Warriors vs. Lakers: Golden State celebrates the end of the preseason against the Lakers

Matchup
Golden State Warriors 2-4 (1-3 ROAD)				vs	Los Angeles Lakers 3-4 (2-0 HOME)
Details
October 22nd, 2015
Honda Center, Anaheim
7:00 pm
TNT | KNBR 1050 AM
Blog Buddy: Silver Screen and Roll
Projected Starters
Stephen Curry				G	D'Angelo Russell
Klay Thompson				G	Jordan Clarkson
Harrison Barnes				F	Kobe Bryant
Draymond Green				F	Julius Randle
Andrew Bogut				C	Roy Hibbert
Key Injuries

We're 48 minutes away from the end of the preseason, and five days from the start of the regular season. Amazing how much quicker an offseason goes when your team plays all the way through the playoffs, huh?

Just five days ago, the Golden State Warriors lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in a bizarre preseason game. Stephen Curry turned a scare into a crazy ball-handling display, Larry Nance Jr. humiliated Festus Ezeli, and officials ended the game early because the court was too slippery. After an embarrassing effort against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, the Warriors are looking to end the preseason on a high note against a flawed Lakers team.

Even though preseason games are ultimately meaningless, the Warriors haven't shown anywhere near the defensive effort or offensive precision that won them the NBA championship last year. Whether it be complacency (I doubt it), missing Steve Kerr on the bench (he's still out indefinitely), or any other reason at all, let's hope the Dubs clean up some of their flaws tonight.

In our last glimpse of the offseason, relish the end of your favorite Marreese Speights heat-check jumpers.  Appreciate the glory of Kobe Bryant, Nick Young, and Lou Williams sparring over one basketball, while D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson wait for a pass that never will never come. Treasure the brief respite from Harrison Barnes overreactions and dumpster fires.  Respect Roy Hibbert's massive and probably permanent offensive shortcomings.  Enjoy the last time this season you'll passionately discuss the 15th roster spot.

In just five days, the cautious optimism and innocence around the NBA will vanish.  The basketball gods will shove us into the thick of both "abandon ship!" and "they're unbeatable" narratives for at least six months, all reeking of extreme recency bias.  So brace yourselves for a formidable 2015-2016 season and the unrelenting Western Conference gauntlet.  Goodbye, 2015 offseason.  You've been good to us.