The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten major contributions from different role players throughout their postseason run so far. On Monday night in the biggest game of the season, it wasn’t LeBron James or Anthony Davis who sparked the Lakers, but rather Lonnie Walker IV who came up with an outstanding performance to lift the Lakers to victory.
Walker scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter, hitting multiple big shots and helping the Lakers come away with a 104-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors to go ahead 3-1 in the series. After being a big part of the rotation as a starter early in the season, Walker had fallen out of favor following the Lakers’ trade deadline acquisitions and barely played in the playoffs aside from garbage time duties.
But when his number was called, Walker was ready and LeBron had a ton of praise for him afterward.
“I think it’s self-explanatory obviously, how special he was in the fourth quarter,” James said after the win. “He had 15 of our 27 points. But more importantly, in my 20-year career I’ve seen a lot of young guys kinda lose confidence in themselves, or lose themselves if they’ve been in the rotation, or started, or had big minutes on the team and then they get taken out of the lineup because of certain situations or circumstances whatever the case may be and they just completely lose themselves.
“For him to be a young guy in this league and just consistently, every single day showed up, been a professional, great energy, high character. It showed why he was able to throw everything to the side and just be him tonight in that moment. Game ball definitely goes to him, we don’t win without him.”
Walker hit big shot after big shot in the fourth and even the couple that he missed were halfway down the rim before somehow rattling out. It was truly a special performance from a player who hadn’t been a contributor in some time.
After the win, LeBron and Davis could be seen embracing Walker on the court and Davis expounded upon what was said to the young Lakers guard.
“I know he said last game that he always dreamt of these moments of him playing in the playoffs in big games and that was really it,” Davis noted. “Just telling him that this is what he was built for, the moment he’s been waiting for and he shined. He did what he was supposed to do, he did what he knew he could, staying ready.
“This is why you put in all the work, whether he’s not playing or he goes through a stretch of games where he starts and then he doesn’t play, and he always stayed mentally prepared and physically prepared to check-in and do what he do. We’re right there with him. He’s always supporting us whether he’s playing or not. Great energy. It was a big-time performance from him tonight so we just wanted to embrace him and let him know that.”
The Lakers have done an excellent job at keeping everyone on the roster, even those out of the rotation, locked in throughout the season and it paid big dividends on Monday night. Walker was ready to go and the Lakers now find themselves on the brink of taking out the defending champions thanks to his heroics in the fourth quarter.
Lakers’ Lonnie Walker IV calls Game 4 performance ‘the greatest feeling
As great as LeBron and Davis felt for Walker, no one felt better than the guard himself as he spoke after the Lakers’ victory.
“The greatest feeling you could ever, ever imagine,” Walker said of his performance. “As a kid, this is something I’ve been dreaming of doing. Not just being a part of the playoffs, but impacting it, let alone winning in the playoffs. I’m truly proud of myself. It really shows my capabilities and just my mental fortitude.”
Walker would add that it is difficult to stick with putting in the work, but he was just focused on being better every day.
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