LOS ANGELES -- A few minutes after Luka Doncic strode to center court and promised the home crowd he would help deliver a "special season," the Lakers star connected with center Walker Kessler for an alley-oop dunk on the first possession of Wednesday's opener against the Warriors.
For the Lakers, who have installed Doncic as the heir to LeBron James and rebuilt their roster around him, the instant chemistry was a thunderous and promising sign of things to come.
By night's end, Doncic had piled up a game-high 28 points with 8 rebounds and 7 assists in the Lakers' 127-105 blowout victory over the undermanned Warriors. Kessler, who arrived in Los Angeles this summer after a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz, added 26 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in his standout Lakers debut.
"It's a lot of honor to be the face of the franchise," Doncic said. "That's just the first game. I think our ceiling is even higher."
Doncic, who teamed with James for two seasons, looked fully comfortable on center stage even without the four-time MVP next to him. The Slovenian star keyed a 17-4 Lakers run to close the second quarter, exchanging verbal barbs with Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg before banking in a 49-footer to beat the halftime buzzer.
"I knew it was going up before I got it in my hands," Doncic said. "I work on those."
The Warriors never recovered from Doncic's halfcourt haymaker, in part because Kessler never missed a shot. The 7-foot-2 center finished 12-for-12 from the field in his first regular-season game since undergoing shoulder surgery in November. He became the first Lakers player to shoot 100% on at least 12 field goal attempts since Wilt Chamberlain in 1969. He also became the first player in franchise history to convert 10 dunks in a game since Shaquille O'Neal in 2003.
"When I was driving, [Kessler] stepped up," Doncic said. "When I was doubled, he played in the pocket. Very impressive game from him."
Lakers coach JJ Redick praised Kessler's "great opening statement" and credited the center's transition hustle for creating so many high-percentage scoring chances.
"Contrary to my name, I run a lot," Kessler quipped.
After remaining mum on his starting lineup throughout training camp and the preseason, Redick opened the season with Doncic, Kessler, guard Austin Reaves and defensive-minded forwards Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams. Reaves, the longest-tenured Laker, posted 23 points and 6 assists, and Los Angeles' starting lineup outscored the Warriors 34-24 and posted a blistering 141.7 offensive rating in their 12 minutes together.
The Lakers' starters struggled to contain Warriors star Stephen Curry in the first quarter, but they tightened up coming out of halftime to put the game out of reach. Thybulle, who spent last season with the Portland Trail Blazers, came up with a steal and fed Williams, a former Brooklyn Net, for a transition dunk during the third-quarter push.
"We've got a great starting five and a great unit behind us," Williams said. "All the holes are filled in, and the puzzle is complete. ... Luka and [Reaves] are great playmakers. Walker has a good feel around the rim. It's a perfect setup honestly. There will be a lot more of that to come."
By contrast, the Warriors looked like a team filled with holes around Curry and veteran big man Draymond Green. Jimmy Butler III, Brandin Podziemski, Kristaps Porzingis, Moses Moody and Charles Bassey were all out Wednesday with various injuries and ailments.
Curry scored 16 of his team-high 23 points in the first quarter, but the Warriors faded badly in the second half as the Lakers' defense made the necessary adjustments and Doncic and Reaves kept feeding Kessler.
"I'm extremely thankful playing with the guys we have on our team," Kessler said. "Their court vision is insane. They know my advantage is my height. They found me in the right spots."