Warriors vs. Lakers: Short-Handed Showdown Set for Saturday Night in L.A.
The Golden State Warriors are closing out their quick two-game road swing with a primetime clash against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM PT at Crypto.com Arena, and the game will be nationally televised on ABC - a marquee spotlight for two teams trying to navigate through adversity.
Golden State’s Gritty Comeback in Phoenix
The Warriors are coming off one of their most resilient performances of the season - a 101-97 road win over the Phoenix Suns that wasn’t just a victory in the standings, but a much-needed emotional lift for a team that’s been through the wringer.
Thursday night’s win came in the middle of a whirlwind stretch for Golden State. The team is still absorbing the shock of Jimmy Butler’s season-ending ACL tear - a devastating blow not only to the roster but to the locker room leadership dynamic. Layer in the disruption from Wednesday’s trade deadline, which saw Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield, and Trayce Jackson-Davis dealt away, and the Warriors walked into Phoenix with a skeleton crew and a lot of unanswered questions.
And then, they found something.
Down 14 points in the fourth quarter, with just over nine minutes left, the Warriors flipped the switch. What followed was a 22-5 run - a defensive clinic and a gutsy offensive push that turned a likely loss into a statement win.
Golden State didn’t just hang around; they dug in, got stops, and made timely shots when it mattered most. It was the kind of win that can galvanize a team, especially one trying to find its identity in the second half of the season.
Saturday’s Key Storylines: Who Steps Up Without the Stars?
Saturday’s matchup will be defined by who isn’t on the floor as much as who is. Stephen Curry remains sidelined with a knee issue, and the Lakers will be without Luka Dončić, who’s dealing with a hamstring injury. With both teams missing their offensive centerpieces, the spotlight shifts to the supporting casts and the adjustments each coaching staff makes.
For the Warriors, the absence of Curry has forced a stylistic pivot. Without their generational shot creator, Golden State has leaned hard into volume shooting from deep. They launched 55 three-pointers against Phoenix and 48 the game before against Philadelphia - not by accident, but by design.
Steve Kerr has been clear: when shot creation is limited, the Warriors need to generate offense through space, pace, and perimeter volume. That means quick ball movement, early-clock threes, and trusting that the math will eventually work in their favor. It’s a high-variance approach, but one that fits the personnel they have available.
The Lakers, meanwhile, come into this game allowing opponents to shoot 36.8% from beyond the arc - tied for the seventh-highest mark in the league. That’s a vulnerability the Warriors will look to exploit, especially if they can get hot early and stretch L.A.’s defense thin.
Projected Starters:
- Warriors: Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton, Moses Moody, Gui Santos, Draymond Green
This starting group is young, energetic, and still finding its rhythm. Podziemski continues to show flashes of high-IQ playmaking, while Moody and Santos are being asked to take on bigger roles in real time. Draymond Green remains the emotional and defensive anchor, and his ability to orchestrate the offense in Curry’s absence will be crucial.
The Bottom Line
This isn’t the Warriors-Lakers matchup we’re used to seeing - no Curry, no Dončić, and a lot of new faces in the mix. But it’s still a meaningful test for Golden State.
Can they build on Thursday’s momentum? Can they keep the ball flying and the threes falling?
And perhaps most importantly, can they continue to forge a new identity on the fly?
We’ll find out tonight under the bright lights in L.A.