The Golden State Warriors snagged their second win of the preseason against the Los Angeles Lakers, ending the game 101-89, a crushing blow after the Lakers held a massive 20-point lead earlier on. While Walker Kessler made his much-anticipated debut for the purple and gold, putting on an impressive show, the team’s drastic drop-off once the regular rotation players left the floor absolutely tanked their lead in the second half. This one stings, no doubt.
Kessler Showed Up, But the Bench… Woof.
Kessler definitely made an impression from the jump. He scored his first points as a Laker with a layup and immediately made his defensive presence known, altering shots and looking like he belonged out there. Quentin Grimes opened the scoring for LA, knocking down a triple and leading the team early with five points. Steph Curry chipped in three for the Warriors, but it was all about LA’s early momentum. The Lakers were up by seven before Golden State called a timeout, only for the Warriors to hit an 8-0 run and take the lead. Austin Reaves answered with a jumper to stop that, and honestly, Reaves was a beast all night. He was the first Laker in double figures with 11 points in the first quarter alone, hitting a triple alongside Sandro Mamukelashvili (“Mamu”) and Jake LaRavia. The first quarter ended tied.
But the second period? That’s when Kessler really went off, erupting for four points and a huge block. Jaden Hardy also knocked down a three, and LA was up by five at the 8:18 mark. Then Reaves just took over, putting up 10 points on his own. Grimes converted on back-to-back layups, helping keep the Lakers way ahead. LA went on a 13-4 run, dominating the quarter by shooting a wild 56% from the field and winning the points in the paint battle 30-20. Halftime saw the purple and gold up by 13, with Kessler already racking up 11 points and nine rebounds, and Reaves an insane 23 points and six assists. You had to feel good about that going into the break.
What Happened to That 20-Point Lead?!
The good vibes didn’t last. Kessler didn’t play in the second half, but Reaves tried to keep the engine running, starting the third period with a jumper and then knocking down another triple, pushing LA’s lead to a full 20 points! You heard that right. Twenty points! But then, the unthinkable happened. The Warriors responded with a brutal 14-0 run. Mamu eventually ended that run by scoring, but the damage was done.
The stats from the game tell a grim story about the Lakers’ second-half collapse. They turned the ball over a mind-boggling 30 times, which Golden State converted into 26 easy points. Their shooting from the field was a dismal 33-76, and from beyond the arc, it was even worse: 9-34. It’s clear that while the starting rotation looked sharp, the bench couldn’t hold on, and that massive lead evaporated like morning fog. For an early game, this really highlights where the team needs to buckle down. They can’t afford to give up that kind of advantage.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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