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The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers are set to clash in a marquee Christmas Day showdown. Both teams enter this matchup hovering around the .500 mark on the season, with the Lakers holding a slight 16-13 edge over the Warriors' 15-12 record. However, recent form suggests this could be a tightly contested affair.
Over their last 20 games, the Warriors have struggled to find consistency, posting just a 9-11 record. Their offense has been pedestrian, averaging 109.5 points while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. However, their defense has remained solid, holding opponents to 111.9 points per contest. The Warriors will need to tighten things up on both ends, as they've been outscored by 2.4 points per game during this stretch.
Meanwhile, the Lakers have found their groove of late, winning 11 of their last 20 games. They've been led by a balanced offensive attack, averaging 109.1 points on 47.1 percent shooting and 34.2 percent from three-point range. Defensively, they've been nearly as stout as the Warriors, allowing 111.8 points per game. The key for the Lakers has been their ability to control the boards, grabbing 41.4 rebounds per contest during this stretch.
Looking at the most recent samples, the Lakers hold a slight edge. Over their last 10 games, they've played .500 basketball (5-5) while outscoring opponents by 5.2 points per game. In contrast, the Warriors have stumbled to a 3-7 record, getting outscored by 7.3 points per night. The Lakers' advantage is even more pronounced when zooming in on the last five games, where they've gone 3-2 compared to the Warriors' 1-4 skid.
While neither team has been firing on all cylinders recently, the Lakers seem to have righted the ship and enter this marquee matchup with valuable momentum. The Warriors, on the other hand, are still searching for consistency as they look to turn things around against their longtime rivals on Christmas Day.