Warriors bury Lakers with 45-point first quarter in 124-98 Chase Center win

A first-quarter avalanche set the whole night

There was no mystery about where this one turned. Golden State opened the scoring with Brandin Podziemski's three, pushed ahead 11-2 in the opening two minutes and spent the rest of the quarter stretching the floor between the teams. By the end of the first 12 minutes, the Warriors had already hung 45 points on the Lakers and built a 14-point cushion that felt much larger than the number.

The Lakers did have one brief settling spell. Quentin Grimes hit three free throws at 8:28 of the first quarter to trim the score to 16-12. The Warriors answered with the sharpest sequence of the game: Gui Santos scored inside, Stephen Curry finished at the rim, Draymond Green hit from deep, and Curry followed with a three-point play and another trip to the line. By 5:57, the margin was 31-13, and Golden State had already shown the themes that would hold all game — quick ball movement, accurate shooting and multiple scorers arriving in waves.

Los Angeles found some offence late in the quarter through Jaden Hardy and Dalton Knecht, but the larger problem remained untouched. The Warriors were generating clean finishes from everywhere, and the Lakers were immediately in catch-up mode. Golden State never surrendered the lead all evening, and that first burst explains why.

Balanced scoring kept the pressure on

The second quarter turned a hot start into a runaway. Yaxel Lendeborg drilled back-to-back threes to move the score from 47-31 to 53-33, Podziemski kept cutting into the paint, and Georges Niang added a layup for a 70-46 lead midway through the period. When Curry buried a 26-foot three with 1:47 left in the half and converted the free throw on the next tick, Golden State was up 79-49. The halftime score was 81-53.

What stood out beyond the raw total was how widely the work was shared. The Warriors finished with 32 assists on 41 made field goals, a number that usually reflects an offence playing in rhythm rather than relying on one rescue act. Green handed out eight assists in 15 minutes, Curry had 16 points and five assists in 14 minutes, Podziemski scored 16 on 7-of-11 shooting, and Lendeborg posted 17 points and nine rebounds. Every Golden State player who saw the floor scored, a rare kind of balance even in a one-sided result.

To the Lakers' credit, the third quarter was their best stretch. They outscored Golden State 22-15 in the period, with Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jake LaRavia and Hardy helping trim the margin. Hardy's step-back three at the horn brought the score to 96-75, and Los Angeles at least kept the game from becoming a total collapse after halftime. Mamukelashvili finished with 15 points, Hardy had 13, Grimes scored 12, Knecht added 11, and Bronny James contributed five assists.

Our take

Golden State's offensive line was as convincing as the scoreboard. The Warriors shot 51.2 per cent from the field, hit 15 of 35 from three-point range, won the rebounding battle 44-35 and outscored the Lakers 48-36 in the paint. That is a broad base of control, not a one-stat illusion. The one number worth revisiting is turnover management: Golden State still committed 24 total turnovers, and the Lakers turned those mistakes into 24 points. In a tighter game, that sloppiness would matter much more.

For the Lakers, the clearest issue was the size of the early damage. Allowing 45 points in the first quarter and 81 by halftime left almost no room for the rest of the box score to rescue them. Their 25 total turnovers fed 25 Warriors points, and their own shooting finished at 33-for-83, or 39.8 per cent. There were some useful individual contributions and a better third quarter, but the combination of giveaways, rebounding deficit and first-half defence put the night out of reach long before the closing minutes.

Any thought of a late push disappeared when Golden State reopened the gap in the fourth. After LJ Cryer scored to make it 102-80, the Warriors ripped off the next decisive stretch, climbing to 122-84 on baskets from Malevy Leons, Will Richard, Miles Kelly, Graham Ike, Dalen Terry and Alex Toohey. That run pushed the lead to its game high of 38 and underlined the evening's simplest truth: Golden State had too much scoring, too much passing and too many answers from the opening quarter onward.

Scoring moments

1. 1st Quarter · 11:20

   Brandin Podziemski makes 27-foot three point jumper (Stephen Curry assists)

2. 1st Quarter · 11:19

   Brandin Podziemski makes free throw 1 of 1

3. 1st Quarter · 10:53

   Brandin Podziemski makes running layup (Stephen Curry assists)

4. 1st Quarter · 10:39

   Bronny James makes 9-foot fade away jump shot

5. 1st Quarter · 10:25

   Gui Santos makes 4-foot layup (Draymond Green assists)

6. 1st Quarter · 10:09

   Stephen Curry makes 26-foot running jump shot (Brandin Podziemski assists)

7. 1st Quarter · 9:52

   Sandro Mamukelashvili makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jake LaRavia assists)

8. 1st Quarter · 9:42

   Yaxel Lendeborg makes driving layup

9. 1st Quarter · 9:42

   Yaxel Lendeborg makes free throw 1 of 1

10. 1st Quarter · 9:26

    Sandro Mamukelashvili makes 2-foot dunk (Quentin Grimes assists)

11. 1st Quarter · 9:09

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes driving layup (Draymond Green assists)

12. 1st Quarter · 8:47

    Sandro Mamukelashvili makes 13-foot two point shot (Bronny James assists)

13. 1st Quarter · 8:28

    Quentin Grimes makes free throw 1 of 3

14. 1st Quarter · 8:28

    Quentin Grimes makes free throw 2 of 3

15. 1st Quarter · 8:28

    Quentin Grimes makes free throw 3 of 3

16. 1st Quarter · 8:14

    Gui Santos makes 1-foot two point shot

17. 1st Quarter · 7:56

    Stephen Curry makes running layup (Yaxel Lendeborg assists)

18. 1st Quarter · 7:24

    Draymond Green makes 22-foot three point jumper (Stephen Curry assists)

19. 1st Quarter · 7:06

    Jake LaRavia makes free throw 2 of 2

20. 1st Quarter · 6:55

    Stephen Curry makes 27-foot three point jumper (Draymond Green assists)

21. 1st Quarter · 6:55

    Stephen Curry makes free throw 1 of 1

22. 1st Quarter · 6:23

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes two point shot

23. 1st Quarter · 5:57

    Stephen Curry makes free throw 1 of 2

24. 1st Quarter · 5:57

    Stephen Curry makes free throw 2 of 2

25. 1st Quarter · 5:09

    Jaden Hardy makes free throw 1 of 2

26. 1st Quarter · 5:09

    Jaden Hardy makes free throw 2 of 2

27. 1st Quarter · 4:38

    Jaden Hardy makes running layup

28. 1st Quarter · 4:32

    Charles Bassey makes 9-foot floating jump shot (De'Anthony Melton assists)

29. 1st Quarter · 3:11

    Georges Niang makes free throw 1 of 2

30. 1st Quarter · 3:11

    Georges Niang makes free throw 2 of 2

31. 1st Quarter · 2:52

    De'Anthony Melton makes free throw 1 of 2

32. 1st Quarter · 2:52

    De'Anthony Melton makes free throw 2 of 2

33. 1st Quarter · 1:54

    Cameron Carr makes 24-foot jump bank shot (Kevon Looney assists)

34. 1st Quarter · 1:39

    Will Richard makes 24-foot three point jumper (Graham Ike assists)

35. 1st Quarter · 1:25

    Dalton Knecht makes 24-foot three pointer (Jaden Hardy assists)

36. 1st Quarter · 1:13

    Graham Ike makes free throw 1 of 2

37. 1st Quarter · 1:13

    Graham Ike makes free throw 2 of 2

38. 1st Quarter · 1:04

    Jaden Hardy makes driving layup

39. 1st Quarter · 51.0

    Cameron Carr makes free throw 1 of 2

40. 1st Quarter · 51.0

    Cameron Carr makes free throw 2 of 2

41. 1st Quarter · 41.5

    Brandon Williams makes free throw 1 of 2

42. 1st Quarter · 41.5

    Brandon Williams makes free throw 2 of 2

43. 1st Quarter · 26.8

    De'Anthony Melton makes free throw 1 of 1

44. 1st Quarter · 17.8

    Jaden Hardy makes free throw 1 of 2

45. 1st Quarter · 17.8

    Jaden Hardy makes free throw 2 of 2

46. 1st Quarter · 1.2

    Dalton Knecht makes tip shot

47. 2nd Quarter · 11:47

    Brandin Podziemski makes driving layup (Draymond Green assists)

48. 2nd Quarter · 10:26

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes 25-foot three point jumper (Draymond Green assists)

49. 2nd Quarter · 10:06

    Quentin Grimes makes 8-foot two point shot

50. 2nd Quarter · 9:52

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes 26-foot three point step back jumpshot

51. 2nd Quarter · 9:12

    Quentin Grimes makes 24-foot three point jumper (Bronny James assists)

52. 2nd Quarter · 8:55

    Brandon Williams makes two point shot (Draymond Green assists)

53. 2nd Quarter · 8:44

    Bronny James makes 13-foot pullup jump shot

54. 2nd Quarter · 8:25

    Sandro Mamukelashvili makes 23-foot three point jumper (Quentin Grimes assists)

55. 2nd Quarter · 8:03

    Brandin Podziemski makes layup (Draymond Green assists)

56. 2nd Quarter · 7:38

    Sandro Mamukelashvili makes driving layup (Quentin Grimes assists)

57. 2nd Quarter · 6:58

    Brandin Podziemski makes 4-foot layup (Draymond Green assists)

58. 2nd Quarter · 6:31

    Brandin Podziemski makes driving layup (Yaxel Lendeborg assists)

59. 2nd Quarter · 5:53

    Adou Thiero makes 2-foot running dunk (Jarred Vanderbilt assists)

60. 2nd Quarter · 5:53

    Adou Thiero makes free throw 1 of 1

61. 2nd Quarter · 5:42

    De'Anthony Melton makes 24-foot three point jumper (Gui Santos assists)

62. 2nd Quarter · 5:04

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes two point shot

63. 2nd Quarter · 4:40

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes 3-foot two point shot (Stephen Curry assists)

64. 2nd Quarter · 4:14

    Georges Niang makes running layup (Stephen Curry assists)

65. 2nd Quarter · 3:49

    Jake LaRavia makes 22-foot three point step back jumpshot

66. 2nd Quarter · 3:28

    Gui Santos makes free throw 1 of 2

67. 2nd Quarter · 3:28

    Gui Santos makes free throw 2 of 2

68. 2nd Quarter · 3:13

    Georges Niang makes 26-foot running jump shot (Gui Santos assists)

69. 2nd Quarter · 1:47

    Stephen Curry makes 26-foot three pointer

70. 2nd Quarter · 1:46

    Stephen Curry makes free throw 1 of 1

71. 2nd Quarter · 1:20

    Gary Payton II makes free throw 1 of 2

72. 2nd Quarter · 1:05

    Quentin Grimes makes 24-foot three point jumper (Kevon Looney assists)

73. 2nd Quarter · 49.9

    Stephen Curry makes free throw 2 of 2

74. 2nd Quarter · 1.8

    Quentin Grimes makes free throw 1 of 2

75. 3rd Quarter · 11:23

    Adou Thiero makes 1-foot dunk (Sandro Mamukelashvili assists)

76. 3rd Quarter · 10:33

    De'Anthony Melton makes 5-foot driving floating jump shot

77. 3rd Quarter · 10:33

    De'Anthony Melton makes free throw 1 of 1

78. 3rd Quarter · 8:40

    Adou Thiero makes 4-foot two point shot (Bronny James assists)

79. 3rd Quarter · 8:24

    Brandin Podziemski makes 4-foot floating jump shot (De'Anthony Melton assists)

80. 3rd Quarter · 7:43

    Jake LaRavia makes 2-foot layup (Sandro Mamukelashvili assists)

81. 3rd Quarter · 6:56

    Sandro Mamukelashvili makes 26-foot three point jumper (Bronny James assists)

82. 3rd Quarter · 5:55

    Gary Payton II makes 22-foot three point jumper (Brandon Williams assists)

83. 3rd Quarter · 5:00

    Jake LaRavia makes driving layup (Bronny James assists)

84. 3rd Quarter · 5:00

    Jake LaRavia makes free throw 1 of 1

85. 3rd Quarter · 4:50

    Brandon Williams makes free throw 1 of 2

86. 3rd Quarter · 4:50

    Brandon Williams makes free throw 2 of 2

87. 3rd Quarter · 3:29

    Gui Santos makes free throw 1 of 2

88. 3rd Quarter · 3:04

    Jarred Vanderbilt makes running layup

89. 3rd Quarter · 2:33

    Graham Ike makes free throw 1 of 2

90. 3rd Quarter · 2:33

    Graham Ike makes free throw 2 of 2

91. 3rd Quarter · 1:54

    Chris Manon makes 24-foot three pointer (Jaden Hardy assists)

92. 3rd Quarter · 1:28

    Brandon Williams makes 6-foot two point shot (De'Anthony Melton assists)

93. 3rd Quarter · 1:10

    Jaden Hardy makes two point shot

94. 3rd Quarter · 0.2

    Jaden Hardy makes 27-foot three point step back jumpshot

95. 4th Quarter · 11:37

    Charles Bassey makes dunk (Gary Payton II assists)

96. 4th Quarter · 10:20

    Chris Manon makes driving layup (Jaden Hardy assists)

97. 4th Quarter · 10:04

    Brandon Williams makes driving layup

98. 4th Quarter · 8:57

    Cole Swider makes 26-foot three point jumper (Dalton Knecht assists)

99. 4th Quarter · 8:34

    LJ Cryer makes 13-foot driving floating jump shot (Malevy Leons assists)

100. 4th Quarter · 7:41

     Malevy Leons makes driving layup (Charles Bassey assists)

101. 4th Quarter · 7:00

     Will Richard makes 5-foot layup (Charles Bassey assists)

102. 4th Quarter · 6:34

     Chris Manon makes tip shot

103. 4th Quarter · 6:17

     Malevy Leons makes 26-foot jump bank shot (LJ Cryer assists)

104. 4th Quarter · 5:41

     Miles Kelly makes 27-foot three point jumper (Graham Ike assists)

105. 4th Quarter · 5:19

     AK Okereke makes 8-foot fade away jump shot

106. 4th Quarter · 4:29

     Graham Ike makes 15-foot jumper (Will Richard assists)

107. 4th Quarter · 4:01

     Miles Kelly makes 25-foot three point jumper (Graham Ike assists)

108. 4th Quarter · 3:42

     Dalen Terry makes 1-foot driving dunk

109. 4th Quarter · 3:19

     Alex Toohey makes 22-foot running jump shot (Dalen Terry assists)

110. 4th Quarter · 2:49

     AK Okereke makes free throw 1 of 2

111. 4th Quarter · 2:49

     AK Okereke makes free throw 2 of 2

112. 4th Quarter · 2:19

     Dalton Knecht makes 2-foot running dunk (AK Okereke assists)

113. 4th Quarter · 2:05

     Dalen Terry makes free throw 1 of 2

114. 4th Quarter · 2:05

     Dalen Terry makes free throw 2 of 2

115. 4th Quarter · 1:35

     Cole Swider makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot (AK Okereke assists)

116. 4th Quarter · 1:13

     Dalton Knecht makes free throw 1 of 2

117. 4th Quarter · 1:13

     Dalton Knecht makes free throw 2 of 2

118. 4th Quarter · 44.0

     Dalton Knecht makes free throw 1 of 2

119. 4th Quarter · 44.0

     Dalton Knecht makes free throw 2 of 2

120. 4th Quarter · 17.2

     Cole Swider makes 27-foot running pullup jump shot