Kyle Terrada-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers look to continue their winning ways in the preseason and make it three straight wins at home against the Golden State Warriors. It’s the Lakers’ first true home game of the preseason, with the team’s stars LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Austin Reeves expected to suit up after missing Wednesday’s game .
But none of those three have been the biggest story of the Lakers’ preseason so far, that honor belongs to D’Angelo Russell. The point guard performed well in the preseason, shooting 63.3% from the field and 61.4% from three-point range, with a total of 19 assists and only 4 turnovers. Russell looks primed for a big season, and many will be watching to see if he can continue his stellar run.
The same goes for Davis, who has looked confident and aggressive on both sides of the court in the two games he has played. His outside shooting will also be closely watched, especially after the recent challenge from head coach Davon Hamm.
LeBron and Reeves both performed well in their only preseason games, and it would certainly be positive to see more of the same. The same goes for the Lakers’ overall three-point shooting percentage.
The Lakers are shooting more three-pointers at a higher percentage than last season. Russell, Reeves, Davis, Hachimura and Gabe Vincent are all shooting 40% or better from 3-point range, and Taurean Prince isn’t far behind. The Lakers’ ability to shoot at a high percentage from beyond the arc has allowed them to be more open in the paint, with LeBron, Davis and Reeves all excelling in this area.
Los Angeles isn’t playing at full strength, however, as Jarred Vanderbilt (heel) and Cam Reddish (ankle) continue to be sidelined with injuries. Vincent also missed his first game with back tightness, although that was precautionary.
This is the second preseason game between the Lakers and Warriors, with Golden State having not played since the first game. Draymond Green remains sidelined for the Warriors due to an ankle injury, making things fraught as the Warriors try to integrate Chris Paul into their system and build chemistry with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson challenge.
There’s some rivalry developing between these two teams, no doubt helped by James’ history against the Golden State Warriors and last year’s tight playoff series, so the intensity of this game will likely be higher than a normal preseason. Some.
October 13, 2023 at 7:00 pm Pacific time
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
TV: Spectrum SportsNet, ESPN 2
Broadcast: 710 AM ESPN LA
Projected Lakers starting lineup:
Point Guard: D’Angelo Russell
GS: Austin Reeves
SF: Taurus Prince
PS: LeBron James
Center: Anthony Davis
Main substitutes: Rui Hachimura, Christian Wood, Max Christie, Jaxson Hayes, Jalen Hood-Schifino
Expected Warriors starting lineup:
Point Guard: Stephen Curry
GS: Chris Paul
Small Forward: Klay Thompson
PS: Andrew Wiggins
C: Kevin Rooney
Main substitutes: Gary Payton II, Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, Dario Saric
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