MANILA – Lonnie Walker came alive in the fourth quarter as the Los Angeles Lakers escaped the Golden State Warriors, 104-101, in Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference semifinals at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tuesday (Manila time).
Walker scored all of his 15 points in the fourth quarter but none were more important than his pull-up jumper with 1:53 left to put the Lakers up for good after trailing by as much as 12 points earlier in the second half and two free throws with 15 seconds left that put pressure on the Warriors.
Steph Curry had a chance to force overtime but he missed a stepback three from way out against the defense of Anthony Davis.
Curry had an opportunity to redeem himself after securing the ball after a jump ball between Davis and Andrew Wiggins but Curry, down on the floor after bumping to LeBron James, passed the ball to no one and it went out of bounds with 1.7 seconds left, sealing the Warriors' fate.
“(It’s) the greatest feeling you could ever imagine,” Walker said after the game.
James led the Lakers, now up 3-1 in their best-of-seven series, with 27 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and one block, Davis added 23 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, and three steals, and Austin Reaves collected 21 points, two rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
Curry's 30-point triple-double, where he finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 steals alongside three steals, went for naught as the Warriors will now fight for survival beginning Game 5 on Thursday (Manila time) at their home, the Chase Center in San Francisco.
Over at the Kaseya Center in Miami, the Heat also went 3-1 up in their own league quarterfinal series against the New York Knicks with a 109-101 win.
Jimmy Butler put up the usual numbers for Miami, leading the team with 27 points, six rebounds, 10 assists, two steals, and two blocks.
Bam Adebayo, however, came alive with 23 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, and one steal.
The team could eliminate New York as early as Thursday too when the East semis series shifts back to the Madison Square Garden, but both Butler and Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said that the job is going to be tough.
“It was great that we were able to hold home court, but we know we have a task in New York,” Spoelstra said.
“We've got a job to do, and I think we're very capable,” added Butler.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 32 points, four rebounds, 11 assists, and one steal, RJ Barrett added 24 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one steal, and Julius Randle had 20 points, nine rebounds, and three assists. (Ivan Stewart Saldajeno/PNA)
