SAN FRANCISCO — Steph Curry sent it to overtime. Klay Thompson sent it to double-overtime. LeBron James called game, fittingly, with a pair of free throws earned via Draymond Green’s desperate foul as he dashed to the rim in plenty of time with five seconds ticking.
And so ended a double-overtime classic between two of the NBA’s storied rivals — Curry versus James, Warriors versus Lakers — by a point, the Warriors losing 145-144 in double-OT on Saturday night.
Warriors dropped like flies as two of the oldest teams in the NBA trudged into the deepest part of overtime. Thompson, who gave his 47-minute all, fouled out mid-way through the final frame. Seconds later, so did Andrew Wiggins.
With it the Warriors tumble to a 19-24 record; they’re hanging with the Western Conference’s worst teams. The Lakers came into town not much better, touting a .500 record. But both struggling stars trying to defy age gave the national audience a reminder of of why they’re still the greatest show in the NBA.
Golden State held a 15-point lead mid-way through the third quarter, but kept sending the Lakers to the free throw line down the stretch. At the end of double-OT, the Lakers took 43 free throws to the Warriors’ 16. Curry didn’t draw a foul until overtime.
Curry finished with a season-high 46 points. Draymond Green was a plus-31 in 45 minutes played.
The Warriors next take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday before heading back on the road for a five-game road trip that begins with a back-to-back against the Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks.