Lakers News: Stephen Curry Kept It Petty While Signing Jersey For Lonnie Walker
Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV was the feel-good story of LA's second round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors. After being buried on LA's bench in favor of swingmen Austin Reaves, Malik Beasley and Troy Brown Jr., Walker saw himself elevated into the club's rotation and performed incredibly for LA.
The 6'4" guard caught fire in the fourth quarter of a critical Game 4 at home, scoring all of his 15 points in the period (he almost matched the Warriors' team total of 17 in the same frame!) to help the club secure a 104-101 Game 4 victory. Though Warriors All-Star point guard Stephen Curry notched a 31-point, 14-assist, 10-rebound triple-double in the defeat, he had a rough shooting night, going just 12-of-30 from the field (3-of-14 from deep). The win gifted the Lakers an ultimately unsurmountable 3-1 series lead.
Los Angeles would go on to close out the Warriors at Crypto.com Arena Friday, and will face off against the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, which kick off on Tuesday night.
After all was said and done, Curry gave Walker a signed jersey with a playful inscription.
Check out the signature below, in a slideshow covering some highlights from his return to the Lakers' lineup during the Warriors series (it's the final slide). Next to the images is a caption from Walker, a quote from Benny The Butcher's "New Streets": “Losses turn into pain, then they become advantages.”
"To Lonnie," Curry's missive began. "Keep building! All love! Will never forgive you for game 4...!"
This kind of generosity and sportsmanship is part of what makes Curry one of the more lovable NBA superstars. It's nice to see this supportive camaraderie with a rival, and the nine-time All-Star's graciousness in defeat is pretty darn cool.
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