What we discovered as Warriors beat Lakers to cap undefeated preseason

What we learned as Warriors beat Lakers to cap undefeated preseason initially appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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SAN FRANCISCO – Even without Steph Curry, the Warriors accomplished their undefeated preseason Friday evening at Chase Middle, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 132-74.

The Lakers resting LeBron James, Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura on the second evening of a back-to-back in fact was an element, too.

From begin to end, nevertheless, this was nothing wanting pure dominance from the Warriors. They have been up by 18 factors after the primary quarter, 26 at halftime, 42 via three quarters and wound up profitable by 58.

Golden State’s scoring got here from all avenues as six gamers scored in double figures. Jonathan Kuminga scored a team-high 17 factors, adopted by 16 from Brandin Podziemski, who was an absurd plus-39.

Bronny James began for the Lakers and scored 17 factors in 35 minutes on 7-of-17 capturing.

Listed here are three takeaways from the Warriors ending the preseason an ideal 6-0.

Sharing The Wealth

Down their place to begin guard, the Warriors’ ball motion was crisp as could be from the opening tip. Their first 5 made photographs all have been assisted. In truth, the Warriors ended the primary quarter with 15 made photographs on 14 assists and just one turnover – an errant go from Draymond Inexperienced, who racked up 5 assists within the first body.

By halftime, the Warriors have been as much as 28 made photographs and had 21 assists, 15 greater than the Lakers’ six assists. They have been led by Inexperienced’s 5 assists, and De’Anthony Melton had 4, as did Buddy Hield. A complete of 11 Warriors performed within the first half, and eight recorded at the least one help.

As coach Steve Kerr rested Inexperienced within the second half, help numbers slowed down a bit, however ball motion remained crisp for probably the most half. The Warriors ended with 37 assists on 51 made photographs, turning the ball over solely 13 occasions. In addition they scored 36 factors off 28 Lakers turnovers.

Transition Treys

Certainly one of Kerr’s details of emphasis all through the preseason was to be a greater workforce in transition, on either side of the ball. Two examples within the first quarter stood out in how the Warriors could be harmful offensively in transition with a plethora of 3-point threats.

Grabbing a unfastened ball off a missed Bronny James shot, Buddy Hield pushed the tempo and hit Gary Payton II within the left nook. Hield by no means stopped working himself, too. Payton instantly rewarded his sharp-shooting teammate, who in a single swift movement drained a nook three. Hield all preseason has been a weapon off motion that Kerr should enjoy getting instantaneous offense off the bench.

Hield and Payton then discovered themselves main the best way one minute later for an additional transition three, solely this time it was off Podziemski’s left hand. Payton grabbed a rebound off a Lakers missed shot and dribbled down the courtroom to search out an open Hield behind the 3-point line from the correct wing. However as a substitute of letting it fly, Hield gave the ball as much as a wide-open Podziemski for 3 extra factors.

Golden State’s run-and-gun offense led to going 13 of 36 from deep, Kerr can level to those two examples as positives in movie evaluate.

Proudly owning The Paint

For a workforce that may shoot threes left and proper all recreation lengthy, it was the paint that the Warriors owned early and sometimes. Of their 36 first-quarter factors, 22 have been within the paint. They scored 66 first-half factors, and 40 got here within the paint. This wasn’t a case of old-school basketball, however one other type of the Warriors excelling at transferring with out the ball.

Their first offensive possession resulted in a slashing Andrew Wiggins attending to the free-throw line on a capturing foul only a few toes from the ring. Then, the Warriors’ first made shot was from a Kuminga layup, chopping off a cut up motion and Bronny James not listening to him. The subsequent time down the courtroom, a sprinting Kuminga stuffed the lane and located his technique to two extra factors.

Whereas Kuminga has improved as an outdoor shooter, he continues to be almost unimaginable to cease when he’s on the run and makes use of his athleticism. Simply check out his first-half shot chart, the place Kuminga scored 12 factors with out making an outdoor shot.

There can be nights the place the Warriors’ three-ball isn’t falling. Having choices like Kuminga and Wiggins attacking, plus Trayce Jackson-Davis as a rim-runner and lob risk, can be a refreshing change of tempo to fight poor-shooting video games. The Warriors in Friday evening’s win to shut the preseason scored 68 factors within the paint, which have been 32 greater than the Lakers’ whole of 36.

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