Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
LOS ANGELES — Steph Curry scored 31 points in his return to Golden State’s lineup, Klay Thompson added 26 off the bench and the Warriors beat the Los Angeles Lakers 128-121 on Saturday night in a pivotal NBA Western Conference matchup.
LeBron James had 40 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Lakers, who had to play without Anthony Davis for the final three quarters after he suffered an eye injury.
The Warriors inched ahead of the Lakers by a percentage point into ninth place in the West after winning a game that dragged to the finish because of a pair of replay reviews — one that overturned an apparent 3-pointer by James — then a malfunctioning clock.
The Splash Brothers took care of business in LA as the Warriors get the win and jump the Lakers in the standings 👀
Steph: 31 PTS, 3 3PM, 6 REB, 5 AST
Klay: 26 PTS, 5 3PM, 4 REB pic.twitter.com/PKHkpFyESH— NBA (@NBA) March 17, 2024
READ: NBA: Steph Curry cleared for on-court work after ankle sprain
Davis got poked in the left eye by Golden State’s Trayce Jackson-Davis while driving to the basket for a layup with 2:47 remaining in the first quarter. Davis kept playing for the next few minutes, but his eye was swollen shut as he went to the locker room.
The Lakers described the injury as an eye contusion.
Golden State took advantage of Davis’ injury as it dominated inside and regularly drove into the paint. The Warriors outrebounded the Lakers by six and had a 62-54 advantage in points in the paint.
Jonathan Kuminga added 23 points for the Warriors and Draymond Green had six points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists after he missed the last game due to back soreness.
LeBron left it all on the floor tonight in LA.
40 PTS (ties season high)
15-23 FGM
8 REB
9 AST pic.twitter.com/HwWecKJY0M— NBA (@NBA) March 17, 2024
D’Angelo Russell added 23 points and 13 assists for the Lakers, who have dropped their last two.
Curry, who turned 36 on Thursday, missed three games due to a sprained right ankle. He missed his first three shots before getting a rebound of his own miss and putting in a layup with 7:41 remaining in the first half. The two-time MVP was 12 of 24 from the field along with six rebounds and five assists in 31 minutes.
He had six points during a 10-2 third-quarter run that gave the Warriors a 91-79 lead. Neither team had more than a seven-point lead until that point.
READ: Anthony Davis bullies Timberwolves in Lakers’ victory
Thompson had 21 points in the first half as the Warriors held a 67-66 lead at halftime. It was the second time this season Thompson has scored at least 20 in the first half.
James, who was 6 of 16 from the field in Wednesday night’s loss at Sacramento, was 15 of 23 against the Warriors. He hit his first six shots, including three 3-pointers.
A 3-pointer by Thompson with 7:41 remaining in the fourth quarter gave the Warriors a 113-101 advantage, before the Lakers started to slowly work their way back.
James appeared to hit a 3-pointer with 2:07 remaining to get the Lakers within four, but during a stoppage in play 17 seconds later, the replay center determined James’ foot was out of bounds and took the basket away.
After the replay reversal and a challenge on another out of bounds play, the shot clock then malfunctioned with 1:35 remaining.
The reversal ended any momentum for the Lakers. The Warriors put the game away when Curry stole the ball from James and passed it to Kuminga for a breakaway dunk to make it 126-117.
NEXT SCHEDULE
Warriors: Host the New York Knicks on Monday.
Lakers: Host the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.