Lakers Lead Warriors 2-0 in Season Series After 118-108 Victory
It might be January, but the Lakers already look like they’re in playoff form when it comes to facing the Golden State Warriors. Saturday’s 118-108 win gave Los Angeles a commanding 2-0 lead in their head-to-head battles this season.
AD and LeBron Steal the Show
Let’s start with the obvious: Anthony Davis went off. He dropped 36 points, scooped up 13 rebounds, and added three steals, three assists, and a block for good measure. The Warriors had no answer for his dominance in the paint—he got to the line over and over again, hitting 83% of his free throws.
Meanwhile, LeBron James did pretty much everything else, racking up 25 points and 12 assists, along with five boards. Between LeBron’s court vision and AD’s inside presence, the Lakers looked unstoppable whenever their two superstars were on the floor together.
AD & LeBron were locked IN against the Warriors 🌟
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 26, 2025
〰️ 36 PTS, 13 REB, 3 STL
👑 25 PTS, 12 AST, 5 REB
LA has won five of their last 6 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/NPCv4GVLBx
Bench and Role Players Step Up
As great as the big names were, they weren’t the only ones making noise:
- Austin Reaves: Posted 16 points, seven assists, and five rebounds, keeping the offense flowing.
- Dalton Knecht: Came off the bench firing, ending with 13 points, including a buzzer-beating dunk that sent the home crowd into a frenzy.
- Gabe Vincent: Chipped in seven points while keeping up pressure on defense.
- Max Christie: Balanced the floor with 11 points and eight rebounds—a well-rounded effort.
- Dorian Finney-Smith: Stepped in for Rui Hachimura, delivered eight points and snagged three boards in his first start as a Laker.
Perhaps the biggest relief for Lakers fans was seeing Jarred Vanderbilt back in action. Though he’s still ramping up, Vando reminded everyone why he’s valued—grabbing tough rebounds, hustling for loose balls, and bringing energy on defense.
VANDO STEAL, LEBRON SCORES pic.twitter.com/C2rjDXVraF
— Lakers Empire (@LakersEmpire) January 26, 2025
First-Half Fireworks
Things started fast. The Lakers jumped to a 5-0 lead, highlighted by a Finney-Smith three-pointer, but the Warriors responded quickly with triples from Gary Payton II and Steph Curry. It set the tone for a back-and-forth opening quarter. The Lakers went up by five at one point; the Warriors snatched the lead back; and then Dalton Knecht threw down a monster dunk at the buzzer to put L.A. up by one.
The second quarter was much of the same. Knecht and Gabe Vincent splashed a couple of threes to keep the purple and gold in front. Meanwhile, AD kept punishing Golden State’s bigs at the charity stripe. Former Laker Dennis Schröder chipped in 10 quick points for the Warriors, but Los Angeles still managed to head into halftime with a one-point advantage.
Finding Separation
Both offenses kept rolling in the third quarter. Buddy Hield finally found the net with a three-pointer, and a huge block by AD led to a fast-break layup for Austin Reaves, igniting an 8-0 run. Max Christie followed that with back-to-back threes, giving the Lakers a double-digit edge. Golden State’s rookie Quinten Post kept the Warriors within striking distance, though, and Andrew Wiggins hit a buzzer-beating triple to cut the Lakers’ lead to six heading into the fourth.
That final frame belonged to LeBron James. He attacked the rim on consecutive drives, and a corner three from Finney-Smith forced the Warriors to call timeout. Even while Davis took a breather, the Lakers stayed in control. When AD returned, he went right back to drawing fouls and sinking free throws. Austin Reaves sealed the deal with a steal that led to a Finney-Smith slam, then lobbed it to LeBron for a highlight-reel dunk. With the game out of reach, Golden State subbed out Steph Curry, effectively waving the white flag.
What We Learned
- Clean It Up: Despite the win, the Lakers had moments of sloppy play, letting the Warriors creep back in. Tighter ball handling will be key as the season progresses.
- Vanderbilt’s Impact: Jarred Vanderbilt is back doing the “dirty work” we all love—once his conditioning’s fully there, expect even more hustle plays and defensive toughness.
- Next Man Up: Whether it was Dalton Knecht off the bench or Dorian Finney-Smith stepping in as a starter, the Lakers proved they have a handful of guys ready to contribute when called upon.
Looking Ahead
With two straight wins over the Warriors, the Lakers now turn their attention to the Charlotte Hornets, whom they’ll face on Monday at 4:00 PM PT. If L.A. can tighten up those turnovers and maintain the chemistry they’ve shown so far, they’ll be a tough matchup for anyone this season.
It may only be January, but the message is clear: this Lakers team is starting to click, and Golden State is finding that out the hard way.
