The Warriors are back on the floor Tuesday night, and this one gives fans their first live look at a team that’s still being put together piece by piece. Golden State enters at 0-1, while the Lakers are making their preseason debut at 0-0, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. PDT on NBCSBA and NBATV.
There’s a different feel around both teams this time around. In Los Angeles, Luka Doncic has stepped in as the new face of the franchise after LeBron James’ run with the Lakers, which included almost a decade of service and one championship.
It’s a fresh start, whether the Lakers want to frame it that way or not. This is now Luka’s team.
Golden State, meanwhile, is still built around Stephen Curry. He remains the steady force at the center of everything, even as the roster around him shifts and the team keeps trying to get younger and faster. His co-star is sidelined for now but expected back, which gives Curry and the rest of the group a little more time to absorb the new pieces Steve Kerr wants to work in.
And Kerr has plenty to test. This is less preseason and more experimentation season for a coach rolling out a new concept with a roster that didn’t undergo a massive overhaul, but did add some different kinds of help.
The Warriors stayed mostly intact through the offseason, yet the pieces they did bring in are meant to change the way this team plays. The first preseason game hinted at why Golden State has been willing to make only modest changes: there’s still a clear push to become quicker and younger without blowing up the core.
That opening preseason outing also offered a few things to track. The offense already has new wrinkles, and while Kerr wants lower turnovers, some sloppiness is part of the deal when the structure itself is changing.
Lendeborg was active on the glass with nine rebounds, but he finished with just four points on six shots. He’s expected to be an important part of the team’s early-season and late-season picture, so patience is the message there.
Up front, Charles Bassey appears to be the default center for now. With Porzingis out and Horford on a minutes restriction, that spot is one to monitor all season. Kevon Looney is now with the Lakers, and his return is expected to get a loud welcome from the crowd and his former teammates.
Brandon Williams is another name to keep in mind. He’s going to get minutes, and the buzz around him has made that much clear.
Kerr is also keeping the starting lineup the same as it was in the first preseason game.
And for those looking for a prediction: the Warriors will win.
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It is a familiar kind of Warriors crossroads: protect the future while managing the present. With concerns already lingering around the health of Draymond Green, Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porzingis, the urgency goes beyond one negotiation, even if Podziemski's situation may resolve soon. How Golden State handles that conversation will say plenty about where the front office thinks this team is headed. [Read more 🡒]