After a solid purple-and-gold debut against the Denver Nuggets last Monday, Jeremy Lin will then lock horns with one of the best point guards in the game today, as the Los Angeles Lakers play host to the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center on Thursday (10:30 EST).
Lin, who started his career as an undrafted rookie with the Warriors four years ago, will have a chance to go toe-to-toe with perhaps the most explosive scorer in the NBA in Stephen Curry.
While this is just a preseason game, the game against the Warriors will serve as a gauge to measure where the Lakers at right now in terms of competing against an elite Western Conference team.
Here are five things to look forward ahead of the preseason clash between Pacific Division rivals:
Jeremy Lin vs. Stephen Curry – Steve Nash will continue to start at the point guard for the Lakers, but expect Lin to have more playing time after showing his stuff in their previous outing.
Despite finishing with one point on 0-for-6 shooting, Lin dished out 10 dimes and hooked up well with power forward Ed Davis in pick-and-roll plays. Lakers head coach Byron Scott pointed out during the post-game interviews that he wanted to see more out of Lin and Davis combo in their future games.
Of course, many Lin fans out there crave to see how their boy fair up with Curry, who has elevated his game big time last year. This is going to be a fire vs. fire clash with both guards capable of pouring big numbers on any given day.
Kobe Bryant’s Progression – Kobe was all vintage against the Nuggets, as he tormented his defenders with patented fadeaway jumpers and nifty dishes. Now, he has to follow it up with another fine showing against a rising star in Klay Thompson, who is considered the best two-way player at his position.
Lakers’ Small Ball – The Lakers could play a lot of small ball basketball on Thursday to neutralize the Warriors’ run-and-gun offense. Lin, who played at the point the last game, could see action as an off-guard, while Kobe might play a little bit of small forward in the match.
Lakers Rookies Got Game – Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle proved to everybody that they are ready to make an impact right away.
Clarkson, the second-round pick out of Missouri, just went 3-for-13 from the field in his Lakers debut, but still showed a lot of promise as a score by drawing fouls and making 6-for-6 shots from charity stripe. Randle, on the other hand, bullied his way with 14 points and 5 rebounds in 27 minutes of action. Kobe believed both rookies have promising future, and it’s up to them to sustain their run this early in their careers.
Defense is the key to success – Defense has been the focal point of Scott’s philosophy since he arrived in the Lakers training facility. On Monday, everybody witnessed how much damage a defensive-minded Lakers could inflict to the Nuggets, which ranked 9th in points per game last season (104.4 points). The purple-and-gold D swarmed over the Nuggets, holding them to just 38.7 percent from the field and forcing 16 turnovers.
The Lakers’ retooled defense indeed showed promise their preseason debut, but it will be tested once again on Thursday by another high-powered team and the NBA’s 10th best offense from last season – the Warriors.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
