Doncic delivers in his Lakers debut. The center question didn't go away.

The Lakers beat Golden State 127-105 on Wednesday night, and Luka Doncic looked every bit the franchise centerpiece they built this roster around. Paired with Walker Kessler, the two drove a comfortable blowout in what the organization had framed as the first real game of a new era — the first opener without LeBron James in a long time, and the first with Doncic running the show.

Kessler held up his end. That's the good news and also the entire problem, because he remains the only center on this roster with real playing time behind him. I've been writing about this since training camp — the Knecht waiver, the shoulder clearance, the quiet decision to carry just one functional big — and nothing about Wednesday changed the math. One game, one healthy center, no issues. Fine. But the exposure is still there every night Kessler suits up.

Collin Sexton was ruled out for the opener with a foot issue that kept him out of all five preseason games, so the injury list was already active before tip-off. The win absorbed it cleanly. A 22-point margin covers a lot. The next time the Lakers play a close game in the fourth quarter, or the time after that when Kessler picks up early foul trouble, the depth chart will look exactly as thin as it does right now.

One game is one game. Doncic is the real thing, and Wednesday was a good night. The center situation is still what it is.