Warriors rally from 25‑point deficit, defeat Lakers 112‑95 with Curry’s 31‑point performance

San Francisco — Stephen Curry erupted for 31 points late Friday, powering the Golden State Warriors to a 112-95 comeback win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Golden State became the first team in 30 seasons to trail by 25 points and secure a victory by at least 17.

The early story belonged to Lakers star Luka Doncic. After rookie Yaxel Lendeborg criticized Doncic before their previous meeting, the rematch ignited pregame buzz. Doncic responded on the court, posting 21 points and five assists in the first quarter to give the Lakers a 38-15 advantage and silence “Luka sucks” chants.

Los Angeles extended the cushion early in the second quarter, but the Lakers struggled after Doncic was forced to the bench. Two Warriors reserves, Georges Niang and De’Anthony Melton, combined for 27 points off the bench, hitting a flurry of threes that pulled Golden State within striking distance and set the stage for Curry.

Curry delivered a pivotal surge in the late second quarter, scoring eight points—including a deep three‑pointer and a tough layup—and setting up Brandin Podziemski and Al Horford for subsequent threes. The Warriors closed the half on a 38-15 run, tying the game at halftime after trailing by 23 at the end of the first quarter—the largest such comeback in the shot‑clock era.

“What I would tell you guys is that 25, you know, it’s the new 12,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of the deficit. “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.”

Curry continued to dominate after halftime, adding eight points in the third quarter and nine in the fourth, finishing with 31 points—his 75th in the past two games—as he begins his 18th season.

The signature moment arrived with 6:27 left in the third quarter. The Warriors’ defensive scheme repeatedly switched screens to force Doncic onto Curry. Curry isolated Doncic on the left wing, used a quick dribble combination that sent the Slovenian star into a misstep, and caused him to tumble to the floor. Curry paused, looked at Doncic, swished a three‑pointer, and then celebrated by grabbing his face. After the game, Curry told the Amazon Prime postgame crew that he “didn’t expect it to get that nasty.”

The play also shifted attention away from rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who had a quiet second game. He finished with six points, six fouls, and five turnovers, calling it “the worst game of my life.” Podziemski contributed a high‑impact 21 points and six assists, shielding Lendeborg from a negative spotlight.

“Try not to wet the bed as bad as I did,” Lendeborg said when asked about the lesson from his poor performance. He described himself as a “big dweller” on his bad games but noted the compressed NBA schedule leaves little time to dwell.

The Warriors improved to 3‑3 after an 0‑3 start and head into Sunday night’s matchup against the LA Clippers with their winning streak on the line.

“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.”

The victory highlighted Golden State’s resilience and Curry’s leadership as they continue to climb back into playoff contention.

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