The Golden State Warriors opened their preseason schedule by hosting the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center on Sunday, and early on, it already felt like a regular contest.
It was a seesaw battle in the opening quarter, with the Warriors taking a one-point lead, 32-31. The Lakers returned the favor in the second period and stole the advantage, but Golden State went on a run in the dying minutes to enter the halftime with a bigger lead, 62-55.
The two teams got heated in the early goings of the second quarter after Draymond Green set a hard screen for Stephen Curry, which sent Jarred Vanderbilt to the ground. Appearing as retaliation, Vanderbilt tripped Green as he was backpedaling. They then jawed at each other before cooler heads intervened.
Draymond Green and Jarred Vanderbilt got HEATED after Draymond's screen for Steph Curry's triple 👀pic.twitter.com/Hle5YPRBiL
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 6, 2025
The Warriors and the Lakers have had heated tussles, and the competitive fire will always burn for the players, even in a preseason matchup. Especially for the 35-year-old Green, who has always played with intense passion—sometimes to a fault.
The 26-year-old Vanderbilt, meanwhile, has served as the enforcer of the Lakers, who lost to the Phoenix Suns on Friday. He has proven to be effective in defending Curry with his length and size.
The Warriors played Green, Curry, and Jimmy Butler, while the Lakers sat out LeBron James and Luka Doncic for the second straight time. It's worth noting that Jonathan Kuminga also played amid the drama surrounding his contract extension.
Curry has 14 points at the break, while Moses Moody has 13 markers.