Young teams Phoenix Suns (3-2) and Los Angeles Lakers (2-5) square off at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Friday, Oct. 21 for the two teams' final match in the 2016-2017 NBA Preseason Games.
Start Time and Streaming Info
The game starts at 10:00 p.m. ET. It can be viewed live online thru the NBA League Pass.
Preview
Phoenix is on a two-game winning run after wins against the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks last week. They nipped the Jazz, 111-110, while edging Dallas, 112-107.
Head coach Earl Watson was fixed on starting Eric Bledsoe at the point guard position throughout the preseason, but he had been alternating Brandon Knight and Devin Booker at the two guard spot.
Booker is deemed by the franchise as their face of the future and Watson announced earlier that he will be his starting shooting guard in the regular season. Knight, on the other hand, is set to be relegated to the bench, which had instigated a lot of trade rumors mentioning the former Kentucky standout.
While the Suns have a deep backcourt, they are thin at the power forward spot with Jared Dudley presumed as the starter with rookie Marquese Chriss as the primary backup.
In their most recent game against Dallas, Watson started Bledsoe, Knight over Booker, and both Dudley and Chriss with TJ Warren in a small lineup.
All five players have scored in double figures with 17, 11, 15, 17, and 13 respectively. Bledsoe had a game-high seven assists while Chriss grabbed six boards, had two steals, and blocked four shots.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are starting a new era in their first season in 20 years without Kobe Bryant. New head coach Luke Walton is the perfect man to lead the young Lakers and he is starting it in the preseason.
The team was tested in their last two preseason games, both losses against the Golden State Warriors, but the lessons they will bring into the regular season are what counts for Walton and his young squad.
D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, and Julius Randle are expected to lead the team together with new veteran acquisitions Luol Deng, Jose Calderon, and Timofey Mozgov.
Prediction
A win for the Lakers to end their preseason stint. Walton will then prepare his team for a home game against the Houston Rockets on Thursday next week to open the new season.