The Lakers proceed their 2022-23 preseason with a Sunday night sport in opposition to Golden State at the Chase Center. The sport guidelines at 5:30 p.m on Spectrum SportsNet and NBA TV.
Below are 3 issues to know forward of the matchup:
FAST STARTS CONTINUE
For the 3rd directly preseason sport, the Lakers were given off to a excellent get started, regardless of the use of a 3rd other beginning lineup as a number of veterans rested in opposition to Minnesota on Thursday night in Las Vegas. A tender team that includes Austin Reaves, Max Christie, Wenyen Gabriel, Thomas Bryant and Scotty Pippen Jr. opened a 17-8 lead at the Wolves, who performed all their common starters with the exception of Karl Anthony-Towns.
Minnesota’s veteran bench controlled to turn the script in the second one quarter as Darvin Ham went deeper into his bench, and L.A. shot simply 27.3 p.c within the duration to relinquish a lead that they wouldn’t get again.
Nonetheless, Ham was once happy with the continuation of power and dedication that’s been a staple to this point, at the same time as teams that definitely gained’t play in combination within the common season struggled as the sport went on.
“A good start to the first quarter defensively, guys playing together,” mentioned Ham. “I thought some of our reserves set a really good tone, and as (Minnesota) started to get more in our jersey, being aggressive in their pick-and-roll coverage, I thought we started to … over dribble and over create.”
MAX CHRISTIE’S GROWTH
L.A.’s No. 34 general select within the 2022 Draft, Max Christie, is solely 19 years previous, however that hasn’t saved Darvin Ham from throwing him at the flooring for a large number of mins within the first 3 video games. In truth, Christie lately leads all Lakers with 25.1 mins in keeping with sport to this point.
“All in all, I like the progress that the kid is making,” mentioned Ham. “He has a lot of coaches and a lot of people on our performance team, and me personally, excited about this future. He’s a hard worker, great kid, great attitude, good focus; I think. He’s going to really, really do well and have a long career.”
Christie hasn’t shot the ball smartly to this point, capturing 28.0 p.c from the sphere and 14.3 p.c from 3, however he’s defended his place and helped off the ball, rebounded smartly (4.3 in keeping with sport) and competed persistently arduous.
“He’s really improved his body; he was rail thin when we first got him, and now you’re starting to see a little bit of muscle mass,” Ham persisted. “Kid has great touch, really athletic, one of the better athletes on the roster, and he just has to keep working. Just the little, simple nuances of the game.”
WARRIORS TEST DRIVE
The common season opener is available in simply 9 days in the similar construction as this preseason sport, so we’ll see simply how a lot Ham and GSW trainer Steve Kerr display each and every different on Sunday. For the protecting champions, questions stay about Draymond Green’s availability for the opener after Green punched teammate Jordan Poole in a contemporary GSW observe.
No suspension has been introduced at this level, however Green mentioned on Saturday that he’ll take a while clear of the workforce, which means he gained’t be in attendance for this preseason contest.
Klay Thompson can also be absent, as he attends to a private subject, leaving Steph Curry as the principle holdover from the NBA Finals battles in opposition to LeBron James.
For the Lakers, Dennis Schröder gained’t be with the workforce on Sunday, however he’s anticipated to be with the workforce in Los Angeles once they go back on Monday. Juan Toscano-Anderson suffered a thigh contusion on Thursday and didn’t observe on Saturday, whilst Troy Brown Jr. (again) stays out.