Getty LeBron James #6 and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers.
On their way to figuring out their true potential, the Los Angeles Lakers introduced the Golden State Warriors to their harsh reality. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr offered some illuminating comments about their Western Conference Semifinals matchup last season ahead of their 2023 preseason-opening showdown.
“The Lakers exposed us,” Kerr said via NBC Sports on October 6. “We were not a very well-rounded team last year. And so, thinking about that series, watching it, they bottled us up defensively, and we didn’t have a counter. So we gotta make sure we have counters this year.”
Golden State was the higher seed and the defending champion.
Los Angeles won the series in six games, finishing plus-24 in the rebounding margin and plus-19 in turnovers.
This offseason, the Warriors traded for veteran point guard Chris Paul to help keep their offense moving when Stephen Curry is hounded by defenders or getting a breather. Whether or not Paul, 38, is the answer will have to wait until the regular season, though.
Short-Handed Lakers Taking on Warriors in Preseason Opener
The Lakers will be without LeBron James and Austin Reaves for the matchup with the Warriors as they look to take a cautious approach with both starters this preseason, albeit for vastly different reasons.
James is heading into his 21st season, is third on the all-time minutes list, and has dealt with injuries over the last few years with his 39th birthday looming in December.
Reaves is just 25 years old and, heading into his second NBA season, has mostly been a bench player in his short career. But he started the final 10 games of the regular season and all 16 playoff games for the Lakers.
The former undrafted free agent made it clear he would be playing if it were up to him.
“I don’t know. Anytime I’m in the gym, I want to play,” Reaves said, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic on October 5. “So I was sitting over there trying my best to stay the course.”
Free agent pickup Gabe Vincent is taking Reaves’ place in the starting lineup for this game.
Russell, Vincent, Vanderbilt, Hachimura and AD will start today.
With both Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt starting, the Lakers full starting five will remain a mystery for at least one more game, or whenever James suits up.
“Six preseason games, so hopefully I can get to at least half of them,” James said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN on October 5. “But we’ll see. I think every game will dictate it. I will not be playing in Saturday’s game, that’s for sure, in the Bay. But we’ll see after that.”
Setting Starting Lineup Could Prove Tricky for Darvin Ham
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said that he wouldn’t divulge his starting lineup and that he would tinker with different combinations in the preseason to see what works during a press conference via the team on September 28.
But he does want to have a set starting five for the regular season.
“I mean, outside of the playoffs where you have to make adjustments with your rotation at times and your starting lineup, for the regular season, I want to settle in on one group,” Ham said, per Matthew Valento of Lakers Nation on October 7. “So we’re gonna try to settle in on one group and ride that group.”
That could be tough with James aiming to play in half of their preseason games and then whatever they have planned for Reaves and the other injuries and management for the rest of the roster.