LOS ANGELES (AP) - While the Los Angeles Lakers shouted and shoved each other with elation, Luke Walton managed to look unsurprised by the incredible upset unfolding before them.
The Los Angeles Lakers were battering the mighty Golden State Warriors. Walton’s championship-tested former team just couldn’t catch up to his young, hungry new squad.
Although it’s far too early in the season to truly celebrate anything, Walton thinks the Lakers’ future is fascinating.
Lou Williams scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers snapped Stephen Curry’s NBA-record streak of 157 games with a 3-pointer during their 117-97 victory Friday night.
Julius Randle had 20 points and 14 rebounds, and D’Angelo Russell added 17 points for the rebuilding Lakers. They built a 21-point lead in the third quarter and hung on to shock the Warriors at Staples Center for the third consecutive season.
“It obviously feels better because they’re the best,” Walton said. “They’re as good as it gets. … But it was just good to see the progress continuing.”
After his first meeting with his former team and his coaching mentor, Steve Kerr, Walton claimed the win meant nothing special to him - but he could understand why the Lakers and their fans might feel differently.
Los Angeles has made a habit of surprising the Warriors recently, but as Williams put it: “This one was valid.”
“We’ve got a lot of young talent here,” Williams added. “Finally it’s starting to look like we have some pieces in the right places.”
Kevin Durant scored 27 points and Draymond Green had 16, but the Warriors never led and couldn’t entirely close the huge gap in the second half while falling to 4-2. Golden State didn’t lose its second game under Walton last year until Dec. 30.
One night after Durant scored 39 points to beat his former Oklahoma City Thunder teammates, the Warriors scored a season-low 15 points in the first quarter and never fully recovered.
“You don’t like the feeling at all,” Curry said. “But you’ve got to wrap your head around where you are in the season, and the good we’ve shown early in the year, but also focus on the things we need to work on. Regardless of a game like last night or tonight, we still have some things we need to work on.”
STREAK SNAPPED
Curry scored 13 points while going 0 for 10 from 3-point range, ending several incredible long-distance streaks. He had hit a 3-pointer in every regular-season game since Nov. 11, 2014.
Including the postseason, Curry had at least one 3 in 196 straight games, and he had also hit in 116 straight regular-season road games - both NBA records.
“That was a cool little ride,” Curry said. “Would have loved to finish my career making one every game, but hey, start a new one. What was it, like two years? Kind of weird not to make one, but I will keep shooting.”
NOT AGAIN
Eight months ago at Staples Center, the pre-Durant Warriors also lost 112-95 to the worst Lakers team in franchise history, one of Golden State’s mere nine losses last season. Another bad Lakers team also beat Golden State at home on Dec. 23, 2014.
“It’s our annual beatdown at Staples by the Lakers,” Kerr said. “They do this every year. Let’s just give them credit. They came in sky-high with a ton of energy, played really well, and we were flat, right from the beginning.”
TIP-INS
Warriors: Durant scored at least 20 points for his 70th straight game, surpassing Michael Jordan’s 1990-91 streak and matching Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the sixth-longest such streak in NBA history. … G Patrick McCaw is still out with an ankle injury. … Drake, Denzel Washington, Dodgers slugger Yasiel Puig and Kings goalie Jonathan Quick were among the crowd that turned out to see the revamped Western Conference champions.
Lakers: Timofey Mozgov played despite a bruise around his left eye, courtesy of an elbow from Indiana’s Jeff Teague earlier this week. The Russian center was considered doubtful for the game after missing Wednesday’s win in Atlanta, but Mozgov played 16 minutes. … The Lakers wore throwback uniforms from their Showtime era, although their current uniforms are only slightly different.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Host Pelicans on Monday.
Lakers: Host Suns on Sunday.
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