Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton thinks fatigue was a significant factor in his team’s 108-99 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in their preseason opener, per Lakers Nation’s Serena Winters.

While fatigue feels like an odd excuse for a team just starting the preseason, it should be noted that the Lakers played with an up-tempo style for most of the game. And although they likely practiced running this style during scrimmages, a live game has a higher intensity, one which the Lakers players likely weren’t quite ready for yet.

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The team should get their legs under them more as the preseason wears on. But while the Lakers plan to play a primarily up-tempo style with rookie Lonzo Ball running the show, they can't expect to do it for all 48 minutes and 82 games.

It will be up to Walton to implement a more effective half-court offense which they can run as an alternative. That way the offense won't bog down with players settling for 3-pointers when they do inevitably feel the fatigue during the course of the season.