As opposed to the first preseason game of the year, Los Angeles Lakers fans would have been more than happy to sweep the Golden State Warriors matchup under the rug and file it away as "just preseason." The Lakers were pummeled 124-98 by the Warriors in a lopsided contest on Tuesday.
Granted, this was par for the course considering who was absent for Los Angeles. There was no Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Ziaire Williams, or Matisse Thybulle available on the second night of a back-to-back. Two of those absences draw real intrigue for this one.
Everyone knows what guys like Doncic and Reaves do for you. It was fascinating to see just how badly the Lakers got blitzed out of the gates without having Thybulle and Williams to operate as defensive tone setters for Los Angeles. The team gave up 45 points in the first quarter.
Without those key pieces, the Lakers got off to a start that JJ Redick described as 'insane' at the postgame press conference. Separately, Redick told Khobi Price and other reporters there will always be games when stars and depth are missing. There is still an expectation to win them.
JJ Redick added: "I still expect us to play to our standards, and that first half did not meet my expectations. I let them know that.
Lakers missed the defensive energy of Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams
There are other things you can point to that could have helped the Lakers avoid the brutal start they had. Having a guy like Kessler deterring at the rim would have aided the cause. However, Los Angeles managed on the defensive end in the first preseason game when Thybulle and Williams were there to bring physicality, pick up full court, jump passing lanes, and be menaces overall.
Sometimes you do not know what you have until it is gone. Thybulle and Williams saw their stock soar without having to play a single minute on the floor.
Both players received their fair bit of love after the preseason opener against the Sacramento Kings. Cases were made for either or both of them to start.
The takeaway remains the same. Thybulle and Williams will both be instrumental to what the Lakers are hoping to accomplish by the time the games begin to actually count. Where exactly both will fit into the rotation is still up in the air.
Even so, there should be a healthy expectations of seeing both get prominent roles. The name of the game for Thybulle and Williams all season will be to try and help Los Angeles play up to the intensity and defensive expectations that Redick felt they fell short of in the second game of the preseason.
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