What we learned from the Warriors’ preseason win over Lakers.
Warriors’
The Warriors’beat the Lakers 121-114 in a preseason game at Chase Center on Friday night, with Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole combining for 58 points.
S Curry scored 30 points and Poole added 28 as the Warriors improved to 3-0 in preseason play by making 20 3-pointers.
The Warriors led by as much as 22 points after three quarters and lead 91-77,
but the Lakers rallied in the fourth quarter with the help of their experienced backups.
When both teams played small, the Warriors were much better,
but they struggled when the Lakers, who are favorites to reach the NBA Finals, relied on their big guys.
The first of two preseason games between the California rivals yielded three key takeaways:
Backcourt vibe: Very warm
Count on Poole to start the season as the Warriors’ starting shooting guard,
even though coach Steve Kerr hasn’t said it yet.
After three preseason games, it’s safe to assume that, in the absence of Klay Thompson,
Poole will be joining Curry in the starting lineup when the season begins on Oct. 19 in Los Angeles against the Lakers.
Curry scored 30 points while shooting 12-of-24 from the field, including 3-of-13 from long range.
He was more aggressive with his shot in the third game than he had been in the previous two, and it paid off.
Poole scored 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting, including 6-of-13 from beyond the arc.
He’s 14-of-32 (43.8 percent) in the preseason, which Klay or anybody else would be proud of.
Based on Poole’s breakthrough season last year and his performance so far,
it seems like a Curry-Poole backcourt is capable of scoring at a rate comparable to the Curry-Thompson backcourt.
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The muscle deficit
Last season, the Warriors were on the tiny side, and their opponents took advantage of that.
This game’s paint action suggested that things won’t be any different this season.
DeAndre Jordan (6-foot-11, 265 pounds) and Dwight Howard (6-foot-9, 260 pounds) provide the Lakers a verticality that the Warriors lack.
Despite the fact that both LA big men are beyond their prime, t
heir sheer size and what little athleticism they still have allowed them to have more than a few “turn back the clock” moments.
The Lakers racked up second-chance points thanks to 12 offensive rebounds,
seven of which came from Jordan and Howard. They had 32 points, 20 rebounds, and six dunks off lobs between them.
Although not every opponent will have such imposing figures in the center,
the Warriors are designed to face the repercussions when they do.
The Moses Moody file
With one lottery selection, Jonathan Kuminga, out due to a right knee injury, Moses Moody, the other lottery pick, offered some promising moments.
Moody made his presence known in the fourth quarter after sitting out the first three quarters.
He drained three triples to help the Warriors fend off the Lakers.
The 19-year-old winger scored 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting and made all three of his 3-point attempts.
In the last minute, he got an offensive foul for good measure, thus ending LA’s chances of winning.
Aside from Curry and Poole, Moody was the only Warrior to score in double figures.
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