OAKLAND — The outcome seemed obvious well before the final buzzer sounded. The Lakers’ 111-77 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday at Oracle Arena set NBA history that did not involve purple and gold excellence. The Warriors (16-0) have an NBA record 16-game winning streak to open the season, an honor the 1948-49 Washington Capitols and 1993-94 Houston Rockets once held. The Lakers (2-12) lost their fourth consecutive game and posted a season-low in points.
Yet, the Lakers still had to finish the game. Lakers coach Byron Scott still had to evaluate how players performed. Players still had to prove they would still compete.