Lakers newcomers impress in preseason loss to Warriors
The Los Angeles Lakers lost their second preseason game to the Golden State Warriors on Friday, 129–125, despite a strong first half, ultimately falling in a late fourth-quarter collapse.
“It sucks to lose, but a lot of great things to draw from,” said head coach Darvin Ham.
With Jarred Vanderbilt (heel) out of the rotation for the second straight game, the Lakers’ starting lineup included D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Taurean Prince, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis.
The starting unit got off to a great start, getting on the board first with a 6–0 run after a Reaves three for the first points of the game, then a Russell three right after off a Prince steal.
The Lakers’ regular rotation outscored the Warriors 70–63 in the first half before getting outscored 66–55 in the second half.
With Vanderbilt out of the rotation, Prince has capitalized on his opportunity in the starting unit, showcasing his consistency as a three-point shooter around LeBron and Davis. He finished 4-for-5 from beyond the arc and 5-for-6 overall, leading the team with 17 points in just 20 minutes of play.
When asked whether Prince is the fifth starter, given his two starts when the other four starters were available, Ham smiled, saying, “Next question.”
After going 0-for-3 from three in the first game of the preseason, Prince is 9-for-15 from deep in the past three games, for 60%.
Reaves was the Lakers’ second-highest scorer, contributing 16 points on 6-for-9 field goal shooting. He grabbed three rebounds, dished out three assists, and made two steals in 16 minutes.
In 22 minutes, LeBron finished with an efficient performance while dialing back and letting his new pieces around him get more comfortable with his play style. He finished with 12 points on 4-for-5 finishing from the floor, notching five assists and two rebounds.
Russell’s redemption tour of the preseason has been a fun sight to see, showcasing his accountability and commitment to becoming a more proficient defender and an all-around player for Los Angeles.
In 25 minutes of action, Russell finished with 12 points on 2-for-4 shooting from deep and 5-for-8 overall while notching six assists, four rebounds, two steals, and a block.
Davis’ aggression as a shooter continued in his return to the lineup, going 1-for-2 from three and 3-for-8 overall for 37.5%. Ham insists that he “requested to see” Davis shoot six three-point attempts in a game.
Christian Wood turned in another impressive performance, tallying 13 points and securing seven rebounds while maintaining a steady 5-for-8 shooting record from the field in 13 minutes off the bench.
Cam Reddish remains day-to-day with a right ankle injury he suffered in the first preseason game against the Warriors. His injury isn’t serious and should be a full go for the regular season.
The Lakers will play their fifth preseason game against the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Sunday at 7 p.m.
