LeBron James scores 40 but Lakers lose Anthony Davis, drop game to Warriors
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, right, defends against Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry greet each other before their NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry controls the ball 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)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) defends against Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Spencer Dinwiddie, right, defends against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) and Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (22) reach for a rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) shoots during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (22) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) stands at the bench 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)
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers guard Max Christie (10) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
LOS ANGELES — The Lakers’ roller coaster of a season, and the emotions that come with it, continued in their 128-121 home loss to the Golden State Warriors Saturday at Crypto.com Arena.
There were the highs of LeBron James scoring a season-high-tying 40 points to keep the Lakers in the game.
But there were the lows of Anthony Davis leaving the game early because of an eye contusion, with Davis being limited to 12 first-quarter minutes after getting hit in the left eye by Trayce Jackson-Davis on a layup.
And then there was the weirdness of the final two minutes – which took nearly 22 minutes of real-time to finish because of reviews and malfunctioning shot clocks.
Davis’ exit from Saturday’s game was immediately felt.
Golden State, led by Stephen Curry (31 points, six rebounds and five assists), Jonathan Kuminga (23 points, four assists) and Klay Thompson (26 points off the bench), got into the paint with ease once Davis was no longer on the floor.
The Warriors scored just four points in the paint in the 12 first-quarter minutes that Davis played.
They scored 58 in the final three quarters, feasting off direct drives to the basket or passes into the paint against the Lakers’ smaller lineups.
Already without their bigger frontcourt players in Jarred Vanderbilt, Christian Wood and two-way big man Colin Castleton, in addition to Gabe Vincent and Cam Reddish, the Lakers used Jaxson Hayes as the lone big man in the rotation for the final three quarters.
The Lakers, who trailed 102-93 at the end of the third and by as many as 12 (113-101) midway through the fourth, made a comeback attempt led by James scoring six consecutive points to trim the deficit to 113-107. D’Angelo Russell, who had a 23-point, 13-assist double-double, had nine points and six assists in the second half.
James appeared to cut the deficit to 124-120, and score a season-high 41 points, on a fadeaway corner 3-pointer over Curry with 2:07 left. But the officials took the 3 away, ruling that James stepped out of bounds while reviewing an out-of-bounds challenge that the Lakers called 17 seconds later.
There was also
The final two minutes of play lasted over 20 minutes because of multiple reviews and clock malfunctions.
The Lakers’ longtime public address announcer Lawrence Tanter announced the final shot clock for the final 1:48 of gametime.