Austin Reaves spent the first half carving up Golden State, and for the Warriors, that was the kind of warning sign you don’t want to see right before opening night.
Los Angeles controlled the first 24 minutes Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, riding Reaves’ burst to a 63-50 lead. He finished with 28 points, four rebounds and seven assists in 25 minutes, and the most troubling part for Golden State wasn’t just the scoring. It was how easily he got where he wanted to go.
Reaves went for 23 points and six assists in the first half alone, shooting 8-of-12 from the field and 3-of-4 from 3-point range. Fresh off signing a four-year, $180 million contract extension with the Lakers in the offseason, he was sharp from deep and even more dangerous when he attacked downhill, repeatedly slipping past defenders with very little pushback on the perimeter.
Golden State’s lineup wasn’t built to make life easy there. With Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford unavailable to help clean things up at the rim, the Warriors were left exposed in the areas Reaves was happy to attack. And while veteran reserve Gary Payton II has historically been a defensive answer, the source of concern here was that he has clearly taken a step back on that end.
The Warriors did flip the script after halftime and rolled to a 111-89 win, holding the Lakers to just 26 points in the second half and taking the fourth quarter 29-13. But that surge came with a major caveat: Reaves and other key Lakers players sat for the final 24 minutes, and the damage from the opening half had already been done.
Golden State’s own offense was shaky early, too. Stephen Curry was tracked closely by wing defender Matisse Thybulle, and the Warriors had trouble finding easy scoring chances. Yaxel Lendeborg was the bright spot again, putting up 17 points, five rebounds and four assists while getting to the line nine times and showing the rim pressure that has made him a factor.
Brandin Podziemski also settled in after halftime and finished with a team-high 17 points in 26 minutes. Curry ended with 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting, and Gui Santos added 10.
The scoreboard says Golden State finished with a 12-point win. The first half told a different story, though, and it left both sides with plenty to clean up before they meet again for their season opener next week.
In Other News...
Warriors' Big Trade Gamble Already Looks More Fragile Than Expected
The Warriors summer swing for Kristaps Porzingis was always going to be judged on how it held up over time, but the first few weeks have already made the arrangement feel less settled than hoped. Golden State and Atlanta finalized the deal involving Porzingis, Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield, yet the center has been away from Warriors training camp and preseason because of illness and is expected to miss the season opener, leaving the team to wait for a key piece before it can even sort out what the new look is supposed to be.
There is still plenty of runway for the move to mean something for both sides, but the early returns have not exactly clarified the picture. The Hawks declined Kumingas team option, which sent him on to the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the Warriors are carrying a partially guaranteed Porzingis contract and hoping the health situation stabilizes soon. For now, the trade that was supposed to reshape the roster instead has Golden State watching one major addition from the sideline and wondering how much patience this gamble will require. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Preseason Experiment Exposes A Frontcourt Issue Kerr Must Solve
Preseason has a way of turning roster questions into live auditions, and Steve Kerr is using this one to see how far the Warriors can lean into flexibility. With Kristaps Porziis still an uncertainty as camp unfolds, Golden State has been toying with a starting group built around Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, Yaxel Lendeborg and Draymond Green, a look that underscores how much the team wants to keep its options open while sorting through the frontcourt.
The appeal is obvious for a team built on movement and decision-making, but it also highlights the pressure Kerr is trying to manage at center. Green remains central to everything the Warriors do, yet age and workload make it harder to ask him to anchor the middle every night, especially if Porziis is limited. The experiment may help Golden State discover a new wrinkle, but it also leaves the same familiar question hanging over the roster: who is going to stabilize the front line when the games count? [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Suddenly Have A Porzingis Concern They Can't Yet Explain
Kristaps Porzingis is still working through an unspecified health issue, and for now that has kept him off the floor with the Warriors as the team waits for a clearer picture. Steve Kerr said he has been in contact with Porzingis and added that the veteran will come in to be evaluated by Golden States medical and performance staff, a routine step that at least gives the team a pathway to better understand what it is dealing with.
For a Warriors group trying to sort out its rotation and build momentum, any extended absence from a player of Porzingis caliber is a real concern. Draymond Green has already offered support and well wishes as Porzingis recovers, but the bigger question remains unanswered for Golden State: how long this issue will linger, and what the next update will mean for the teams plans. [Read more 🡒]