The inaugural game of the 2025-26 NBA season was full of excitement as the Golden State Warriors triumphed over their rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, who were without LeBron James, with a score of 119-109. Despite Luka Doncic’s big night, where he scored 43 points, the Lakers could not outdo the hot shooting and great plays of Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors’ backup players.
Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler Lead Warriors Past Lakers
Stephen Curry made a significant contribution of 23 points, with the final-minute three-pointer being the most important as he made it, thus sealing the victory. Although he was having a hard time shooting threes, with only 3 successful shots out of 9 attempts, his leadership and calm under pressure in the late-minute situation turned out to be the key factors.
New addition Jimmy Butler III was the standout performer for Golden State, scoring 31 points and making all 16 of his free throws. His aggressive play was key in breaking down the Lakers’ defense.
Jonathan Kuminga contributed a one-sided third-quarter spurt, scoring 17 points and pulling down nine rebounds. Buddy Hield also had a big game, making five threes for 17 points off the bench.
Luka Doncic Shines in Debut, But It’s Not Enough
In his first official game with the Lakers, Luka Doncic was a showman at Crypto.com Arena. The erstwhile Mavericks superstar produced a near triple-double: 43 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists, making Los Angeles competitive all the while.
Austin Reaves supported Doncic with 26 points and nine assists, and Deandre Ayton contributed 10 points in his Lakers debut. But the overall shooting struggles of the team especially at the free-throw line and three-point line held them back. The Lakers attempted only 25% at three-point range (8-of-32) and shot 11 of their 28 free throws.
LeBron James Misses Season Opener for Lakers
LeBron James sat out with sciatica, the first time in his 23-year career he’d ever missed an opener. His absence became especially apparent in the final minutes when the Lakers could’ve used a steady hand.
Momentum Swings Define a Back-and-Forth Battle
The game saw a number of momentum changes. The Lakers temporarily led 51-50 late in the second quarter with a 16-5 burst, but the Warriors took charge again and took a 55-54 halftime lead.
Golden State opened the game up midway through the third quarter with a 13-point spurt by Kuminga, which gave them a 73-58 edge. Although the Lakers trimmed the lead to 105-99 with less than four minutes remaining, clutch shots by Draymond Green, Butler, and Curry sealed the victory for the defending Western Conference finalists. Green helped in many facets with eight points, nine assists, and seven rebounds.
Warriors’ Shooting is the Difference
The Warriors’ accuracy from distance was the game-breaker. They went 17-of-40 (42.5%) from three-point territory, a rate better than the 25% hit by the Lakers. Golden State was also efficient from the charity stripe, where it went 26-of-29, with much of that led by Butler’s flawless outing.
Warriors Dominate Short-Handed Lakers Despite Doncic’s Heroics
The Stephen Curry-led Warriors begin on a strong note with a road victory, while the Lakers, despite Luka Doncic’s sensational debut, have some fixing to do on shooting efficiency and defense, in particular before their next match. The absence of LeBron James’ was heavy over the side, and the team would be hoping to have him back as soon as possible in order to recover from this opening loss.
Key Highlights:
Lakers: Luka Doncic – 43 pts, 12 rebs, 9 asts, Reaves – 26 pts, Ayton – 10 pts
Warriors: Jimmy Butler III – 31 pts (16/16 FT), Stephen Curry – 23 pts, Kuminga – 17 pts, 9 rebs, Hield – 17 pts
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