Here is what you need to know before the Lakers face their Pacific Division foes, the Golden State Warriors.
1) Kobe Bryant is set to move up in two of the Lakers’ all-time rankings. The 16-time all-star is one block away from tying James Worthy (624) for sixth-most career blocks, and one offensive rebound from passing Vlade Divac (1,438) for sixth in offensive boards.
2) Bryant has scored more points against the Warriors than any other team. The 19-year veteran is averaging 27.7 points in 63 career games against Golden State for a total of 1,744 points. Bryant’s next-most frequent victims are the Los Angeles Clippers, whom he has scored 1,681 points in 65 games against.
3) With only three missed free throws this year, Jeremy Lin is among the league’s best at the charity stripe. The former Warrior has gone 37-for-40 (92.5 percent) on foul shots, giving him the seventh-best clip in the league.
4) Having beaten the Lakers in L.A. on April 11 last season, the Warriors are hoping to win road games against the Lakers in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1982-83 and 1983-84. Historically, the Lakers have dominated Golden State at STAPLES Center, where they are 27-3 against the Warriors.
5) Stephen Curry is currently one of the best 3-point shooters in NBA history. His career 43.8 percent clip from long range is best among all active players and third all-time, trailing only Hubert Davis (44.1) and Curry’s coach, Steve Kerr (45.4).
6) Klay Thompson has been one of the NBA’s premier scorers this season, trailing only LeBron James, James Harden, Bryant and Anthony Davis in points per game (24.3). Thompson is also 10th in the league in 3-point percentage at 49.1 (26-for-53), despite taking more 3’s than anyone else in the top 10.
7) Curry and Thompson have been the most successful duo in the league thus far. The Splash Brothers lead the NBA in two-man plus/minus* at +13.3, just ahead of Harden and Dwight Howard (+12.9).
8) Andrew Bogut is the key cog in the Warriors defense. The nine-year center is third among all players in defensive rating** (91.9), and has as many blocked shots (17) as all eight Golden State opponents combined.
9) Next to only Houston (41.3), Golden State has held opponents to the lowest shooting percentage in the league (41.6). The Warriors also lead the NBA in team defensive rating (93.9), and are 5-0 when holding opponents below 100 points.
10) Despite playing such stellar defense, the Warriors have been even better on offense. They lead the league in field goal percentage (49.4) and have outshot every opponent they have faced this season.
*Plus/minus is an estimation of a player’s impact on his team’s point differential per 100 possessions.
**Defensive rating is an estimation of points allowed by a team per 100 possessions.