Lakers Blow 25-Point Lead Against Warriors: 4 Takeaways From Ugly Collapse

The first time the Lakers and Warriors met, it was a completely one-sided game, with Los Angeles storming to a dominant 127-105 win. So, against the same Warriors team on the road, they were fairly confident in their chances of success. So, after getting off to a 25-point lead in the first quarter tonight, it looked like we would see a repeat of what happened on opening night. Instead, the Warriors flipped the script, completing a hard-fought comeback to split the season series and take their third win of the season (112-95).

Luka Doncic fought hard with 37 points, seven rebounds, five assists, one steal, and two blocks on 44.4% shooting (6-16 from three), but his efforts were in vain. Their next-leading scorer was Austin Reaves, who finished with 21 points, four rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block on 47.4% shooting (1-6 from three). At center, Walker Kessler dropped 10 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, and five blocks on 57.1% shooting.

As usual, Stephen Curry set the pace for his team with a clean 31 points, four rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block on 47.8% shooting from the field. Brandin Podziemski also delivered a strong performance, turning in 21 points, five rebounds, six assists, two steals, and one block on 46.7% shooting (4-9 from three). Off the bench, De’Anthony Melton contributed 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals on 50.0% shooting (4-6 from three).

In a game like this, where the momentum flipped so wildly, it can be hard to discern why and how things played out the way they did. On paper, the Lakers are better than the Warriors, and they are certainly healthier given the absences of Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis, and Moses Moody. Nevertheless, those factors did not matter in the end, as the Warriors overcame the odds in their first NBA Cup win this season. Where the Lakers go from here is unclear, but several takeaways can be had from this loss, and it could tell us something about how they might adjust.

The big story of the Lakers’ early win streak was the performance of key role players like Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and others. Together, they gave the Lakers a needed boost on both ends of the floor. Tonight, however, they all struggled to make an impact, combining for just seven points, 12 rebounds, and three assists on 3-15 shooting. Jarred Vanderbilt, who Redick recently praised, was nearly unplayable tonight as he looked scared and hesitant with the ball in his hands.

Other than Doncic, none of the starters had a standout performance, either. Without Ziaire Williams, whose energy was heavily missed tonight, Redick was forced to rely on Jake LaRavia, who went -11 in 28 minutes. Matisse Thybulle, who went 4-5 from three on Wednesday, only went 1-3 against the Warriors. So, with the bench not showing up and no other players stepping up to make up the difference, it was up to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to carry the offense. As much as they tried, the Warriors’ defense was able to focus them down due to the rest of the rotation struggling to shoot.

JJ Redick always knew that defense would be a problem for his team, but he never suspected early issues with the offense. While they have looked good at times this season, there have been some concerning signs, like we saw today. Beyond just the lack of production from the role players, there was an awkwardness on the court for the Lakers as they scrambled to stop the bleeding and retake control of the game.

Poor passes, bad decisions, and miscommunications were plaguing the Lakers, resulting in critical mistakes that not only allowed the Warriors to come back, but also allowed them to run away with the game in the second half. As a team, the Lakers committed 20 turnovers, which turned into 27 points for the Warriors. Additionally, they only shot 40.2% from the field, well below their season average. Clearly, the Lakers still have some chemistry issues that we can probably expect to improve over the coming days and weeks.

GM Rob Pelinka went out of his way to surround his star duo with versatile wing defenders this summer, and he believed he found a solution with his slew of free agent signings. The Warriors, however, exposed that their defense still has some underlying issues, especially on the perimeter. The Lakers’ guards, specifically Reaves and Doncic, couldn’t stay in front of their matchups, frequently surrendering open looks to the opposition. The result was the Warriors going 22-46 from downtown (47.8% shooting), making it impossible for the Lakers to make up any ground.

Stephen Curry, specifically, was giving the Lakers fits. He was making it look easy out there, finishing with 31 points on 47.8% shooting. As much as Luka tried to match, he just couldn’t overcome the combined shooting of the Warriors backcourt, who went 12-23 from beyond the arc. That’s not counting Georges Niang, who went a perfect 3-3 off the bench. Too many of those threes were wide open, and there’s no doubt Redick will be looking to make adjustments.

After agreeing to pay Austin Reaves a four-year, $184 million extension, the Lakers naturally expected him to take a leap. Without LeBron James, Luka needs him to be that reliable No. 2 option on the floor. Unfortunately, he hasn’t quite played up to par this season. Against the Warriors tonight, he wasn’t always as aggressive as he needed to be, despite his decent stat line of 21 points, four rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block on 47.4% shooting and 16.7% shooting from three.

In tough games like these, when the role players are struggling to find a rhythm, Reaves needs to help carry the team, just like Doncic did. So while 21 points isn’t bad by any stretch, it’s just simply not enough for the Lakers, who needed every bucket they could get from their prized shooting guard.