LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Stephen Curry scored 33 points as the Golden State Warriors launched the defense of ITS NBA crown with a season-opening 123-109 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
After being presented with diamond-encrusted rings and watching their championship banner being hoisted at a pre-game ceremony at San Francisco’s Chase Center, the Warriors put on a dazzling performance to overpower LeBron James and the new-look Lakers.
The Warriors’ pre-season had been overshadowed by a practice court bust-up that saw Draymond Green floor teammate Jordan Poole with a sucker punch — sparking what coach Steve Kerr described as the “biggest crisis” of his eight-year reign.
But Golden State served notice they have already put the episode behind them with a commanding performance that suggests they are more than capable of mounting a successful title defense.
Significantly, Green and Poole played without any hint of lingering tension, notably when Poole engineered a lay-up for Green with a clever pass midway through the third quarter.
The Lakers, in their first competitive game under new coach Darvin Ham, meanwhile, showed signs of being a more disciplined defensive unit, but ultimately were run ragged by the Warriors.
The 37-year-old James weighed in with 31 points while Anthony Davis contributed 27 points with Russell Westbrook adding 19.
But the Warriors were never seriously threatened after a trademark third-quarter eruption, outscoring the Lakers 32-19 to race to a 27-point lead at one stage.
