The Lakers came within one possession of reaching the Summer League championship game before a pair of late turnovers ended their impressive Las Vegas run.
The Los Angeles Lakers saw their undefeated run in Las Vegas come to an end Saturday night, falling 92-88 to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Summer League semifinals.
L.A. entered the matchup with a perfect 4-0 record in Las Vegas and had won six of seven Summer League games overall after opening the summer with a loss to Golden State at the California Classic. The rematch was just as competitive, featuring 18 lead changes and 10 ties before the Warriors pulled away in the closing seconds.
Golden State advanced to the Summer League championship game behind balanced scoring from four players in double figures.
Graham Ike led the way with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while LJ Cryer also scored 16 points.
Warriors first-round rookie Yaxel Lendeborg continued his impressive summer with 15 points, including seven in the fourth quarter.
Thiero and Carr Lead Lakers' Effort
Adou Thiero continued his impressive Summer League with his best all-around performance, finishing with 18 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting night while adding 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals.
The 2025 second-round pick consistently showed why he is arguably one of the most explosive players in the NBA, not just on the Lakers roster, with an insane left-handed oop in the third quarter.
Rookie Cameron Carr delivered another encouraging performance despite struggling from beyond the arc. He scored 17 points with three rebounds, but was one for eight from 3.
Arthur Kaluma added 12 points and four rebounds, while Chris MaƱon contributed 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Although the Lakers shot 44.1% from the field, they connected on just 6 of 27 attempts from three-point range (22.2%), allowing Golden State to gain an edge from the perimeter with 12 made 3-pointers.
Late Mistakes Prove Costly
Neither team built much separation throughout the game, with the Lakers taking a three-point lead into the fourth quarter before the Warriors answered with an 8-0 run to regain control.
L.A. battled back behind timely baskets from Thiero and Carr, trimming the deficit to one point with just over a minute remaining. However, consecutive turnovers in the closing seconds prevented the Lakers from taking the lead.
After MaƱon drew a foul on a three-point attempt, he converted two of three free throws to cut the deficit to one. The Warriors then secured the game by forcing another turnover before knocking down late free throws to seal the victory.
While the loss ended the Lakers' Summer League championship hopes, the organization leaves Las Vegas with plenty of positives.
Thiero continued to strengthen his case for regular-season minutes, Carr flashed his scoring potential, and several young players showed encouraging development as the Lakers begin their attention toward training camp up next.
