The Golden State Warriors took down the Los Angeles Lakers in a 123–116 win Thursday night, one that delivered with vintage performances from marquee stars Steph Curry and LeBron James.
Curry and James each led their team in scoring in a fast-paced primetime game which had key implications for the Western Conference’s playoff seeding, with the Lakers ultimately falling short of a comeback late in the fourth quarter. The thrilling matchup also saw both the Warriors and Lakers trot out their new trade acquisitions in Jimmy Butler and Luka Doncic, the latter of whom had a night to forget.
Butler didn’t stand out on the stat sheet either, putting up just 11 points, four rebounds and two assists, but by now it’s no secret that the former Miami Heat forward has played an instrumental role in the Warriors’ recent success. Golden State is 20–5 since the Butler trade and currently holds the No. 5 seed after big wins over the Grizzlies and Lakers.
James was asked for his thoughts on the Warriors adding Butler before the deadline in February and gave credit where it was due.
“I’ve been a part of them making big acquisitions to change the dynamic of their team before,” James said. “I’ve had to go against them when they added Kevin Durant… Jimmy Butler is great, he adds a toughness to them, he adds a championship DNA type of guy. It’s always the same, they always figure it out, they always add someone that makes them dynamic.
It’s worth noting James wasn’t making excuses for his team’s loss—he was just stating the facts. The Butler trade gave the Warriors a veteran presence and leader on and off the court which has in turn allowed Curry and role players like Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga to shine (Podz and Kuminga finished with 28 and 18 points in Thursday’s win, respectively).
After all, James and the Lakers landed their own franchise-altering star in Doncic, who may still be reeling from the drama surrounding his Dallas Mavericks exit but has been working his way back up to his All-Star form.
Which team’s trade deadline pick-ups will pay off more? In the long run, Doncic feels like the easy answer. But, when it comes to this year’s postseason, anything can happen.
