The Lakers had the kind of start that makes you think a road rematch might turn into a statement win. Luka Doncic was slicing up the Warriors early, and Los Angeles surged to a 40-15 lead early in the second quarter.
Then the game flipped.
Golden State answered with a 38-13 run to drag things back to even at 53-53 by halftime, then kept rolling after the break on the way to a 112-95 win in the first night of NBA Cup play at Chase Center.
Doncic was still the headliner for Los Angeles, even in defeat. He put up 37 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two blocked shots, and one steal in 37 minutes. His shooting line wasn’t clean - 12-of-27 from the field and 6-of-16 from beyond the arc - but the opening quarter was the part that made history.
Doncic scored 21 points in the first quarter alone, and added five assists, one steal, and one block. That made him the first player in the play-by-play era to post those numbers in a single quarter of an NBA game.
The Lakers’ fast start gave way to a much rougher finish, and the Warriors took full control from there. Because point differential matters in NBA Cup play, the margin will hang over Los Angeles as it looks ahead to the rest of Group C.
Luka Doncic in the 1st quarter vs. Warriors:
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 31, 2026
21 points
5 assists
1 steal
1 block
1st player in the play-by-play era to do that in a single quarter, per @Stathead. pic.twitter.com/uLWaFmvkt5
That group also includes Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, Domantas Sabonis and the Sacramento Kings, and Deni Avdija and the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Lakers are back home Sunday night against the Toronto Raptors, with Kawhi Leonard not expected to play. Their next NBA Cup game comes Friday, November 6th against the Portland Trail Blazers, with Ja Morant out due to a hamstring strain.
In Other News...
Luka And Austin Reaves Just Faced An Early Lakers Reality
Luka Doncic has wasted no time setting the tone for the Lakers in the 2026-27 season, piling up points at a rate that has him leading the league early and reminding everyone why he changes the ceiling of a team the moment he steps on the floor. He already had a 52-point eruption against Utah, and even in a loss to Golden State he still delivered 37, the kind of production that usually keeps a team safe on most nights.
Instead, the Lakers found themselves staring at an early-season reality check after letting a 25-point lead slip away against the Warriors. Doncic and Austin Reaves both owned the result afterward, a sign that the frustration is not just about one bad finish but about how quickly a promising start can unravel when the details slip. For a team with bigger ambitions, the message was clear enough: the scoring is there, but the habits still have to catch up. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers May Have Found A Frontcourt Fix They Can't Ignore
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Vanderbilts first game of the season offered a reminder of why the Lakers have long valued his defensive versatility. He held up well on that end while sharing the floor with Sandro Mamukelashvili, even if his offensive impact remained limited. For a team still sorting out its frontcourt rotation, that kind of defensive stability is hard to overlook. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Could Be Getting A Timely Boost As Rotation Questions Linger
The Lakers head into their meeting with the Raptors with a little more clarity, and potentially a useful addition, after rookie guard Cameron Carr was removed from the injury report following his recovery from an oblique injury suffered in the preseason. Carr, the No. 24 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, had already turned heads with strong showings in Summer League and preseason action, giving the Lakers another young perimeter option as they continue sorting through their rotation.
Ziaire Williams is still listed as questionable because of a left foot injury, while Adou Thiero remains out with a knee issue, so the back end of the roster is still very much in flux. For a Lakers team trying to piece together reliable minutes and keep its depth intact, Carrs availability arrives at the right time, even if the bigger question is how quickly he can translate that promise into a real role. [Read more 🡒]