Lakers vs Warriors Game Nov. 16, 2014 Results: Recap & Replay
Though Kobe Bryant was on a scoring spree on Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers failed to match the level of energy and gameplay performance of the Golden State Warriors, who bested their opponents with a 136-115 win.
Bryant, according to ESPN, contributed 44 points to his team but only managed to keep it "within striking distance" against the Warriors.
The Warriors were also blazing with energy and technique as Stephen Curry made 30 points and 15 assists while Marreese Speights added 24 more to the team's triple-digit win to stun the Lakers in an amazing win.
"I think that just says that he's still Kobe and he can get 44. As long as it doesn't hurt us too much and the game's going our way, then we're going to play him straight up. Kobe's Kobe, and he's always going to score -- no matter how old he is. I'm sure it's tough on him, but he's such a competitor," Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told ESPN.
For his part, Byant said that their opponents were able to make good shots. They were successful in making things difficult for the Lakers early on in the game.
"We're not getting back in transition and giving up a lot of points. We've got to give ourselves an opportunity to play half-court defense. ... They're running the ball and shooting in transition in five seconds before you really get an opportunity," Bryant added.
According to ESPN, Bryant spent time on the bench during the fourth quarter to give other players the chance to play.
"I'd rather get guys involved early. That's always the intent. But when you go down 10-12 points in the hole, man, I've got to try to keep us in the ballgame at some point. The responsibility is on me. I mean, when things go good, it's us. When things go bad, it's me," he explained.
The Warriors, on the other hand, said that Bryant's score during the game did not bother them at all.
"When we look up there and see we're winning by 30 or 40 points, that 44 is really irrelevant," Speights told Mercury News.
Curry said he has "such a great team" behind him which performs their best during the games as they try to score as much as possible.
Mercury News added that seven Warriors scored double figures, including Speights, Klay Thompson, Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes.
The Warriors coach explained that their previous wins have become avenues for them to show that they can recover from a 5-0 record during the start of the season.
Now the team can temporarily savor their win and take a two-day off before they go against the Utah Jazz on Friday at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.