Luka Doncic and newly signed center Walker Kessler powered the Los Angeles Lakers to a convincing 127-105 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.
The Lakers entered the new campaign after a turbulent offseason marked by major changes, including LeBron James’ departure and the sale of the franchise.
James, who led Los Angeles to the 2020 NBA championship and became the league’s all-time leading scorer during his tenure with the team, has since signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Golden State’s Stephen Curry scored 16 points during 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 could not wrest control of the game from the Lakers, who pulled away in the third.
Doncic, who finished with 28 points, eight rebounds and seven 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 Magic Johnson and the Lakers’ famed “Showtime” era.
Kessler scored 26 points on 12-of-12 shooting and earned high praise for his debut. Lakers great Shaquille O’Neal called him the “best big man” in the NBA.
“I’m happy for you, I’m proud of you. Welcome to the big man alliance,” O’Neal said.
“That means so much coming from you,” said Kessler, who joined the Lakers from the Utah Jazz.
Los Angeles led by as many as 35 points in the second half, and most Warriors fans had left by the time the crowd began chanting, “We want Bronny,” referring to James’ 22-year-old son, Bronny James, who plays for the Lakers.
Coach JJ Redick sent the younger James into the game late in the fourth quarter, and the crowd erupted when he hit a floater in the lane to give the Lakers a 127-100 lead.