Even without LeBron James, the star power will shine bright when the Golden State Warriors face the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday in the second half of the NBA’s opening night doubleheader.
All eyes will be on Warriors legend Stephen Curry, entering his 17th NBA season, and Luka Doncic, who begins his first full campaign in Los Angeles after a blockbuster trade from the Dallas Mavericks in February.
James’ record-setting 23rd season will be on hold for up to a month as he recovers from sciatica in his right leg. In his absence, Doncic and rising guard Austin Reaves will shoulder the offensive load, while Gabe Vincent is expected to join the starting lineup Tuesday night.
Set to make their Los Angeles debuts are center Deandre Ayton, guard Marcus Smart and forward Jake LaRavia. Forward Maxi Kleber, who also arrived from the Mavericks in February but did not appear in a regular-season game, is poised to make an impact.
“Honestly, I think we have a great team,” Doncic said. “We have what we need to compete for the championship. I’ll try to win every game no matter what, and we got some new great guys on the team. We’re going to go for it.”
The Lakers were the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs last spring, but they were eliminated in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. That loss prevented a potential second-round matchup with the No. 7-seeded Warriors, who upset the second-seeded Houston Rockets.
The Timberwolves later eliminated the Warriors as well. Curry suffered a hamstring injury after the series-opening victory and did not play again as Golden State dropped the next four games.
Healthy again and ready to lead at age 37, Curry will get plenty of help from Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green.
But with Butler, 36, and Green, 35, Golden State faces what head coach Steve Kerr calls “an aging infrastructure.” Butler missed the final three preseason games with an ankle injury, while Moses Moody (calf) will not play Tuesday. Butler is expected to suit up for the opener.
“I’ve taken advantage of the offseason, and we’ve had a really good camp overall,” Curry said. “As long as we come Tuesday with as many guys ready to go as possible, hopefully we get off to a good start. I feel good, and I think we’re excited.”
Jonathan Kuminga, 23, and Brandin Podziemski, 22, give Golden State much-needed youth, though both missed time last season with injuries. Kuminga sat out the preseason finale with an ankle injury, while Podziemski sustained a left hip contusion in the same game.
Golden State also added 39-year-old big man Al Horford, hoping to draw on his experience and postseason savvy. The plan is to limit Horford to about 20 minutes per game and avoid back-to-backs.
A primary concern for the Warriors remains turnovers, after committing at least 20 in each preseason game.
“We definitely had a turnover problem throughout the preseason, but I’m confident that when the lights go on Tuesday, our guys will be locked in,” Kerr said.
