The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors meet tonight at Chase Center in San Francisco for a preseason matchup between two franchises in transition.
Golden State enters its 2025–26 campaign with both continuity and intrigue. Jonathan Kuminga is back and expected to play an expanded role, while Seth Curry joins his brother Stephen Curry for the first time as professional teammates.
The pairing adds a family dynamic to a roster that still features Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler, giving head coach Steve Kerr a mix of veteran leadership and versatile scoring options.
Tonight, the Curry brothers, Green, and Butler — who is dealing with an ankle issue — will all log minutes.
The Lakers, meanwhile, are navigating the next chapter of their franchise. The future is centered around head coach JJ Redick and Luka Dončić, both of whom signed extensions over the summer.
Redick’s focus has been on establishing consistency and spacing around his young superstar while managing the minutes of LeBron James, who turns 41 in December. Longevity questions hover over James, though he has made clear that retirement isn’t imminent.
Los Angeles will again be without Dončić, who continues to rest after a heavy offseason workload with FIBA EuroBasket 2025. Several key veterans — including James, Marcus Smart, Maxi Kleber, and rookie Adou Thiero — are not expected to play. That leaves tonight’s game as another evaluation opportunity for Redick’s depth and developmental players.
For Golden State, tonight marks the start of a new preseason with an emphasis on chemistry and lineup experimentation — especially as the Curry brothers share the floor for the first time.
These two teams will meet one more time in the preseason in L.A. next week and then on October 21 in L.A. again for the regular season opener.
How to Watch Lakers vs. Warriors
Tip-off for tonight’s Lakers-Warriors game is set for 8:30 PM Eastern / 5:30 PM Pacific at Chase Center in San Francisco.
The game airs live on ESPN and streams on the ESPN app and website.
If you’re a cord-cutter without an active livestreaming plan, you can watch the game for free by taking advantage of free trials from DIRECTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo TV, or YouTube TV.
YouTube TV even offers a 20-minute free preview, without having to register for a trial — if you just want to catch part of the game.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors
Date: Sunday, October 5, 2025
Time: 8:30 PM Eastern / 5:30 PM Pacific
Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco
TV: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN app and website