After experiencing the strength of the reloaded Golden State Warriors at first hand, the Los Angeles Lakers enter Wednesday's pre-season rematch with the Western Conference champ looking for some payback at Valley View Casino Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Match Preview:
Lakers: It has been a so-so preseason campaign for the Lakers heading into their penultimate pre-season match. At 2-4, it's obvious the baby Lakers are still looking for their identity at this juncture of their buildup.
Still, the scoring prowess shown by D'Angelo Russell (21 ppg and 5.0 apg in 30 minutes) this preseason only proves the 20-year old point guard is more than ready to take the lead for this new-look Lakers squad.
Warriors: After dropping their first preseason assignment to the Toronto Raptors, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and the rest of the Warriors have been red hot, winning their last four games.
Last Friday, the Warriors once again proved that their offense is going to be really hard to match, as they raced to a 74-47 halftime lead before recording a 112-107 win in Las Vegas.
Lineup Report:
Starting Lineup for Lakers: Timofey Mozgov - C, Julius Randle - PF, Luol Deng - SF. Jordan Clarkson - SG, D'Angelo Russell - PG
Note: For the second straight time, Clarkson is expected to start at the shooting guard spot after Lou Williams assumed that same role the first five games of the preseason. With that lineup change, Clarkson is now the favorite to start at SG on opening night.
Starting Lineup for Warriors: Zaza Pachulia - C, Draymond Green - PF, Kevin Durant - SF, Klay Thompson - SG, Stephen Curry - PG
Note: Draymond Green will likely be inserted back to the starting lineup after Steve Kerr decided to sit the All-Star forward, Andre Iguodala and David West last Friday.
Top Performers / Daily Fantasy Picks and Prediction:
Look for Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson to continue draining long jumpers for the Warriors. Durant is projected to rack up 20 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists under 20 minutes per game, while expect Thompson to drain at least 3-pointers in this game.
On the other hand, Russell is expected to carry the scoring load as he's likely to drop another 20-point game. Also look for him to record at least 5 assists and 3 3-pointers in this contest.
Predicted Score: Lakers 104, Warriors 118 / Watch Online on NBA League Pass.