**SAN FRANCISCO** — The Los Angeles Lakers appeared to have completed their assignment Friday night after racing to a 38–15 first-quarter lead against the Golden State Warriors, only to discover that the NBA Cup inexplicably requires teams to continue playing basketball for another 36 minutes.
Luka Dončić scored 21 points in the opening period, personally outscoring the entire Warriors roster and convincing Los Angeles that any further basketball would be unnecessary.
The Lakers extended their advantage to 25 early in the second quarter before apparently transitioning into what team officials would describe as the administrative portion of the evening.
Unfortunately, Golden State had not received the memo.
Stephen Curry and the Warriors responded by outscoring Los Angeles 38–15 in the second quarter, tying the game at halftime and raising serious questions about why the Lakers were still being asked to participate.
By the fourth quarter, Golden State had taken complete control, eventually winning 112–95 and turning a 25-point deficit into a 17-point victory.
Curry finished with 31 points and eight three-pointers, while Dončić scored 37 in what increasingly resembled an elaborate demonstration of how one excellent quarter cannot be exchanged for an entire NBA victory.
Lakers officials reportedly expressed frustration with the tournament's unnecessarily complicated format, particularly the requirement that both teams remain competitive after one has clearly established its superiority.
The NBA has since clarified that teams cannot simply declare victory based on the first 12 minutes, regardless of how convincing those minutes were.
Los Angeles is expected to review the rule before its next game.
