The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Golden State Warriors on Monday night with a chance to take a massive 3-1 series. Los Angeles hadn’t lost a home playoff game entering Monday’s night contest and at points in this game, it looked like that streak was going to end.
A Warriors win would have made it a best-of-three series with two of the games being played in the Bay Area. While the Lakers would have been tied at 2-2, winning this game was still massive for the team.
And on the back of Lonnie Walker IV, Los Angeles did just that. The same player who was not even in the playoff rotation initially showed up when it mattered most, scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter to propel the Lakers to victory.
The NBA world reacted.
“He definitely gets the game ball…when they needed it in the 4th all of his points came.” @JamesWorthy42 praises Lonnie Walker for being ready for his moment. pic.twitter.com/6GIRLmLGhg
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) May 9, 2023
Lonnie Walker put the @Lakers on his back tonight scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 9, 2023
Lonnie MF Walker better be TRENDING on this damn app tonight!!! Carry the hell on…
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) May 9, 2023
Perhaps the most important positive reinforcement that Walker got after his Game 4 heroics was from his teammate, LeBron James. LeBron made it very clear after this game that the Lake Show would not have won without Walker.
He definitely is not wrong.
"We don't win that game without Lonnie Walker tonight. That's for sure." pic.twitter.com/uMTBrxzG1z
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 9, 2023
Lonnie Walker is a reminder why the Lakers are so hard to beat
This game was more than just a big outpouring from Lonnie Walker IV. While that is obviously the story of the game, it is also indicative of the team as a whole and is why Lakers fans are so confident in this group of players.
Walker is not the only Lakers role player that can explode and take over a game. Heck, we have already seen it first-hand in this playoff run. Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves both took over at various points in the Memphis series and swung the entire outcome in the first round. D’Angelo Russell turned in a vintage performance in a clinching Game 6 when his critics were at their loudest.
Sure, the Lakers have one of the best duos in the entire sport in Anthony Davis and LeBron James, but they also have the depth pieces to steal a pivotal game in a key moment in a series. That is what a championship team is made of.
There is still a lot more work that needs to be done but Walker reminded every fan on Monday why the Lakers are a legitimate championship team.