Stephen Curry Leads Warriors’ Historic 25-Point Comeback Against Luka Doncic and the Lakers
SAN FRANCISCO — Behind a theatrical 31-point performance from Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors completed one of the most improbable comebacks in recent NBA history on Friday night, erasing a first-quarter deficit that reached 25 points to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 112-95.
The victory made Golden State the first team in the past 30 seasons to trail by 25 points and win by at least 17, turning what began as a Luka Doncic showcase into a statement win for a Warriors squad that had opened the season 0-3.
A 25-Point Hole and a 38-15 Quarter That Changed Everything
Lakers star Luka Doncic was the story initially. His rematch with Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg dominated pregame coverage after Lendeborg criticized Doncic following their previous matchup. Doncic responded loudly in an aggressive first quarter, putting up 21 points and five assists to jolt the Lakers to a 38-15 lead, quieting the crowd after “Luka sucks” chants broke out.
Los Angeles scored to open the second quarter, building that 25-point cushion, before the Lakers struggled with Doncic on the bench. Two Warriors reserves, Georges Niang and De’Anthony Melton, combined for 27 bench points, making a batch of second-quarter 3s to zip Golden State back in it and set the stage for Curry.
Curry had eight points and three assists in a late second-quarter surge, hitting a deep 3 and a difficult layup before setting up Brandin Podziemski and Al Horford for 3s. That completed the Warriors’ 38-15 second-quarter response. In the shot-clock era, this was the largest deficit ever overcome at the end of the first quarter to be tied or ahead at halftime.
| Team | After Q1 | Halftime | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | 38 | 53 | 95 |
| Golden State Warriors | 15 | 53 | 112 |
Doncic Starts Fast, but the Lendeborg Narrative Fades
Doncic stayed quiet about Lendeborg publicly but let his play do the talking early. However, once the Warriors trimmed the deficit, the rookie’s night unraveled. Lendeborg committed two quick fouls and said it sapped his aggressiveness. He finished with six points, six fouls and five turnovers, calling it the “worst game of my life.” Doncic scored 37 and was a plus-9.
Curry’s performance, combined with a high-impact 21 points and six assists from Podziemski, shielded Lendeborg from what would have been a negative spotlight. After a strong surge to start his career that included plenty of trash talk, Lendeborg had a quiet second game against Doncic and the Lakers.
“Try not to wet the bed as bad as I did,” Lendeborg said when asked what lesson he would take.
Curry’s Signature Sequence and the Fourth-Quarter Takeover
The signature play of the night came with 6:27 left in the third quarter. The Warriors spent much of the second half hunting Doncic on defense, lining up screens to get him switched onto Curry. Curry had Doncic isolated on the left wing and went through a dribble combination that sent Doncic into a misstep, causing him to tumble onto the hardwood as the fans rose.
Curry paused for a second, looked at Doncic, swished a 3 and grabbed his face in celebration. Curry later told the Amazon Prime postgame crew that he “didn’t expect it to get that nasty.”
Curry scored eight points in the third quarter and nine in the fourth, giving him 31 on the night and 75 over the past two games combined as he begins to rev his engines in his 18th season.
Bench Production and Defensive Adjustments Fuel the Rally
“Them boys had my back today,” Lendeborg said. “Steph Curry did his thing.” The contributions from Niang and Melton proved critical, as did Golden State’s willingness to hunt Doncic on defense by setting screens that forced switches onto Curry.
Steve Kerr on the ‘New 12’ and a Sunday Date With the Clippers
“What I would tell you guys is that 25, you know, it’s the new 12,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said about facing deficits. “These games happen nightly in the league. I watched the Utah-Laker game today prepping. I think Utah was up 19 at the end of the first quarter, and then the Lakers tied it by half. With the pace and the 3-point shooting, there’s just these wild swings and you just have to stay with it.”
The Road Ahead: Warriors vs. Clippers
The Warriors, suddenly 3-3 after an 0-3 start, put their winning streak on the line Sunday night against the LA Clippers.
“We have his back through all of that, and knowing that the next game, we’re going to need him,” Curry said. “It’s all about the theme of him learning trial by fire, going through the ups and downs in front of everybody. It’s a tough demand, but I think he’s built for it.”
Friday’s comeback was more than a statistical anomaly. For the Warriors, it validated a roster capable of surviving early adversity and leaning on its veteran core when the margins vanish. For the Lakers, it was a reminder that a dominant opening quarter means little if the second half belongs to Stephen Curry. As Golden State heads south to face the Clippers, the narrative has shifted from a rookie’s trash-talking misstep to a franchise-defining rally anchored by its greatest shooter.
Sports, News, National Basketball Association, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Yaxel Lendeborg, Brandin Podziemski, Georges Niang, De’Anthony Melton, Steve Kerr, NBA Comeback, Chase Center, San Francisco, Los Angeles, California, Basketball, Positive
