Golden State Warriors basketball is back! Tomorrow the Warriors will take the court for the first time since their playoff loss against the San Antonio Spurs last season.
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The build-up to this point started a few weeks ago, when the the team began hosting media events prior to Media Day last Friday. Now that we’re finally on the eve the of the preseason, here are the things you should be watching for tomorrow night, when the Warriors play the Los Angeles Lakers at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA.
5. Bench party
In addition to not releasing his starting lineup for the first preseason game, head coach Mark Jackson told media today that he planned to keep minutes for a number of Golden State players limited. That included 24 or less for Andrew Bogut, Stephen Curry, David Lee, Andre Iguodala and Jermaine O’Neal, according to Rusty Simmons of the SF Chronicle. Not earth-shattering news because it is the first preseason game, but be prepared to see a lot more of the young Golden State bench.
4. No stars for L.A.
We already knew Kobe Bryant wasn’t going to be playing in any preseason action, but now both Steve Nash and Pau Gasol will also not be a part of Saturday night’s game. Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles wrote the two will instead play the following night against the Denver Nuggets, to prevent unnecessary wear and tear on their bodies in the preseason. That means a heavy dose of the Lakers’ backups, including Jordan Farmar, Nick Young, Wesley Johnson and a plethora of other training camp invites.
3. Better off Ned?
With a bloated preseason roster and Nemanja Nedovic having spent the least time in camp of all Warrior players, there’s no guarantee the rookie guard makes his Golden State debut. But Jackson told Simmons that Nedovic is prepared enough to play and there’s a chance the Serbian national gets his first playing time on an NBA court Saturday night. Having drawn comparisons to Derrick Rose, as well as Jose Calderon from Jackson himself, there’s a whole lot of potential for big plays if he gets on the court.
2. Andre not Iggy
Iguodala will make his Warriors debut. A jack of all trades, the defense-first wing man brings new dimensions and wrinkles to the Dubs on both sides of the ball. We might not see all of his abilities featured just yet, but be on the lookout for how Jackson incorporates him. And since this will likely be the first time fans celebrate his on-court actions, take note: he doesn’t like being called “Iggy.”
1. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie
Bogut is healthy. That’s the key here. There’s also the 15 pounds he shed this past off-season. Looking forward to his first full season since his devastating ankle injury, he’s got a chance to start it off well tomorrow night. Expect to see him moving far better than he did last season. A healthy Bogut is a game-changer for the Warriors, and tomorrow will likely mark the healthiest Golden State fans have seen the Aussie big man.
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