Anthony Davis Shines Despite LeBron James and Austin Reaves Absence in Lakers’ Preseason Opener Against Warriors

In their preseason opener against the Warriors, the Lakers were missing LeBron James and Austin Reaves, but Anthony Davis delivered an outstanding performance. Despite the 125-108 loss to Golden State in San Francisco, there were positive takeaways for the Lakers. Davis scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds in just 13 minutes of play, showcasing his elite skills. D’Angelo Russell, another starter, also had an impressive night with 15 points. Max Christie, a second-year guard, heated up in the second half and finished with 15 points of his own.

The first quarter was competitive, with both teams fielding strong lineups. The Lakers ran their offense through Davis, leading to his 15 points in the opening period. However, the Lakers’ bench struggled in the first quarter, allowing the Warriors to close with a 14-4 run and a six-point lead.

Davis found his three-point shooting touch in the second quarter, but the Warriors’ starters extended their lead to as much as 18 points. Thanks to D’Angelo Russell’s strong performance, the Lakers managed to cut the deficit to six points by halftime. However, a last-second buzzer-beater by D’Angelo Russell was ruled late, despite the referees having ruled that the final seconds of the half needed to be replayed after halftime.

The second half saw Davis and Russell resting, giving the backups and young Lakers like Max Christie and Jalen Hood-Schifino an opportunity to shine. Christie took control as the point guard, attacking the basket, while Hood-Schifino had a mixed performance. In the closing quarter, Taurean Prince fouled out and scored only two points in his 13 minutes of play, as the game turned into extended garbage time, resulting in a comfortable victory for Golden State.

While the preseason results don’t carry significant weight, Anthony Davis’s performance stood out as he appeared to be the best two-way player on the court. With discussions about him becoming the team’s leader, this showing was an encouraging sign of his readiness to embrace that role.

The Lakers will continue their preseason against the Brooklyn Nets in Las Vegas on Monday at 6 p.m. PT. Fans will be eager to see if LeBron James and Austin Reaves make their preseason debuts in that game.