The Lakers ran into a much different kind of preseason test Tuesday night, and this one got away fast.
After rolling past Sacramento to open the preseason, Los Angeles was overwhelmed by Golden State in a 124-98 loss that exposed plenty of rough edges. The Warriors shot 51.2% from the field, piled up 32 assists and got a breakout showing from rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who looked far more polished than the label suggests.
Lendeborg was everywhere. He finished with 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot, going 7-11 from the floor and 2-3 from three-point range. His plus-21 reflected what the eye test showed: Golden State kept winning the minutes he was on the court.
Stephen Curry also made his presence felt in a short stint, scoring 16 points with five assists in just 14 minutes. Brandin Podziemski matched him with 16 points on 7-11 shooting.
Los Angeles never found that same rhythm. Sandro Mamukelashvili led the Lakers with 15 points, Jaden Hardy added 13 and Dalton Knecht scored 11, but the group shot only 39.8% overall and couldn’t keep pace with Golden State’s ball movement.
The assist gap told the story. Golden State finished with 32 assists to the Lakers’ 20, and the Warriors kept the offense humming by moving the ball before the defense could set. Draymond Green was a clear example: he scored just three points, but he dished out eight assists in 15 minutes.
That kind of flow put Los Angeles in a bind, especially with the offense already short-handed. Luka Doncic did not play, and Austin Reaves also did not appear, leaving the Lakers without two of their main creators. The result was a night that included 98 points, 22 turnovers and a lot of possessions that never really developed.
Jaden Hardy offered 13 points and three assists, and Dalton Knecht added 11, but nobody consistently stepped in as the main organizer when the Lakers needed a steady hand. That is the question that hangs over the roster when Doncic sits: who keeps the offense together?
The shooting from the opener also proved hard to repeat. After knocking down 20 threes against Sacramento, Los Angeles went 13-37 from deep against Golden State. That’s 35.1%, which is workable, but it wasn’t enough against a Warriors team that hit 15-35 from beyond the arc.
Mamukelashvili did his part from deep, going 3-4 from three and finishing with 15 points. Cole Swider also hit three triples. But Quentin Grimes, who had looked sharp in the first preseason game, was quieter this time around, finishing with 12 points on 3-8 shooting and 2-6 from three.
For Golden State, the encouraging part went beyond Curry and the starters. The Warriors didn’t need a huge night from their stars to control the game.
Lendeborg delivered, Podziemski delivered, and the bench kept the pressure on. Golden State also finished with 44 rebounds and only 10 turnovers.
That kind of balance can travel. And if the Warriors keep getting this sort of production across the roster, they won’t look nearly as easy to deal with as some might expect on paper.
In Other News...
Warriors Got An Early Look At A Lakers Question That Still Matters
Ahead of the Lakers second preseason game against the Warriors, JJ Redick made it clear this was going to be more of a look-and-learn night than a full dress rehearsal. Nearly half the roster sat, including several key names, and the result was a one-sided loss that mattered less on the scoreboard than in the small roster battles still unfolding beneath it.
Jarred Vanderbilt once again flashed the defensive value that has long made him an interesting piece in Los Angeles, even as his offense stayed limited. On the other end, Jaden Hardy showed some scoring ability but also gave the ball away too often, which is the kind of preseason tradeoff that can linger into the regular season. With roster spots still unsettled, these kinds of performances are part of the evaluation the Lakers will keep weighing as they move closer to opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Austin Reaves Is Defining His Voice For This New-Look Lakers Team
Austin Reaves is stepping into a different kind of spotlight this fall, with the Lakers asking him to help guide a roster that now has to move forward without LeBron James. Coming off a strong season, Reaves is no longer just one of the reliable pieces around the stars, he is becoming one of the voices the team will lean on as it tries to establish a new identity.
Reaves has been clear about the kind of leadership he prefers, and it is not built around public callouts or dramatic scenes. He sees it as something more personal, rooted in one-on-one conversations and calm accountability, a style that fits his approach and the way he connects with teammates. For the Lakers, the question is not just whether he can produce, but whether that quieter voice can help set the tone for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Stephen Curry Kept This Lakers Loss From Feeling Like Just Preseason
The preseason opener in San Francisco carried more than the usual September exhibition feel, with the Warriors turning it into Nellie Night in honor of the late Don Nelson. Golden State wore yellow Nellie patches on its jerseys, a nod to the coach who helped shape the franchise and, for Stephen Curry, the rookie-season veteran whose influence still lingers as one of the defining figures in his early NBA path.
Curry helped make sure the night had some edge for the Lakers, too. He played 14 minutes and scored 16 points as Golden State rolled to a 124-98 win, giving the game a little more weight than a typical tune-up. The teams will meet again in the regular season on October 21, when the stakes will be real and the Lakers will get their first chance to respond. [Read more 🡒]