Who are the referees for Lakers vs. Warriors Game 1 in 2023 NBA playoffs?

The second round of the NBA Playoffs is underway. The first game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors will be held on Tuesday, May 2. Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET, and the game will air on TNT.

The Warriors are 4.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook. Golden State has the benefit of playing at home to open the series and is -190 moneyline favorite. This makes Los Angeles the +160 underdog, with the point total set at 227.

Marc Davis will serve as the crew chief for the series' first game. Ed Malloy will be the referee, with Nick Buchert on staff as the umpire. JB DeRosa will be on hand as the alternate if needed.

Davis has 25 years of refereeing experience but has only officiated six as a crew chief. It is a small sample size, but home teams have won four of those games by an average of 4.8 points. He has called a pretty even game regarding fouls, as he favors the home team by only 0.2 fouls per game.

Again, it is a small sample size, but it could be notable that the average point total of games he has been the crew chief for sits at 230.8. This would technically favor the over by a three-point margin. Also, Golden State’s dominance at home, plus Davis’ crew favoring the home team, makes it seem like a Warriors' moneyline bet has a good chance of hitting.