Kessler goes 12-for-12 as Lakers beat Warriors 127-105

Walker Kessler scored 26 points on 12-for-12 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds in his debut for the Los Angeles Lakers as they beat the Golden State Warriors 127-105 on Wednesday night.

Luka Doncic scored 28 points in three quarters and Austin Reaves added 23 as the Lakers opened their first season since LeBron James left for Philadelphia, The Associated Press reported in a story carried by Sportsnet. Stephen Curry scored 23 points for Golden State to begin his 18th NBA season. NBA.com and TSN also reported the 127-105 final.

Kessler’s 12 made shots without a miss are the second-most in Lakers history, behind only Wilt Chamberlain’s 14-for-14 game in March 1969, according to The Associated Press. The seven-foot-two centre, acquired from the Utah Jazz for a package of draft picks to give Doncic the big man he wanted, had not played in a competitive game since last Halloween because of injury. He dunked a lob from Doncic on the Lakers’ first possession.

Doncic scored 23 points in the first half while trading words and shoves with Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who was called for a technical foul. Doncic finished the half by banking in a shot from half court at the buzzer and pointing at Lendeborg, The Associated Press reported. Doncic added eight rebounds and seven assists and sat out the fourth quarter of his first competitive game since April 2.

Lendeborg, the 11th overall pick in this year’s draft, scored 12 points in his NBA debut. Brandon Williams added 14 points for Golden State.

The Warriors played without guard Brandin Podziemski, who has a back injury, along with Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis and Moses Moody, who all have long-term injuries. The Lakers were missing new guard Collin Sexton (calf) and first-round pick Cameron Carr (oblique), and Jake LaRavia left the game limping in the fourth quarter.

The game drove several of the top searches in Canada on Google over the past day, including “warriors vs lakers,” “walker kessler,” “yaxel lendeborg” and “ziaire williams.”

The Lakers are rebuilding around Doncic after James left, a move analysed in why Philadelphia made sense for LeBron James. In Toronto, Kawhi Leonard scored 23 as the Raptors routed the Bulls 135-92 in their opener the same night.

The Warriors host the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, while the Lakers host the Los Angeles Clippers.

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Sources: The Associated Press via Sportsnet, NBA.com, TSN.