An Austin Reaves tray with a second to play gave the Los Angeles Lakers a vibrant 115-113 win in the Golden State Warriors field on Wednesday, in a Christmas game marked by a real show between LeBron James and Steph Curry.
Reaves slipped into a recital between two basketball legends such as LeBron and Curry, who added a new spectacular chapter, in their 53rd meeting, to a rivalry that marked NBA history.
LeBron James signed a double-double of 31 points and 10 assists and Curry was on the verge of a miracle in the fourth period with a three-pointer finishing without a prize. His game ended with 38 points (8 of 15 from the arc) and six assists.
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James, who will turn 40 next Monday, and Curry, 36, saw each other face for the fourth time on Christmas Day.
But on this monumental Christmas crossing the protagonist ended up being Reaves, with a great entrance in the Lakers’s last possession. He broke a triple-double of 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
His basket with a second on the chronometer gave the Lakers the fifth win in their last five games. The Angels are seventh with a balance of 17 victories and thirteen defeats.
The Warriors won only one of their last six games and went down to ninth place in the West (15-14).
The game of Anthony Davis, who retired after a left ankle injury in a contactless action, lasted just 7.12 minutes while fighting for a rebound.
Davis, who had not scored points and had caught two rebounds so far, tried to keep competing, but he had a hard time running and was visibly in pain.
He would retire a few seconds later, after a dead time, to return to the locker room. The Lakers initially assured that his return was in doubt, but confirmed that he would not return after the break.
The 33-year-old Chicago native pivot is averaging 26.6 points and 11.8 rebounds per game this season.
Despite losing one of their leaders, the Lakers continued to count on a very motivated LeBron, who asserted his power in the painting and who scored with continuity, searching, and winning physical shocks. In one of his innings, he also defied his eyes to the Warriors’s bench.
A 14-4 partial at the end of the third period, in which the Lakers threw 50 percent hit, shot the Angels advantage to eleven points in 84-73.
The Warriors clung to the game by the hand of an unstoppable Curry. He showed his character and pride with 17 points in the last quarter that was about to force the extension.
Because even if LeBron put the Lakers up 107-99, Curry led a 7-0 partial that reopened the game. He connected the triple of 110-111 and, after the two frees scored by Reaves, again nailed a huge triple to equal the clash to 113 with 6.3 seconds to play.
On that occasion, the Warriors could choose to take the last shot, but Curry only took 2.6 seconds to sign the eighth triple of his night.
The Lakers had the last ball and he ended up playing Reaves against Andrew Wiggins. He made a grand inning that gave the Lakers an epic victory.
