The NBA is indeed back, with the 2025-26 season set to commence this Wednesday with two games on tap, including a marquee matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco. Will the LeBron James-less Lakers power their way to a win? Or, will the Dubs get on the win column right away?
Catch this game live on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 10:00 AM, Manila time
Away: Golden State Warriors (0-0/0-0 Away)
Projected Starting Five:
- Stephen Curry
- Brandin Podziemski
- Jimmy Butler
- Draymond Green
- Al Horford
Stephen Curry will be embarking on his 17th season in the NBA, still widely viewed as one of the best in the league. The 37-year-old Curry proved that he remains a valuable asset for Golden State when he averaged 24.5 points per game in the 2024-25 season. He shot 39.7 percent from deep, which is relatively considered a down year from the 3-point line for the future Basketball Hall of Famer.
Curry will continue to be a big threat to opposing defenses even at his age, and the same can be said for the other aging backcourt Warriors star in Jimmy Butler, who just had his first full offseason with Golden State. Draymond Green and Al Horford are also on the final stretches of their NBA career, but they can still make a big impact on both sides of the floor. They are low-usage vets who have the knack for making the right plays and correct reads, which make things easier for the likes of Curry and Butler, especially on offense.
The Warriors are 3-1 against the spread in their last four game against the Lakers in Tinseltown.
Home: Los Angeles Lakers (0-0/0-0 Home)
Projected Starting Five:
- Luka Doncic
- Austin Reaves
- Rui Hachimura
- Jarred Vanderbilt
- Deandre Ayton
Los Angeles will be missing the services of four-time league Most Valuable Player LeBron James in its season-opener against the Warriors, as he is not expected to make his 2025-26 NBA debut until around mid-November due to sciatica. Without James, there will be an even more intense spotlight on Luka Doncic, who may or may not already be the face of the franchise.
The Slovenian superstar has turned heads in the offseason with a slimmer figure, leaving many to expect a big year ahead for Doncic. In 28 regular-season games with the Lakers last season, the former NBA scoring champion put up averages of 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists. But eyes will also be on LA’s key offseason acquisitions in Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia. Ayton will have something to prove as he starts another chapter in his NBA career, while Smart is expected to fortify the Lakers’ perimeter defense. LaRavia adds youth, size and floor spacing on a supporting role for LA.
The Lakers are 5-5 against the spread in their last 10 games as the home team.
Picks
Spread: Los Angeles Lakers (+2.5)
Over/Under: Over (226.0)
