The Golden State Warriors emphatically opened their NBA season, routing the Los Angeles Lakers 119-109 at the Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday, October 21.
The victory was powered by newly acquired forward Jimmy Butler, who dropped a team-high 31 points—including a perfect 16-for-16 from the free-throw line.
Stephen Curry added 23 points for the Warriors.
Golden State seized control after halftime, breaking open a one-point lead (55-54) with a decisive 18-4 run to start the third quarter, putting the game out of reach.
The Lakers’ effort was a one-man show, with Luka Doncic exploding for 43 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists in a losing effort.
The Slovenian star’s heroics, however, weren’t enough to compensate for the absence of LeBron James, who was sidelined with sciatica for the first season opener of his 23-year career.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr praised Butler’s role, noting his ability to “settle down” the team and his perfect free-throw shooting, which “puts a ton of pressure on your opponent.”
With James expected to miss time until November, the Lakers have immediate work to do to establish themselves in the Western Conference.
In other league news, the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Houston Rockets 125-124 in triple-overtime on ring night.
