LeBron Explains ‘Desperate Mindset' Lakers Need To Shut Down Dubs originally appeared nbc sports birea
The Los Angeles Lakers hold a three-games-to-one advantage over the Warriors in the Western Conference Semifinals, but LeBron James knows beating the defending NBA champions in Game 5 won't be easy.
“As tough as this game was, it's going to be even tougher,” James told Chris Haynes of TNT Afterwards LA's 104-101 win at the Crypto.com Arena on Monday at Golden State. “We understand it. We know it, and if we don't come with a desperate mindset like they're going to [with]Then they'll blow us out of that arena.”
The Warriors Are No Strangers To Falling 3-1 In The NBA Playoffs, And They Are banking on that experience To take this series one game at a time and hopefully advance to the Western Conference Finals.
“You definitely use it as a form of confidence, we can figure it out,” Warriors star Steph Curry told reporters after Monday's game. “Obviously, you just focus on winning Game 5 and take it from there, you can't fast forward to the end. But we've got to take the good things from tonight and our ability to defend our home court.” But a lot of confidence. That's all we can do right now. Staying positive despite how tough tonight was. There's a long way to go.”
Shutting down an NBA team after the season — specifically one of Golden State's Championship Caliber – is one of the hardest things to accomplish in the games. And the Warriors will be at home on the Chase Center floor in Game 5 on Wednesday, giving them a hypothetical leg up on the Lakers.
James is hoping his team can avoid a repeat of Game 5 of their first-round playoff series last month against the Memphis Grizzlies, when Los Angeles had a chance to eliminate Ja Morant and Co., but instead swept the series. extended to six games. He knows it will be an uphill task, but James hopes the Lakers have learned a valuable lesson.
James told Haynes, “We were 3–1 in the first round against Memphis, so we have to learn from it.” “We're not saying Memphis is Golden State – both teams are well coached, both teams are great – but we also know we're dealing with the defending champions, so it's time to relax.” Has gone.”
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The Lakers better hope they're well-rested and ready to go on Wednesday, because James was definitely right about one thing: The Warriors will come out with a vengeance.