Lakers at Warriors Preseason Game 2
📅 Date: Sunday, Oct. 5
⏰ Tip-off: 5:30 p.m. PT
📍 Location: Chase Center, San Francisco
📺 TV: Spectrum SportsNet, ESPN
The Los Angeles Lakers continue their preseason on the road Sunday evening in the Bay Area, taking on the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center.
After falling in their preseason opener to the Phoenix Suns without LeBron James, Luka Dončić and multiple others, the Lakers will look to find a better rhythm offensively and continue building chemistry under second-year head coach JJ Redick.
“We just haven’t had enough time. We will get there. I’m very confident,” Redick said on the Lakers’ cohesiveness after Friday’s loss in Palm Desert.
With five more preseason games before the regular season begins, Redick is expected to continue experimenting with rotations and evaluating new players, despite not yet having his entire roster available, with eight players out of the lineup against the Suns.
The Warriors, meanwhile, host their first game of the preseason versus L.A. as they look to bounce back from their second-round exit to the Timberwolves, who also eliminated the Lakers, and compete in a heavily competitive Western Conference.
It was reported before Friday’s loss to the Suns that the Lakers will be sidelining Dončić for the first two games of the preseason. This move comes as the team has been “sensitive,” as Redick said, evaluating Dončić’s workload this summer with his EuroBasket and training camp play.
LeBron James (glute), Marcus Smart (achillies), Maxi Kleber (quad), Gabe Vincent (knee) and Adou Thiero (knee), who all missed the preseason opener, are day-to-day with injuries and rehab to play. Look for some from that group to make their debuts in San Fran.
Warriors Jimmy Butler could sit out after tweaking his ankle during practice this week.
(Updated as of Friday evening; subject to change before tip-off.)
Deandre Ayton— Look for Ayton to have a bigger impact on the offensive side, scoring just one point and going zero-for-two from the floor against the Suns. He had a strong game on the defensive side, an area he said he’s more committed to, controlling the boards and disrupting shots in the paint with two blocks and eight boards.
Austin Reaves — Reaves took the reins running the show as the sole scoring playmaker on Friday and showed why he’s a player you can never overlook in this offense with their top two players out. He finished with 20 points in 20 minutes.
R.J. Davis — Davis was one of the few bright spots in the Lakers’ opener loss, making the most of his 18 minutes with 14 points. Look for him to continue off of that, which caught Redick’s attention
The Lakers will have a week until their next preseason game against the Warriors at home next Sunday before continuing their preseason schedule against the Suns (again), Mavericks and Kings.