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Ring night always makes it easy for the last vestiges of championship afterglow to outshine importance of the actual task at hand. There's a chance that tendency comes to fruition for the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, when they welcome the Los Angeles Lakers to Chase Center for the 2022-23 season opener.
But the defending champions will be whole after receiving their rings, raring to focus on actual basketball amid ongoing fallout from Draymond Green's punch to Jordan Poole. The Lakers don't only lack the Warriors' continuity, but could tipoff the regular season without Russell Westbrook, who's dealing with a hamstring injury, while Troy Brown and Dennis Schroder will definitely be sidelined.
How much those (potential) absences ultimately matter to the Lakers is up for debate. There's an argument to be made that they're better off with Westbrook on the sidelines, and Brown and Schroder haven't exactly proven themselves as high-impact rotation players.
Regardless, Steve Kerr won't have to answer nearly as many questions on Tuesday as rookie head coach Darvin Ham during his debut with a rebuilt Los Angeles squad. As long as Golden State quickly shifts from celebrating last year's title to competing on the quest for another one, there's no denying who should come away victorious at Chase Center.
Here are three hold predictions for the Warriors' 2022-23 regular season opener against the Lakers.
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3. Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman have their moments against LeBron James, Anthony Davis
Draymond Green and Klay Thompson will be on a loose minutes restriction for the opener, result of the former's unofficial week-long suspension after punching Poole and the latter only making his preseason debut on Friday. Both Green and Thompson will eventually get back to their typical rotation roles, playing around 30 minutes per game during the regular season.
Kerr admitted on Monday the Warriors will have to rely more on their depth in the interim, which no doubt means a longer leash for Jonathan Kuminga and James Wiseman. Both players have the exceedingly rare physical capabilities to stand toe-to-toe with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and will spend ample time matching up with Los Angeles' superstars in the opener.
Kuminga has the blend of natural strength and lateral quickness to keep James from consistently creasing the paint off the dribble, not to mention getting abused in the post. Wiseman struggled dealing with Davis' combination of shooting and penetrating ability in the exhibition finale, but flashed his tantalizing potential on the other end, making hay with Jordan Poole in pick-and-roll and showing off improved touch from floater range.
Expect Kuminga and Wiseman to have their moments against James and Davis on Tuesday, hinting at the top-level impact they could provide Golden State this season if their skill and understanding catch up to their gaudy physical tools.
2. Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole combine for 55 points or more
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Ham has made defense his top priority with the Lakers, an approach that was palpable at times during exhibition play. In general, Los Angeles flew around with more intention, cohesion and regularity in exhibition action than pretty much all of last season, when it finished with a bottom-10 defense.
James and Davis, especially, should be more effective on that end while entering the season with clean bills of health and a mandate to set the tone for their teammates. But defending the Warriors presents its own sweeping challenges, ones most frequently overcome by veteran teams that have spent years dealing with Golden State's maze of split cuts, back screens and hand-offs collectively.
The Lakers certainly don't have that continuity, and maybe more problematic, don't have a single plus perimeter defender on the roster other than Patrick Beverley. Los Angeles will do tons of switching on Tuesday, especially if Davis starts at center. But taking he and James away from the rim and leaving help responsibilities largely to a bevy of average-at-best defenders who lack game-changing length and athleticism presents its own problems, too.
Look for Stephen Curry and Poole to go off on ring night as a result, feasting on the Lakers' still-developing connectivity defensively while feeding off a raucous Chase Center crowd. Curry and Poole will get loose in pick-and-roll, transition and away from the ball, further cementing themselves as the league's most dynamic pair of perimeter playmakers.
1. Warriors pull away from Lakers in fourth quarter
James and Davis a have a lot to prove in 2022-23. They're good enough by themselves to beat any team in the league on any given night, and will no doubt try to will the Lakers to victory, spoiling Golden State's latest coronation.
James' kryptonite against the dynasty Warriors has always been strength in numbers, though, and it'll be no different this time around.
Los Angeles' collection of role players and cast-offs beyond James and Davis marks the worst supporting cast in all of basketball. The ability and chemistry of Golden State's “foundational six,” by contrast, speaks for itself, and there's a chance that Moses Moody, Donte DiVincenzo, Kuminga, Wiseman and JaMychal Green comprise a better group of reserves than the one that played such a pivotal for the Warriors on last season's title run.
James and Davis can only do it by themselves for so long, especially if their shooting-challenged teammates aren't hot from deep. Don't be surprised when Golden State pulls away in the fourth quarter on Tuesday, its enviable blend of stars, impact players and quality reserves simply proving too much for the Lakers over a full 48 minutes.
