In their last preseason game of 2025 on Friday against the Sacramento Kings, the Los Angeles Lakers used a starting lineup that consisted of Luka Dončić, Gabe Vincent, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton. That lineup looked fairly good when it was on the court on Friday, at least on the offensive end.
Coach JJ Redick pulled his regulars midway through the fourth quarter, and the team stagnated offensively, leading to a 117-116 loss. But the Lakers seem to have a solid confidence about where they stand going into their regular-season opener on Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors.
Redick affirmed that the starting five he used on Friday is the same starting five he will employ on Tuesday.
Of those five starters, Vincent looked particularly spry. He played very well throughout the exhibition season, and he went 4-of-5 from 3-point range on Friday. Overall, he was 15-of-27, which is 55.6%, from downtown during the preseason, and it could be a sign that he will be a more consistent outside shooter throughout this season than he was in the past.
With LeBron James expected to be out until at least mid-November due to sciatica, many have been wondering what L.A.’s starting lineup will look like on a consistent basis with him on the sideline. Redick made it clear that his starting five during that time is subject to change.
Via ESPN:
“I don’t know anything about who I’m going to be starting the rest of the season because, again, there’s injuries and there’s things that happen throughout a year,” Redick said. “I have a pretty good idea who’s going to start Game 1. After that, I don’t know. But I do think in that lineup there’s lot of shooting around Luka and DA, and Gabe is another ball handler, another tough defender.
“I think he fits in well, but you have to take a look at every matchup we play against and have to make a decision there.”
The Lakers will have to deal with Warriors living legend Stephen Curry on opening night, and three nights later, when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves in their second game of the regular season, they will have to contain another superstar guard in Anthony Edwards.
Edwards lit them up at times when they lost to the Timberwolves in five games in the first round of last season’s playoffs. He dropped 43 points in Game 4, which was the crucial swing game of the series.
