unlikely matchup coming into the game:

For once it feels good to see the Lakers celebrated in their entirety, especially against a special team like the Warriors. Obviously they didn’t receive Golden State’s best, but as always, you have to play who’s in front you regardless of their shortcomings.

As the season dwindles down, it’s victories like these that will allow the team’s young core to learn minor details and latch onto different adjustments in the future.

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If you’re going to become the best, you have to beat the best. When you beat them, it has to be in the fashion that the Lakers did on Sunday.