The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors 122-101 in Game 6 on Friday. LeBron James led the way with 30 points, and the Lakers advanced to the Western Conference Finals to take on the Denver Nuggets. This is the first time the Warriors have lost to a Western Conference team since 2014. The Lakers were the second team to reach the Conference Finals from a play-in tournament this postseason, after the Miami Heat.
The Warriors struggled from beyond the arc, only making 13-of-48 shots. Stephen Curry scored 32 points but was inefficient, shooting 11-of-28. Klay Thompson scored only eight points on 3-of-19 shooting, and Jordan Poole ended with seven points on 3-of-10 shooting. LeBron James was impressive, scoring 30 points and recording nine rebounds, nine assists, and two steals, while Anthony Davis dominated defensively, adding 17 points and 20 rebounds.
The Warriors had a difficult season, finishing sixth in the West with a 44-38 record. Although they survived a play-in tournament against the Sacramento Kings in the first round, they were eliminated by the Lakers in their first game. On the other hand, the Nuggets, led by MVP runner-up Nikola Jokic, had a great season finishing as the top seed in the West. The Lakers will have to face this strong team in the Conference Finals.
The series opener against the Nuggets is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET in Denver and will be broadcast on ESPN.