The Golden State Warriors were in San Diego, CA tonight to face the Los Angeles Lakers, for the Warriors’ fifth preseason game out of seven, prior to the start of the regular season.
Golden State was without three starters:
- Klay Thompson, who is in the Bahamas with his father to attend a family funeral,
- Harrison Barnes, who sprained his right knee in the loss to the Denver Nuggets two games ago, and
- Andrew Bogut, who broke his nose in the win against the Houston Rockets last game.
Kevon Looney remains in rehab, although according to Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group, had a “good report on his recovery from his surgeon and can gradually do more working out.”
The Lakers were without Kobe Bryant after getting kneed in the leg four nights ago in a game against the Sacramento Kings.
1st Quarter
Clark’s start for Klay got off to an auspicious start as Russell stripped him outside the three-point line and skied in for a pretty behind-the-back finish on the ensuing fast break.
Later, Festus Ezeli slammed home a Draymond Green push early offense layup that missed, while Rush looked good, getting an and-one attacking the rim, then going crossover for a lefty layup, keeping the Warriors close, 11-7, as the young Lakers looked to up the tempo.
Clark started to settle in as he drilled a catch-and-shoot trey from the left arc, assisted by Stephen Curry. He later got a stepback three as well, with these Warriors highlights sandwiched in between:
- Ezeli got disrupted point-blank by Roy Hibbert on a dish by Curry, but Curry came back the next time down and got a quick three. He turned back down court after launching the three, of course! That shot gave the Warriors the lead, 13-12.
- Curry then looped around for a catch-and-shoot three via Green.
- Ezeli had a nice dive on a pick-and-roll with Curry and got fouled on the two-handed slam.
With 5:55 to go and the Warriors up, 17-15, Andre Iguodala and Marreese Speights checked in while Rush and Ezeli checked out.
Speights hit two straight jumpers, while Curry slipped on the floor, which was suffering from condensation no thanks to a minor league hockey team that usually calls the Valley View home, but Jordan Clarkson came back with a putback dunk, getting past Curry for the offensive throw down.
Curry launched another three, turning back downcourt again, but this time missed the wide open one at the top of the arc, after Russell had missed point blank, Speights outletted to Iguodala and Iguodala baited the defense into collapsing off the arc.
Chris Babb subbed for Curry with 2:26 to play and he shanked a designed play for him at the end of the quarter, coming from the low block to the right wing, with Iguodala setting him up from the point-forward position.
The game was tied, 31-31, heading into the second frame.
2nd Quarter
James McAdoo was a savior for the Warriors in the 2nd quarter, getting a steal for a breakaway, finishing with some big steps, shooting a jump-hook banker, then feigning a dribble hand-off pick-and-roll and charging hard to the rack for a foul.
Curry came back with less than 7 minutes to go and went behind-the-back on the right side, lefty, dribbled down to the baseline, found Rush in the left corner, headed to the left wing, got the ball back from Rush while doing so, and immediately pivoted and launched for a good three-pointer:
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It was a true display of Curry’s quick release, not to mention the quick pivot. The three-ball gave the Warriors a 45-42 lead with 5:56 remaining.
Jason Thompson did well, too, contributing 10 rebounds in 9 minutes of play.
But the Lakers went on a run as Nick Young hit two straight threes and Robert Sacre and Jabari Brown added layups, and Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton called timeout with 1:11 to go, down 58-51.
Ezeli got a dunk off an offensive rebound of Speights’ miss out of the timeout, but Young hit another three.
With 6.9 seconds remaining, Golden State got the ball from their own endline. Curry dribbled up past halfcourt and, before hitting a triple-team from Los Angeles, launched from just inside halfcourt. The ball hit the back rim, off, and the Lakers took a 62-53 lead into halftime.
Curry led the Warriors with 14 points, 3 assists, while Speights added 6 points and so did Clark, although Clark had 4 turnovers.
Marcelo Huertas, the Brazilian backup point guard for the Lakers, dished out 6 assists, while Julius Randle scored 14 points and Clarkson added 13 points, 5 rebounds.
(Photo: @letsgowarriors Instagram account via @missgracie123)
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