Warriors top Lakers behind big nights from Stephen Curry and Brandin Podziemski in potential playoff preview

In a potential playoff preview between LeBron James and Stephen Curry, it was Brandin Podziemski who tipped the scales. But it's not like Curry and James were quiet.

With the Western Conference playoff picture rapidly sharpening, the Golden State Warriors went into Crypto.com Arena and notched a 123-116 win behind 65 combined points from Curry and Podziemski. The win gives the Warriors sole possession of fifth place in the West.

It also improves their record to 19-2 with Curry and Jimmy Butler in the lineup.

The game started close, but the Warriors built a double-digit lead in the second quarter and kept it for most of the night. Podziemski scored 22 of their 60 first-half points, with the last three coming on a half-court buzzer-beater. It might have brought up some unpleasant memories for Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, Curry and James were both doing their thing, sometimes on back-to-back possessions.

The Lakers' deficit went to as low as five with 4:37 left in the game, but scores on three straight Warriors possessions built the lead back up to comfortable for Golden State. Curry and James continued to do their thing, as did Podziemski and Austin Reaves.

Curry finished with 37 points on 10-of-21 shooting, two days after