Luka Doncic’s 43 points weren’t enough for the Los Angeles Lakers to stop the Golden State Warriors from opening their season with a 119–109 win Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
The Warriors’ victory came behind Jimmy Butler’s 31 points and Stephen Curry’s 23, as Golden State used a dominant third-quarter run to take control after halftime. The visitors shot 48.7 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Doncic nearly posted a triple-double with 12 rebounds and nine assists, but his 2-of-10 shooting from three-point range proved costly. Despite the loss, he became the first Laker since Kobe Bryant in 2013 to score 40 or more points in a season opener.
LeBron James, sidelined with sciatica, missed a season opener for the first time in his 23-year career. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer is expected to return in mid-November.
Butler made all 16 of his free throws, showing no signs of rust in his first game of the season. Curry, entering his 17th season, hit a key three-pointer in the final minute to seal the win after Los Angeles had trimmed the deficit to six points.
Jonathan Kuminga added 17 points and nine rebounds for Golden State, while Buddy Hield provided 17 off the bench, connecting on five threes. Draymond Green contributed eight points and seven assists, and his late three-pointer ended the Lakers’ last comeback attempt with 3:33 remaining.
Austin Reaves finished with 26 points for Los Angeles, scoring 13 in the fourth quarter after battling foul trouble early. Deandre Ayton posted 10 points and six rebounds in his Lakers debut, while Marcus Smart added nine points and steady defense.
Golden State opened the second half with a 19–4 surge that extended its lead to 17. Los Angeles cut the gap to 105–99 midway through the fourth quarter, but turnovers and missed free throws stalled the rally.
The Lakers shot 54.5 percent overall but just 25 percent from deep and 60.7 percent at the line. The Warriors capitalized with superior spacing and bench production, outscoring Los Angeles 34–20 in second-unit points.
Veteran Al Horford, making his Warriors debut, scored five points and hit a three-pointer on the first shot of his 19th NBA season.
The Lakers (0–1) will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, while the Warriors (1–0) return to Chase Center to face the Denver Nuggets.
