Luka Dončić builds the Lakers a cushion, then has to rescue their finish

The Lakers built a 26-point lead and still needed Luka Dončić back on the floor to finish the job. Elsewhere, Golden State found a rookie-sized answer to a rough opening, Brooklyn finally got its first win, and Boston kept its streak moving.

Toronto Raptors @ Los Angeles Lakers: Dončić gives the Lakers room to wobble

Los Angeles made 18 of 37 three-pointers; Toronto made 17 of 54. That difference helped the Lakers win 131-125, though the Raptors’ late rally made the margin look far less comfortable than the first three quarters suggested. The box score also shows Toronto with 35 assists to the Lakers’ 26, while Los Angeles blocked seven shots to the Raptors’ one.

Dončić had 45 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and five steals, scoring 16 in the first quarter as the Lakers opened a 36-23 lead. They were up 102-76 with 90 seconds left in the third, then took their starters out with 1:43 remaining and watched Toronto’s reserves score 11 points in 40 seconds to cut it to 125-120. Dončić and the starters returned for the closing possessions. Los Angeles also gave the ball away 22 times, seven more than Toronto, so the late scare was not a fluke of the score. The game recap tracks the run and the response.

Los Angeles Clippers @ Golden State Warriors: Golden State wins with the extra pass

The Warriors finished with 32 assists to the Clippers’ 22, a useful measure of how quickly their offense recovered after a 37-point first quarter from Los Angeles. Golden State took the second quarter 34-20, then held on for a 124-112 win. Its 22-for-49 three-point shooting outpaced the Clippers’ 14-for-39, and the Warriors added five blocks while Los Angeles had none, according to the box score.

Yaxel Lendeborg supplied the night’s sharpest change of pace: 37 points, six assists, 13-for-19 shooting and six three-pointers. He scored five straight midway through the third as Golden State stretched its lead to 83-68. The Warriors’ reserves contributed 40 points, with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green resting. The game recap details how the bench took the game away from a Clippers team that had started with the better punch.

Brooklyn Nets @ Indiana Pacers: Brooklyn wins the glass and the game

Brooklyn outrebounded Indiana 43-37 and left with a 98-90 win, its first of the season. Both teams made 13 three-pointers, but the Nets needed 39 attempts to get there while Indiana used 35. The box score also records 21 assists apiece and a small turnover edge for the Pacers, 14 to 15.

The Nets’ control came from keeping Indiana at arm’s length after halftime. Brooklyn led by 12 three times in the third quarter; back-to-back threes from Larry Nance Jr. and Andrew Nembhard brought the Pacers within 75-72 early in the fourth, but no closer. Michael Porter Jr. scored 23, Julius Randle added 20, and Day’Ron Sharpe paired 15 points with 13 rebounds. The game recap notes that Indiana shot 32 percent from the field in the first half.

Boston Celtics @ Orlando Magic: Boston survives the swing

Boston went 22-for-26 at the free-throw line, compared with Orlando’s 15-for-19, and that steadiness mattered once the game turned. The Celtics beat the Magic 108-97 despite being outrebounded 43-41 and shooting 12-for-44 from three, against Orlando’s 14-for-39. Boston finished with 29 assists to 24, while Orlando committed 16 turnovers to Boston’s 12. The box score confirms the team totals.

Jayson Tatum scored 32 and made 15 of 17 free throws. Boston had built a 15-point lead before Orlando answered with a 12-0 run to get within three entering the fourth. Anthony Black’s steal and three-point play tied it at 79, but Franz Wagner missed a layup that could have put the Magic ahead. Paul George scored 10 in the fourth, then hit a three with 1:32 left to restore an 11-point cushion. Wagner finished with a career-high 12 assists, but Boston’s late stops held. The game recap records the turning points.

The wider note: Lendeborg’s night belongs in the rookie record book

Lendeborg’s 37 points were a career high and the most by a Warriors rookie since Stephen Curry scored 42 in 2010. That is a substantial mark for a player in his first week of the season, especially on a night when Golden State rested two of its most recognizable players. The league’s early story is not only who can carry a scoring load, but which young players can turn an opportunity into a result.