Unheralded bench player Lonnie Walker led a fourth-quarter rally as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors to leave the NBA champions on the brink of elimination from the playoffs on Monday. The 24-year-old Walker erupted for 15 fourth-quarter points as the Lakers completed a dramatic 104-101 victory to put them one win away from clinching the best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series.
Walker, who has struggled to establish himself since joining the Lakers on a one-year contract last year after battling a series of injuries, was mobbed by LeBron James and other Lakers teammates after the victory.
The 24-year-old Walker erupted for 15 fourth-quarter points as the Lakers completed a dramatic 104-101 victory to put them one win away from clinching the best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series.
“I’ve been telling him ‘Lonnie you stay ready. “For him to be as young as he is, to have that professionalism, to come out and stay ready when his number was called — we don’t win this game without Lonnie Walker tonight, that’s for sure. “He made a huge impact.
James, who scored 27 points in the victory, said he had urged Walker before the game to be ready to help out. In Monday’s other playoff game, Jimmy Butler scored 27 points as the Miami Heat outmuscled the New York Knicks to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference playoff series.
We’re going to need you at some point’,” James said. Walker said he had been primed to make a contribution. “I don’t know whether he scored all their points in the fourth quarter but it felt like it,” Kerr said. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said his team was now reaping dividends from their resilience forged in the regular season, when they were forced to battle through the play-in tournament to reach the playoffs.
