Warriors vs. Lakers, 10:00 ET
Warriors vs. Lakers, 10:00 ET
The NBA has tipped off for the start of the newest season. As usual, the storylines are intriguing, the drama will be heightened, and we should see some moments of great basketball coupled with some moments of absolutely brutal basketball. I know not everyone loves the NBA, but I do. It is my favorite of all leagues and the one I have followed for the most time in my life. While the NFL is king, I still love the hardwood and am looking forward to this and college basketball being back. Nothing screams basketball being back like the Warriors and Lakers taking each other on in a battle tonight.
The Warriors are old. That isn’t really meant to be an insult. Even in pickup games, people who know how to play basketball and how to play together are often just as good, if not better, than the youngsters. Four of the five starters for the Warriors are 35 or older. I assume, if Moses Moody is out, that they will start Buddy Hield. He is younger and more athletic, but this team isn’t going to play above the rim. They are going to continue to run efficient plays, be lethal from deep, and hit a lot of midrange shots. Al Horford should bring a nice combination of decent defense and 3-pt shooting from the center position. The Warriors should be a decent rebounding team as well, with Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green both being willing to do the dirty work. I’m not going to say this team will be slow-paced as they still will look to get out in transition, but they are going to be effective in the halfcourt, which is better suited for the playoffs than the regular season. I am a bit concerned about their depth overall, but in a one-game setting, that shouldn’t matter much.
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Lakers are not necessarily old. I mean, they have a really old player in LeBron James, but he is out for about a month anyway as the team looks to try and keep him fresh for the playoffs. They are also transitioning to the gift from Dallas, Luka Doncic. This is his team now, and LeBron is no longer the focal point on offense. It is a new role for James, but at this point in his life, it is probably better for his body. The rest of the lineup for the Lakers does give me a bit of concern. They have Austin Reaves, whom I am not sold on as an offensive or defensive weapon. He’s good, but I also wonder how good he will be without LeBron and Luka on the court. Is he good enough to be a second option or is he significantly better as a third that can score when needed? Deandre Ayton is the new center, and through seven seasons, he has yet to make a huge impact on a team. I’m not saying he has been bad; his career averages are 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds, but he is disinterested and inconsistent in many games.
Continuity is important in games to start seasons. The Lakers had a lot of their offense revolve around LeBron last season, even after Luka came over at the deadline. They are going to be without him, and their bench doesn’t offer a ton of offense. They mostly have defensive guys there. The Warriors added Al Horford, but their center position never really matters. The Warriors were very good after adding Butler last season and I think we see that again here tonight. Luka could go crazy, but I’m going to back the Warriors, even on the road, to win this game.
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