Lakers’ Russell Westbrook, LeBron James struggle in preseason debut against Warriors

SAN FRANCISCO — The champion happening astir LeBron James’ and Russell Westbrook’s archetypal showing arsenic teammates? It doesn’t count.

Preseason statistic erode from past and representation quickly, which is fortunate fixed however the Lakers’ All-Star duo began their tenure. They didn’t marque a changeable for the archetypal 10 minutes and coughed up 8 combined turnovers successful the archetypal fractional of an unsightly Friday nighttime tilt with the Golden State Warriors astatine Chase Center.

More sporting eyes were focused connected the amusement conscionable fractional a mile north, arsenic the Dodgers took connected the San Francisco Giants successful Game 1 of the National League Division Series. James and Westbrook volition person a small much clip – blessedly retired of the spotlight – until their prime-time play opener against the Warriors astatine Staples Center successful little than 2 weeks.

There volition beryllium overmuch to pore over. Both teams’ offenses started successful a funk, tied 9-9 with 2:39 near successful the archetypal quarter. After playing successful the Lakers’ archetypal 2 preseason games, All-Star large antheral Anthony Davis took the nighttime disconnected – and was missed.

The chemistry that the Lakers person lauded connected the signifier tribunal did not construe connected Friday night. Westbrook peculiarly struggled, turning the shot implicit six times successful the archetypal 4th unsocial arsenic helium sought a consciousness of timing with his 4th franchise successful 3 years. Aside from a second-quarter layup, helium was rusty from the field, missing the rim altogether connected aggregate attempts.

In his second-quarter stint, Westbrook inactive couldn’t find his shot, but helium did find his teammates. In sequence, helium deed Kent Bazemore successful the country for a 3-pointer, past recovered DeAndre Jordan connected a reverse dunk. Westbrook finished his 17 first-half minutes with 2 points connected 1-for-7 shooting and 4 assists, past was fixed the 2nd fractional off.

James yet recovered the nett with 2:01 near successful the archetypal 4th connected a contested layup that helium converted for a 3-point play. He had 9 points successful his 18 first-half minutes connected a rugged 4-for-12 shooting nighttime earlier sitting retired the 2nd half.

Steph Curry was the champion of the disposable stars, warming up aft a dilatory commencement to get 20 points by halftime. Jordan Poole supplied 14 points, expected to support the shooting defender spot lukewarm until Klay Thompson returns from wounded astir midseason.

The champion of the Lakers’ scorers was Kent Bazemore, who was a Warrior past season. He was 3 for 5 from 3-point scope to commencement the game.

You can’t ever spot what you spot successful the preseason. In that sense, Warriors manager Steve Kerr warily expects the Lakers to travel retired roaring 1 of these days.

“I mean they’ve got a batch of large players and they had a batch of alteration implicit the summer,” Kerr said. “And similar each of america erstwhile we marque large changes, you conscionable person to enactment and spot wherever it each goes. That’s to beryllium determined for each of us.”

The lone different Laker who missed the crippled too Davis was Trevor Ariza, who volition beryllium retired for astatine slightest 8 weeks pursuing his ankle country connected Wednesday. Coach Frank Vogel said the wounded became evident lone aft Ariza started grooming campy going done non-contact drills and was sidelined thereafter.

“Trevor did everything helium could to spot if helium could get done the wounded without missing anytime, without immoderate procedures,” Vogel said. “So, yet it came down to conscionable making definite that we got it cleaned up and hopefully we’ll get him backmost arsenic soon arsenic we can.”

Vogel didn’t perpetrate to playing larger lineups with Davis and a accepted halfway without Ariza, saying the Lakers volition find their rotations passim the preseason. The Lakers inactive not person played James, Westbrook and Davis unneurotic done 3 preseason games.