LOS ANGELES — LeBron James produced a team-high 33 points for the Los Angeles Lakers in Thursday’s 123-116 home loss to the Golden State Warriors.
James managed to overcome a slow start but his efforts ultimately weren’t enough.
The Lakers remain in first place in the Pacific Division despite the loss to their division foe, but the game carried bigger stakes as a potential postseason series preview.
The Lakers are now the fourth seed in the Western Conference standings and sit a half-game back of the Denver Nuggets. Los Angeles entered the day as the third seed. The Warriors are one game behind the Lakers as the fifth seed. If the season ended today, the Lakers and Warriors would square off in the first round.
“It’s always a challenge when you play Golden State,” James said. “It’s been like that for over a decade. … They will try to keep you off-balance all game and you have to try and figure it out and we did. Offensively we were really good, especially in the second half.”
The game had a playoff-like atmosphere but even that came to a sudden halt for the fans in the first half when James was slow to pick himself up off the court.
James was considered probable on the team’s injury report Wednesday evening for the Thursday contest, due to a left groin strain.
After colliding with the Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga, the Lakers star was down on the court with 5:07 left in the first quarter. He briefly was checked out by athletic trainers on the court, but James managed to get back up on his feet and walk back to the bench under his own power.
He checked back into the game moments later but finished the first quarter scoreless.
James gathered some momentum in the second quarter and finished with eight points after going 2-for-2 from the 3-point line and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line.
James said Thursday was “the best I felt since the injury.
‘I have to get down hill and find my rhythm, as far as my jump shot that felt pretty good,’ James added. ‘…It’s probably the best physically that I’ve felt and I can build off that.”
Steph Curry led all scorers with 37 points. Golden State’s Brandin Podziemski had 28 in the win.
Austin Reaves was the Lakers’ second-leading scorer with 31 points, and Rui Hachimura added 24. Luka Doncic had 19.
LeBron James stats vs. Warriors
- Points: 33
- FG: 10-for-15
- 3PT: 5-for-8
- FT: 8-for-9
- Rebounds: 5
- Assists: 9
- Steals: 1
- Blocks: 1
- Turnovers: 4
- Fouls: 2
- Minutes played: 39:51