🚨 NO STARS, NO PROBLEM! Lakers STUN the Warriors 126–116 Behind Austin Reaves’ 🔥 21 Pts & Ayton’s Dominant All-Around Night!

SAN FRANCISCO — Who needs stars when you’ve got heart?
In a game that was supposed to be a throwaway preseason matchup without LeBron James, Anthony Davis, or Stephen Curry, the Los Angeles Lakers came out swinging — and left the Golden State Warriors stunned with a 126–116 victory that showcased depth, discipline, and a surprising dose of swagger.

🌟 Austin Reaves Takes Center Stage

Without the team’s usual offensive engines, Austin Reaves turned in one of his most complete performances in purple and gold — pouring in 21 points on an ultra-efficient 7-of-10 shooting, including three triples and a perfect night at the line.

Reaves looked like the best player on the floor for stretches, orchestrating the offense, finding gaps in the Warriors’ defense, and knocking down big shots when momentum began to shift. His confidence radiated through the lineup.

“It doesn’t matter who’s out,” Reaves said postgame. “We play the same way — move the ball, trust each other, and compete. That’s the standard.”

The standard worked.

💪 Deandre Ayton: The Missing Piece?

Meanwhile, Deandre Ayton — in just his fourth game with the Lakers after being acquired this offseason — delivered the kind of two-way impact the franchise has been craving from its frontcourt depth.

Ayton finished with 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists on a smooth 6-of-8 shooting performance. But beyond the box score, it was his energy that set the tone. He was commanding in the paint, disciplined on rotations, and made smart passes out of double-teams — a sign of growing chemistry with Reaves and D’Angelo Russell.

“That’s what I’ve been waiting for,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “Ayton was decisive, aggressive, and totally engaged. You could feel his presence on both ends.”

⚙️ Lakers Depth Delivers Again

It wasn’t just the stars of the night doing damage. Max Christie added 15 points, Rui Hachimura contributed 13 with steady midrange shooting, and Gabe Vincent chipped in 11 off the bench, keeping the pace alive in the second half.

The Lakers shared the ball beautifully — finishing with 31 assists on 45 made field goals — and shot a sizzling 54% from the field.

It’s the kind of unselfish, balanced attack that championship teams lean on when the stars are resting.

🏀 Warriors Put Up a Fight

To their credit, the Warriors didn’t go down quietly.
Rookie Brandin Podziemski continued to impress with a fiery 23-point, 8-assist effort, showing flashes of the poise and playmaking that made him a summer league standout. Jonathan Kuminga chipped in 13 points and 6 boards, while Moses Moody added 11 in a steady performance off the bench.

But without Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, or Draymond Green, Golden State’s offense struggled to maintain consistency. Their perimeter defense also lagged, allowing L.A. to repeatedly exploit switches and get to the rim at will.

“We didn’t match their intensity,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted. “They moved the ball well, they played physical, and we just didn’t respond soon enough.”

🔥 Turning Point: The Reaves-Ayton Connection

The highlight of the night came midway through the third quarter when Reaves lobbed a perfect alley-oop to Ayton over Kuminga, capping a 12–2 Lakers run. The sequence electrified the bench — and effectively broke Golden State’s rhythm.

From there, the Lakers never looked back. They outscored the Warriors 34–26 in the third and led by as many as 15 before closing the game strong behind timely buckets from Reaves and Hachimura.

📊 Stat of the Night

The Lakers scored 62 points in the paint — a season-high — without either LeBron or AD on the floor. That’s a testament to their ball movement and Ayton’s dominance inside.

💬 Social Media Reacts

Fans and analysts lit up X (formerly Twitter) after the final buzzer:

“Austin Reaves is HIM. That’s the tweet.” — @LakerNation

“If this is what the Lakers look like without LeBron and AD… the West might be in trouble.” — @NBAonTNT

“Reaves + Ayton pick-and-roll is already smoother than I expected. Chemistry’s real.” — @KevinOConnorNBA

Even rival fans were impressed, with one Warriors supporter posting:

“Not even mad. Reaves looked like prime Ginóbili tonight.”

💭 Did the Lakers Just Prove Something Big?

For a preseason game, the implications were surprisingly deep. The Lakers have long been criticized for being too dependent on LeBron and AD to carry the offense. But this performance — anchored by Reaves, Ayton, and the second unit — showed that L.A. may finally have the roster depth to weather injuries or rest days.

If Reaves continues to take a leap toward becoming the team’s legitimate third option, and if Ayton maintains this level of engagement, the Lakers’ ceiling could be higher than many expected.

“This is what we’ve been building toward,” Ham said. “Next man up — no excuses. Everyone contributes.”

🧠 Analyst Take

NBA analyst Jalen Rose summed it up perfectly on ESPN’s postgame show:

“When you’ve got role players who can look like stars when your stars sit, that’s a scary sign for the league. Reaves is playing like he believes he belongs — and Ayton looks rejuvenated.”

Rose added that the game showed more than just depth: it showed buy-in.

“They’re having fun again. You can see it. That’s dangerous.”

⚡ What’s Next

The Lakers improve to 3–1 in preseason play and will next face the Phoenix Suns on Saturday, where LeBron and AD are expected to return. The Warriors, now 2–2, will regroup before hosting the Sacramento Kings in their final tune-up.

But even if it’s “just preseason,” fans know one thing for sure — this Lakers team looks locked in, connected, and dangerous.

“No stars, no problem,” one fan wrote. “This isn’t the same Lakers team from last year — this one’s built for a run.”