The Golden State Warriors won 119-109 against the Los Angeles Lakers on the opening night of the 2025-26 NBA season. They held on to the advantage even after their lead stretched to 17 points.
Luka Dončić, in his first full season with the Lakers, nearly had a triple-double with 43 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists. But he was the Lakers' sole point producer, which made the team struggle, especially without LeBron James due to sciatica. James is expected to return in mid-November.
Jonathan Kuminga provided the Warriors with a big boost in the third quarter, hitting two big 3-pointers that gave them control of the game. Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler also contributed greatly to the Warriors' balanced offense.
In the final quarter, the Lakers rallied, led by Austin Reaves who scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough to catch the Warriors. Deandre Ayton was the only other player in double figures on the team with 10 points.
While it's a good start for the Warriors, it's clear that the Lakers are relying solely on Luka Dončić. If LeBron doesn't return early, they'll struggle to compete in the Western Conference.
