The Golden State Warriors had a huge win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. The game was a certified classic where LeBron James and Stephen Curry went head to head with a playoff atmosphere in the Crypto.com Arena. Curry dropped 37 points and six assists, while James had 33 points, nine assists, and five rebounds. Watching two of the greatest of all-time go at it will be what is remembered from this game, but the real story of the game lies in the play of the Warriors’ role players. In the Lakers vs Golden State game, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, and Jonathan Kuminga were the different makers. If they continue to play at the level they did on Thursday, the Warriors might be unbeatable.
Warriors’ Role Players Could Make Them Unbeatable In Playoffs
Lakers vs Golden State is a Classic
The Warriors-Lakers game featured some of the greatest players of all-time. Draymond Green put on a Defensive Player of the Year performance, including the game-stealing strip. Luka Doncic had an off-game, going 0-of-6 for three. He still had a near triple-double with 19 points, seven assists, and eight rebounds. Of course, there was James and Curry going shot for shot. However, the most important player of the evening, was probably Brandin Podziemski.
Brandin Podziemski’s Huge Night
Podziemski put on a show at Crypto from the jump. He poured in 22 points and six three-pointers in the first half (a career-high). He ended up with 28 points, eight rebounds, and six assists on 8-of-10 from three. Having a secondary scorer after Curry has always been the key to the Warriors’ success. Podziemski helped the Warriors build an early lead that Curry and the veterans were able to hold onto.
Warriors’ Role Players Could Take Them to New Heights
Podziemski wasn’t the only Warriors’ role player who helped clinch this clutch win for the Warriors. Moody has been one of the best players for the Warriors over the last few months. The Warriors have rarely lost with him in the starting lineup, and it is no surprise why. Moody has been playing a huge defensive role for the Dubs all while being a lights-out shooter from three. Against the Lakers, he played big defensive minutes against Doncic and went 3-of-6 from deep.
Kuminga also plated an huge role against the Lakers. After missing the Warriors’ last game with an injury, he came back and put on one of his better supporting role performances of the season. He had an efficient 18 points, but most impressively, he also grabbed nine rebounds in the game. If Kuminga can put in great defensive minutes on players like James, all while staying active offensively and on the glass, the Warriors will be hard to beat.
Some might believe that the Warriors will go as far as Jimmy Butler, Curry, and Green can take them. Although they certainly will need a lot from those guys to win another championship, to beat deep teams like the Thunder or Celtics, the Warriors’ role players will play a key role. Hopefully for Warriors’ fans, Podziemski, Moody, and Kuminga can continue to build on this performance. If they are all playing the best basketball of their young careers come playoff time, the Warriors could be unbeatable.
Photo credit: © David Gonzales-Imagn Images
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