Lakers Face Key Test Against Warriors as Regular Season Looms
With the regular season on the horizon, the Lakers and Warriors meet for the second time in October, with key player debuts and team performance in focus.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors are continuing their October series with a preseason matchup Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena. This marks the second of four games scheduled between the two teams this month, following a preseason exhibition in San Francisco where the Warriors secured a dominant victory, with the Lakers opting to rest most of their regular rotation players.
Kessler's Potential Debut
A significant storyline for Tuesday's game is the potential preseason debut of Lakers' free agency acquisition, Walker Kessler. Kessler has been sidelined with a left pinky finger injury, and his status for the game remains uncertain following both teams' morning shootarounds. He has resumed live drills in practice and expressed a desire to play. The Lakers have notably missed his presence in the paint, particularly his contributions as a rim protector, rebounder, and roll man in pick-and-roll plays with guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Curry's Increased Minutes
Warriors star guard Steph Curry is expected to see extended playing time against the Lakers. Curry had played between 13-14 minutes in the first half of his previous three exhibition games. Coach Steve Kerr indicated that Curry will play in the second half against Los Angeles, with an anticipated total of 20-22 minutes. The team has managed Curry's preseason workload carefully after he missed 39 regular-season games last year due to runner's knee. His response to this increased playing time will be closely watched as the regular season opener approaches.
Addressing Turnover Issues
Both the Lakers and Warriors have faced challenges with ball security during the preseason, recording turnover percentages of 20% or higher in their exhibition games leading up to Tuesday's contest. Both teams aim to improve their offensive execution and reduce errors before the regular season commences next week. The game provides an opportunity to see which team makes greater progress in this crucial area.
The Lakers and Warriors will also face each other in their regular-season openers on Oct. 21 in Los Angeles, and later begin NBA Cup Group Play on Oct. 30 at Chase Center.