The Los Angeles Lakers may be ready for their regular-season opener on Wednesday once it arrives, but they may not be prepared. They were never whole in their five preseason games, of which they won only two, and that could hurt them in the early days and weeks of the regular season.
New starting center Walker Kessler didn't play in the team's first three preseason games. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves played in only three games apiece, and therefore, Friday's game, which ended with a 121-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets, was the only game in which the three of them shared the court.
Reaves said after that contest that he knows building chemistry together will be a process that won't be easy, but he also expressed confidence that things will get sorted out in time.
“There’s gonna be some growing pains,” Reaves said. “Just a lack of reps together so far, but you take guys like that, that are that talented, you are more than likely gonna pick up on it sooner than later. We’ll continue to grow that over the next couple days and get ready for opening night.”
Kessler seemed to take it somewhat easy in his two exhibition appearances, but he looks poised to give Los Angeles the elite rebounding and shot-blocking it lacked last season. He had a total of 17 points on 6-of-14 shooting, 15 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals in 47 minutes during those two contests.
Reaves, meanwhile, poured in an efficient 28 points during Tuesday's 101-89 loss to the Golden State Warriors. He, like Doncic, had trouble with ball security during the preseason, but as a team, the Lakers limited themselves to a respectable 14 turnovers on Friday.
They will face the Warriors again on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena to begin the regular season.
This article originally appeared on Lakers Wire: Austin Reaves knows there will be 'growing pains' for the Lakers