Curry Scores 31 as Warriors Erase a 25-Point Deficit to Beat Lakers 112-95 in NBA Cup

Stephen Curry scored 31 points as the Golden State Warriors erased a 25-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 112-95 in NBA Cup group play on Friday night, October 30, at Chase Center in San Francisco. The game counted in West Group C. Golden State trailed by 23 points after the first quarter, tied the game by halftime and outscored Los Angeles 59-42 in the second half to complete the comeback.

Los Angeles runs away with the first quarter

The Lakers took the first quarter 38-15. Luka Doncic scored 21 points in the quarter, outscoring the entire Golden State team by himself. Early in the second quarter the lead reached 25 points on a pair of Austin Reaves free throws, and at that point the game looked settled. Golden State had started slowly at home, and Los Angeles had control of the pace and the scoreboard.

Golden State answers with a 38-15 quarter of its own

Golden State replied in the second quarter with a 38-15 run of its own, exactly matching the margin Los Angeles had built in the first. The Warriors tied the game 53-53 at halftime. According to the reports of the game, Golden State is the first team in the shot-clock era, which dates to the 1954-55 season, to trail by at least 23 points after the first quarter and tie the game by halftime. Curry led the way for the home team, and the Warriors went into the break level after a first half that had swung from one side to the other.

Curry finished with 31 points on 11 of 23 shooting, including 8 of 14 from three-point range, with 4 rebounds and 6 assists in 31 minutes. Doncic finished with a game-high 37 points on 12 of 27 shooting, including 6 of 16 from three-point range, with 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Through three quarters Doncic had 35 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists.

A third-quarter duel, then an 18-0 run ends it

Los Angeles rebuilt a nine-point lead in the third quarter, then lost it. The quarter also brought the play of the night. With 6:21 left in the third, Curry put Doncic on the floor with a series of dribble moves and made a three-pointer over him. Doncic answered at the other end with a contested three of his own.

Golden State took the fourth quarter 27-15. Early in the quarter the Warriors scored 18 straight points, a run that put the game out of reach. Los Angeles got little help beyond its starters. The Lakers bench scored only 7 points on combined 3 of 16 shooting, and Los Angeles turned the ball over 22 times, leading to 27 Golden State points.

A rematch that flipped the first meeting

The win moves Golden State to 3-3 on the season and drops Los Angeles to 4-2. Before the game the Warriors were 2-3 and the Lakers were 4-1. The game was a rematch of the October 21 season opener, which Los Angeles won 127-105 in Los Angeles. This time the result went the other way, after a first quarter that pointed to a second Los Angeles win and a second quarter that turned the night around.