It’s October, which means it is the month of Halloween, candy, scary movies, costumes, and, most importantly, the NBA is back! With the season opener on the horizon (October 24th), all eyes are on the reigning champs Denver Nuggets. They will kick off the regular season against the Los Angeles Lakers, who are used to being the center of attention. The Lakers kicked off their first preseason game with a 108-125 loss to the Golden State Warriors on October 7th. With their second game coming up on October 9th against the New York Knicks, how did the team fare against the Warriors? Here are some key takeaways from their preseason opener.
Key Takeaways From the Lakers’ Preseason Opener Loss
Starting Lineup
The Lakers were without Austin Reaves and LeBron James. Their starting lineup consisted of D’Angelo Russell (PG), Gabe Vincent (SG), Jarred Vanderbilt (SF), Rui Hachimura (PF) and Anthony Davis (C). Meanwhile, the Warriors had their regular starters, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, and their newest acquisition, Chris Paul. Hachimura and Vanderbilt showed their defensive and rebounding skills. Vincent started slow but ended with four assists, the second-most for the Lakers. Russell had 15 points in 16 minutes of playtime, but Davis showed out the most.
Anthony Davis
Before the game, James had this to say about The Brow to ESPN on Lakers Monday annual media day.
“He is the face [of the franchise]. You look at all these [retired] numbers that surround that surround this facility, all the greats that have come here and AD is one of them.”
Clearly, the member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team wanted to prove James right. The big man showed an aggressive side during his 13 minutes of their preseason opener. He had 15 points and five rebounds, showing his defensive skills when needed. He had no problem barreling through the Warrior defense, taking threes, and being a leader. Davis shone in the center position but can also play power forward. If that’s what he can do with this starting unit, imagine what he can do once James and Reaves are added into the mix.
The Bench
The Lakers’ bench players struggled against the Warriors. Jalen Hood-Schifino, Max Christie, and Christian Wood were the three bench players to play over 20 minutes. Hood-Schifino is a rookie, so he gets a pass, but he did alright with seven points, six rebounds, and two assists. Wood had no excuse; he is a player looking to reinvent himself and did not make too much of a dent in this game. Cam Reddish also did poorly, with three turnovers and only one point. The rest of the bench struggled too. Jaxson Hayes, Taurean Prince, and Maxwell Lewis only played a little more than 10 minutes but did not leave a mark. Colin Castleton, Alex Fudge, and D’Moi Hodge played under 10. Hodge impressed a little with eight points and two rebounds in eight minutes of play. However, only one bench player stood out in a very positive way.
Max Christie
Christie looked like the Lakers’ future sixth man. He played 25 minutes and had 15 points, two rebounds, and an assist. The second-year shooting guard could be looking at a breakout year. Christie, 20 and six-foot-six, has a lot of untapped potential. Unfortunately, with the stacked roster, he won’t get 25 minutes a game, but don’t be surprised if he starts getting more playing time as the season unfolds. With Reaves as the star shooting guard, Christie will be his backup. However, when the opportunity for playing time knocks, Christie should be ready as he already shows much promise. With Christie on the rise, what is next for the Lakers?
What’s Next?
The Lakers have six games this preseason. They have already played the Warriors. Their upcoming opponents include the Brooklyn Nets, Sacramento Kings, Warriors (again), Milwaukee Bucks, and Phoenix Suns. James has stated that he will play half of the preseason games, so we could see him potentially against the Nets on October 9th. Reaves is another possibility for the game against the Nets at 6:00 p.m. EST at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It should be an exciting month for the Lakers franchise and could be a monumental season for the organization – and possibly the last year or years of James as a Laker. One thing we do know is Lakers fans are hopeful this season.
