Despite having a major advantage as the only team to have played the Golden State Warriors with three of their four All-Stars out this season, Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton wasn't surprised by the outing they pulled together on Wednesday night.

“They’re still the team to beat. They’re the champs,” Walton said prior to the Warriors’ 117-106 victory over the Lakers on Wednesday at Oracle Arena, according to Mark Medina of the San Jose Mercury News. “They have guys who have done it year after year I think Houston is a much better team than they were in the past. So I don’t think they’re more vulnerable because of who they are. I think Houston is a much bigger challenge this year because of how well they’re playing.”

The Warriors didn't need a 40-point night from Kevin Durant to keep the ship afloat, but rather the contribution of many parts of this equation that hadn't gotten much run throughout the regular season.

Golden State had every starter in double figures while getting key outings from Shaun Livingston and Omri Casspi off the bench, keeping a steady-level assault for a Lakers team that threatened to keep things too close for comfort, ultimately put away in the winding minutes of the fourth quarter, carving a double-digit lead.

The Warriors still trail the Houston Rockets for the top spot in the West, but it hasn't made this team with championship pedigree any less dangerous than before, hoping to finish out the season on a strong note.