No LeBron, no problem as Lakers blow out Warriors to open season

Reuters ^ | October 22, 2026 | Rory Carroll

[MinorityRepublican]

Luka Doncic and newly acquired center Walker Kessler led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 127-105 rout of the Golden State Warriors ​in their season-opener on Wednesday in their first game since LeBron James' departure.

The ‌Lakers began the new campaign after an offseason of major change, including James' exit and a sale of the franchise.

James, who led the Lakers to the 2020 NBA title and became the league's ​all-time leading scorer while with the team, has signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Golden ​State's Stephen Curry scored 16 points in a back-and-forth start, but ⁠the Warriors lost momentum when coach Steve Kerr opted to rest the 38-year-old guard ​late in the first quarter.

Curry returned in the second quarter but was unable to break ​the Lakers' grip on the game and they ran away with it in the third.

Doncic, who had 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, closed the first half with a high-arcing shot from ​beyond half court at the buzzer. He then exchanged words with Warriors rookie Yaxel ​Lendeborg as the crowd roared.

"Everybody knows when somebody starts talking, you got a different me," Doncic ‌said.

Early in ⁠the third quarter, Doncic threw a behind-the-back pass to Kessler for a dunk, a play reminiscent of Lakers "Showtime" great Magic Johnson.

Kessler, who scored 26 points on a perfect 12-for-12 shooting, earned high praise for his debut, with Lakers great Shaquille O'Neal telling him ​he was "the best big ​man" in the ⁠NBA.

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TOPICS: Sports
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[GSWarrior]

Someone forgot to tell Steve Kerr that the preseason is over.

[ealgeone]

Addition by subtraction.

[caltaxed]

Warriors have 90 million dollars committed to paying players on disability.

They won't win many games this year if or until those players come back.

Doesn't look good with the healthy players getting up in age.

[Schatze]

“No LeBron” — if only he would go away. Alas, LowBrain was busy being an anti-American jackass in Philadelphia.

[GSWarrior]

This is the year the Warriors bottom out. They have some expiring contracts and a lot of draft picks, so the long-term future is looking up.

[Vision]

What a clown. He’s an embarrassment to America and doesn’t deserve to be here.

[caltaxed]

Probably a hard bottom. With the new draft rules we should be bad enough to get a high lottery pick.

Steph may not hold up another two years. He has a lot of miles and a noticeable limp now.

[MinorityRepublican]

Steph may not hold up another two years. He has a lot of miles and a noticeable limp now.

They needed to rebuild three years ago because they were no longer contenders.

[dfwgator]

Judging by the Mavericks opening game, we can see the difference Doncic made there.

Worst-run franchise ever.

[caltaxed]

The Warriors should have traded Steph and Draymond for draft picks a few years back. They both fill the seats, sell jerseys and increase television ratings.

Small market teams would have given up good assets for them a few years back.

[whitney69]

38 for 87 is not a bad shooting display for the Warriors (41%). But they collapsed in the second and third quarters only scoring 19 and 16 points.

Meantime the Lakers shot almost 57% and outscored the Warriors in every quarter except the fourth when they had pulled everyone. The Lakers shot a better three point and free throw percentage, had more rebounds, assists, blocks, points off turnovers, fast break points, points in the paint and had at one time a 35 point lead.

The Lakers played a well rounded game and the Warriors didn’t show up on defense. Maybe LaBron’s exist was a blessing in disguise as they were tied for the bottom 3 slots at the end of last year in the west. If they keep winning this way that crowd of people that came to see James will be replaced. Seems like all NBA teams that win did it in a team comcept. One man doesn’t make a team. Ask Jordan, Iverson, Wilkins, Barry, Gervin, Chamberlain, Petit, Robertson or any number of real stars in the league. They were successful after they got help. James is just another big fish in a little pond without it. That was why he left Cleveland to go to Miami and build a team around him with people like Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, and Mike Beasley. He isn’t that good without help.

wy69