The Los Angeles Lakers face the Golden State Warriors in a Tuesday night preseason game at Chase Center, tipping off at 10 p.m. EST. This marks the second exhibition for both teams, offering another look at head coach JJ Redick's evolving system.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick indicated some players who sat out Monday's win over Sacramento could see action. That group includes Walker Kessler, Austin Reaves, and Collin Sexton. The minutes for main rotation players like Luka Dončić remain a key watch. Golden State, handling three games in four nights, reportedly plans to play veterans Stephen Curry and Draymond Green against Los Angeles. They'll likely rest them for Wednesday's game in Portland.
Los Angeles debuted a clear identity in their first preseason outing. They prioritized aggressive perimeter defense and high-volume three-point shooting. That approach forced 26 turnovers against the Kings, with 14 coming in the first half alone. Nearly 54 percent of their shot attempts came from beyond the arc. Testing this strategy against the Warriors' motion offense and Curry's gravity will be revealing. Can they maintain that defensive intensity and shot profile?
With Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porziņģis not in the mix, Golden State leaned heavily on younger players in their first game. Brandin Podziemski, Brandon Williams, and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg saw significant action in a loss to the Clippers. Their offensive output needs to improve to support Curry. The Warriors will continue to evaluate these rotations, but making shots is non-negotiable. Curry can't carry the entire scoring load every night, even in preseason.
This game is another data point for Redick as he finalizes his rotation and schemes before the regular season. Integrating players like Kessler and managing the workload of stars will be ongoing processes. Fans can track the team's progress and upcoming schedule on our schedule page. The preseason is about answering questions, and this matchup against a Western Conference rival provides plenty.
