The Golden State Warriors tipped off the 2022-2023 season at home as they cruised to a 123-109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on the same night they raised a championship banner and received their rings for the 2021-2022 season.
Stephen Curry led the way with 33 points in Tuesday night’s win.
“It takes more than skilled players to win championships,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “It takes resiliency. Resiliency is what defines these Golden State Warriors.”
The Lakers shot just 10-of-40 from beyond the arc in the game, a clear sign of the roster’s biggest skillset gap.
“I mean, to be completely honest, we’re not a team that’s constructed of great shooting,” LeBron James said. “And that’s just what the truth of the matter is. “It’s not like we’re sitting here with a lot of lasers on our team. But that doesn’t deter us from still trying to get great shots. When you get those opportunities, you take them. But we’re not sitting here with a bunch of 40-plus [percent] career three-point shooting guys.”
The Lakers shot 34.7% from three-point range last season, good for No. 22 in the league. They shot 28.6% from three-point range in the preseason, and shot 25 percent on opening night.
“It’s a make-or-miss league,” Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said. “We just got to continue to get the reps. Get them up in practice. Get them up in shoot-arounds, individual workouts.”
James missed seven of his ten three-pointers.
“You put in the work. And if you put the work out on the floor when the cameras are not watching, then you trust it. You trust it,” James added. “And I don’t see myself missing the open looks I had tonight. I mean, I had four or five damn good looks from the three-point line. I put the work in here, so I live with those results. And if everybody is putting the work in, you live with those results. That’s all you can do. You continue to defend, you continue to push the ball, you continue to share the ball, you continue to play for one another.”
James finished the night with 31 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists. Anthony Davis, who had the lowest plus/minus for the Lakers at -21, finished with 27 points and 6 rebounds.
For Golden State, Curry was supported by Klay Thompson’s 18 points and Andrew Wiggins’ 20. Jordan Poole came off the bench with 12 points and 7 assists in 28 minutes of action.
“I’ve never had a bad ring night,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said jokingly. “They’re all awesome.”
The Lakers are back in action Thursday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Warriors match up with the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.
