Preseason Basketball: The Lakers’ Rollercoaster in Northern California

SAN FRANCISCO — The Lakers’ recent games in Northern California highlighted the unpredictable nature of preseason basketball.

What was a thrilling performance on Monday turned into a disheartening experience by Tuesday. It’s quite the contrast.

In less than 24 hours, the Lakers bounced from looking like champions, dominating a Kings team expected to struggle this season, to being thoroughly outplayed by a Warriors squad trying to maintain its relevance, led by veterans Steph Curry and Draymond Green.

This rollercoaster ride perfectly illustrates how foolish it is to make sweeping conclusions about a team’s season based on preseason games.

The Lakers faced a unique challenge with player availability fluctuating. Key players like Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle, and Collin Sexton were all sidelined for the matchup against the Warriors.

With both teams limited in their training camp practices, it’s a scramble to prepare before regular season games kick off. Most teams struggle to even reach double digits in practice time before the real action begins.

In other words, expecting a team to perform at its peak during preseason might be unrealistic.

However, these preseason contests do offer a glimpse into the areas teams have been working on since summer rosters were set and practices commenced.

For the Lakers, their intentions became clearer during their game against the Kings. They had a decent number of players available who are likely to contribute in the regular season.

Of course, the absence of Kessler in both games highlighted the Lakers’ need for rim protection, a factor that was noticeable.

With Reaves and Sexton out, the team lost critical ball-handling support alongside Doncic.

Yet, for a brief time against the Kings — particularly in the first half when Doncic was on the floor — the Lakers provided a glimpse of their potential.

They employed full-court defensive pressure with players like Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle, Quentin Grimes, Jake LaRavia, and Adou Thiero all chipping in.

The increased defensive aggression led to more deflections, steals, and forced turnovers.

“Especially with Matisse and Ziaire, the defense at the beginning is contagious for everybody,” Doncic expressed. “It was inspirational.”

Doncic will continue to be the focal point of the offense, with Reaves also playing a key role once he returns.

However, how they operate might change, with Doncic utilizing off-ball movement to create space and implement his teammates’ screens to maximize his impact.

“You can find positive takeaways from any game or practice,” coach JJ Redick commented. “So, yes, it’s encouraging.”

An optimistic start to the preseason is valuable but not definitive. The groundwork and aspirations have been laid.

As they get more of their core players active, those hopes will likely grow even further.