SAN FRANCISCO -- Steve Kerr prior to Tuesday night's tipoff for Game 1 of the Warriors' second round NBA playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers said Golden State's rhythm should be more of an advantage than LA's extra rest.
Early on Kerr's words held true with the Warriors' shots falling with ease. But the Lakers looked like the fresher team in the third quarter and outlasted the Warriors 117-112 at Chase Center, with Golden State's comeback attempt falling short in the final minute.
What was seen as another Steph Curry vs. LeBron James showdown ended up being Anthony Davis overpowering the smaller Warriors.Â
The Warriors' size difference was notable from the jump. They'll have to find ways to overcome the issue in a hurry. Splitting the first two games of the series now is a must.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors' Game 1 loss to the Lakers.
Splash Brothers
He waited 12 years for Tuesday night, and called it a dream come true. Playing the Lakers in the playoffs might have been exactly what Klay Thompson. From the opening tip, it was clear he could be in for a big night.
Thompson on Sunday in Sacramento started off extremely slow shooting the ball, finishing 4 of 19 from the field and 2 of 10 from deep on his way to 16 points. The efficiency was much better this time around. He matched his total made shots in the first quarter alone, going 4 of 8 for 10 points.
But neither Thompson nor Steph Curry ever found a heater. They didn't catch fire. An explosion never fully erupted.
That is, until Curry began to take over in the fourth quarter.
Golden State Warriors
Through the first three quarters, Curry only had 13 points. Curry then dropped 14 in the fourth quarter, but his slow start proved costly.Â
Between the two of them, the Splash Brothers combined to score 52 points. Curry had 27 on 10-of-24 shooting and Thompson finished with 25 on 9-of-25 shooting.
The Anthony Davis Problem
When the Warriors and Lakers last met in the regular season, Anthony Davis dropped 39 points on the defending champions and showcased what a problem he can be. This isn't Domantas Sabonis. Davis is a different beast.
In the first quarter alone, Davis put up 14 points. That was just the start of what was to come.Â
The Lakers' star center played 44 minutes. He scored 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting. Davis grabbed 23 rebounds, and he also had four of the Lakers' 10 blocks.Â
Also adding five assists, Davis became the second player ever to have 30 or more points, 20 or more rebounds, five or more assists and three or more blocks in a playoff game. The first to do so was Tim Duncan.
Warriors center Kevon Looney had 23 rebounds, but Draymond Green's quick foul trouble was a detriment.
Contrasting Styles
The Warriors are more than happy watching the Lakers hoist outside shots. The Lakers will dare the Warriors to try and drive to the rack. Their contrasting styles were on full display.Â
In the first half, the Warriors went 13 of 30 on 3-pointers. The Lakers were just  1 of 8, giving the Warriors a 36-point advantage from long distance. Points in the paint tell a different story.
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While the Warriors only scored 12 points in the paint through the first two quarters, the Lakers dropped 32, a 20-point advantage.Â
Overall, the Warriors went 21 of 53 on 3-pointers. The Lakers were 6 of 25, with the Warriors having a 45-point advantage. Down low, the Lakers scored 54 points in the paint, 26 more than the Warriors' 28.
Free throws also played a major factor. The Lakers averaged the most free throws in the NBA this season, and the Warriors averaged the fewest. The discrepancy couldn't have been more obvious.Â
By the time the Warriors even attempted their first free throw, the Lakers had already taken 17. The Warriors shot three free throws in the first half, all in the final 38 seconds of the second quarter. The Lakers wound up with 29 free-throw attempts and made 25.Â
Home-court advantage wasn't kind to the Warriors. They took six free throws and made five, putting the charity stripe advantage at 20 points in favor of the Lakers.