Los Angeles Lakers reserves fall short against Golden State Warriors regulars

The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors wrapped up their 2019 preseason tonight at the Chase Center.

Los Angeles Lakers fans, it is almost showtime! The next time that we see the purple and gold on the court, it will be in the 2019-20 season opener against the LA Clippers.

The Lakers finished up their 2019 preseason tonight, facing off with the Golden State Warriors for the fourth time. This time, it was the Warriors who had the upper hand, as they exacted a bit of revenge on the Lakers.

Golden State won the preseason finale 124-103, but this one comes with a caveat. The Lakers went into the game planning to use only nine players, which changed to eight quickly as Alex Caruso left the game because of injury after three minutes.

Los Angeles rested a majority of their regulars tonight. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and possibly Jared Dudley and Troy Daniels were the only players who could see rotation minutes to begin the regular season who received run tonight.

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Based on that, it seems clear that Dwight Howard has done enough to remain on the roster, for now. Had Howard truly been on the roster bubble, he would have been out there tonight playing for his spot.

Instead, it was the Lakers’ younger players, and potential G Leaguers, who took the court. Zach Norvell Jr. played well again, leading the team with 29 points scored in 39 minutes off the bench. He was an impressive 5-of-10 from distance and could be the next two-way player to make an impact on this team, following in the steps of Caruso.

Fellow undrafted free agent signing, Devontae Cacok, also had a good game. He recorded a double-double in 35 minutes, scoring 16 points with 10 rebounds, also adding four assists.

Kostas Antetokounmpo also played well off the bench. While his offensive game is extremely raw, he showed he can already be a difference-maker defensively. He challenged anyone who came into his vicinity and finished the game with five blocks.

Golden State used tonight’s game as a dress rehearsal for the regular season. With Kevon Looney and Willie Cauley-Stein nursing injuries, there is a chance that tonight’s lineup is the one they will use on opening night.

Stephen Curry and D’Angelo Russell led the charge, as each knocked down six 3-pointers in the game. Curry finished with 32 points, while Russell poured in 29. Glenn Robinson III and Eric Paschall were the only two other Warriors to score in double-figures.

While the final score makes the game seem like it was not competitive, the Lakers fought to the very end. They were leading by as many as 13 points in the first quarter before the Warriors began to flex their muscles.

Los Angeles will finish the preseason with a 3-3 record, going 3-1 against the Warriors and 0-2 against the Brooklyn Nets in China.

Now, they will take the court in games that count, as the regular season gets underway Wednesday, Oct. 22 with a matchup with their STAPLES Center co-tenants, the Clippers.