The Lakers Scored 26 Points in a Half. What the Hell Happened?

Twenty-six points in a whole half is nasty work

Los Angeles led Golden State 63–50 at halftime and lost 101–89. That's a 51–26 second half. You can't tell me that isn't worth talking about. But if all we say is 'Lakers choked,' we miss what actually happened: the units that built the lead weren't the same units trying to protect it.

Austin Reaves had 25 first-half points and finished with 28. Walker Kessler made his Lakers debut and put up 11 points and nine rebounds in the first half, giving Los Angeles size and a target around the basket. The Lakers built a lead of roughly 20 points while their main rotation was involved. Then the game turned into a test of depth, and that test got ugly.

The turnover number is the real alarm

The Lakers committed 30 turnovers, which produced 26 Warriors points. Thirty. That's not a little sloppy; that's giving the other team extra possessions all night. Los Angeles also finished 33-for-76 from the floor and 9-for-34 from three, according to Silver Screen and Roll's game recap. When you stop getting clean looks and keep coughing up the ball, even a comfortable lead disappears fast.

Golden State's reserves tightened the screws after halftime. Brandin Podziemski and Gui Santos contributed to the comeback, while rookie Yaxel Lendeborg scored 17 despite an ankle scare. The Warriors weren't flawless, either: Reaves got wherever he wanted early, and Golden State rested Draymond Green and Al Horford. Luka Doncic sat for the Lakers. That's why the preseason context matters in both directions.

What carries into the season?

My question isn't whether this single loss means the Lakers are cooked. It doesn't. My question is whether their bench can organize an offense when the stars sit. Can somebody settle things down, get the ball to the right spot and stop a five-minute disaster from becoming a full-half collapse? You need that in the regular season, and you damn sure need it in the playoffs.

The Warriors also have something to fix: their point-of-attack defense got shredded by Reaves while the meaningful rotation was playing. Both teams left Vegas with film they shouldn't ignore. That's the value of preseason, even when the final score doesn't count.

Reporting: Silver Screen and Roll (October 14, 2026), https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/lakers-scores-results/127277/lakers-vs-warriors-recap-box-score-stats-final-austin-reaves-walker-kessler ; San Francisco Chronicle (October 14, 2026), https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/warriors/article/golden-state-warriors-win-preseason-game-show-22476067.php