LeBron James powers shorthanded Lakers to important win over Warriors
With Warriors star Stephen Curry not playing because of injury, LeBron James leads the Lakers to a 119-103 win to stop the team's three-game losing streak.
Lakers star LeBron James controls the ball in front of Golden State's LJ Cryer during the second quarter of the Lakers' win Thursday. (David M. Barreda / Los Angeles Times) Fans from New Zealand and Australia held signs toward the camera.
They had traveled thousands of miles to watch Warriors star Stephen Curry play. One sign crossed out “play” and replaced it with a frowning face. They were instead treated to a steady performance from LeBron James, who led the Lakers to a 119-103 win over the Warriors on Thursday, with 26 points and 11 rebounds.
The Lakers kept pace with the Houston Rockets in a tight race for the No. 4 seed in the West. Battling a chronic knee injury in the latter stages of the season, Curry watched from the sideline.
His absence in the Warriors’ last home game of the season also put a damper on what could have been another enthralling matchup between two of the league's biggest stars. Read more: Plaschke: Broken Lakers need to shut down the season Between the artistry of Curry and the physicality of James, they’ve been faces of the NBA, Lakers coach JJ Redick said. But with the 41-year-old James not under contract after this season, the generational stars may never compete on an NBA court against each other again.
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