LOS ANGELES — Twice in the final 26.4 seconds, Stephen Curry had a shot you would want him to take on any possession, in any game, at any time.
And on the Golden State Warriors’ final play of the game, a scramble off a jump ball with 1.7 on the clock, the ball was briefly in Curry’s hands again.
When the ball is in Curry’s hands, the Warriors always have a chance.
But not this time.
The Warriors lost the most tightly contested (and most entertaining) game of this Lakers series, 104-101, and now face a three games-to-one deficit with Game 5 back at Chase on Wednesday night.
“It was a great basketball game,” said Steve Kerr. “It’s a great series. And there’s a long way to go.”
Maybe. Or the season could be over Wednesday. Or on Friday back in L.A. Or there could be a Game 7 on Sunday. All the questions about the future, about the end of an era, are lurking on the horizon, drifting closer into view.
We’ve seen the Warriors come back from a 3-1 hole before, but it is hard to be convinced this erratic version of themselves is capable of making that kind of surge.
