Dwight Howard Impresses as Lakers Beat Stephen Curry, Warriors Without LeBron
The Los Angeles Lakers returned home to the Staples Center on Monday night after a two-game stint in China last week and defeated the Golden State Warriors 104-98 in their preseason matchup.
L.A. had previously beaten the Warriors 123-101 in their preseason opener on Oct. 5. That game included LeBron James and Anthony Davis for the Lakers as well as Draymond Green and D'Angelo Russell for the Warriors.
All four players rested Monday night. Davis had injured his right thumb Saturday against the New Jersey Nets, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier Monday that an MRI revealed clean results.
Notable Performances
Lakers G Zach Norvell Jr.: 22 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Lakers C Dwight Howard: 12 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, 1 block
Lakers C JaVale McGee: 11 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks
Lakers F Devontae Cacok: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal
Lakers G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: 11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Warriors G Stephen Curry: 17 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Warriors F Marquese Chriss: 14 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks
Warriors F Alfonzo McKinnie: 11 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
Warriors G Damion Lee: 18 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
Warriors G Jacob Evans: 11 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks
Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee Show What Lakers Have at Center
The Lakers' center position took a hit when DeMarcus Cousins tore his ACL in mid-August, but Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee showed Monday night their ability to collectively fill the void.
Howard in particular had his best showing since signing a one-year contract with the Lakers in the aftermath of Cousins' injury:
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year said on Sept. 29 (h/t Harrison Faigen) that the Lakers can be the best defensive team in the league, and he did his part to work toward that against the Warriors with four steals and one block.
And then there's McGee. The Lakers know what they're getting with the 31-year-old big man in his second season with the team. However, McGee showed a different side of himself:
If Howard and McGee can sustain this level of production with LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the floor, the Lakers' frontcourt could be the deepest in the league.
Warriors All-Star Klay Thompson called the unit "one of the best in the NBA" to ESPN Los Angeles (h/t LakersNation.com): "Explosive. Like whenever you get two MVP candidates like LeBron and AD and then add so much size around them with JaVale and Dwight, I mean they can really punish you inside just like old Lakers teams used to do. Their frontcourt is definitely one of the best in the NBA, and then the bench is deep."
The real evaluation, though, will come against full-strength competition in the regular season.
Marquese Chriss and Alfonzo McKinnie Battle For Roster Spots
Chriss was in Golden State's starting five for the second straight game, and the 2016 eighth overall pick continued making the most of his opportunities.
The Warriors signed Chriss as a free agent on Oct. 1, though The Athletic's Anthony Slater disclosed it was only a non-guaranteed camp invite. Since then, he has impressed. Prior to Monday's game, head coach Steve Kerr spoke highly of the 22-year-old:
Even earlier Monday, Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote about how Chriss' impressive preseason figures to force Golden State to make some unexpectedly tough roster calls:
"The obvious question is who will lose his job so the Warriors can free up a 15-man roster spot for Chriss.
Cutting Alfonzo McKinnie, whose contract is non-guaranteed until mid-January, would be the easiest move. But if the Warriors decide they need him to bolster a lean small-forward rotation, they might consider trading someone. Jacob Evans has been floated as a possibility."
McKinnie didn't make Golden State's pending decision any easier against the Lakers:
Chriss and McKinnie were on the floor together to start the fourth quarter, and it is possible that the Warriors keep them both.
With two preseason games remaining, it's something to keep an eye on for a team that's thin at forward.
What's Next?
The Lakers and Warriors are scheduled to play again Wednesday and Friday to finish the preseason. Wednesday's matchup will be at Staples Center in Los Angeles, and Friday's will be at the new Chase Center in San Francisco.
