The Los Angeles Lakers made their preseason debut against the Golden State Warriors, but the absence of LeBron James and Austin Reaves proved to be a challenge. The Lakers opened their 2023 preseason with a 125-108 loss to the Warriors in San Francisco.

Although the result was less important in the context of preseason, there were several positive takeaways for the Lakers. Anthony Davis showcased his elite skills, contributing 15 points and five rebounds in just 13 minutes of play. Starting guard D’Angelo Russell also had a strong performance, ending the night with 15 points. Second-year guard Max Christie heated up in the second half, finishing with an impressive 15 points of his own.

The opening quarter of the game was competitive, considering it was a preseason matchup. The Warriors fielded their top lineup, excluding Draymond Green, while the Lakers ran their offense through Anthony Davis, resulting in Davis amassing 15 points in the first quarter. Midway through the first quarter, the Lakers’ bench unit, featuring players like Max Christie, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Christian Wood, Cam Reddish, and Taurean Prince, struggled as the Warriors closed the quarter on a 14-4 run, giving them a six-point lead.

Anthony Davis showcased his three-point shooting skills in the second quarter, hitting back-to-back treys. However, the Warriors’ starters pushed the tempo and built an 18-point lead.

Thanks to a stellar first-half performance by D’Angelo Russell (15 points on 6-10 shooting), the Lakers mounted a comeback, narrowing the deficit to just six points at halftime. It could have been a one-possession game, but D-Lo’s last-second buzzer-beater was controversially ruled as late, despite the referees also deciding that the final few seconds of the half needed to be replayed after halftime.