Posted on 10/23/2026 12:02:41 PM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
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Someone forgot to tell Steve Kerr that the preseason is over.
Addition by subtraction.
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.
“No LeBron” — if only he would go away. Alas, LowBrain was busy being an anti-American jackass in Philadelphia.
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.
What a clown. He’s an embarrassment to America and doesn’t deserve to be here.
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.
Judging by the Mavericks opening game, we can see the difference Doncic made there.
Worst-run franchise ever.
Small market teams would have given up good assets for them a few years back.
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
I’ve been a Lakers fan since West, Chamberlain, and Coach Bill Sharman. (I’m old !!!)
I remember “Showtime” very well. Magic, worthy, and that jackass that played center.
I stopped pulling for the Lakers when LeBron went there. I despise that jackass. You’ll win a championship, and when he leaves your team will be a mess.
You think you’re old? I saw Sharman play!
“You’ll win a championship, and when he leaves your team will be a mess.”
He was with the Lakers from 2018 through 2026 and was with the team that won one championship. And in the 2020 championship year Anthony Davis had a better scoring average, more rebounds, more steals, more blocks, and a better field goal percentage with less playing minutes. And a lot of players filled in gaps James couldn’t. Dwight Howard doubled James blocks while spelling Davis for an average of just under 19 minutes a game. And the assist numbers indicate that James had to have the ball to be efective so it totally erased the point guard position for people they traded for like Rondo from Boston.
James is only as good as the effectiveness of the supporting cast he has around him. And the only reason he is effective is that he is protected by the league and allowed to commit one offensive foul after another in today’s game of selling violence over skills. If they ever called that off hand or shoulder, he’s be on the bench partly though the first quarter with foul trouble. And he is not a good outside shot they are taking away from the guards for him. He ain’t that good...he’s just a goon. One who intimidates coaches and owners like in the championship year with Frank Vogel (Head Coach) Rob Pelinka (General Manager) and Jeanie Buss (Team President).
Vogel never played in the NBA and was a player at Juniata College, a Division III school in Pennsylvania.
Rob Pelinka played at Michigan and was brought in originally to work with Magic Johnson who was President of Basketball Operations. Before that he was a player agent for 10 years.
Jeane Buss studied business administration focusing on finance and marketing at USC. Her old man got her wedgd into such professional teams as the LA Strings, (tennis), and later owning the Los Angeles Blades professional roller hockey team in Roller Hockey International during the 1990s. Not a real resume for an NBA CEO. But if the old man hadn’t been in the game she’d be figuring out commercials some where else. She was a face.
Each one was easily intimidated and James took advantage of them while being overrated as a player...for only one year until his “talents” for winning went away. Then finally he did...again. It remains to be seen how much he will force the 76ers to change their play that was successful last year beating Boston in the first round in the playoffs and losing to the Knicks who won the championship. So who is going to get the bench or has to go? They can suit only 15 players a night.
wy69
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