Lakers vs. Warriors Series Has 2nd Highest Ticket Demand in NBA Playoffs

The Western Conference Semifinals matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors is one of the most anticipated playoff series in recent memory.

The two historic franchise have a combined 24 Larry O'Brien trophies between them, and a lengthy playoff rivalry between two of the game's biggest stars in LeBron James and Steph Curry.

The excitement of the first playoff series between the two highly decorated teams in nearly 40 years has reached a fever pitch with fans as well. According to StubHub, the ticket sales for the series have been through the roof.

Games 3 and 4 of the series at Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles are two of the most sought after tickets in the NBA Playoffs. The demand for Games 3 and 4 on the Lakers home court is over 60 percent higher than it was for Games 1 and 2 at the newly constructed Chase Center in San Francisco.

Game 3 is currently the best-selling ticket in the entire series, doubling the sales of Game 1 already. The demand for Game 4 is the second-most sought after ticket in the series with demand over 80 percent higher than Game 1.

Overall, the Lakers and Warriors second-round playoff matchup is the second-best selling series thus far in the NBA Playoffs. Only the Miami Heat and New York Knicks series is higher, with both series already doubling the sales of the other two semifinals series between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics, and the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets.

For fans that want to watch this star-studded matchup live and in-person there are still tickets available. Tickets for Game 2 at the Chase Center are currently starting at $340 and up. Tickets for Game 3 at Crypto.com arena have a get-in price of $430.

Why Are Ticket Sales So Strong?

For many, the high-demand for tickets for the Lakers and Warriors should come as no surprise, especially when you factor in the recent history between LeBron James and Steph Curry.

James, when he was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, met Curry and the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals four consecutive years between 2015-18. The Warriors won three of those four titles, with the Cavaliers only victory coming in 2016 after trailing in the series, 3 games to one.

Another factor explaining the high-demand for ticket prices is the recent championship history of both teams and their star-studded rosters.

The Lakers last won the title in 2020 during the NBA "bubble" at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The Warriors are the current reigning NBA Champions after defeating the Boston Celtics in six games last June.

LeBron James is considered to be one of the best, if not the greatest player in NBA history. Earlier this year, he surpassed Lakers' legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for No. 1 on the all-time NBA Scoring list.

If James is the G.O.A.T., than Curry is the G.O.A.T of shooting. Curry is the NBA's all-time three-point leader by a wide-margin and continues to add to it each and every game. Both players are more than capable of single-handedly taking over a game, or even a series.

If Game 1 was any indicator, Lakers' center Anthony Davis should be added to the star-studded discussion. Davis became the first Lakers' player to have over 30 points and 20 rebounds in a playoff game since Shaquille O'Neal in 2004, when he scored 30 points, grabbed 23 rebounds, dished out five assists, and had four blocks in the Lakers 117-112 victory in Game 1.

Former Warriors' point guard D'Angelo Russell also made his presence known in Game 1 with 19 points.

After Curry, comes fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson, who grew up a Lakers' fan after his father, Mychel Thompson, famously played for the purple and gold during the last six years of his career. Thompson is also considered to be one of the best shooters in NBA history.

Former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award winner Draymond Green is the quarterback of the Golden State defense, and likely the most enigmatic characters in the entire series.

Andrew Wiggins missed most of the regular season due to personal reasons, but the former No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft (ironically, by James' Cavaliers before he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves), is back in action for the postseason and scored 15 points in Game 1.

The Warriors and Lakers nearly finished with identical records in the regular season with Golden State winning their last three games to edge out the six-seed over Los Angeles with a record of 44-38. The Lakers finished with the 7^th best record in the Western Conference at 43-39, and had to win their Play-In Tournament matchup over the Timberwolves to advance into the NBA Playoffs.

During the regular season, the Lakers won the series with the Warriors 3-1, and are currently 4-1 against the champs overall. The way both teams upset their higher-seeded opponents in round one, it would come as no surprise if the winner of this series becomes the eventual champion.

What Can We Expect From the Series?

The Warriors-Lakers series is sure to be a close and competitive one. Both teams have a lot of talent, and both are capable of winning on any given night. The series is likely to go the full seven games, and it will be one of the most exciting playoff series in recent memory.

Here are some things to watch for in the series:

• The matchup between Stephen Curry and LeBron James. Curry is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, while James is arguably the greatest player of all time. Both players are capable of taking over games, and their matchup is sure to be one of the highlights of the series.
  
• The Warriors' defense. The Warriors were one of the best defensive teams in the NBA during the regular season, and they will need to be at their best in order to slow down the Lakers' potent offense.
  
• The Lakers' defense. After a flurry of trades at the NBA trade deadline, the Lakers sent six players packing (including Russell Westbrook), and brought in six new players that provided more depth, length, athleticism, and three-point shooing. Since the trade deadline, the Lakers went 19-7 over their final 26 games, and had the best defensive efficiency rating in the Western Conference over that span.
  
• The Lakers' bench. The Lakers' bench was one of the best in the NBA during the regular season, and they will need to continue to play well in order to give the Lakers a chance to win the series.