Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma Shine Despite Lakers' Loss to Kevin Durant, Warriors
Lonzo Ball made a career-high five three-pointers, and Kyle Kuzma poured in 27 points. But the Golden State Warriors withstood the Los Angeles Lakers' late charge and secured a 113-106 win at Oracle Arena on Friday night.
The Warriors, who needed overtime to slip past the Lakers on Monday at Staples Center, secured their 11th straight win behind 33 points, seven assists, seven rebounds and four blocks from Kevin Durant.
Draymond Green added 13 points, 11 rebounds and seven dimes in his first appearance since Dec. 8 after nursing a shoulder injury.
The defending champions also received a big effort from rookie Jordan Bell—who drew his fifth consecutive start at center in place of the injured Zaza Pachulia.
In 24 minutes, Bell posted a career-high 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass, to secure his first double-double.
However, the Warriors hardly operated at a championship-caliber level.
Klay Thompson (16 points) was in a noticeable funk and shot 2-of-9 from three on a night when the Warriors converted 29.2 percent of their total attempts from distance, and the offense lacked a spark for stretches in the second half with Stephen Curry (ankle) out for his seventh straight game.
That malaise was especially evident in the fourth quarter, when the Lakers opened the frame on a 17-4 run to erase what had been a 23-point deficit in the third.
Kuzma proved key in that regard and filled it up two nights after he torched the Houston Rockets for a career-high 38 points.
According to Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN.com's Arash Markazi), Kuzma is the first Lakers rookie since Jerry West in 1961 to score at least 25 points in three straight games.
"Kuz is a problem," Durant said after the win, according to NBC Los Angeles' Shahan Ahmed. "I like him."
It was also a big night for Ball, who finished with 24 points (9-of-16 shooting), five rebounds and five assists. Ball's only other 20-point effort this season came Oct. 20 against the Phoenix Suns.
"He likes to shoot against us," Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said, per ESPN.com's Chris Haynes. "Apparently, he can't shoot against anybody else, but he shoots against us."
The No. 2 overall pick has now drilled at least three shots from beyond the arc in three of his last four games after achieving that feat a total of three times in November.
The Lakers will cap off a back-to-back Saturday evening when they host the Portland Trail Blazers in the first of a four-game homestand. The Warriors will also be in action Saturday against the Denver Nuggets before the Cleveland Cavaliers come to town Christmas Day.
