Luka Dončić was ready to make a statement during the Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA Cup opener on Friday. It worked, for just one quarter.
The Lakers opened the game on a 40-15 run that extended into the second quarter, with the Golden State Warriors once again looking like a deteriorating roster. Doncic seemed to be on a mission in particular, posting 21 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal in the first quarter alone.
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This might have something to do with his previous altercation with Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. Regardless, the rest of the match didn’t go very well for Los Angeles.
At halftime, the game was tied after the Warriors went up 38-13 in 11 minutes, 39 seconds. After three quarters, they led by five. About four minutes into the fourth quarter, they led by 16.
The game ultimately ended in a Warriors victory 112–95, with Stephen Curry scoring the highlight by dropping Dončić in the third quarter before a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to six.
In fairness, Dončić responded with a 3-pointer of his own, which wasn’t enough to avoid an unfortunate story. According to Keerthika Uthayakumar, the 17-point victory margin is the largest ever recorded by a team that had trailed by 25 points in the same match in the play-by-play era (since 1996).
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Curry finished the game with 31 points on 11-of-23 shooting (8-of-14 from 3-point range) plus 6 assists and 4 rebounds. That point total was enough to propel him to 18th in the NBA’s all-time rankings, passing Dominique Wilkins.
Doncić, meanwhile, had 37 points on 12 of 27 shooting, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. It continues at a breakneck pace for the Lakers star to start the season.
The Warriors have posted three straight wins after opening the season 0-3 for the first time since Curry was drafted, with their other wins coming against the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves. This victory, and the record margin of victory, also gives them a significant lead in the NBA Cup, where they share a group with the Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings.
Gn sports
