However, their Saturday night primetime matchup against the Golden State Warriors would be a bigger challenge as Luka Doncic was ruled out due to hamstring injury. Without Doncic, Los Angeles’ offense took an expected dip in production as they struggled to score against an undermanned Golden Stat squad.

There were a few moments where it looked like the Lakers were headed for a disappointing loss, but instead they picked things up in the second half to claim a 105-99 victory to extend their winning streak to three games.

With Doncic and Austin Reaves still coming off the bench with a minutes restriction, LeBron James was the clear focal point of L.A.’s offense. The first half was a rough one for everyone including James, but the Lakers star took little time heating up in the third quarter as he came out of halftime aggressive shooting the basketball.

James ignited his own personal run at the top of the third that swung the momentum back in Los Angeles’ favor, though Golden State eventually responded to get back within reach. However, James came up with enough timely plays to keep them at bay.

It wasn’t the prettiest or most efficient game from James as he committed seven turnovers and shot 6-of-17 from the field, but he still led the team in scoring with 20 points to go along with 10 assists and seven rebounds.

Luke Kennard, the Lakers’ trade deadline acquisition, finally made his purple and gold debut and it was a good one as he played a key role in the win. Kennard’s first shot was fittingly a 3-pointer that he made, but he also make plays off the bounce as well.

Kennard attacked closeouts and drove all the way to the rim to score, but also moved the basketball to keep possessions humming. He also drained another 3-pointer in crunch time to help the Lakers stave off the Warriors run.

It was a successful debut for Kennard as he finished with 10 points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal in 26 minutes.

What’s next for the Lakers

The Lakers will continue their home stand though it’ll be in the form of a back-to-back as they play the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. They’ll then take on the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday before they leave for the All-Star break.

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There’s always some extra intrigue when these two teams meet, although that wasn’t necessarily the case in this one as it lacked star power with Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler all out of action. That gave the Lakers a golden opportunity to pick up another win though, and they did by earning a 105-99 victory over Golden State.

Rui Hachimura, who got the start in Doncic’s place, kicked off the scoring for the Lakers with a triple. After another 3-pointer by Marcus Smart and a dunk by Jaxson Hayes, who started in place of Deandre Ayton after being a late scratch due to knee soreness, the Lakers got themselves out to an early lead.

Overall though, it was an ugly first quarter for the Lakers as they went ice cold until Luke Kennard drained his first shot from deep in his team debut. At the end of the first, the Warriors held a slim 21-20 lead.

LeBron James got the Lakers going offensively to begin the second quarter to regain the lead. Still though, both teams were sloppy and couldn’t get much going offensively.

The Lakers maintained a slim lead for a majority of the second quarter, but Pat Spencer beat the halftime buzzer to give the Warriors a 42-41 lead going into the locker room.

Draymond Green picked up a technical foul right as the first half ended, so Austin Reaves tied the game with a free throw to begin the third quarter.

Meanwhile, James came out on fire to start the second half with nine straight points to force a quick Warriors timeout.

After the Lakers built their lead up to 12 points, the Warriors went on a bit of a run to keep the game from getting out of reach. Hachimura ended the third quarter with a corner triple though, so L.A. took a 79-71 lead into the fourth.

Hachimura continued that shooting into the final quarter with five straight points, although the Warriors answered with back-to-back triples by Moses Moody and Green.

With the Lakers clinging to a one-point lead, Kennard hit a big corner triple and then Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt had layups to give them some breathing room.

The Lakers took complete control from there, getting the lead back to double digits to eventually close it out.

What’s next for the Lakers…

The Lakers have a tough schedule leading up to the All-Star break as they have a back-to-back against the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, before closing out the first half on Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks.

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Additionally, Adou Thiero (right MCL sprain) remains out while Jaxson Hayes will return to the lineup after his one-game suspension.

Doncic suffered the injury in the second quarter of Thursday night’s win over the Philadelphia 76ers and he was not able to return.

After the game, JJ Redick did not know the severity of the injury and revealed that Doncic would be getting testing done to determine it.

“Yeah, he, felt some soreness in his hamstring. He didn’t feel like it was good enough to go back in [and] neither did medical. So we held him out,” Redick said. “He’ll get some imaging. I mean [it’s] too early to say if there’s an injury, but [he] just had a sore hamstring.”

It still remains to be seen exactly how much time Doncic will miss, but it makes sense for the Lakers to be cautious and hold him out against the Warriors to avoid it becoming a more serious injury. The Lakers only have four more games until the All-Star break and then would get eight days off, which would give Luka plenty of time to rest and get healthy.

With Doncic out though, that obviously puts more pressure on LeBron James and Austin Reaves to run the team’s offense. Reaves just got back from his own injury but looked phenomenal leading L.A. to victory over the 76ers after Doncic went down.

Meanwhile, Kennard has a chance to make his Lakers debut, although he said it will depend on getting his physical wrapped up beforehand.

Austin Reaves: Lakers need Luka Doncic

It’s been a rough year for the Lakers due to injuries as LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic and others have all missed time. Reaves just got back this week to put the Lakers at full strength really for the first time, but now Doncic is dealing with this hamstring injury.

Even if he misses time, Reaves is hoping that Doncic will be back soon given his importance to the team.

“I talked to (Doncic) a little bit at halftime, asked if he was OK, and he kind of just looked at me,” Reaves said. “Hopefully it’s nothing major. We need him. He’s our best player and the engine of a lot of stuff that we do. Hopefully it’ll be good news tomorrow.”

The Lakers have a tough four-game stretch coming up against Western Conference teams before the All-Star break, and Doncic may not be on the court for some or all of those games.

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James and Green have gotten close over the years, though they are also represented by Klutch Sports Agency so their paths cross frequently. The two have faced off several times in the playoffs, with each winning championships against their respective squads. Both of their games have declined in recent years, but they are still two of the most popular players and personalities in the NBA.

Both the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors find themselves trying to keep pace in the Western Conference during the 2025-26 season, so naturally their respective front offices are searching the trade market for upgrades before the deadline.

Surprisingly, Green has popped up as a possible trade as the Warriors angle to try and trade for a star like Giannis Antetokounmpo. Amidst the trade deadline chaos, though, Green expressed his interest in teaming up with James at some point, via Melissa Rohlin of The California Post:

“I’ve always wanted to [play with him]” Green said. “Saying I wanted to go to his team, that’s not the case. I’m very comfortable in my situation with 30 [Curry] and what we’ve built and what we have. But I think him and Steph shared the want to take the court together, and they got the opportunity to do that in the Olympics in Paris. I’ve always wanted the opportunity. Just to experience it, to see how he thinks, to see, all right, what I could do to help him and his thinking. Or what can I learn and pick up about what he’s thinking.”

Like James, Green is an excellent playmaker with a high basketball IQ that knows exactly where he and the basketball should be at all times. A partnership between James and Green appears seamless on paper as they’re both unselfish players that don’t mind making the extra pass and keeping a possession rolling.

With James trying to squeeze out whatever’s left in his game, perhaps the front office will try to pair him with Green to give the veterans one more shot at a ring.

Draymond Green explains why LeBron James is better than Michael Jordan

Although Draymond Green hasn’t ever backed down from LeBron James on the court, he still makes sure to give the Lakers star his flowers. In fact, Green declared James better than Michael Jordan and explained he thinks that because LeBron has carried lesser teams to the Finals and won.

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On this day in Lakers history, Bryant took things into his own hands and helped guide the team to an improbable victory. Jan. 27 provided a showdown between two Pacific Division rivals, as the Lakers hosted the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center.

Bryant was coming off of an all-time performance, as it was his first game since an 81-point onslaught against the Toronto Raptors.

The Warriors were led by Baron Davis, who had become a revered talent at the point guard position for his passing ability. While many point to his legendary dunk over Andrei Kirilenko in the NBA playoffs, Davis meant much more.

He not only helped the rebirth of that struggling franchise, but also provided a show for their fans every night with the Warriors’ exciting style of play.

The contest at Staples Center started out in favor of the Lakers, as they jumped out to a 31-28 lead after the first. After outscoring the Warriors by five in the second quarter, the Lakers took a 55-47 lead into halftime.

However, from here the game would take a twist in favor of the Warriors. Head coach Mike Montgomery helped reset his team’s mindset and come out of halftime with a renewed energy. They out-hustled Los Angeles from the get-go, holding the Lakers to 11 points en route to taking a seven-point lead into the final quarter.

While Davis was the orchestrator, Troy Murphy, Mickael Pietrus, Monta Ellis and former Laker Derek Fisher all provided some much-need help. Pietrus, who was regarded as an elite defender at the time, had managed to limit Bryant to just 2-for-12 shooting through the first three quarters.

However, as all Lakers fans know, Bryant always emerged in the fourth quarter with his killer instinct. He scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, pulling the Lakers to within just two points.

Fisher, Bryant’s former backcourt mate, then committed a huge mistake as he was called for an offensive foul shortly after. No. 8 was then fouled with under 10 seconds, sinking two free throws that sent the game into overtime.

The game would then turn in favor of the Lakers, with Bryant gaining his rhythm and finishing off the Warriors. He scored another nine points in overtime, cementing the Lakers 106-105 victory.

The future Hall-of-Famer knocked down four clutch free throws in the final 10 seconds of overtime, lifting the Lakers to 23-19 on the season.

Kobe Bryant stats that night

Bryant had 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Lamar Odom contributed nine points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.

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