Steph Curry, Butler Saluted by NBA Fans as Warriors Beat Luka, Lakers Without LeBron
Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler powered the Golden State Warriors to a 119–109 opening night win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, combining for 54 points in a statement victory on the road.
Off the bench, Buddy Hield was on fire from beyond the arc connecting for 5-of-10 from deep to notch 17 points in the evening.
Curry finished with 23 points, three steals and four assists, while Butler added 31 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Jonathan Kuminga added 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists and Draymond Green added eight points, seven rebounds, nine assists and two blocks along with his first technical foul of the season in the opening quarter on the bench.
With LeBron James out, Luka Doncic unloaded to keep the Lakers in the game, leading the charge with 43 points, nine assists and 12 rebounds. Austin Reaves added 26 points but their combined effort wasn't enough to lift the Lakers past the surging Warriors.
Fans lit up social media after Golden State's statement win in their season opener against their rival.
Opening night jitters were evident as both teams combined for 39 turnovers — Golden State with 19 and Los Angeles with 20.
Despite it being just Game 1, the atmosphere carried a playoff intensity, complete with early foul trouble, flagrant and technical calls, and plenty of chatter between players including Curry and Marcus Smart to set the tone for an electric start to the 2025-26 season.
The Warriors held an 11-point lead entering the fourth quarter, with both teams trading momentum throughout. Golden State extended the advantage to as much as 16 points before the Lakers mounted a late rally.
A 9-0 run by Los Angeles closed the gap, but the Warriors' earlier surge proved too much to overcome. Curry sealed the win with a dagger three-pointer with just under a minute remaining, pushing the lead back to 10 and securing the victory.
With the win, the Warriors opened the season 1-0, while the Lakers face Minnesota at home on Friday in search of their first victory. Golden State will look to keep the momentum rolling when they host Denver on Thursday.
