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The Lakers take a 2-1 lead against the Warriors after a dominant performance from Anthony Davis.
In the early hours of Sunday, May 7, 2023, the Los Angeles Lakers dominated the Golden State Warriors 127-97 at Crypto.com Arena in Game 3.
In the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series, the Lakers seized a 2-1 lead thanks to Anthony Davis' outstanding performance of 25 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocked shots.
LeBron James recovered from a scoreless opening frame to finish with 21 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. All of D'Angelo Russell's 21 points in the first half gave the Lakers an early lead.
The Lakers managed the game by getting to the free-throw line, where they made 28 of 37 attempts, reverting to their strategy from Game 1. The Warriors made 12 of their 17 free throw attempts.
Warriors guard Stephen Curry led the team with 23 points, but the reigning champions struggled as Draymond Green was flagged for fouls for most of the contest.
Green, who was Davis' main defender in Game 2, scored just two points in 23 minutes while Davis dominated.
The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers' Western Conference Semifinal matchup appeared to be in their favor for a little more than a quarter.
They withstood an unrelenting barrage of shots from D'Angelo Russell in the first few minutes, who was unstoppable.
They made an early onslaught. They brilliantly moved the ball about with excellent passes and cuts.
At the end of the first quarter, they overcame a seven-point deficit that Russell had nearly single-handedly created and replaced it with a seven-point advantage.
To begin the second quarter, things continued as before. With the Lakers' defense, they were getting everything they wanted.
After playing for so many minutes in the first two games, they were making Anthony Davis appear exhausted.
It turned around 180 degrees when the defense crumbled. Although the offense had all it needed, it seemed more focused on losing the ball.
James and Davis, who played just 33 and 32 minutes, respectively, in the rout, were able to rest in addition to the victory for the Lakers.
The star combo should be refreshed for the pivotal Game 4 on Monday at Crypto.com Arena because they took a break for the entirety of the fourth quarter in Game 2.
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