How much can be learned from the Lakers’ preseason slate when they only played one “dress rehearsal” out of their six exhibitions?
Especially when that one game, Friday’s preseason finale home loss to the Sacramento Kings, included the Lakers not having injured star forward LeBron James?
Quite a bit, still, despite the circumstances ahead of Tuesday’s regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors.
“We’re very prepared,” guard Marcus Smart said Friday. “Obviously, we’ve got some things we’ve got to clean up both defensively and offensively. But everybody is eager to get out there and ready to perform. So we’re going to clean those things up with these next three days before we get going and get out there and put on a show.”
Here are five takeaways from the Lakers’ preseason slate:
DONCIC AND REAVES ARE READY
With James expected to be sidelined through at least mid-November, there will be an even heavier load for star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to carry – even if they aren’t thinking or approaching the start of the season this way.
Both showed their ready and prepared.
Doncic averaged 28 points (52.6% on 3-pointers), 6.5 assists and six rebounds in 28 minutes across his pair of preseason games, continuing his strong play from EuroBasket with the Slovenian national team.
Reaves averaged 18.5 points, 3.5 assists and three rebounds in 26.8 minutes in four games, scoring at least 20 points in the first three exhibitions he played before his scoring average took a hit with Friday’s poor shooting performance (eight points on 3-of-15 shooting).
Doncic and Reaves acknowledged there isn’t one player who can replace what James brings to the team, and that it’ll be a collective effort to make up for James’ absence.
But the Lakers staying afloat while James is sidelined will start with how well Doncic and Reaves lead the group.
“It’s a big change,” Doncic said. “He’s a great player. He can help us a lot. But at the end of the day, our mentality needs to be next man up. We got a group of guys that have been practicing and hopefully LeBron can join us as soon as possible. We are going to obviously need him. But our mentality has got to be next man up.”
STARTERS
Coach JJ Redick has remained tight-lipped about what the Lakers’ starting lineup will be against the Warriors, but he insinuated that the first unit from Friday’s game against the Kings will also start in the regular-season opener.
The Lakers started Gabe Vincent in James’ starting spot alongside Doncic, Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton.
“I don’t know anything about who I’m going to be starting the rest of the season, because, again, there’s injuries, and there’s things that happen throughout a year,” Redick said. “I have a pretty good idea who’s going to start Game One. After that, I don’t know. But I do think in that lineup there’s lot of shooting around Luka and DA and Gabe is another ball handler, another tough defender. He fits in well.”
Doncic was also complimentary of Vincent, who averaged 16.3 points (55.6% shooting on 3-pointers) and three assists in four preseason games (22.3 minutes).
“I mean, as you can see, I always like playing with Gabe,” he said. “I mean, obviously his shooting is going to help a lot. We have that connection. But just he brings a defensive intensity, too. He’s going to help us a lot.”
DEFENSIVE CONCERNS
There were questions about the Lakers defensively coming into preseason – James’ absence and how the team performed on that end of the floor only further raised those concerns.
Opponents scored at ease against the Lakers in transition.
They also easily forced the Lakers to frequently go into rotations defensively, even with the team mostly playing a drop defensive coverage – which is supposed to help prevent the need for rotations – because they didn’t contain the ball well. Redick has called for the team’s big men to be more at the level of their screen in their drop defense, which is something that hasn’t been performed consistently.
The Lakers’ off-ball defense was also concerning, with players frequently losing track of who they’re guarding.
Generally, the Lakers haven’t brought the requisite physicality, which was highlighted after Friday’s game.
“When we start games being physical is when we are at our best,” Doncic said. “We need to be more physical for sure. Getting in the ball on pick-and-rolls. Just being more physical.”
AYTON SETTLING IN
Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft whom the Lakers signed in free agency, started the preseason with a defensive focus.
But with each game, he seemingly became more settled into his offensive role, and his teammates better understood how to set up the 7-footer for scoring opportunities.
Ayton’s preseason average of 8.8 points on 51.4% shooting across five games doesn’t stand out, but he scored in double digits in his final three exhibitions, averaging 12 points per game on 60% shooting in those contests.
His teammates found him in his preferred spots more frequently as preseason progressed – in the short roll out of pick and rolls; around the free-throw line for his efficient midrange game; and near the rim after he seals his defender on a post-up.
“He’s really big: he’s got great size, length, uses his body well,” Redick said. “And something early on we saw in training camp and pick up that he did play in September, as the season progresses, it’s a huge weapon for us. Particularly if we get a cross-match in early offense. [After-timeout plays], we’ll have a package for him. It’s natural when you’re playing with guys like Luka, Austin, when LeBron gets back, it’s natural to go four or five possessions and you may not get a touch, it’s just reality. So we’ve got to build a package to make sure that he gets the ball because he does so many things at a high level, and we got to make sure he’s getting the ball at the front of the rim.”
Doncic and Ayton’s pick-and-roll chemistry remains a work in progress.
Ayton also averaged nine rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots in 24.1 minutes during the preseason, showing a willingness to do the dirty work the Lakers need.
PUSHING PACE
Most teams talk about wanting to push the pace more, but it doesn’t always come to fruition during games.
It may for the Lakers, with Redick emphasizing making hit-ahead passes and getting into the offense with more time left on the shot clock.
Doncic led the charge in this area, finding a variety of teammates running up the floor for quick offense.