Warriors Mount Historic Comeback Against Lakers, Setting NBA Records
Golden State erased a 25-point deficit to secure a record-setting victory over Los Angeles.
In a stunning turn of events that shattered NBA records, the Golden State Warriors completed a historic comeback against the Los Angeles Lakers, erasing a 25-point deficit to win 112-95 on Friday night at Chase Center.
The Lakers, fueled by a 21-point first quarter from Luka Doncic, built a commanding 25-point lead, 40-15, early in the second quarter. However, the Warriors rallied dramatically, outscoring the Lakers 97-57 for the remainder of the game.
This marked the first time in NBA history, since play-by-play data tracking began in the 1996-97 season, that a team trailed by 25 or more points in the first half and managed to tie the score by halftime. The Warriors achieved this feat, ending the first half tied at 53-53. Furthermore, their final 17-point margin of victory is the largest ever for a team that had been down by at least 25 points.
"We couldn’t have played any worse, and they knew it," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of his team's first-quarter performance. "I didn’t need to tell them. I just said it’s a long game." Kerr also noted the nature of modern NBA games, stating, "25, it’s the new 12. These games happen nightly in the league."
Despite Kerr's composed reaction, assistant coaches on the Warriors' bench were vocal in urging the players to respond. Stephen Curry acknowledged the intensity, saying, "You need that kind of fire to see how we’re gonna respond."
The Warriors responded by committing only six turnovers in the final 36 minutes of the game, a stark contrast to their 10 turnovers in the first 12 minutes. Conversely, the Lakers struggled with ball security throughout the second half, ultimately finishing with 20 turnovers compared to Golden State's 15, and 18 assists compared to the Warriors' 31.
Doncic's spectacular first quarter, which included 37 points and five assists, propelled the Lakers to their substantial lead. However, he was unable to maintain that offensive output, while Curry finished with 31 points for the Warriors. "Luka had an unbelievable first quarter," Curry remarked. "He looked very determined coming into tonight."
Kerr attributed the team's slow start partly to a potential rustiness after a week-long road trip followed by a day off. "Sometimes when you come back off a weeklong road trip and you have a day off, no shootaround, that first few minutes can be a little rough," he explained.