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The Los Angeles Lakers took a commanding 3-1 lead over the defending champions Golden State Warriors on Monday. It was a total team effort for Los Angeles, who got contributions from Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and unsung hero Lonnie Walker IV. Walker, who hasn't seen much playing time throughout the Lakers' playoff run, had 15 points in the fourth quarter alone, outscoring the whole Warriors team in the clutch.
With the series moving back to San Francisco for Game 5, former NBA player and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley believes that the Warriors' season is over.
"Well, they're cooked. This series is over whether in 5 or 6, it's over," the "Inside the NBA" analyst said.
From the first quarter up until the dying minutes of the game, it seemed as if the Warriors were in complete control. They led by as much as 12 at one point thanks to the brilliance of Stephen Curry, who tallied a triple-double of 31 points, 14 assists, and ten rebounds. The Warriors also effectively used their high pick-and-roll offense, and the Lakers had no answer for it.
However, the Lakers were able to keep up with the Warriors' scoring, thanks mostly to Anthony Davis, who led the way with 23 points. They knew that Curry, as well as his running mate Klay Thompson, were eventually going to wear down throughout the game, which was why the Lakers started to hunt them in mismatches.
" . I think the Lakers did a fabulous job of making Klay and Steph work. They're attacking them because they know those are the two guys they have to worry about. They attacked them every single time in the half-court. The Warriors are switching everything and I personally thought that Klay and Steph got tired in the game. I love the way the Lakers are saying 'We're not going to let these guys run up and down the court and let them shoot,'" Barkley said after the game.
Ultimately, when the Lakers needed someone to take them home, it was Walker who stepped up and delivered.
If this game highlighted anything, it's that the Lakers' depth reigns supreme over the Warriors - something that a LeBron James team has never had as an advantage over Steph Curry. From Rui Hachimura to D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and now Walker, the Lakers ironically have embodied the epitome of strength in numbers.
". They run the pick-and-roll every time they're trying to guard LeBron, and he's going at Klay, he's going at Steph, and when the game is on the line, a guy named Lonnie Walker had his way as well as Austin Reaves. They're doing a fabulous job of attacking Klay and Steph, and their shooting percentage showed that," Barkley concluded.