The Golden State Warriors lost a heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, falling by three points in the first game of the play-in tournament. Had LeBron James not hit the kind of miraculous shots that define the careers of all-time greats, the Warriors might have pulled off the road upset against the defending champs.
Despite the sting of defeat, the Warriors should be proud of and encouraged by the way they played. It was a strong performance. If they play that well on Friday, they should easily beat the Memphis Grizzlies.