Luka scores 43, but Butler's Warriors top Lakers 119-109 in a LeBron-less season opener

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jimmy Butler scored 31 points, Stephen Curry added 23 and the Golden State Warriors overcame Luka Doncic’s 43-point performance to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 119-109 on Tuesday night in both teams' season opener.

LeBron James missed a season opener for the first time in his 23 years in the NBA, watching from the Lakers' bench. The top scorer in league history has sciatica that is expected to sideline him until mid-November.

Jonathan Kuminga scored 17 points while the Warriors largely shut down the Lakers apart from Doncic. who scored 40 points for the 47th time in his NBA career and the third since joining the Lakers.

Doncic added 12 rebounds and nine assists in his first season opener with the Lakers, but the Slovenian superstar was 2 of 10 on 3-point attempts as Los Angeles lost its season opener for the ninth time in 10 years.

Curry began his 17th season with just three 3-pointers while ceding major offensive roles to Kuminga and Buddy Hield, who hit five 3-pointers.

Butler made all 16 of his free throws, and Curry hit a 3-pointer in the final minute for his first points of the fourth quarter.

Austin Reaves scored 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter after struggling with foul trouble.

Golden State opened the second half with a 19-4 run to open a lead that grew to 17 points. Reaves led a fourth-quarter rally, trimming the Warriors' edge to 105-99, but LA couldn't close get closer.

Draymond Green scored only eight points and got an early technical foul while sitting on the bench, but his 3-pointer with 3:33 left stopped the Lakers' surge.

Deandre Ayton had 10 points and six rebounds in his Lakers debut, while Marcus Smart had nine points.

Al Horford scored five points in his Warriors debut, hitting a 3-pointer on the first shot of his 19th NBA season.

Warriors: Host Nuggets on Thursday night.

Lakers: Host Timberwolves on Friday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry drives to the basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James sits on the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Dončić, left, is defended by Golden State Warriors guard Jonathan Kuminga during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, smiles next to forward Jimmy Butler III before an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) looks for a passing lane during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Uganda’s presidential election was plagued by widespread delays Thursday in addition to a days-long internet shutdown that has been criticized as an anti-democratic tactic in a country where the president has held office since 1986.

Some polling stations remained closed for up to four hours after the scheduled 7 a.m. start time due to “technical challenges," according to the nation's electoral commission, which asked polling officers to use paper registration records to ensure the difficulties did not “disenfranchise any voter.”

President Yoweri Museveni, 81, faces seven other candidates, including Robert Kyagulanyi, a musician-turned-politician best known as Bobi Wine, who is calling for political change.

The East African country of roughly 45 million people has 21.6 million registered voters. Polls were expected to close at 4 p.m., but voting was extended one hour until 5 p.m. local time. Results are constitutionally required to be announced in 48 hours.

In the morning, impatient crowds gathered outside polling stations expressing concerns over the delays. Umaru Mutyaba, a polling agent for a parliamentary candidate, said it was “frustrating” to be waiting outside a station in the capital Kampala.

“We can’t be standing here waiting to vote as if we have nothing else to do," he said.

Wine, the candidate, alleged electoral fraud, noting that biometric voter identification machines were not working at polling places and claiming that there was “ballot stuffing.”

Wine wrote in a post on X that his party's leaders had been arrested. “Many of our polling agents and supervisors abducted, and others chased off polling stations,” the post said.

Museveni told journalists he was notified that biometric machines weren't working at some stations and that he supported the electoral body's decision to revert to paper registration records. He did not comment on allegations of fraud.

Ssemujju Nganda, a prominent opposition figure and lawmaker seeking reelection in Kira municipality, told The Associated Press he had been waiting in line to vote for three hours.

Nganda said the delays likely would lead to apathy and low turnout in urban areas where the opposition has substantial support. "It’s going to be chaos,” he said.

Nicholas Sengoba, an independent analyst and newspaper columnist, said delays to the start of voting in urban, opposition areas favored the ruling party.

Emmanuel Tusiime, a young man who was among dozens prevented from entering a polling station in Kampala past closing time said the officials had prevented him from participating.

“My vote has not been counted, and, as you can see, I am not alone," he said he was left feeling “very disappointed.”

Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence from British colonial rule six decades ago.

Museveni has served the third-longest term of any African leader and is seeking to extend his rule into a fifth decade. The aging president’s authority has become increasingly dependent on the military led by his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Museveni and Wine are reprising their rivalry from the previous election in 2021, when Wine appealed to mostly young people in urban areas. With voter turnout of 59%, Wine secured 35% of the ballots against Museveni’s 58%, the president’s smallest vote share since his first electoral campaign three decades ago.

The lead-up to Thursday's election produced concerns about transparency, the possibility of hereditary rule, military interference and possible vote tampering.

Uganda's internet was shut down Tuesday by the government communications agency, which cited misinformation, electoral fraud and incitement of violence. The shutdown has affected the public and disrupted critical sectors such as banking.

There has been heavy security leading up to voting, including military units deployed on the streets this week.

Amnesty International said security forces are engaging in a “brutal campaign of repression,” citing a Nov. 28 opposition rally in eastern Uganda where the military blocked exits and opened fire on supporters, killing one person.

Museveni urged voters to come out in large numbers during his final rally Tuesday.

“You go and vote, anybody who tries to interfere with your freedom will be crushed. I am telling you this. We are ready to put an end to this indiscipline,” he said.

The national electoral commission chairperson, Simon Byabakama, urged tolerance among Ugandans as they vote.

“Let us keep the peace that we have,” Byabakama said late Wednesday. “Let us be civil. Let us be courteous. Let’s be tolerant. Even if you know that this person does not support (your) candidate, please give him or her room or opportunity to go and exercise his or her constitutional right."

Authorities also suspended the activities of several civic groups during the campaign season. That Group, a prominent media watchdog, closed its office Wednesday after the interior ministry alleged in a letter that the group was involved in activities “prejudicial to the security and laws of Uganda.”

Veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, remains in prison after he was charged with treason in February 2025.

Uganda opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, known as Bobi Wine, right, greets election observers, including former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, at his home in Magere village on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda)

Billboards of Uganda President and National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni are seen in Kampala, Uganda, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Samson Otieno)

Electoral workers deliver ballot boxes to a polling station during presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Voters are reflected in a police officer's sunglasses as they wait in line after voting failed to start on time due to system failures during presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Voters wait to cast their ballots during the presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)