The Los Angeles Lakers will be without veterans LeBron James, Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook in their preseason game against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night.
The players were expected to rest in this game as the team prepares for its regular season opener.
In addition to LeBron, vets Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook will sit tonight. It was planned rest for them as they ramp up to the regular season opener.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) October 9, 2022
While Beverley, James and Westbrook won’t play, forward Anthony Davis is expected to play for Los Angeles.
Anthony Davis is expected to play tonight.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) October 9, 2022
The Lakers are 0-3 so far this preseason, but the team has prioritized health for its players first, as Davis has already sat out with lower back tightness in the preseason. None of James, Westbrook, Beverley or Davis played in the team’s preseason loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, Oct. 6.
James, who certainly doesn’t need a tune up in the preseason given his fantastic play last season, was great against the Phoenix Suns in the team’s second preseason game, scoring 23 points and adding three rebounds and four assists in limited action.
Westbrook and Beverley also played in that game, and Los Angeles was able to keep things close with Phoenix before eventually losing 119-115.
Right now, it appears the Lakers are focused on developing some of their younger players as they prepare for the start of the 2022-23 regular season. Los Angeles added a few players to the team this offseason including Lonnie Walker IV, Thomas Bryant, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Dennis Schroder and Damian Jones in free agency.
The Lakers are also finally going to have a healthy Kendrick Nunn, who scored 21 points in the team’s loss to Phoenix. Nunn missed the entire 2021-22 season with a knee injury.
While Lakers fans will miss seeing some of the team’s best players in Sunday’s contest, it will be a good chance to see where Davis’ game is at ahead of the regular season.
During the 2021-22 season, Davis averaged 23.2 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 53.2 percent from the field and 18.6 percent from beyond the arc.
His shooting, specifically from beyond the arc, took a step back last season, and injuries held him to just 40 games. However, Los Angeles is relying on him to bounce back and be the perfect complement to James in the team’s lineup.
With several new faces and a new head coach in Darvin Ham, the Lakers still have a lot to work on in their final two preseason games. The Lakers and Warriors are scheduled to tip off at 5:30 p.m. PST on Sunday night.
