Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler, the Lakers’ new big three, logged just one half together across five unofficial preseason games. That’s it. For a team looking to hit the ground running with fresh faces, a maddening lack of available bodies, a shortened preseason, and a questionable approach to it all means they’re not exactly bursting into the new year with the reps or on-court chemistry we all wanted.
Injuries Are Already Piling Up, Limiting Crucial Reps
This isn’t just about the top guys, either. Reaves himself entered training camp with a tweaked right ankle, and Kessler suffered a jammed finger before games even started. You know that feeling when you’re hyped for a new squad to mesh, and then everyone’s sidelined? That’s the vibe. It just wasn’t ideal for building that crucial early connection. And it gets worse: key role players like Ziaire Williams, Adou Thiero, Collin Sexton, and Cameron Carr wound up missing some, if not all, of the preseason slate. Thiero (left knee effusion) and Carr (right oblique strain) are officially out for the season opener against the Warriors. Sexton (right soleus strain) is questionable. Talk about needing to patch things together on the fly. It’s tough to build anything meaningful when you’re just trying to keep guys on the court.
Why the Early Schedule Could Be Their Saving Grace
So, with all that going on, how are the Lakers supposed to find their rhythm and still win games? Well, here’s the twist: the early-season schedule might actually be a huge break for them. Their first ten games? We’re talking two matchups each against the Warriors, Clippers, and Trail Blazers, plus single games against the Jazz, Raptors, Heat, and Kings. Now, the league is definitely tougher these days, but the Lakers are projected to be better than every single Western Conference team on that early slate. Austin Reaves put it best after practice, saying, “I believe, as we are right now, we’re good enough to win a lot of games.” He knows they’re not at their peak, adding, “But I don’t think that we’re as good as we can be. I think that with the reps and the in-game competition and going through adversity will only build us to be better in the long haul.” Winning early, even while building, is key. JJ Redick summed up the challenge by saying, “That’s what it is, it is a balance.” He emphasized that the guys know “every time we step on the floor the expectation is [that] you’re going to” compete.
This early run against teams they’re favored to beat offers a golden opportunity. It lets them get those much-needed in-game reps for the Dončić-Reaves-Kessler trio and integrate the returning role players without the immediate pressure of an impossible gauntlet. They can iron out the kinks, build that chemistry, and hopefully stack some wins before the schedule toughens up. It’s all about finding that balance between ramping up connectivity and staying competitive. Can they do it? The season opener against the Warriors is going to show us just how well they navigate this tough spot, with early wins crucial for momentum.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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