Warriors 112, Lakers 95: a 50-7 bench advantage powers the comeback

The bench changes the game

Golden State’s reserves scored 50 points to the Lakers’ seven in a 112-95 win Friday at Chase Center. Stephen Curry supplied 31 points and eight three-pointers, but the Warriors had several ways to score when their star needed help. Los Angeles had far fewer.

De’Anthony Melton scored 16 and Georges Niang added 11. Together they made seven of nine three-point attempts. The Lakers’ entire reserve group made three field goals. That difference left Los Angeles dependent on its starters to generate almost all of its offense.

The Warriors improved to 3-3 after opening the season with three losses and began NBA Cup West Group C play 1-0. The Lakers fell to 4-2 overall and 0-1 in the group. Golden State’s 17-point winning margin followed a 23-point deficit after the first quarter, a 40-point reversal over the remaining three periods.

Where the separation came from

Curry went 8-for-14 from three. Brandin Podziemski made four threes and scored 21. Golden State finished 22-for-46 beyond the arc, while Los Angeles made 11 of 39. The extra 11 makes produced a 33-point advantage from long range, more than enough to outweigh the Lakers’ four-point edge at the foul line.

Passing spread the work. Draymond Green had nine assists despite scoring only two points; Curry and Podziemski each had six. Golden State recorded 31 assists on 38 made field goals. The useful distinction is how many players could finish a possession, with Melton and Niang supplying efficient scoring alongside the starting backcourt.

Luka Dončić led Los Angeles with 37 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Austin Reaves scored 21. Those two accounted for 58 of the Lakers’ 95 points. The reserves’ seven points, coupled with 20 team turnovers, left little room for either lead scorer to have an empty stretch.

One night of 47.8 percent three-point shooting is a high standard to reproduce. The more sustainable test for Golden State is whether its supporting players can keep possessions productive when Curry is crowded. Friday offered a strong answer: 11 other Warriors scored, and the bench gave the comeback room to become a comfortable finish.