Austin Reaves put the responsibility on himself after the Los Angeles Lakers squandered a 25-point lead in Friday’s 112-95 loss to the Golden State Warriors.

“I have to be better,” Reaves said afterward.

Reaves finished with 21 points and five assists, but his eight turnovers contributed to a season-high 22 giveaways for Los Angeles. The Lakers dropped to 4-2 after losing their NBA Cup opener at Chase Center, unable to sustain a strong start in Luka Dončić’s return.

Dončić scored 37 points with seven rebounds and five assists after missing Wednesday’s victory over the Clippers because of back tightness. Walker Kessler added 10 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks.

Those performances were not enough to overcome the Lakers’ mistakes or a 50-7 disadvantage in bench scoring.

Protecting the basketball had been at the top of coach JJ Redick’s priorities before tipoff.

“Take care of the basketball. Being prepared for them changing up their defenses,” Redick said before the game when discussing the matchup.

The Lakers initially established control behind Dončić, who scored 21 first-quarter points. Los Angeles finished the opening period ahead 38-15, creating an opportunity to dictate the rest of the night.

Instead, the Lakers scored just 15 points in the second quarter, allowing Golden State to work back into the game. They also managed only 15 points in the fourth as the Warriors completed the turnaround.

For Reaves, the turnovers complicated an otherwise productive scoring night. His responsibility as a ballhandler extends beyond generating his own shots, particularly against a team capable of changing coverages and turning mistakes into opportunities.

The Lakers’ difficulty maintaining their offense also increased the importance of their defensive execution. Empty possessions left them trying to protect a shrinking advantage without consistently adding to it.

Redick’s pregame concerns extended to Golden State’s movement away from the basketball and the attention Stephen Curry demands.

“They run their off-ball stuff to try to generate switch confusion and get layups,” Redick said. “And then with Steph, he’s going to bend your defense. He’s going to test all your principals.”

Curry finished with 31 points, six assists and four rebounds. Brandin Podziemski added 21 points, while De’Anthony Melton and Georges Niang provided 16 and 11, respectively, off the bench.

That supporting production helped Golden State overcome the early deficit and underscored the imbalance between the teams’ reserve scoring. Los Angeles received substantial contributions from its starting stars but little scoring relief when it needed to stop the momentum from shifting.

Redick also questioned consistency in flopping enforcement afterward while discussing the explanation he received regarding a Podziemski play.

“The consistency, we’re just still searching,” Redick said.

The officiating discussion accompanied a loss in which the Lakers had several problems within their own control, beginning with ball security.

Reaves’ response acknowledged his part in that outcome. The Lakers had built enough of an advantage to put themselves in position for another road victory, but their execution over the remaining three quarters failed to match their opening stretch.

For a team still developing its chemistry, Friday’s defeat supplied a specific area to address: maintaining productive possessions when the initial offense breaks down and the opponent begins applying pressure.