On Christmas Day, the Lakers (16–13) play the Warriors (15–13) in a high-profile game in San Francisco. Three things to be aware of before the game are listed below:
THE STARTING LINEUP MAXING OUT
Max Christie has been in the starting lineup* for six games in a row; the Lakers have gone 4-2 during that time. In Monday’s game against Detroit, Christie scored 17 points, matching a career high. He made 3 of 4 three-pointers and 6 of 10 FGs, continuing his defensively consistent play.On November 16, Christie also began in a victory over New Orleans.
With a defensive efficiency of 102.5 in those games, the Lakers are ranked second in the NBA. The 21-year-old will undoubtedly face the difficult challenge of attempting to keep up with the four-time champion as he races around screens in San Francisco.
Vincent remains attractive.
Gabe Although Vincent only appeared in six games due to a knee injury last season, there was hope that he would be fully recovered and have an opportunity to regain the form that saw him starting for Miami in the 2023 NBA Finals. And without sacrificing his usually potent defense, Vincent has really begun to heat up on offense after a somewhat unexpected slow start as he looked for a rhythm despite little shot opportunities.
Vincent has made 3.8 3-point attempts per game in December, including 9 of 13 in his previous three games, for a 50.0% conversion rate. This comes after he shot 25.0% in October and 30.0% on 2.2 attempts from three in November. He’s up 34.6% for the season, and that percentage should continue to rise.
OFFENSIVE STRUGGLES IN WARRIORS
The Golden State Warriors of 2024–25 are very different from many previous GSW teams because they have been far more successful on defense than attack this season. The Warriors offense is only 25th in the NBA in terms of efficiency over the last 15 games. Their defense is ranked 15th, and they have a 5-10 record in those games. However, because of their excellent early-season defense, they are ranked eighth overall, while their offense is ranked fifteenth.
Looking at the last three games in greater detail, Stephen Curry has been in an unusual slump, going 2 for 13 against Indiana (10 points) and 0 for 7 against Memphis (zero points). Between both games, he did look more like the normal Steph, scoring 31 points in a victory over Minnesota. When he is on the court, the Warriors’ offensive efficiency rating is 118.4, and when he is not, it is 101.0.
