Warriors Dominate Lakers in Preseason Win

The Golden State Warriors scored 45 points in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers on their way to a 124-98 preseason victory. The game took place on Tuesday night at Chase Center in San Francisco, where the Warriors jumped to an 11-2 lead within the first two minutes and never looked back, fueled by efficient shooting and 17 fastbreak points in the first half. The win moved the Warriors' preseason record to 1-1.

Golden State's starting lineup featured Gui Santos and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg at forward, with Steph Curry and Brandin Podziemski in the backcourt and Draymond Green at center. At the 6:55 mark in the first quarter, Curry made his first of two four-point plays, giving the Warriors a 27-13 advantage. They added 36 points in the second quarter, leading to a commanding 81-53 halftime lead. The Lakers, who were missing Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler due to rest after a road game the previous night, managed only 22 points in the third quarter as the Warriors went on a late 22-4 run to extend their lead. The game also served as Nellie Night, a tribute to the late coach Don Nelson.

Curry and Green deliver efficient minutes in limited action

Steph Curry played just 14 minutes but was highly effective, scoring 16 points on 4-for-7 shooting from the field and 3-for-6 from three-point range. He added five assists, committed no turnovers, and finished with a game-high +26 plus-minus rating. Draymond Green also saw limited action, logging 15 minutes. He took only one shot, a made three-pointer, and dished out eight assists while posting a +25 plus-minus. Their veteran presence helped establish the early dominance.

Young forwards Lendeborg and Santos make early impact

The young players seized their opportunity. Rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg led all scorers with 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds, shooting 7-for-11 from the field. Teammate Gui Santos praised his performance, noting Lendeborg is hard to stop in transition one-on-one, especially with Curry running the floor. Santos also said he likes the combination they provide. Brandin Podziemski played 19 minutes, scoring 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting. Head coach Steve Kerr called it a night at halftime for Podziemski. After the starters built an 81-point first-half lead, the Warriors' second unit added 15 points in the third quarter.

Kerr addresses rotation and upcoming back-to-back

With the Warriors scheduled to play the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. PT in Oregon, Steve Kerr confirmed a significant roster shift for the second leg of the preseason back-to-back. He stated that Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Al Horford will not travel to Portland, a common practice to manage veteran workloads on consecutive days. A larger group of players will also remain behind.

The following players will not be on the team plane to Portland:

Steph Curry downplayed the significance of the performance, saying, "preseason results don't matter." The Warriors will play the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. PT in Oregon as part of a preseason back-to-back.