LOS ANGELES – After five preseason games where they often played with various key rotation players out, on Friday, the Lakers finally had a game they took seriously.
Head coach JJ Redick called this preseason finale a dress rehearsal for his team.
No, the Lakers didn’t win, falling 118-117 to the Kings. However, this contest wasn’t about how they finished, but how they started.
Redick began the game with Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton and Gabe Vincent. All signs point to this
being the team’s initial starting lineup, but a coy Redick wouldn’t confirm or deny it during his media availability.
While Redick might not want to say if this group will start on Tuesday against the Warriors when the regular season begins, they made a compelling case to be the team’s first five.
All Lakers starters were a positive in the plus-minus department, and four of the five were in double figures. The only player who didn’t break 10 points was Reaves, who has proven to be an offensive powerhouse.
Vincent being included as a starter was a bit of a surprise. He only started in 11 games out of the 72 he played last year. He was impressive against the Kings. Vincent was knocking down open 3-pointers just like he had in Las Vegas against the Mavericks and ended the night going 5-6 from the field, scoring 14 points.
“I do think in that lineup there’s a lot of shooting around Luka and DA,” Redick said postgame. “And Gabe is another ball handler, another tough defender. I think he fits in well, but you have to take a look at every matchup we play against, and have to make a decision there.”
The rest of the Lakers’ starters followed Vincent’s example and played a relatively sharp game.
Hachimura was picking his spots well, going 6-10 from the field. Ayton scored 13 points and had a game-high nine rebounds. And Luka was doing what he always does, dominating on-ball, jawing at anyone who wants to listen, and knocking down threes.
The reserves also performed well. Marcus Smart played for 23 minutes, was diving on the floor, fighting for loose balls and forcing turnovers. He was also a positive factor on offense, scoring 14 points.
Jaxson Hayes was also a positive shining in his role as the team’s backup big man. Unfortunately, he suffered a wrist contusion and exited the game. The good news is Redick said the X-rays were negative and he’ll have an update on his status likely on Sunday.
The Lakers stayed in control throughout most of the game and were up 90-86 entering the fourth. In the final quarter, they lost that control, but with that period featuring two-way players and end-of-the-bench guys, it’s far from a preview of what we’ll see when the games matter next week.
All things considered, this game was a net positive for Los Angeles. This game was a proof of concept that the work they’ve put in during all of training camp is working, and they are ready for the year to start.
“We’re very prepared,” Smart said. “Obviously, we’ve got some things we’ve got to clean up both defensively and offensively. But everybody’s eager to get out there and ready to perform.”
The rehearsals are now over, and the show will begin for real on Tuesday in LA against Golden State. Let’s see if they can bring the best they showed on Friday, leave their worst, and walk away with a win to start the 2025-26 campaign on Tuesday night.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
