Lakers at Warriors: What to Watch

The Los Angeles Lakers opened the preseason with high energy and a defensive tone they've been preaching throughout training camp.

Monday’s 127-103 win over the Sacramento Kings also offered an encouraging look at their offense, with Luka Dončić scoring 21 points in 16 minutes and a look of his new teammates alongside him.

The Lakers now visit the Warriors on Tuesday at Chase Center.

On the second night of a back-to-back, here is what to watch.

Can the defensive pressure carry over?

The Lakers forced 26 turnovers, 14 coming in the first half, and collected 15 steals against the Kings. Their wings pressured the ball from tip-off while the entire group actively disrupted passing lanes and turned defensive stops into scoring opportunities.

Tuesday presents a different challenge.

If we're being realists, Golden State will be a stronger test than who we saw in Sacramento, so look for whether the Lakers' defensive energy can carry over against a Warriors offense that never stops moving with Stephen Curry sprinting through infinite screens.

Curry is coming off a 10-pint performance in Golden State's 3-point loss to the Clippers in their preseason opener. Curry and Draymond Green each played 14 minutes, so look for that trend to continue.

Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams and the other wings will need to maintain that activity while keeping the defense connected. Also watch whether L.A. can finish possessions with a rebound after forcing a difficult shot.

Another audition for the starting spots

JJ Redick still has decisions to make at small forward and power forward.

Thybulle and Williams started Monday alongside Dončić, Quentin Grimes and Kevon Looney, with Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler unavailable.

Reaves missed the opener with an ankle issue, while Kessler has been dealing with a jammed finger he sustained in practice. Collin Sexton and Arthur Kaluma also sat out with injuries. Their availability for Tuesday.

Those absences influence the combinations Redick can evaluate. Still, the forwards have another opportunity to show how they defend, space the floor and contribute alongside Dončić.

Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt and Sandro Mamukelashvili also remain worth watching as Redick works through those decisions.

Vanderbilt, along with Dalton Knecht, didn't play until the fourth quarter against the Kings. Something to carefully watch with both on the bubble with 16 players on this roster.

How do the newcomers continue to fit around Dončić?

Grimes looked comfortable in his Lakers debut, creating his own shot and playing a tough-nosed defense. He scored 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including two 3-pointers.

Williams and Mamukelashvili also benefited from the attention Dončić commanded, knocking down open looks.

Against Golden State, watch whether those opportunities continue through timely cuts, floor spacing and quick decisions after the catch.

You should also add rookie Cameron Carr to that list, who continued where he left off from Summer League against the Kings. He didn't look like a rookie, shooting and playing with a tone of confidence in his first NBA action, scoring 19 points off the bench on 54% (7-for-13) shooting from the field.

If Reaves plays, the Lakers could get their first preseason look at how the additions operate around both primary creators.

That would allow Grimes and the forwards to develop connections with both guards. Monday offered a promising start; Tuesday is another chance to see those combinations take shape.