How Vulnerable Is Golden State in Game 5? Should the Lakers Conserve Energy, Prioritize Game 6?

The Lakers have a 3-1 lead over Golden State in this Western Conference Semi-Final. They won the regular season series 3-1. So at this point, it's fair to say they understand how to play against the Warriors, and are a really bad matchup for them in the same way the Clippers are a bad matchup for the Lakers. That said, the Warriors will be playing for their season tonight in San Francisco, and depending on who you listen to, potentially even the opportunity to extend this group's window into next year. Golden State has a lot of decisions to make, after all. And they'll be playing in front of their home fans, in a building where they played extremely well all year long, despite major injury problems. So how hard should the Lakers push to try and win on Wednesday, especially if it means they could compromise the amount of energy guys like LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves (showing real signs of fatigue) would have for Game 6? A few folks have floated the idea of promoting rest... are they being too clever by half? Or at least half? Matchups are a critical part of every playoff series, and the Lakers seem to have the advantage in too many of them, and while Steve Kerr has tried to press a lot of buttons already, there may not be any more good ones to hit (assuming "make more 3's" is a button). Meanwhile, Anthony Davis didn't make either of the NBA's All-Defense teams, and barely registered in the "Also Receiving Votes" category. This after he was completely shut out of DPOY voting. Has this turned out to be a good thing for the Lakers? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: There's a line of thinking that says the Lakers might not want to do everything possible to win Game 5, and prioritize rest for Game 6. Is this a smart line of thinking? SEGMENT 2: Matchups matter, and the evidence suggests the Lakers are a really, really bad one for Golden State. Are there any big adjustments left for Steve Kerr? SEGMENT 3: Anthony Davis keeps getting snubbed, or believes he is, anyway, and it's great for LA. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! eBay Motors For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors dot com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices