The Los Angeles Lakers did not ease into the 2026-27 season. They ripped the game away from the Golden State Warriors before halftime, turned the third quarter into a rout and opened the Luka Dončić era with a 127-105 win Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Dončić finished with 28 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals in 30 minutes. He shot 5-for-12 from 3-point range, made all nine of his free throws and posted a game-best plus-31. It was not a flawless night, with six turnovers and a 7-for-18 overall shooting line, but it was an emphatic opening statement.
Lakers take control before halftime
Golden State stayed attached through a high-scoring first quarter, with the Lakers holding a 34-33 lead after 12 minutes. That was as close as the Warriors would get once Los Angeles found its rhythm.
The Lakers won the second quarter 32-19, taking a 66-52 advantage into halftime. Their size and downhill pressure started to wear on Golden State, while the Warriors struggled to generate clean looks beyond Stephen Curry.
Curry scored 23 points in 21 minutes, but he had only one assist and finished minus-22. Draymond Green handed out eight assists, yet Golden State shot just 41.3 percent from the field and 22.2 percent from beyond the arc.
Walker Kessler delivers a perfect night
Walker Kessler gave the Lakers exactly the kind of interior presence they hoped he would provide. The center scored 26 points on a perfect 12-for-12 from the field, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked two shots in 30 minutes. He finished plus-24.
Austin Reaves supplied 23 points, six assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block. He went 10-for-10 at the free-throw line and gave Los Angeles another steady creator whenever the offense moved away from Dončić.
Quentin Grimes added 10 points and four assists off the bench, while Jake LaRavia scored 10 on 4-for-5 shooting. The Lakers finished with five players in double figures.
Third-quarter avalanche ends it
The game became a blowout in the third quarter. Los Angeles outscored Golden State 36-16, pushing its lead to 102-68 entering the fourth. The Lakers led by as many as 35 points, allowing the starters to sit for most of the final period.
The team numbers showed how thoroughly Los Angeles controlled the night. The Lakers shot 56.8 percent from the field, went 11-for-28 from 3-point range and made 24 of 27 free throws. They won the rebounding battle 43-36, scored 66 points in the paint and recorded 28 assists.
There were still a few opening-night issues to clean up. Los Angeles committed 18 turnovers and gave Golden State 15 offensive rebounds. Those mistakes did not matter against an opponent that could not keep pace, but they will matter in tighter games.
A convincing first step
One game will not define the Dončić era, but this was close to the ideal beginning. The Lakers played with pace, punished the Warriors inside and received major production from their three offensive pillars. More importantly, they looked like a team with a clear identity.
The Warriors padded the score with a 37-point fourth quarter after the outcome had been decided. By then, the Lakers had already delivered the message that mattered.
Los Angeles returns to Crypto.com Arena on Friday for its next game against the Clippers.
[…] beat the LA Clippers 125-117 on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, improving to 2-0 after its season-opening rout of the Golden State Warriors. Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 28 points and nine assists, Walker Kessler delivered 22 points […]