It might have been just the Lakers’ second preseason game, but Coach JJ Redick still had the expectation that his players would implement their scripted game plan.

Fifty-two seconds into Tuesday night’s loss to the Golden State Warriors, however, Redick called timeout.

What he saw during the first half – despite being without Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler and four other players – was “unacceptable,” Redick told reporters after the 124-98 defeat.

How the Lakers started the game was “insane,” Redick added during his postgame press conference.

There were the highs of end-to-end domination from the Lakers – as seen in their 127-103 triumph over the Sacramento Kings on Monday night – but also a dive into what the Lakers could look like without their stars in the equation.

With their regular-season opener against the Warriors two weeks away on Oct. 21 at Crypto.com Arena, here’s what we have learned about how the Lakers could play with nine new players on the roster and a fresh defensive identity to boot.

DEFENSIVE PRESSURE

Over the past two weeks, the Lakers have emphasized the importance of defensive disruption. Multiple team personnel had referenced wings Ziaire Williams, Adou Thiero and Matisse Thybulle leading the way defensively during training camp.

Reaves, during practice last week, said going up against the trio of wings was simply “not fun.”

The Kings felt that from the get-go. Williams and Thybulle – presumably competing for a starting lineup spot next to Doncic, Reaves, Kessler and likely guard Quentin Grimes – picked up Kings guards Zach LaVine and rookie Darius Acuff Jr. full court, even forcing a shot-clock violation on the first possession of the game. Grimes had his fair share of point-of-attack defensive possessions as well.

“Ziaire and Matisse, you know, they kind of set the tone early for us,” Redick told reporters after Monday’s game.

Thybulle made his presence felt with continuous deflections during his 18 minutes on the court. The Lakers forced 14 turnovers in the first half and the Kings finished the game with 26.

Despite a less fluid performance against the Warriors on Tuesday, the Lakers still forced 23 turnovers.

“It’s super contagious because you see how hard somebody’s giving that effort, full-court playing, picking up 94 feet,” Grimes told reporters after Monday’s game. “You don’t want to be that one guy that’s not picking up or playing super hard on the defensive end.”

KEEPING IT SIMPLE

Redick had said it during the training camp: Much of their early preparation was on defensive principles. Saturday was the first time he implemented an offensive set during training camp.

But when it comes to early returns from Doncic back atop the court, the Lakers looked efficient. The Slovenian star played just under 16 minutes on Monday and still led the team with 21 points. When Doncic was off the court, Grimes showcased his slashing ability and cut to the rim consistently for layup looks through contact.

Centers Kevon Looney and Sandro Mamukelashvili – with Kessler out for the two preseason games after jamming a finger against the backboard – showcased their respective high-IQ decision-making.

Early in the game against the Kings, Looney made a pair of screens on a set play before rolling into the paint and attracting two defenders. The former Warriors big man – who won three NBA championships with Golden State – cut a pass to Thybulle in the corner, who made a 3-pointer.

While Looney is more of a bruising paint force, Mamukelashvili led the Lakers with assists (five) on Monday. On Tuesday, he led the team in scoring with 15 points – stretching the floor while shooting 3 for 4 from 3-point range.

Redick has called Mamukelashvili an “offensive connector” for the team during training camp.

Other notable offensive notes include forward Jake LaRavia’s improved jump shot and increased aggressiveness that led to 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting on Monday. Redick said LaRavia had worked on his craft with him and assistant coach Beau Levesque during June.

“(LaRavia has) said to me and Beau many times, ‘This is as confident as I’ve felt with my 3-ball in years,’” Redick told reporters Tuesday night.

Additionally, rookie Cameron Carr’s 19 points against the Kings on Monday showed the kind of shot-making ability that will give him a chance to impact the Lakers as the likely next-man-up wing in a fully healthy rotation.

Thiero looked less rushed in the pair of Bay Area games – compared to his rookie season – making the right pass while still imprinting himself on the game – as he did Tuesday while posterizing Warriors rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg with a dunk before landing awkwardly. Redick told reporters after the game that Thiero was “fine.”

SHORT END OF THE BENCH

Three Lakers players on fully guaranteed contracts appeared to be out of favor when it came to rotations in the first two preseason games.

Forward Jarred Vanderbilt – in the third season of a four year, $48 million contract – didn’t enter Monday’s game until the fourth quarter – as did third-year guard Dalton Knecht, who fell out of favor last season after being the Lakers’ 2024 first-round draft pick.

Guard Jaden Hardy helped run the offense a bit on Tuesday due to the shorthanded nature of who was available. But on Monday, Hardy didn’t enter the game until the third quarter.

As things stand, the Lakers have 16 players on fully guaranteed contracts on their roster. By opening night, however, they must be down to the league maximum of 15.

They can either waive one player, or make a two-for-one trade before their Oct. 21 game.