The Warriors ended up mounting a 23-9 run to start the third quarter, and Luka Doncic was the only Lakers player to score during that stretch before Marcus Smart finally hit a free throw to end their dry spell. The Warriors have got a 78-64 lead now with 5:29 left in the period.

Luka Doncic nearly recorded a triple-double in Lakers vs. Warriors and joined Kobe Bryant with his 40 points in a season opener.

First, the Thunder played a double-overtime thriller against the new-look Houston Rockets, holding on to win 125-124 in an instant classic. And in California, the LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers lost their home opener 119-109 to the Golden State Warriors.

The Rockets and Thunder may have just given us the best season opener in NBA history. Houston controlled most of regulation, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got hot in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime.

Jimmy Butler scored 31 points, Stephen Curry added 23 and the Warriors overcame Luka Doncic’s 43-point night to beat the Lakers 119-109 on Tuesday.