NBA playoffs: Lakers eliminate Warriors, advance to face Nuggets in Western Conference finals
The Los Angeles Lakers did something no other West team has been able to do of late: eliminate the Golden State Warriors. Behind 30 points from LeBron James and a standout performance from Austin Reaves that included a buzzer-beating heave before halftime, the Lakers beat the Warriors 122-101 in Game 6 on Friday. The Lakers won the Western Conference semifinals series 4-2 and advance to face the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals, beginning Tuesday.
The Warriors will enter the offseason with plenty of questions from player contracts, front-office personnel decisions and more. The championship core is aging, and after last season's title run, there may need to be significant overhaul to reach the pinnacle again.