It happens every October. The lights at T-Mobile Arena in Vegas or the Chase Center in San Francisco flicker on, and suddenly, social media is a war zone over a game that literally doesn't count. We’re talking about the Lakers Golden State preseason matchups. Honestly, it’s a bit ridiculous how much weight we put into these exhibition runs. But let's be real—when you have LeBron James and Steph Curry sharing a court, even if they're only playing 15 minutes and spent the morning at a light shootaround, people are going to watch.
Is it just hype? Maybe. But there's a specific science to why these two franchises specifically use their preseason minutes the way they do.
The Weird Chemistry Experiment of Lakers Golden State Preseason Games
Preseason isn't about winning. If you're looking at the scoreboard during a Lakers Golden State preseason game, you’re kinda missing the point. Coaches like Steve Kerr and JJ Redick (or whoever is patrolling the sidelines in a given year) are looking for "lineup versatility." That's a fancy way of saying they want to see if their rookie guard can handle a screen-and-roll against a future Hall of Famer without falling over.
For the Warriors, the preseason is almost always about the "motion" system. Can the new guys read Steph? It’s a hard system to learn. You don't just stand in a corner. You move. You screen. You cut. Seeing a new acquisition like Buddy Hield or a young player like Brandin Podziemski navigate those split-cuts against the Lakers' size is the real "game within the game."
On the flip side, the Lakers usually treat these games as a fitness test and a rhythm builder. Anthony Davis is the barometer here. When AD is moving fluidly in a preseason game against the Warriors' small-ball lineups, Lakers fans breathe a sigh of relief. If he’s sluggish, the panic sets in. It’s a bit of an overreaction, but that’s the nature of the beast in Los Angeles.
The LeBron-Steph Factor
We have to talk about the GOAT-level gravity. Even in a game where the starters sit the entire fourth quarter, the atmosphere changes when 23 and 30 are on the floor. It’s a chess match. They aren't showing their real playoff sets—obviously—but they are testing each other’s speed.
You’ll see LeBron take a deep three, or Steph try a circus layup against the Lakers' rim protection. It’s high-level basketball played at 75% intensity. But 75% of them is still better than 100% of almost anyone else on the planet.
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Why People Think These Games Don't Matter (And Why They're Wrong)
A common argument is that the stats are fake. "Oh, Max Christie dropped 22 points, but it was against the Warriors' third-stringers." Okay, fair. But look at the history. Preseason is where the Lakers found flashes of talent in guys like Austin Reaves. He didn't just appear out of nowhere in the playoffs; he showed the coaching staff he could handle the pressure during these low-stakes October nights.
The Warriors do the same. They use these games to see if their "Strength in Numbers" mantra still holds water.
- Rookie Integration: Seeing how a draft pick handles the "lights" of a televised game.
- Injury Management: Watching the gait and movement of players coming back from off-season surgery.
- New Coaching Schemes: If the Lakers change their defensive drop coverage, the preseason is where they'll mess it up ten times before getting it right in November.
The Lakers Golden State preseason rivalry is also a massive revenue driver for the NBA. It’s why they play in neutral sites like Palm Springs or Las Vegas. They know the fans will pay regular-season prices to see a glimpse of the stars. It's theater.
The "Vegas" Atmosphere
Every time these two teams meet in Nevada for a preseason tune-up, it feels like a mini-All-Star game. The crowd isn't just local fans; it's tourists, high-rollers, and people who just want to say they saw LeBron. This environment actually serves a purpose for the players. It mimics the noise and pressure of a road playoff game. If a young player like Moses Moody can hit a corner three while the Vegas crowd is screaming for a Lakers comeback, Steve Kerr takes a mental note. That stuff stays with a coach.
Tactical Trends to Watch
If you're actually watching the film, look at the transition defense. The Warriors love to run. The Lakers, depending on the year, either want to run with them or slow it down into a half-court grind with AD. In the Lakers Golden State preseason matchups, you see the "philosophy clash" clearly.
The Warriors will often play "positionless" basketball, putting Draymond Green at the five and surrounding him with shooters. The Lakers usually counter with size. It’s the classic "Small Ball vs. Bully Ball" dynamic. In the preseason, this is exaggerated because the coaches are testing the limits. How small can the Warriors go before AD just scores on every single possession? How big can the Lakers stay before Steph runs their centers off the floor?
The Bench Mob
By the time the third quarter rolls around, the stars are usually in warmups on the bench, joking around. This is where the real "evaluation" happens. You're looking at guys on non-guaranteed contracts. For them, a Lakers Golden State preseason game is the most important night of their lives.
They are playing for a job. Not just in the NBA, but for scout film for teams in Europe or China. The intensity actually increases in the fourth quarter of these games because the stakes for the individuals on the floor are astronomical.
What to Actually Take Away from the Box Score
Don't look at the final score. It’s useless. Instead, look at these three things:
- Starter Minutes: If LeBron or Steph play more than 20 minutes, it means the staff thinks they need the conditioning. If they play 12 and sit, they're ready for the season.
- Turnovers: High turnovers in preseason are normal, but lazy turnovers are a bad sign for team discipline.
- Shooting Percentages from Deep: Not the actual makes, but the type of shots. Are they contested? Are they within the flow of the offense?
The Lakers Golden State preseason series is a bellwether for the Pacific Division. Even if the results are scrubbed from the standings the moment the regular season starts, the data gathered by the front offices is invaluable. They are charting every screen, every rotation, and every defensive lapse.
Moving Toward the Regular Season
As the preseason winds down, the "dress rehearsal" game—usually the second to last—is the one to watch. That’s when you’ll see the closest thing to a real rotation. The Lakers will likely tighten up their bench, and the Warriors will stop experimenting with weird 12-man lineups.
If you've been following the Lakers Golden State preseason narrative, you know it's less about who won and more about who survived. Health is the ultimate victory in October.
To get the most out of your viewing experience, stop looking at the highlights on Instagram and try to watch the off-ball movement. Watch how the Lakers try to hide their weaker defenders when Curry is on the floor. Watch how Draymond Green directs traffic even when he’s not the one with the ball. That’s where the high-level basketball is happening.
When the final buzzer sounds on the last preseason game, the real work begins. But those October minutes? They aren't as "meaningless" as the pundits want you to believe. They are the foundation.
Go back and look at the lineup data from the last three years of these matchups. You'll find that the lineups that performed well in October often became the "closing lineups" in crucial January and February games. The patterns are there if you're willing to look for them.
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Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts:
- Monitor the Injury Report: Check "DNP-Rest" patterns to see which veterans are being preserved for the long haul.
- Watch the Rookie Wall: See if young players maintain their energy across the 4-5 game preseason stretch.
- Focus on the First 6 Minutes: This is the only time the "real" teams are usually on the floor together.
- Track New Acquisitions: Use these games to identify which role players have the quickest "chemistry" with the stars.
The road to the Larry O'Brien trophy doesn't start in June. It starts in a half-empty arena in October where a rookie is trying to prove he belongs on the same floor as a legend.