Los Angeles Lakers could not have started their new era in a better way. Beginning on the right foot is always crucial for a team carrying so many changes, and the Lakers have done so in every possible sense. For the victory, for its sheer margin, for its protagonists… If there was an ideal script for the league’s opening night, this was it. For now, the foundations are solidly laid.
And they’re laid with conviction, because the Angelinos handed the Warriors a hefty 127-105 defeat and saw the three players around whom the project must orbit settle in naturally. They already knew that Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves would lead the way, and while on paper the summer’s big bet looked like a perfect fit, these things always require confirmation on the court. And, although this is only the first of many nights, Walker Kessler has confirmed that he’s here to contribute.
A Perfect Debut
The center demonstrated in his Lakers debut that he has everything needed to be the interior anchor they desperately required. With two top-tier playmakers in the backcourt, not having a reliable finisher in the paint would be a misuse of resources, but the former Jazz man arrived intent on not wasting a single possession he touches. And so much so that he opened with a flawless 12-for-12 from the field.
Whether finishing off the pick-and-roll, securing position in the paint, or sprinting as a trailer in transition, every ball Walker tried to bring to the rim found its way through the hoop. And of course, how could it be any other way when 10 of his 12 attempts were dunks. The center understood his role perfectly, focusing on presenting himself in the right spot and making himself available whenever a receiver’s advantage presented itself. The quality of the passers (and the Warriors’ lack of height, to be fair) did the rest.
Thus, the center became the first Lakers player to post a 12-for-12 shooting night since Wilt Chamberlain did it in 1969, and the first to record 10 dunks since Shaquille O’Neal in 2003. And while he isn’t there to replicate the numbers those two Hall of Famers produced during their time in Los Angeles, there is no greater testament to his extraordinary debut than seeing his name mentioned in the same breath as theirs.
Unopposed
Alongside him, Doncic and Reaves also soared past twenty, with 28 and 23 points respectively, feeding a Lakers squad that, once they hit the accelerator, finished with formidable ease. A 17-4 run to close the second quarter gave them a 14-point edge at the break, and after the pause they carried that momentum forward, with crushing dominance on both ends of the floor, widening the gap to 35 points. From there, it was simply a matter of waiting for the final buzzer to send them to the showers.
And the Warriors were by no means a formidable obstacle trying to spoil their night. With their extensive injury list and Stephen Curry, who finished with 23 points in 21 minutes as the lone offensive reference, the Kerr-led squad could do little to contest early on, a trend that only reinforced the unfavorable expectations they carried into this season. One that, if this pace continues, could make the road ahead feel very long.
