Guard Lonnie Walker IV came off the bench to score all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter, propelling the Los Angeles Lakers to a 104-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the 2023 Western Conference semifinals. The win gave Los Angeles a 3-1 edge in the best-of-seven series, which the Lakers eventually captured in six games.
Walker, who had fallen out of head coach Darvin Ham’s regular rotation after mid-season roster changes, nearly matched Golden State’s 17-point fourth-quarter output by himself. His late surge secured a game that had swung back and forth throughout the night at Crypto.com Arena.
Anthony Davis dominated early, scoring 19 of his 23 points before halftime and finishing with 15 rebounds and three steals. Though he managed only four points after the break, his defense on Stephen Curry in the closing possessions proved decisive.
LeBron James led Los Angeles with 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Austin Reaves added 21 points and four assists, including key baskets in the final period as the Lakers erased a 12-point third-quarter deficit.
Curry logged a 31-point, 10-rebound, 14-assist triple-double but needed 30 shots to get there, connecting on just 3-of-14 from beyond the arc. Klay Thompson was limited to nine points on 3-of-11 shooting, and the Warriors committed 16 turnovers, two of them in the final seconds. The Lakers turned the ball over 14 times, and both clubs combined to shoot 27.3 percent from three-point range.
After the game, Curry presented Walker with a signed jersey inscribed, “Will never forgive you for Game 4,” acknowledging the reserve guard’s game-changing performance.
Source: Lakers Nation
