Luka Doncic scored 28 points and Walker Kessler added 26 on 12-of-12 shooting in his Los Angeles debut as the Lakers routed the visiting Golden State Warriors 127-105 on Wednesday in the season opener for both teams.
Austin Reaves scored 23 points, while Jake LaRavia and Quentin Grimes had 10 apiece for Los Angeles, which led by 14 at halftime before taking control by outscoring Golden State 36-16 in the third quarter.
Kessler finished with nine rebounds and 10 dunks for the Lakers, who opened the season with nine new players after four-time NBA MVP LeBron James left as a free agent to join the Philadelphia 76ers. Doncic added eight rebounds and seven assists.
Golden State was led by Stephen Curry, who scored 20 of his 23 points in the first half. Brandon Williams contributed 14 points, Gui Santos and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg scored 12 apiece, and Gary Payton II chipped in 10.
Los Angeles led 34-33 after the first quarter despite a hot start by Curry, who scored 16 of the Warriors’ first 21 points.
The Lakers closed the second quarter with a 17-4 run and took a 66-52 lead into halftime after shooting 63.2% from the field. Doncic capped the half by draining a bank shot from near halfcourt, giving him 23 points in 18 minutes.
Doncic was primarily guarded by Lendeborg, who received a technical foul late in the second quarter after the players exchanged words throughout the first half.
Curry was held to three points in the decisive third quarter. The Lakers extended their lead to 90-61 on Reaves’ 3-pointer with 4:31 remaining in the period.
Los Angeles led 102-68 entering the fourth quarter, and Curry sat out the entire period.
The Warriors played without starting guard Brandin Podziemski (lower back soreness) and center Charles Bassey (knee tendinitis).
Golden State also was without several players, including Moses Moody, Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porzingis. Moody and Butler are not expected to return until January while recovering from knee injuries, while Porzingis is out indefinitely because of a health issue.
–Field Level Media
