LeBron James indicated that the Los Angeles Lakers’ upcoming playoff series against the Golden State Warriors offers them no margin for error against the defending NBA champions.
LeBron on the key to facing the Warriors: “You can’t make a mistake. They’ll make you pay. You can’t make a mistake. It’s that simple.”
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) May 1, 2023
The Lakers, who were in danger of not even reaching the postseason, advanced to the meeting with the Warriors after an upset of the Memphis Grizzlies. The Warriors advanced on Sunday after defeating the Sacramento Kings on the road in Game 7 of their series.
James has garnered extensive playoff experience during his 20 years in the NBA, so he’s certainly battle-tested for the challenge ahead.
In particular, James knows very well just how dangerous the Warriors can be in the postseason. That opinion was first forged during James’ second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2014 to 2018.
During that span, James helped lead the Cavaliers to the finals every season, with the team’s opponent in all four matchups being the Warriors.
In 2015, 2017 and 2018, the Cavaliers ended up on the losing end of the equation and watched the Warriors celebrate. In all three of those series, James’ often huge efforts went for naught.
The Cavaliers were only able to capture the franchise’s only title in 2016, and that required another tremendous effort. The Warriors led the series three to one, but James led a record-setting comeback and was named Finals MVP for his efforts.
One of the reasons why the Warriors can make teams pay is because of the continuing efforts of the team’s starting backcourt. Both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson can light up scoreboards if they’re not reined in and have the shooting range to quickly turn a game into a blowout.
Curry’s performance on Sunday was clear evidence of that ability. In just 38 minutes, Curry poured in 50 points on 20-of-38 from the field.
That point explosion also included 7 3-pointers, with Curry also adding eight rebounds and six assists. The performance quieted the raucous Kings crowd and continued the Warriors’ quest to win the team’s second title in a row.
Still, the Lakers are now much healthier than earlier this season. The absence of James and Anthony Davis because of injuries is not an issue right now, with their presence in the lineup offering hopes of another upset.
