The Los Angeles Lakers are absolutely flexing a new defensive muscle this preseason, forcing a wild 26 turnovers in their Monday night win against the Sacramento Kings. Seriously, 14 of those came in the first half alone! This aggressive perimeter defense and high-volume three-point shooting is the new mantra under coach JJ Redick, and it’s making some serious noise early on.
Lakers Unleash a Whole New Strategy
That defensive intensity isn’t just a fluke. The Lakers opened preseason with a clear focus: aggressive perimeter defense and jacking up a ton of threes. We’re talking nearly 54 percent of their shot attempts coming from beyond the arc! Coach Redick even hinted that guys who sat out Monday’s win, like Walker Kessler, Austin Reaves, and Collin Sexton, could get some run tonight against the Warriors. It’ll be huge to see if this new style can hold up, or if it was just a burst against the Kings. This team is clearly trying to set a tone.
Warriors Vet Plan and Offensive Struggles
Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors are right in the middle of a brutal three games in four nights stretch. They kicked it off in Hawaii on Sunday and wrap it up in Portland on Wednesday. The plan is to play veterans Stephen Curry and Draymond Green tonight against the Lakers, but then they’ll get some rest and sit out the Portland game. This rotation is all about managing the vets, but it puts a lot of pressure on the supporting cast. Steph Curry needs offensive help, no doubt. In their Sunday loss to the Clippers, guys like Brandin Podziemski, Brandon Williams, and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg were heavily featured. They need to start knocking down more shots if the Dubs want to navigate this early schedule effectively.
So, tonight’s showdown at Chase Center at 7 p.m. PST isn’t just another preseason game. It’s a real test. Can the Lakers’ aggressive new style keep up that insane defensive pressure and three-point volume? And will Golden State’s younger guys step up and provide the scoring punch Steph Curry needs, especially with him and Draymond getting a breather after this one? Get ready, because these early trends are telling us a lot about what these teams are building.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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