By OGNSC Staff
The new-look Los Angeles Lakers got their first taste of game action this week, and it came in two very different flavors.
Monday night in Sacramento, a shorthanded Lakers squad ran the Kings off their own floor, 127-103. Twenty-four hours later in San Francisco, an even thinner roster got run out of Chase Center by the Golden State Warriors, 124-98.
For head coach JJ Redick, who spent the summer rebuilding nearly the entire rotation around Luka Dončić, the back-to-back offered an early look at both the ceiling and the floor of this group. He liked one half of it a lot more than the other.
A Longer, Harder Camp
Redick promised two things when camp opened in El Segundo: a highly competitive training camp and a roster built around Dončić. He also wanted more time on the practice floor than the team got a year ago.
“We had six real practices, preseason last year,” Redick said. “This year we’ll have at least 12, plus a couple get-what-you-need days. It’s just generally just gonna be a more productive preseason training camp.”
The emphasis all week was defense. After finishing 20th in defensive rating last season, the Lakers spent camp drilling full-court ball pressure and getting into opponents’ space on the perimeter. Newcomers Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle were brought in largely for that purpose.
Two-way wing Chris Mañon drew notice for his work in live scrimmages, and Redick said he sees Arthur Kaluma and AK Okereke as 3-and-D wings within the system.
Statement in Sacramento
The camp work showed up right away Monday at Golden 1 Center. Playing without Austin Reaves (ankle), Walker Kessler (finger), Collin Sexton and Kaluma (lower body), the Lakers built a 73-47 halftime lead and never looked back.
Williams set the tone by picking up Kings rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr. all 94 feet from the opening tip. Los Angeles forced 26 turnovers, held Sacramento to 45 percent shooting and 17 percent from three, and knocked down 20 of its own 44 attempts from deep.
Dončić led all scorers with 21 points and said afterward he felt great physically. The surprise was rookie Cameron Carr, the Baylor guard the Lakers traded up to grab at No. 24 in June. Carr poured in 19 points with three rebounds, two assists and two steals in his debut.
“Every chance I get to step on the court, just growing in areas and just getting more comfortable with just playing in the offense and being efficient,” Carr said.
Redick credited the carryover from camp.
“We just consistently just did the right play,” he said, “and the right play helped our teammates.”
Reality Check at Chase Center
Tuesday was another story. With Dončić, Williams and Thybulle joining the four players already sitting out, the Lakers were down seven rotation players against a Warriors team that played its starters.
Golden State was up 81-53 at the half and led by as many as 31. Redick called his first timeout less than a minute into the game. Stephen Curry scored 16 points in under 15 minutes, and rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg had 17 points and nine rebounds. The Lakers shot 39.8 percent for the night.
Redick did not hide his frustration, preseason or not.
“The way we started that game was insane,” he said. “I don’t know the reasons why, because this group has been awesome for the two months I’ve been around them. The first half was unacceptable.”
He did praise the group that opened the second half, singling out Adou Thiero and Jake LaRavia for restoring the physical defense the team showed in Sacramento.
“I still expect to win, and I still expect us to play to our standards,” Redick said. “You can still hold them accountable. And I do think they respond.”
What’s Ahead
The Lakers play their first home preseason game Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena in a rematch with the Kings, then meet the Warriors again Tuesday, Oct. 13, in Las Vegas before closing the exhibition slate Oct. 16 against Denver.
The real thing starts Wednesday, Oct. 21, when Golden State comes to Los Angeles for the season opener on ESPN. By then Redick expects a full roster — and a full 48 minutes.