Steve Kerr, Warriors
Getty
Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors walks off the court after losing.
The Golden State Warriors arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday carrying momentum from their stunning comeback victory over the Phoenix Suns two nights earlier. They had erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit on Thursday to win 101-97, demonstrating the kind of resilience that keeps playoff hopes alive even when star players are sidelined.
Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers presented a similar challenge. Stephen Curry remained out with runner’s knee. Kristaps Porzingis still hasn’t made his Warriors debut after being acquired at the trade deadline. The roster was thin, and the opponent was good.
The Lakers were also shorthanded. Luka Dončić sat out with the hamstring injury he sustained Thursday night against the Philadelphia 76ers. But Los Angeles still had LeBron James, and that made all the difference.
Moody Carries Offense in Warriors’ 105-99 Loss
Moses Moody #4 of the Golden State Warriors
GettyMoses Moody #4 of the Golden State Warriors.
Moses Moody led the Warriors with 25 points on 8-of-17 shooting in the 105-99 defeat at Crypto.com Arena. He made five three-pointers and got to the free-throw line five times, accounting for nearly half of Golden State’s 11 free-throw attempts.
Moody’s 25 points came over a team-high 39 minutes. He added four rebounds, two assists, three steals, and one block while finishing plus-5 in a game the Warriors lost by six. His effort kept Golden State competitive throughout a game they trailed for most of the second half.
Two nights after Moody’s defense was crucial in the comeback win over Phoenix, his offense carried the Warriors against the Lakers. He attacked closeouts, created his own shot when the offense stalled, and made timely plays on both ends. Without Curry to generate easy looks, Moody stepped into a larger role and delivered.
The performance continues Moody’s breakout stretch. He shot 46.7% from three-point range in January, establishing himself as a reliable scoring option when the Warriors need offense from their wing rotation.
Gui Santos added 15 points. Brandin Podziemski and Pat Spencer each scored 14. Gary Payton II contributed 13 points. Five Warriors scored in double figures, but none could match what James provided for the Lakers.
James turned 41 in December but continues playing at an elite level. He finished with 20 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds over 35 minutes. His impact was most visible in the third quarter, when he scored 12 points and dished three assists in just eight minutes as the Lakers outscored Golden State 38-29 in the period.
That third-quarter surge gave Los Angeles control of the game. The Warriors entered the fourth quarter trailing 79-71 and never recovered.
Warriors’ Three-Point Shooting Dooms Comeback Attempt
Golden State attempted 92 field goals Saturday night. Fifty-one of them came from three-point range. The Warriors made just 14 of those attempts, finishing 27.5% from beyond the arc.
The approach made sense in theory. The Lakers entered the game ranked 23rd in the NBA in opponent three-point percentage. Golden State tried to exploit that weakness by launching threes early and often. But the shots didn’t fall.
The Warriors took 25 shots in the first quarter. Seventeen of them were three-pointers. Only two went in. Despite attempting eight more shots than Los Angeles in the opening period, Golden State managed just a 21-20 lead entering the second quarter.
The volume didn’t decrease as the game progressed. The Warriors kept firing from distance even as the misses piled up. Meanwhile, they shot 63.2% in the paint on 24-of-38 shooting. The disparity between what worked and what didn’t was stark, yet Golden State continued prioritizing three-point attempts.
That stubbornness cost them. The Warriors couldn’t overcome a 30-11 free-throw disparity or capitalize fully on the seven turnovers they forced in the fourth quarter. They pulled within one point at 87-86 on a Santos three-pointer with 7:27 remaining, but the Lakers responded with a 13-2 run to push the lead back to 12 points with 3:41 left.
Golden State made one final push but couldn’t complete another comeback. The 105-99 final dropped the Warriors to 28-25.
What the Loss Means for Golden State
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
GettySteve Kerr, Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors demonstrated again they can compete without Curry when role players step up and the defense performs. Moody’s 25-point performance showed he’s capable of carrying a larger offensive load when needed. Santos, Podziemski, and Spencer all contributed. The effort was there.
But the execution wasn’t good enough. Taking 51 three-pointers and making just 14 of them represents poor shot selection and decision-making. The Warriors had success attacking the paint but kept settling for threes that weren’t falling. That imbalance made winning nearly impossible.
Golden State also couldn’t overcome James’ leadership and production. Even at 41 years old, he remains capable of controlling games through his playmaking and scoring. The Lakers leaned on him in the third quarter, and he delivered exactly what they needed to build a lead they protected down the stretch.
The loss wasn’t catastrophic. The Warriors still sit in eighth place in the Western Conference at 28-25. They’ll soon head into the All-Star break with time to rest and hopefully get Curry and Porzingis healthy for the stretch run. But Saturday showed the limitations of this roster when the stars are unavailable.