SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 30: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers and head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers question a call with official Tony Brothers during the first half of their game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on October 30, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images Connor Moreno Sat, October 31, 2026 at 6:11 AM UTC · 5 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The stage was set: Luka Dončić vs. Yaxel Lendeborg. Lakers vs. Warriors. The Emirates NBA Cup. E-40 in the building. And the Lakers forgot a basketball game lasted longer than one quarter.
Dončić returned to the lineup after missing last game, leaving Ziaire Williams, Adou Thiero and Cameron Carr as the only Lakers out. Inconsequential scratches from the lineup? Not really, but the Los Angeles still had much of its core rotation ready to go against a Warriors team they vanquished on opening night.
Instead, the Lakers bench combined for seven points on 3-of-15 shooting and basically everyone not named Luka Dončić was disastrous en route to one of the worst losses in recent memory. The season is long, yes, but this loss will be etched in pen moving forward.
So, let's dive into the loss . As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A "B" grade represents the average performance for that player.
28 minutes, 10 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 4 fouls, 1 turnover, 2-6 FG, 1-3 3PT, 5-5 FT, -1
This was a pretty average Thybulle game throughout. He was, as always, active on defense and serviceable on offense, but he didn't really have much of an effect on the game.
31 minutes, 10 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 blocks, 1 turnover, 0 fouls, 4-7 FG, +3
After a couple games leaving much to be desired, especially on the boards, Kessler looked like he was going to have yet another Wilt Chamberlain-esque game against the Warriors the way he was controlling missed shots and deterring anything that went his way on defense, posting his first double-double as a Laker.
But then, as has been the case early this season, the physicality dissipated as the game wore on. Kessler was basically non-existent after the first couple of stints.
37 minutes, 21 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 8 turnovers, 1 steal, 1 block, 9-19 FG, 1-6 3PT, 2-2 FT, -13
The word is out on Reaves: apply pressure and be physical with him when he's the ball handler and you'll alter his game. After starting the season at an All-NBA level, his response to ball pressure has been a chronic pain in the neck, leaving The Bay with another high-turnover game.
37 minutes, 37 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 12-27 FG , 6-16 3PT, 7-8 FT, +9
There really isn't much else Dončić could've done this game besides shoot even more . It's evident that he had this rematch against Lendeborg circled on his calendar, and he wound up being the only player on the roster that showed up.
After erupting for 21 points in the first quarter, Golden State adjusted and Dončić's supporting cast simply couldn't hold up its end of things. Luka shot just twice in the fourth quarter.
28 minutes, 10 points, 2 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 1 steal, 1 block, 3-7 FG, 2-5 3 PT, 2-4 FT, -11
LaRavia continues to be one of the Lakers' more consistent role players. Tonight he was just aggressive enough on defense, did just enough of the little things, and was just good enough on offense to withstand whatever else was going on around him.
20 minutes, 4 points, 7 rebounds, 1 turnover, 1 steal, 1 block, 2-6 FG, 0-2 3PT, -23
Mamu has surely seen better days than Friday. He was part of a bench that gave the Lakers nothing, and even he looked flummoxed for stretches of the game.
26 minutes, 3 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 1-3 FG, 1-3 3PT, 0-2 FT, -13
Throughout the season thus far, Grimes has been in a perpetual state of indecision every time he catches the ball and a defender (no matter the distance) is closing out on him. Does he shoot? Does he pass? Does he drive? Those questions are always on his mind and it's evident in the way he played tonight.
13 minutes, 0 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 0-0 FG, -8
Vando regained enough of JJ Redick's trust to play in his second game of the season and picked up right where he left off against the Clippers in the first quarter. However, much like the rest of the roster, he simply disappeared in the latter three quarters.
16 minutes, 0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1 steal, 1 block, 0-6 FG, 0-3 3PT, -19
Sexton couldn't have had a more catastrophic outing tonight after the breakthrough performance last game . Tonight, it seemed he didn't have a great grasp on his intensity and when the team needed it.
James, Hardy and Mañon played the floor for a minute of garbage time as Redick waved the white flag, and all still managed to be a minus-3. Hardy snagged a rebound and Bronny missed a 3-pointer.
I'm not sure if it was vehemently signaling for a challenge or what his players did on the court that prompted him to throw his back out . Sometimes a coach is at the mercy of how his players perform, and that was partly the case tonight.
Redick, though, just as easily could have made the adjustments necessary to stop the bleeding. Like subbing Dončić back in just a little earlier in the second quarter to halt the Warriors' momentum.
Friday's inactives: Lawson Lovering, Arthur Kaluma, Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero, Ziaire Williams
You can follow Connor on Twitter at @cmorenoNBA .
Source: Sports
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