SAN FRANCISCO — Preseason scores aren’t worth fretting over, but the Warriors will pore over film to figure out how they allowed 124 points to the Los Angeles Lakers — playing without LeBron James and Russell Westbrook — in Sunday’s loss at Chase Center.
But their findings won’t be too complex. The Warriors will see a defense in desperate need of Draymond Green.
Green is away from the team indefinitely, a quasi-suspension he’ll go through after punching Jordan Poole in the face during a team scrimmage last Wednesday. The team needs some space from him as they work toward rebuilding a broken trust.
“He’s got some work to do to get that trust back from us,” Kevon Looney said after Sunday’s game. “But I think he’s willing to do it.”
Green may not be too welcome at the Warriors facility right now, but he was sorely missed on the court.
His absence was especially felt against Anthony Davis, who did some bullying against the Warriors’ younger players. Jonathan Kuminga — playing at power forward in Green’s place — and James Wiseman held their own, but had trouble containing the Lakers’ 6-foot-10 superstar power forward/center.
Davis led Los Angeles with 28 points and was getting to the basket at will when Kuminga and Wiseman shared a front court together.
“Anthony was fantastic tonight,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He’s obviously a really tough cover. He picked up a couple of early fouls on Loon and then we gave James a little time on him. It’s a great learning experience for our young guys, to have to guard someone who’s one of the best bigs in the league. We’ll take a look at the film. We’ll show those guys clips individually tomorrow and they’ll learn from tonight, for sure.”
To be fair, not many players in the entire NBA can contain Davis. He’s unstoppable in the paint and a true threat from beyond the arc. His skill with that near seven-foot frame has given the small-ball Warriors trouble through the years.
In past match-ups — from Davis’ time in New Orleans to his move to Los Angeles — Green has always had a knack for tempering Davis’ dominance.
Not only were the Warriors missing Green’s one-on-one defense against Davis, but his help defense and communication that makes the Warriors’ defense one of the league’s best.
Looney was Golden State’s defensive anchor on Sunday. He battled for six rebounds and played well against Davis, including a defensive stop in the post early in the first quarter that wound up called a foul. A few foul calls piled up, forcing Wiseman in a little more to handle Davis, too.
In the third quarter, the Warriors’ most impressive few minutes, Kerr opted for a front court that paired JaMychal Green with Looney and Wiseman that Poole’s jets fuming on offense, especially in the pick-and-roll.
Defensively, though, the Warriors didn’t look like themselves. They allowed the Lakers to shoot 50% from the field, and 47% from 3. They’re allowed some sloppiness in the preseason, but their goes beyond a one-game slip. Green’s future with the organization feels tentative, but they’re unlikely to repeat without him.
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