When coach JJ Redick announced his starters for the Lakers’ final preseason game Friday night, he was asked if those same players would start opening night Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors.
Redick paused before answering, not quite willing to commit. He started Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams and Walker Kessler.
Quentin Grimes, who had started the first four preseason games and had been solid in his role, was not among them.
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“I know that there’s a chance Quentin is gonna have an opportunity to start,” Redick said. “This was the original plan we were gonna have for the Sacramento game with Collin [Sexton] out. ... We just wanna get a look on that tonight, and we’ll see. But nothing definitive for next week.”
Grimes averaged 12.3 points, 2.5 assists and shot 53.3%, including 41.2% from three-point range, in 24.3 minutes per game in the preseason.
Redick said he was “still open to both” when asked if he could start Grimes and stagger his time with the starters on the bench.
In his first five NBA seasons, Grimes has mostly been a reserve, starting 146 of 318 games.
Grimes started the second half for the Lakers and scored 11 points in a 121-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena.
“I think you’re looking for balance in lineups and you’re looking for players that complement and fit each other,” Redick said. “He’s going to start a lot of games for us. That’s just the reality of it. I don’t know who our base starting group is yet, but we’re going to look at this tonight.
“We wanted to get a look on this first game because Collin was out. That fourth ballhandler for us hasn’t been great. I said that the other night and talked to those guys ... I don’t say anything out here that I don’t tell my players. So Quentin is also going to maybe have some looks as a ballhandler.”
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Doncic, who didn’t play in the second half, finished with 15 points.
Reaves scored 19 points, Williams had 14, Kessler had six and Thybulle had seven.
Injury update
Sexton didn’t play in any preseason games because of a lower right leg injury. Redick said Sexton has been able to practice more.
“He continues to trend in the right direction,” Redick said.
Adou Thiero (maintenance) and Cameron Carr (contusion) didn’t play.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.