LOS ANGELES — The Warriors had a forgettable season opener, suffering a 127-105 defeat against the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night.
New offense, same old Steph
Any worries about Curry’s fitness following an ankle tweak in a recent practice should have faded quickly by the end of the first quarter, if not sooner. He played seamlessly, adapting to a new five-out offensive strategy.
Curry ended up with 23 points, contributing 16 of the team’s first 21 before he took a break at 4:24 in the first quarter. The new system didn’t disrupt his connection with Draymond Green, who assisted on three baskets during the first quarter and totaled eight assists overall.
While the Warriors operated efficiently with Curry on the court, the new strategy didn’t compensate for the absence of playmakers when he sat. The crisp playing style that Steve Kerr aims for was evident as the Warriors stayed within one point through the first quarter, committing only one turnover compared to 10 assists while hitting 13 of 24 shots.
However, starting from the second quarter, they reverted to disorganized, sluggish offense—an all-too-familiar theme from last season. They struggled to shoot, finishing with a 41% success rate (37-for-91) and a disappointing 22% from beyond the arc (8-for-36), while also turning the ball over 16 times, leading to 25 points for the Lakers.
Warriors played big and were still too small
With Kristaps Porzingis sidelined indefinitely and backup center Charles Bassey out due to knee tendinitis, the Warriors didn’t have an answer for Walker Kessler.
The 7-foot-2 center consistently caught lobs from Luka Doncic and executed several impressive putback dunks. He finished a perfect 12-for-12 for 26 points and nine rebounds, setting a record for the most dunks in a game by a Lakers player since the days of Shaquille O’Neal, as noted by ESPN.
Without Porzingis, the Warriors face a continued size challenge against teams beyond just the Lakers, and Kerr hinted at adjustments to address this. With Brandin Podziemski dealing with back soreness, De’Anthony Melton stepped into the starting lineup alongside Curry, Green, Gui Santos, and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.
Kerr strategically aligned Curry and Green’s substitutions to keep them together on the court. When they were off, the Warriors fielded a larger lineup: Brandon Williams was the sole guard with Al Horford, Georges Niang, Santos, and Lendeborg, yet they were still outmatched and unable to contain the Lakers.
They allowed Los Angeles to score 21 fast-break points and 15 second-chance points, while the Lakers shot 57% from the field.
Lendeborg’s loud introduction
The Warriors might be hoping that all anyone remembers from opening night is their rookie’s boldness in confronting one of the league’s most notorious trash talkers.
While Doncic ultimately had the last word (and several more), Lendeborg showed no fear. He got right in Doncic’s face after a shooting foul and kept talking after blocking a step-back three-pointer, earning his first career technical foul.
Standing at 6 feet 9 inches, Lendeborg’s confidence helped him blend in, but it was also evident that he was making his NBA debut. He may have sparked Doncic, who went on to score 28 points and drawn nine fouls.
However, the film will reveal moments where Lendeborg drove into traffic without a clear plan, missed some defensive assignments, and looked overwhelmed when Kessler flew over him for a dunk.
