Luka scores 43, but Butler’s Warriors top Lakers 119-109 in a LeBron-less season opener

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jimmy Butler scored 31 points, Stephen Curry added 23 and the Golden State Warriors overcame Luka Doncic’s 43-point performance to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 119-109 on Tuesday night in both teams’ season opener.

LeBron James missed a season opener for the first time in his 23 years in the NBA, watching from the Lakers’ bench. The top scorer in league history has sciatica that is expected to sideline him until mid-November.

Jonathan Kuminga scored 17 points while the Warriors largely shut down the Lakers apart from Doncic. who scored 40 points for the 47th time in his NBA career and the third since joining the Lakers.

Doncic added 12 rebounds and nine assists in his first season opener with the Lakers, but the Slovenian superstar was 2 of 10 on 3-point attempts as Los Angeles lost its season opener for the ninth time in 10 years.

Curry began his 17th season with just three 3-pointers while ceding major offensive roles to Kuminga and Buddy Hield, who hit five 3-pointers.

Butler made all 16 of his free throws, and Curry hit a 3-pointer in the final minute for his first points of the fourth quarter.

Austin Reaves scored 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter after struggling with foul trouble.

Golden State opened the second half with a 19-4 run to open a lead that grew to 17 points. Reaves led a fourth-quarter rally, trimming the Warriors’ edge to 105-99, but LA couldn’t close get closer.

Draymond Green scored only eight points and got an early technical foul while sitting on the bench, but his 3-pointer with 3:33 left stopped the Lakers’ surge.

Deandre Ayton had 10 points and six rebounds in his Lakers debut, while Marcus Smart had nine points.

Al Horford scored five points in his Warriors debut, hitting a 3-pointer on the first shot of his 19th NBA season.

Up next

Warriors: Host Nuggets on Thursday night.

Lakers: Host Timberwolves on Friday night.

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