Warriors vs. Lakers: Walker Kessler goes 12-for-12 as Lakers rout Golden State 127-105

The first night of the Lakers’ post-LeBron James era belonged to a newcomer who didn’t miss. Walker Kessler made all 12 of his shots for 26 points in his Lakers debut, Luka Doncic scored 28 in three quarters, and Los Angeles beat the Golden State Warriors 127-105 at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday, Oct. 21. “Warriors vs lakers” was the top search in the US overnight, with more than 500,000 searches according to Google Trends.

Fans were also looking up Doncic’s stat line, “Kessler Lakers” and, a little unexpectedly, Shaq. There’s a reason for that last one, and it’s below.

Warriors vs. Lakers: final score and key stats

The Lakers led by as many as 35 points before easing off in the fourth quarter. According to the official scorer’s report, the game drew a sellout crowd of 19,057.

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Warriors	33	19	16	37	105
Lakers	34	32	36	25	127

• Luka Doncic (LAL): 28 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, five 3-pointers in three quarters
• Walker Kessler (LAL): 26 points on 12-of-12 shooting, 9 rebounds
• Austin Reaves (LAL): 23 points, 10-of-10 from the free-throw line
• Stephen Curry (GSW): 23 points in 21 minutes
• Brandon Williams (GSW): 14 points off the bench, 7-of-7 free throws, 3 steals
• Yaxel Lendeborg (GSW): 12 points in his NBA debut
• Draymond Green (GSW): 8 assists in 21 minutes

Golden State shot just 8-of-36 (22.2%) from 3-point range, while the Lakers made 11 of 28 (39.3%), according to the Warriors’ recap. The Lakers also won the paint 66-56.

Walker Kessler’s perfect Lakers debut

The 7-foot-2 center was a force at both rims from the opening possession, when he slammed down a lob from Doncic, the Associated Press reported. His 12 makes without a miss were the second-most in Lakers history, behind only Wilt Chamberlain’s 14-for-14 night in March 1969.

That’s where the Shaq searches come in. The Warriors’ own recap noted that Kessler became the first Laker since Shaquille O’Neal in 2003 to throw down 10 dunks in a game.

The debut was notable for another reason: Kessler hadn’t played in a competitive game since last Halloween because of injury, per the AP. The Lakers traded a significant package of draft capital to Utah to land him, filling Doncic’s wish for a top center.

Luka Doncic’s buzzer-beater and a running feud

Doncic, described by the Warriors as the league’s reigning scoring champion, scored 23 of his 28 points in the first half in his first competitive game since April 2. Much of that half came against Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, the 11th overall pick, who drew the assignment of guarding him.

The two exchanged words throughout, and Lendeborg was called for a technical foul for something he said, according to the AP. Doncic had the last word before halftime, banking in a half-court shot at the buzzer and then pointing at the rookie. He sat out the entire fourth quarter.

“This was a great welcome to the NBA game for him,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Lendeborg after the game, per the team’s recap.

Curry starts his 18th season hot

Stephen Curry opened his 18th NBA season with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting in the first quarter, including a personal 8-0 run, as Golden State briefly hung with the Lakers. He and Draymond Green, now starting their 15th season together as the NBA’s longest-tenured active duo, connected repeatedly early: Green had four first-quarter assists, three of them to Curry.

The Warriors were outscored 68-35 over the second and third quarters, and Curry finished with 23 points in 21 minutes.

Injuries and the Porzingis statement

Both teams were shorthanded. Golden State played without Brandin Podziemski (back) and long-term absentees Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis and Moses Moody, the AP reported. The Lakers were missing new guard Collin Sexton (calf) and first-round pick Cameron Carr (oblique), and Jake LaRavia limped off in the fourth quarter. There was no update on LaRavia’s status in the reports we reviewed.

In a statement attached to its recap, the Warriors said they would not comment on trade speculation or reports about a health-related matter involving Porzingis, and that they did not anticipate him being around the team in the immediate future.

What’s next for the Lakers and Warriors

Both teams are back in action Friday. The Lakers host the Clippers, and the Warriors host the Memphis Grizzlies, according to the AP.

FAQ

Who won Warriors vs. Lakers? The Lakers won 127-105 at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026.

How many points did Luka Doncic score? 28, with eight rebounds and seven assists, in three quarters.

What did Walker Kessler do in his Lakers debut? He scored 26 points on 12-of-12 shooting with nine rebounds, the second-most makes without a miss in team history.

Why were people searching “Shaq”? Kessler became the first Laker since Shaquille O’Neal in 2003 with 10 dunks in a game, per the Warriors’ recap.

Who led the Warriors? Stephen Curry, with 23 points in 21 minutes.