The Los Angeles Lakers have now beaten the Golden State Warriors in all three of their preseason matchups after their 126-93 win Wednesday night at Staples Center in L.A.
Anthony Davis and LeBron James were back on the floor for the Lakers after resting Monday, and their presence was definitely felt. Davis’ return was an especially good sign for the team given he hurt his thumb during a preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 12.
Stephen Curry was the most notable player absent from the lineup due to rest for the Warriors, and Golden State’s shooting percentage sagged as a result.
Notable Performances
Lakers F LeBron James: 18 points, four rebounds, 11 assists, one steal
Lakers F Anthony Davis: eight points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, one steal, two blocks
Lakers G Quinn Cook: 16 points, two rebounds, three assists
Lakers C Dwight Howard: 13 points, seven rebounds
Lakers C JaVale McGee: 12 points, six rebounds, one steal, one block
Lakers G Avery Bradley: 18 points
Warriors G D’Angelo Russell: 23 points, three rebounds, three assists
Warriors F Draymond Green: 10 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block
Warriors G Jordan Poole: 14 points, one rebound, one assist, one steal
Warriors F Marquese Chriss: eight points, four rebounds
The Warriors were without Curry (rest) and Thompson (ACL), but there has to be another source for consistent scoring outside of the Splash Brothers. That is especially true because Thompson isn’t expected to return until after the All-Star break while he continues to rehab his torn ACL from last season’s NBA Finals.
The team’s poor shooting night—to put it lightly—was made worse by former Warrior Quinn Cook’s great debut for the Lakers. The 26-year-old point guard signed as a free agent with the Lakers on a two-year contract after spending the last two seasons in Golden State. Cook ended up going 4-of-5 from three Wednesday
What’s Next?
The Lakers and Warriors will wrap the preseason by facing off again, the third time this week, on Friday night at Golden State’s new Chase Center in San Francisco.
L.A. starts the regular season on Oct. 22 against the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Warriors will begin their regular season on Oct. 24 against the Clippers.
Courtesy: Bleacher Report
