LAS VEGAS — The Lakers and Warriors have quite the schedule lined up for October.
Just a week after their preseason game in San Francisco, where the Warriors triumphed as the Lakers rested several key players, they’ll face off again on Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena.
This marks the second of four encounters between the two teams this month.
They’ll meet again for their regular-season openers on October 21 in Los Angeles, and then launch into NBA Cup Group Play on October 30 at Chase Center.
So, what are the main storylines that are catching attention tonight?
Kessler’s Debut
Walker Kessler still hasn’t played this preseason due to a left pinky finger injury.
The status of this significant free agency acquisition remains uncertain after both teams went through their shootarounds on Tuesday morning at T-Mobile Arena.
However, Kessler did return to live drills during practice on Sunday, and he’s eager to take the court.
Whether he actually plays, well, that’s still up in the air.
What’s quite evident, though, is that the Lakers could use his skills in the paint, especially for his shot-blocking, rebounding, and pick-and-roll partnerships with star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Curry’s Minutes
Warriors’ star guard Steph Curry is expected to see more playing time against the Lakers, as he clocked in about 13-14 minutes in the first half of previous exhibition games.
Coach Steve Kerr has mentioned that Curry will participate in the second half, likely hitting around 20-22 minutes on the court.
The Warriors have been cautious with Curry’s preseason time, especially since he missed 39 regular-season games last year due to runner’s knee.
How well his body handles the increased minutes will be crucial, given that there’s only about a week until the regular season kicks off.
Turnovers
Both the Lakers and Warriors have been wrestling with turnover issues during the preseason, each recording turnover rates of at least 20% in their exhibition games leading up to Tuesday.
They are eager to tidy up their offensive game as the seriousness of the standings looms just around the corner.
So, which team will sharpen their performance in this area when they face off on Tuesday night?
