LOS ANGELES – A half dozen future members of the Basketball Corridor of Fame had been in Crypto Enviornment on Sunday evening. Sadly for the paying public, most of them had been inactive within the Warriors’ 126-116 loss to the host Lakers.
On the Warriors bench, Steph Curry and Al Horford had been in road garments, and Jimmy Butler was not even within the constructing, as he missed the sport for private causes.
The Lakers had been down LeBron James, by nerve ache. Luka Doncic was nonetheless not game-ready, and former Defensive Participant of the 12 months Marcus Good was dominated out a number of hours earlier than tipoff.
The outcomes had been … predictably ugly for the Warriors.
Beginning Brandin Podziemski at level guard, Jonathan Kuminga subsequent to Draymond Inexperienced at ahead, and flanked by Quinten Publish and Buddy Hield as shooters, the ragtag Warriors sputtered early, falling behind 63-46 by halftime.
If there was any space the staff missed their stars, it was within the ballhandling division. Golden State dedicated 20 turnovers, a ghastly 14 of them within the first half.
Podziemski was the star for shorthanded Golden State, with a stellar 23-point, eight help evening on 10 of 16 taking pictures. Kuminga poured in 13 factors, and Gary Payton II had 11 factors. Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 21 factors. Undrafted guard LJ Cryer scored 11 factors, all within the fourth quarter.
Inexperienced performed 22 minutes, essentially the most the 35-year-old has performed so far in any sport this preseason.
The Warriors journey to Portland for his or her subsequent sport on Tuesday. The Warriors received the primary matchup between West Coast groups 129-123 at Chase Heart final week.
Brandin Podziemski, level guard
Brandin Podziemski does all the little issues as a guard. He makes fast passes that preserve benefits. He fights for rebounds and earns Golden State further possessions. He’ll make a number of pictures.
However driving the offense as a degree guard? That’s removed from considered one of his strengths, however one thing he was requested to do in opposition to the Lakers with Curry and Butler sitting. The outcomes had been first rate, with the Santa Clara alum meting out eight assists.
He flashed as a playmaker within the open court docket, driving in transition on quite a lot of events earlier than dishing off to a reducing Hield or one other teammate.
And on an evening when his teammates couldn’t assist themselves when it got here to gifting away possessions, Podziemski solely had two turnovers. On an in any other case forgettable evening in Los Angeles, Podziemski was a shiny spot within the metropolis of stars.
Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Inexperienced passes the ball in the course of the first half of a preseason NBA basketball sport in opposition to the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photograph/Jae C. Hong)
Jonathan Kuminga retains on passing
With the staff’s prime offensive engines sidelined, the stage was set for a Kuminga chuckfest. As a substitute, the fifth-year ahead adhered to the identical pass-first philosophy – an ill-advised pullup 3-pointer apart – he had proven within the first two video games.
Kuminga dished out six assists in 22 minutes, essentially the most spectacular being a pair of first quarter dimes thrown within the open court docket. He was additionally the one Warrior to succeed in the free throw line within the first half, pulling down each of his foul pictures.
GP2 nonetheless has it
Steve Kerr appears to like few issues greater than raving about Gary Payton II’s affect in the course of the staff’s run to the 2022 championship. Again then, Payton was a damaging and uber-athletic 6-foot-3 bundle of vitality, able to blowing up performs with hustle and a limitless vertical leap.
Nowadays, Payton, 32, is a step slower and can’t fairly soar the best way he might three years in the past. However that doesn’t cease him from making an affect in smaller bursts.
In 16 minutes off the bench, Payton made all 5 of his pictures and harassed any ballhandler he was assigned to.
He had a classic second within the late third, when he completed a layup between 4 defenders, after which threw a go to Will Richrd for a fastbreak layup on the subsequent possession.
