Warriors vs Lakers: Doncic Shines in 127-105 Opener Win
The Los Angeles Lakers crushed the Golden State Warriors 127-105 in their 2026-27 NBA regular season opener on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. Luka Doncic scored a game-high 28 points and hit a half-court buzzer-beater at halftime as the Lakers opened the post-LeBron James era with a dominant statement win.
A new era in Los Angeles
This was the Lakers’ first game since LeBron James, who played eight seasons in Los Angeles, left in free agency for the Philadelphia 76ers. The new-look Lakers featured six new players in their nine-man rotation, entered as 6.5-point favorites, and played like it from the second quarter on.
Doncic set the tone hours before tip-off, taking out a full-page ad in the Los Angeles Times with a direct message to fans: “Tonight we start our run for a championship.” He then backed up the talk with 28 points on 7-of-18 shooting, five three-pointers, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals in just 30 minutes.
The decisive second and third quarters
The game was neck and neck in the first quarter, with Stephen Curry scoring 16 first-quarter points for Golden State. Then the Lakers kicked it into high gear and never looked back. They outscored the Warriors 32-19 in the second quarter, capped by Doncic’s stunning half-court buzzer-beater that sent Los Angeles into the locker room with a 66-52 lead.
The third quarter was even more one-sided: Lakers 36, Warriors 16. All told, Los Angeles outscored Golden State 68-35 across the second and third quarters, building a 102-68 lead that made the fourth a formality.
Kessler’s perfect debut, Reaves’ strong start
Lakers center Walker Kessler, acquired this offseason via sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz before signing a four-year, $130 million deal, began his Laker tenure in style. He shot a perfect 12-of-12 from the field, helping Los Angeles dominate the paint and shoot 57 percent as a team.
Austin Reaves, who re-signed with the Lakers for four years and $185 million, opened his new deal with a solid 23-point outing on 6-of-11 shooting, adding six assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block. He was a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line.
Heat between Doncic and a rookie
The game also delivered drama. Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 11 overall pick from Michigan, drew the unenviable assignment of guarding Doncic in his first NBA regular-season game — and started talking to him. Trash talk is Doncic’s fuel: the two jawed at each other through the first half, Lendeborg picked up a technical, and Doncic grinned at the rookie all the way to his halftime buzzer-beater.
What next
The Lakers move to 1-0, the Warriors to 0-1. The Doncic-Reaves backcourt looks like the core of a genuine contender, though their 10 combined turnovers are an early warning. For the Warriors, Curry’s hot start faded fast, and the supporting cast will need to find answers quickly.
Basketball fans can also catch up on the season’s other big results, like Getafe’s 5-2 rout of Lugano in the Conference League, and Ben Stokes’ denial of the Ashes 2027 comeback rumours, right here on our site.
(Sources: Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated, Eurohoops)