LOS ANGELES – One of the NBA’s greatest modern rivalries will be missing a big variable in its Hall of Fame equation when the Warriors visit the Lakers in the season opener on Tuesday.
Steph Curry, as he has for the now 17 consecutive seasons, will lead the Warriors against the NBA’s glitziest franchise.
But LeBron James, who famously battled Golden State in four consecutive NBA Finals in the 2010s and a decade ago engineered a comeback from down 3-1 in the 2016 Finals, will not share the floor with his longtime nemesis.
The 40-year-old James is battling sciatica, and the nerve pain is expected to keep him out past the opener, so the Warriors will tweak their approach in Los Angeles.
“You don’t have to go through your ‘LeBron rules,’ which are the things he does that are basically unguardable,” coach Steve Kerr said Monday.
But the cupboard is hardly barren for Los Angeles. Luka Doncic will assume the mantle of franchise player while at the height of his powers.
The Warriors are already familiar with the 26-year-old Slovenian star.
In 2022, Doncic averaged 32 points per game for the Mavericks against Kerr’s eventual champion Warriors in the conference finals, a five-game stretch that included consecutive 40-point games against a Golden State defense loaded up to stop the do-it-all maestro.
His one weakness, even during those halcyon Dallas days, was his iffy fitness and, by proxy, mediocre-to-nonexistent defensive effort. Should a preseason media blitz be believed, that may no longer be the case for a slimmed-down Doncic.
“He looks like he’s in good shape, but he’s still the same player he’s been since the moment he stepped on the court years ago,” Kerr said. “Unstoppable force with his pace and strength, the way he shoots the ball behind his head with the step-backs, you can’t get there to challenge the shot.”
The Warriors will have options to throw at the MVP candidate, even with top perimeter stopper Moses Moody ruled out with a calf injury.
Draymond Green traditionally defends James, but should be able to slide over to Doncic at times. Jimmy Butler is one of the game’s top wing defenders, and Jonathan Kuminga could impact Doncic with his athleticism.
Newcomer Al Horford might be pushing 40, but he is one of the smartest big man defenders in the game and can be relied on to maneuver through traffic while Doncic puts him through a dozen or more pick-and-rolls.
“I think to think of myself as a pretty smart basketball player, and Al is smart is hell,” Draymond Green said in a recent press conference. “Al is an easy basketball player to play with.”
Gui Santos, who may spend time on Doncic, said that slowing the superstar is not a one-man deal.
“Every time you defend him, you have to have a team defense and people behind you helping you,” Santos said. “Draymond’s going to be there to help, Jimmy, all these guys are going to be on him too.”
And though it’s only the first 48 minutes of an 82-game regular season, a win against the Lakers could be an indicator of where the team could stack up in a loaded Western Conference.
The Rockets – with their super-sized lineup featuring Kevin Durant at the shooting guard – are expected to contend.
San Antonio has built a potential juggernaut around a healthy Victor Wembanyama, and cross-state rival Dallas has put Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving next to top draft pick Cooper Flagg.
Denver has reloaded with depth and is still led by Nikola Jokic, while the Clippers have championship aspirations as always after retooling with veterans Bradley Beal and Chris Paul.
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Oh, and Oklahoma City is only the defending champion bringing back its entire core of young stars.
And you can add the Doncic-led Lakers to the equation. Any team with James is always a threat to contend for a title, even if he is nearing the end of a career that has cemented him as the greatest of all time.
But even without those stakes, playing the Lakers on opening night is an event all unto itself.
“Everybody loves playing in LA … It’s obviously a historic franchise, it’s a great city, and there’s a vibe in the building because of who is there and all the banners hanging up there,” Kerr, a SoCal native who still roots for the Dodgers, said. “Playing the Lakers will always be special.”
Other Notes
Jimmy Butler and Jonathan Kuminga have both been hampered by ankle injuries, but Kerr expects both to be available for the opener.
Moses Moody is still dealing with a calf injury and will not be available against the Lakers.
Kerr said he has decided on a starting lineup, but declined to reveal who will be in it.
