The Los Angeles Lakers opened their preseason with a matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but they were unable to secure a victory in the opener, losing by a score of 124-107.
It is worth noting that superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis did not suit up for the contest. Additionally, preseason outcomes hold no significant meaning, so the most important takeaway is that everybody came out of the game healthy as they ramp up for the start of the regular season.
Austin Reaves was the starter that got the most burn for Los Angeles. Reaves had a solid performance, scoring 16 points, grabbing five rebounds, dishing seven assists, and recording a team-high three steals in 25 minutes played as he looks to continue growing as a reliable third option for the Lakers.
The Lakers couldn’t slow down the Timberwolves offense
The Timberwolves recently made a massive trade that saw them trade Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. Randle didn’t suit up the game, but DiVincenzo did play 10 minutes early on in the game and torched the Lakers, scoring 11 points while shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from the field (3-for-3 from three-point range).
Minnesota sat most of their starters after the first quarter, but the contributions from some of their younger players allowed them to gain a 22-point lead. Undrafted rookie Josh Minott was a pleasant surprise for Minnesota, as he scored 22 points while shooting 9-for-11 from the field and 4-for-6 from three. He also tallied eight rebounds in a team-high 29 minutes.
The Wolves’ lights-out shooting was too much for the Lakers to try to contain. Overall, Minnesota shot 50% from the floor and 41% from three, and they won the rebound battle 41-38. The Lakers’ hot third quarter allowed them to cut the Wolves’ lead to as little as two, but they couldn’t overcome the large deficit and fell short of making a miraculous comeback.
The Lakers got some strong production out of their top draft picks
Despite the loss, there were some positives to take away from this game, especially from their two top draft picks in Dalton Khnect and Bronny James.
Khnect, who was one of the top scorers in college basketball last season, put that same scoring on full display in the Lakers’ preseason opener. The former Tennessee product was their leading scorer with 16 points in 25 minutes played, shot 7-13 from the floor, and knocked down two three-pointers.
The first-round draft pick is expected to play a big role on the Lakers’ bench this season, with the hope that he can be their spark plug in the second unit and provide much-needed depth in a relatively weak backcourt. This performance in the preseason opener was very encouraging for Los Angeles as he settles into the NBA world.
As for James, the son of his future Hall of Fame teammate didn’t light up the stat sheet on the scoring end, as he recorded just two points and was just 1-for-6 from the field. However, he did showcase his other strong attribute, which is his defense. James recorded three of the team’s 12 blocks, a figure that was a team-high for the second-round rookie.
Unlike Khnect, James will likely spend more time in the G-league this season to expand his development, so it is unclear when there will be the historic moment he and his father share the floor together. Regardless of that, there is a lot of potential to be unlocked with the younger James’ skillset, and he flashed some of that potential early on in the preseason opener.
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Looking ahead for the Lakers
It is still not yet known how much playing time most of the starters will get throughout the preseason. Their next game is against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, where perhaps head coach JJ Redick gives the starters more minutes as the regular season is fast approaching.
Nevertheless, these games are good for the younger players to earn some much-needed reps on the NBA court, and the expectation is that those guys will have a big opportunity to showcase what they can bring to the team as the preseason continues.
