Lakers beat Warriors 127-105 as Walker Kessler goes 12 for 12 on debut and Luka Doncic scores 28

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors 127-105 at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night (US time; tip-off 2:00am GMT Thursday 22 October) in the season opener for both teams. Centre Walker Kessler scored 26 points on 12-for-12 shooting with nine rebounds in his first game for the Lakers, according to AP.

Kessler’s 12 shots without a miss were the second-most in Lakers history, behind only a 14-for-14 performance by Wilt Chamberlain in March 1969, AP reported. The Lakers acquired the 7-foot-2 centre from Utah for draft picks in the off-season; AP said he had not played a competitive game since last Halloween because of injury.

Doncic sits out the fourth

Luka Doncic scored 28 points, 23 of them in the first half, with eight rebounds and seven assists, and did not play in the fourth quarter, the box score shows. It was his first competitive game since 2 April, AP said, and the Lakers’ first since LeBron James left for Philadelphia. Austin Reaves added 23 points and went 10 for 10 from the free-throw line.

According to AP, Doncic had a prolonged physical and verbal exchange with Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg in the first half; Lendeborg was given a technical foul. Doncic banked in a half-court shot at the halftime buzzer. The Lakers led 66-52 at half-time and 102-68 after three quarters.

Warriors

Stephen Curry, starting his 18th season, scored 23 points on 7-of-15 shooting. Brandon Williams added 14 and Lendeborg, the 11th overall pick, scored 12 on his debut. Golden State played without Brandin Podziemski (back), Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis and Moses Moody, AP said. The Lakers were without Collin Sexton (calf) and first-round pick Cameron Carr (oblique), and Jake LaRavia limped off in the fourth quarter.

Attendance was 19,057. The Warriors host Memphis and the Lakers host the Clippers on Friday (US time).

For the rest of Wednesday’s results, see our NBA round-up. See also: Lakers waive Dalton Knecht and keep Bronny James for the start of the NBA season.