October 22nd, 2025

By: Isiah Allen

The NBA season has begun, and there’s no better way to start the season opener than with the Lakers going against the Warriors. The Lakers and the Warriors are coming off seasons where both teams made the playoffs, but unfortunately lost before the Western Conference Finals. In the offseason, both teams spent time adding to their rosters. The Lakers brought in players Marcus Smart, providing a defensive backup point guard, and DeAndre Ayton, finally securing the center they have been searching for. The Warriors signed Al Horford, giving them a strong center with his ability to shoot threes and space the floor. They also resigned Jonathan Kuminga after there was a lot of speculation that he may not return. Regardless, both teams are coming in with a roster that has the potential to win a championship, but have little to no playing time together. The Warriors played games with Jimmy Butler, went on a phenomenal run, and ended the season with a 23-7 record, taking down the 2-seeded Rockets in the first round. The Lakers are coming in with two no pieces that can make or break their season, but it’s fair to say they’re title favorites. 

Without LeBron James, the Lakers struggled against the Warriors, losing 119-109. Luka Dončić carried the team, finishing the game with a phenomenal stat line of 43 points, 8 assists, and 12 rebounds, but his teammates couldn’t get anything going to help him. Another huge factor in their loss tonight was their ability to guard the three-ball. The Warriors shot 17/40 from three, which is 42.5% while the Lakers shot 8/32, achieving 25%.  The Lakers do get credit, though, because despite being down almost 20 at some point, they never stopped fighting for the game. They managed to bring the game down to within seven late in the fourth. The team came alive in the fourth quarter with Austin Reaves and DeAndre Ayton stepping up. Reaves finished with 26 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds, while in his Laker debut, Ayton recorded 10 points and 6 rebounds.

The Warriors started their season with a new lineup, finally including Jonathan Kuminga, and they did not disappoint. The Warriors came out hot with Jimmy Butler leading the way with 15 first-quarter points. They slowed down a little in the second but picked it right back up in the third and fourth. The Warriors showed chemistry tonight with their plays, with everyone dishing the ball and getting open for high-percentage shots. Their top performers were Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Buddy Hield, and Jonathan Kuminga. It was truly an all-around game for the Warriors, with Jimmy Butler leading the charge with 31 points, followed by Steph with 21, as well as both Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga having 17. The Warriors did what they do best: shooting the lights out and securing the win for their first game of the season. They then picked up where they left off, with Jimmy Butler earning them a win against one of the top teams in the West. They have truly earned their status from last season into this one as a championship contender, and they proved tonight they won't go down easy. 

Although the Lakers lost, they should not be discouraged; they played winning basketball, especially down the stretch of the game. They have the team to win it all; they just need to gain playing experience with each other. When LeBron comes back, that team is only going to get better. There was no better way to start the NBA 2025-2026 season.