The Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors face off in the NBA Regular Season opener on Wednesday (21). Tipoff is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local time) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with live coverage in the United States on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Unlimited, and Fubo.
Both franchises enter the court with a 0-0 record in the Western Conference as they begin the 2026-27 campaign. In the previous 2025-26 regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers finished fourth in the West with 53 wins and 29 losses, defeating the Houston Rockets 4-2 in the first round of the playoffs before falling 4-0 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference semifinals. The Golden State Warriors ended the 2025-26 regular season in 10th place in the conference with a 37-45 record. In the most recent regular-season meeting between the two teams, on April 9, 2026, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors 119-103 on the road.
Where to watch Los Angeles Lakers vs Golden State Warriors live
Fans in the United States can watch the season opener between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors across four television and streaming options:
- ESPN (cable TV)
- ESPN Deportes (cable TV)
- ESPN Unlimited (streaming)
- Fubo (streaming)
Time and venue for Los Angeles Lakers vs Golden State Warriors
- Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
- Time: 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local time at the arena)
- Venue: Crypto.com Arena, in Los Angeles
- Competition: NBA — Regular Season
How the Los Angeles Lakers arrive
Head coach JJ Redick begins his third season in charge of the Los Angeles Lakers, having been hired in June 2024. The matchup marks the franchise’s first official season opener following the offseason transfer of LeBron James to the Philadelphia 76ers. The starting core is built around Luka Dončić, who averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game in the 2025-26 season, alongside shooting guard Austin Reaves and newly acquired center Walker Kessler.
Redick kept the final two starting wing spots undecided prior to tipoff, with Quentin Grimes, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle, and Sandro Mamukelashvili competing for the roles during the preseason. “I know that there’s a chance Quentin is gonna have an opportunity to start,” Redick said regarding the lineup. To finalize the roster ahead of the opener, the franchise waived forward Dalton Knecht on October 19, 2026.
On the injury front, center Walker Kessler (finger), power forward Jarred Vanderbilt, and guard Bronny James (illness) were cleared and do not appear on the injury report. The confirmed absences for the Los Angeles Lakers are Cameron Carr (out with an oblique injury) and Adou Thiero (out with a knee injury), while guard Collin Sexton is listed as questionable due to a calf/soleus muscle injury. Because this is the opening game of the 2026-27 season, no players carry disciplinary suspensions.
How the Golden State Warriors arrive
The Golden State Warriors are led by head coach Steve Kerr, who added Frank Vogel as associate head coach on his staff for the 2026-27 campaign. Point guard Stephen Curry, who averaged 26.6 points and 4.4 three-pointers per game in 2025-26, suffered an ankle sprain during Sunday’s practice but is listed as probable for the game in Los Angeles. Center Charles Bassey is listed as questionable after missing Tuesday’s practice.
The team’s official injury report confirms four absences for the season opener. Forward Jimmy Butler III is out recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee sustained in January, with a return projected between January and February 2027. Guard Moses Moody is out recovering from a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee suffered in March, expected back between December 2026 and January 2027. Center Kristaps Porziņģis is out indefinitely due to an illness, and guard Brandin Podziemski is ruled out of the opener with lower back soreness.
Kerr initially planned a starting five featuring Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Brazilian forward Gui Santos, rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg—confirmed as a starter after opening most exhibition games—and Draymond Green in the frontcourt, with Al Horford coming off the bench. With Podziemski’s late scratch, guard De’Anthony Melton is projected to take on a larger role in the backcourt rotation, though the official replacement in the starting lineup has not yet been confirmed.
Officiating for Los Angeles Lakers vs Golden State Warriors
The officiating crew (Crew Chief, Referee, and Umpire) for the matchup had not been announced by the time this report was completed, as the NBA officially publishes daily referee assignments on the morning of game days.
Preseason matchups and next game between Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors
Before the official tipoff of the 2026-27 regular season, the two California franchises met twice during the October 2026 preseason, with the Golden State Warriors winning both contests. The first exhibition game took place on October 6, 2026, in San Francisco, where Golden State won 124-98 in a matchup that Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler did not play. In the second meeting, held in Las Vegas on Tuesday (13), the Warriors defeated the Lakers 101-89 after overcoming a 20-point deficit, despite a 28-point performance by Reaves.
Following Wednesday’s opener at Crypto.com Arena, the next regular-season meeting between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers is scheduled for October 30, 2026, at Chase Center in San Francisco.