SAN FRANCISCO — The Los Angeles Lakers entered training camp with high hopes of forging chemistry among their star trio of Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. However, fans have yet to see the three share the court together. In Sunday’s 111-103 preseason loss to the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center, all three sat out, giving other players a chance to shine while the team focused on building what new head coach JJ Redick calls “championship habits.”
Doncic, sidelined for rest after competing in EuroBasket with the Slovenian national team, and James, nursing glute nerve irritation, were already ruled out for the game. Reaves, who carried a heavy workload during the first week of training camp, was also rested after scoring 20 points in Friday’s blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns, one of the few offensive highlights in that game.
Without their top playmakers, the Lakers leaned on guard Gabe Vincent, who made his preseason debut after recovering from a knee injury. Vincent contributed 16 points and five assists, providing a spark off the bench. Center Deandre Ayton, who struggled with just one point on two shots in Friday’s game, bounced back with seven points—all in the first quarter—and seven rebounds.
The Lakers now have a week of practice before their first home preseason game against the Warriors on October 12. Redick emphasized that Doncic, despite sitting out the first two preseason games, is expected to play before the regular season begins on October 21. James’ participation in the preseason remains uncertain as he ramps up slowly for his unprecedented 23rd NBA season. “LeBron’s on a different schedule this year,” Redick noted, citing a cautious approach to managing the veteran’s health.
The Warriors mirrored the Lakers’ strategy, limiting their veteran stars—Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler III, and Al Horford—to one half of play. Curry, at 37, still dazzled in his 15 minutes, scoring 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including an acrobatic layup that drew roars from the near-capacity Chase Center crowd.
Redick acknowledged the challenge of evaluating his team in a 48-minute preseason game without his top three stars but stressed the importance of building consistent habits regardless of the lineup. “We’ve got to be more physical getting open,” Redick said before the game. “We’ve got to be more physical with our screening. That doesn’t change based on who’s in the lineup, so that habit, we could build that.”
Redick has made “championship habits” a cornerstone of his coaching philosophy, alongside “championship communication” and “championship shape.” He emphasized defensive effort, particularly sprinting back in transition, as a key measure of progress. However, the Lakers struggled in this area, being outscored 23-5 in transition on Sunday and 42-11 across their first two preseason games.
With four preseason games remaining, the Lakers are focused on refining their identity and preparing for the regular season. While the absence of Doncic, James, and Reaves has delayed the debut of their highly anticipated Big Three, Redick’s emphasis on process and habits signals a team determined to compete at the highest level. The NBA is on notice: the Lakers are laying the groundwork for a championship run, one habit at a time.