Lakers Fight a Losing Battle: Lose Their Season Opener Against the Warriors
Much like when they faced off in the Summer League, the Lakers came up short against the Golden State Warriors in their season opener. It was the Luka Doncic show in the season opener at Crypto.com Arena. Doncic had 42 points and 12 rebounds in a near triple-double performance. Without Luka's magic on display, the Lakers would have lost the game by a lot more than just 10 points. The 119-109 score didn’t reflect how the game went at all. By halftime, the Lakers were in the game, but by the end of the second half, they were completely blown out. At one point, they were almost down 20 points. The Warriors, with a healthy, energized roster, came to play. Buddy Hield scorched the Lakers from downtown in the fourth quarter, averaging 50% from three in the game. Yet, was it all bad for the Lakers?
The absence of LeBron James stung, as the Lakers looked lost at times when their leader, Doncic, needed to take a breather. Deandre Ayton was a complete disappointment in his first game as a Laker. With Al Horford and Draymond Green defending him, one would think he would use his size and athleticism to his advantage. It's what brought him fame and made him a great player, helping the Suns reach the NBA Finals in 2021. However, Ayton scored 10 points and failed to show leadership and capitalize on his matchups. Hopefully, as time progresses, he develops his confidence and really establishes this team as his own as well.
The Lakers struggled from three, shooting eight for 32 in the game and hitting only 60% of their free throws. Given how poorly they were shooting, it was surprising that Dalton Knecht didn't enter the game to see if those shooting numbers would improve. Adding him to the game should be a necessity for the Lakers going forward, especially for Luka, as he will always be looking for the open man. The most prominent bright spot for the Lakers was Marcus Smart, whose energy and defensive awareness, which earned him the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2022, remain evident. He committed some ignorant fouls in the first half, but what he showed in the game was very encouraging. Overall, while the Lakers lost the game and were never really in it, the energy and toughness they showed without the King were encouraging. With some adjustments, I can see the Lakers even going on a winning streak before James returns.
