The Los Angeles Lakers are simply on an unbelievable roll as of the moment. It definitely seems like the entire coaching staff and roster are in sync, pushing on the right buttons as they stand one step closer to knocking off the reigning champion Golden State Warriors in the second round of the 2023 NBA playoffs. However, can they continue to build on their stellar play and take a commanding 3-1 series lead heading back to the Bay? Here we will be making a few predictions for the Lakers' Game 4 tilt against the Warriors.

A lot of how the series would play out depended on the play of Anthony Davis, arguably the Lakers' best player with LeBron James showing very palpable signs of age-related decline. Davis is such a destructive two-way presence, and at his best, there's simply no one on the Warriors roster who can give him fits. As Davis showed in the 2020 playoffs en route to the Lakers' 17th championship, when he strings together one dominant outing after another, one will have difficulties finding a team that could outlast the Purple and Gold in a seven-game series.

In Game 3, that was the case once more; the Lakers, despite going down by double digits early on, came roaring back on the back of Davis' unreal two-way effort. Davis scored a game-high 25 points, and he once again proved his worth as the best player on the defensive end in the playoffs, swatting shots, staying mobile on the perimeter, and even disrupting some passing lanes.

For the Lakers to head back on the road with a 3-1 series lead over the Warriors, they will need this version of Anthony Davis to suit up. As the Warriors showed in Game 2, they're a cohesive unit perfectly capable of brushing off a difficult loss. And with Stephen Curry to lead the way, nothing will come easy.

Here are a few predictions for how the Lakers would perform in a pivotal Game 4 against the Warriors on Monday night.

*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Anthony Davis breaks his inconsistent streak, goes for 25+ points and 13+ rebounds

Given the talent Anthony Davis possesses, it's quite the wonder how he doesn't take over every game for the Lakers. In this postseason alone, Davis has shown a glaring tendency to alternate elite games with meh ones, although it hasn't truly cost the Lakers quite yet during this playoff run.

Perhaps it's a mentality thing for Davis, or perhaps his injury history prevents him from going all out every night the way he used to. But given how transformative a presence he is on both ends of the court, him playing well is the Lakers' win condition against this vaunted Warriors team that can turn it up at a moment's notice.

Anthony Davis leads the playoffs in combined blocks and steals (stocks), a testament to his ability to impact the game apart from his scoring ability. But if he puts the ball through the net consistently, the game becomes that much easier for the Lakers. And with a golden opportunity to put the Warriors' season one step closer to its demise, expect Davis to put it all on the line.

Lonnie Walker IV continues his strong play for the Lakers

The Lakers' trade deadline wheeling and dealing gave them the requisite pieces to make the team function as a cohesive unit. Russell Westbrook remains a talented player in a vacuum, but he wasn't what the Lakers needed. With the arrivals of D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, and Malik Beasley coinciding with the emergence of Austin Reaves, however, that meant that Lonnie Walker IV, a featured part of the rotation to begin the year, found himself on the fringes.

Walker's shot creating skillset became superfluous with Russell and Reaves around, and it wasn't like Walker was a stifling defensive presence. Head coach Darvin Ham had other options he preferred to utilize more, and it wasn't like doing so was daft. But in Game 3, Ham called upon Walker, and Walker delivered, scoring an efficient 12 points during the Lakers' blowout victory.

It's borderline coaching malpractice if Ham doesn't give Walker another opportunity in Game 4. He may not play as many minutes, but expect Walker to remain the superior option over the likes of Malik Beasley and Troy Brown Jr.

Warriors surprisingly win FT battle, yet Lakers take the win in OT

Warriors fans have moaned about the free-throw disparity in the series; while there may be a bit of referee favor falling for the Lakers, it's clear that the Warriors' style of play doesn't necessarily lead to plenty of opportunities from the charity stripe.

Surely the league has heard these concerns, so with the Warriors facing the possibility of going down 3-1 in the series at home, they may very well receive the friendliest whistle they've received all season. That shouldn't faze the Lakers. Even with some questionable whistles, it's in the Lakers' DNA as a veteran-led unit to remain composed amid adversity, taking home an all-important Game 4 victory in overtime much like they did in their first-round matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies.