Steph Curry logged 23 minutes on the floor of T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday night, his most extensive action of the preseason, as the Warriors secured a 101-89 victory over the Lakers. While the contest was marred by 20 turnovers and a disjointed pace, the night served as a critical benchmark for Curry’s gradual return to a full-time regular season workload.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr confirmed that the team’s approach remains calculated. “He’s not where he wants to be, but we do have another week and we’ve purposefully ramped him up slowly,” Kerr said. “I think he’s on schedule.” Curry, who had not played in the second half in any of his previous three preseason appearances, hit 3-of-9 shots for 11 points.
Personnel Shifts and Interior Challenges
The Warriors’ frontcourt depth was tested significantly in Las Vegas. Draymond Green, despite participating in an hours-long morning workout, was held out as a healthy scratch. Kerr offered a brief, wry explanation for the absence, labeling the decision as simply “experienced.” With backup center Al Horford remaining in San Francisco for rest, the starting duties fell to Charles Bassey.
ONE WEEK AWAY FROM A STEPH-LUKA MUST-SEE SHOWDOWN 🤩 Stephen Curry and the Warriors meet Luka Dončić and the new-look Lakers in a marquee California showdown!📺 Wednesday, October 21 at 10:00pm/et on ESPN pic.twitter.com/4IfVwd4vvH
Bassey recorded eight points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks, but the team’s interior defense faced stiff opposition from Lakers center Walker Kessler. Kessler had 11 points and nine rebounds in 16 minutes, exposing the Warriors’ defensive rotations. Yaxel Lendeborg, who has shown promise in earlier preseason games against other teams, struggled to contain the 7-foot-2 Kessler. “This game, this pace, is super fast. It’s ridiculous. So I’ve still got some ways to go,” Lendeborg told the Bay Area News Group. Lendeborg also faced an injury scare in the third quarter after appearing to roll his left ankle, though he returned to the floor after a brief four-minute evaluation by medical staff.
The Vegas Expansion Audition
Tuesday’s game provided a lackluster backdrop for a city frequently discussed as a potential future NBA expansion market. Official attendance was recorded at 7,471, and the T-Mobile Arena upper deck remained curtained off for the duration of the event. Even the lower bowl featured significant gaps, with the crowd only finding its voice late in the fourth quarter when Brandin Podziemski and Gui Santos connected on a series of three-pointers.
The logistical environment was equally strained. Both teams made hasty exits from the arena, aiming to clear the airspace before the scheduled arrival of Donald Trump in Las Vegas, which threatened to ground local air traffic. This sense of urgency underscored the disjointed nature of the preseason, which concludes for the Warriors this Friday at Chase Center against the Trail Blazers.
Lingering Uncertainty Regarding Porzingis
While the team navigates its current rotation, the status of Kristaps Porzingis remains a point of concern. Kerr noted that the center met with medical staff at Chase Center on Tuesday, but offered no further update. Porzingis has been absent for two weeks with an undisclosed health issue, having missed the team’s training camp in Hawaii.
Despite the win, the night served as a reminder of the gap between preseason experimentation and the rigorous demands of the regular season. With the Warriors struggling to protect the ball and missing the veteran stability of Green and Horford, the team’s reliance on its star core remains as absolute as ever. As Curry continues to work toward peak conditioning, the next week of practice will be pivotal in determining whether the team can resolve its defensive lapses before the schedule turns meaningful.
How do you view the trade-off between resting veteran players like Green and Horford versus allowing younger prospects like Lendeborg to gain experience against elite size?
