SAN FRANCISCO – Schedule makers didn’t do the Warriors any favors for their next game, and the same can be said about the challenges the Los Angeles Lakers faced Tuesday night at Chase Center.
The Lakers were on their second night of a back-to-back after playing the previous night in Sacramento, so head coach JJ Redick decided to not suit up Luka Doni, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler. And the Warriors took advantage in a 124-98 blowout win.
The Warriors led by 14 points after the first quarter, 28 points at halftime and 21 points after three quarters before an eventual 26-point win.
Steph Curry was a plus-26, scoring 16 points in 14 minutes. Draymond Green was a plus-25, making his only shot – a three from the right corner – and handed out eight assists in 15 minutes. The biggest bright spot was the young combination of Yaxel Lendeborg (17 points) and Brandin Podziemski (16 points), who combined for 33 points on 14-of-22 shooting.
On Wednesday, the Warriors will be the ones playing shorthanded on a back-to-back. Curry, Green and Al Horford, among others, won’t even make the trip....