Following two straight victories, the Lakers return to play on Friday night to face the Warriors for the second time this preseason. Spectrum SportsNet and ESPN 2 will broadcast the game beginning at 7:00 p.m. PT.
Before the game, here are three things you should know:
RHYTHM OF RUSSELL
Several Lakers have stood out for their performance in three preseason games, but D’Angelo Russell may be the most remarkable of them all. Russell has averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 assists, and 1.3 turnovers in only 19.4 minutes per game while shooting 63.3% from the field and 61.5% from outside the arc.
Russell scored 21 points in 21 minutes against the Kings on Wednesday, doing much of his damage in and around the paint by attacking off the dribble and looking for chances to get to the basket against a Kings defense that he constantly kept off balance.
Russell’s degree of ease bodes well for the next season, reflecting both his time in the league and his fit among this group of players. Russell remarked on this after the victory against the Kings.
“The group that we’ve gotten has been a lot of fun,” Russell remarked. “A lot of good guys out there that I have fun playing with and just enjoying watching them do well, and when it comes my way I feel the same energy back, so I like where we’re at as a team.”
A COMPLETE LIST
The Lakers’ victory against the Kings was a showcase not just for Russell, but for the total depth of this squad and how much skill they have across the board.
None of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, Jarrett Bell, or Cam Reddish were available against the Kings, but that didn’t stop others from stepping into greater roles and grabbing those chances to prove how capable they are of contributing when players sit out.
Despite the fact that Russell was the only holdover starter available, the new starting five performed admirably, with three of the other four scoring in double figures and the one who did not (Jaxson Hayes) still performing admirably within his role by defending, rebounding, setting good screens, and playing with great energy – which reflected in his team-best +14 on the night.
Beyond that starting group, the team received strong contributions in a variety of ways from a variety of players, whether it was Christian Wood’s shot creation and scoring, Max Christie’s defense, Jalen Hood-Schifino’s passing, or the general togetherness and two-way play of the closing group of rookies, which included Maxwell Lewis, D’Moi Hodge, Colin Castleton, and Alex Fudge, who were able to hold on against more established Kings veterans to get the win.
This kind of depth is a huge plus for Coach Ham, as it will provide him with a plethora of alternatives and groupings to turn to over the course of an 82-game regular season.
THE PLAN OF BRON
With three games remaining in the preseason season and 11 days before opening night in Denver, LeBron’s preparation for the regular season is on pace.
As training camp began, LeBron mentioned that he hoped to play in around half of the team’s six games, which would correspond to his appearing in two of the team’s last three games against the Warriors, Bucks (Sunday), and Suns (Wednesday).
There is no right or wrong way to choose which games to appear in, and any combination may be justified.
Playing against the Warriors and Bucks, for example, might assist imitate a regular season approach of playing two games in three days and provide him with a lengthy rest to prepare his body for opening night. Playing against the Warriors and Suns would give him a few days off before the last exhibition game, which would serve as a warm-up for the regular season the following week.
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