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Los Angeles Lakers 2022-23 preseason game schedule

The Los Angeles Lakers 2022-23 preseason schedule was announced today.

The Lakers will open preseason on Monday, October 3 in Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena versus the Sacramento Kings. Los Angeles will then head to Las Vegas for back-to-back games against the Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers will play their final three preseason games on a California swing against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center, at home versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, and on the road at Golden 1 Center versus the Sacramento Kings.

2022-23 LAKERS PRESEASON SCHEDULE
All Times Local

October 3: vs. Sacramento, in Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena, 7:30 p.m.

October 5: vs. Phoenix, in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena, 7:00 p.m.

October 6: vs. Minnesota, in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena, 7:00 p.m.

October 9: at Golden State, in San Francisco at Chase Center, TBA

October 12: vs. Minnesota, in Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena, 7:00 p.m.

October 14: at Sacramento, Sacramento at Golden 1 Center, 7:00 p.m.

On the Trail Blazers and the 2022 NBA Draft

With the 2022 NBA draft mere weeks away, here’s NBA.com/blazers with some workout info:

Pre-draft workouts in Portland are back.

After not hosting draft-eligible players at the own practice facility over the last two years due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of picks, the Portland Trail Blazers welcomed Julian Champagnie of St. John’s, Dyson Daniels of the G-League Ignite). Darius Days of LSU, Mouhamed Gueye of Washington State, Fatts Russell of Maryland and Dallas Walton of Wake Forest in their first pre-draft workout of 2022 Tuesday morning in Tualatin.

In front of a collection of front office staff, coaches and players — including General Manager Joe Cronin, Vice Chair Bert Kolde, Head Coach Chauncey Billups and Damian Lillard — the six players went through a series of tests, drills and light scrimmages in an effort to prove they should be selected with one of Portland’s three picks at the 2022 NBA Draft. The Trail Blazers currently own the seventh, 36th and 57th picks.

Gary Payton II wins 2021-22 NBA season Bob Lanier Community Assist Award

The NBA today announced it will rename the Season-long NBA Cares Community Assist Award in honor of late Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and NBA Global Ambassador, Bob Lanier, for his dedication to teaching NBA values and making a positive impact on communities across the globe.

And the first winner of the new Bob Lanier Community Assist Award for the 2021-22 season is Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II.

Payton was selected by fans during a 12-day public voting period and by an NBA executive panel for his sustained community outreach in support of youth in the Bay Area over the course of the season.

PER THE NBA:

Payton II has prioritized engaging with and giving back to his community, particularly through initiatives related to youth with learning disabilities and those dealing with hardship. This season, he founded the GPII Foundation, a nonprofit that acts as a conduit for Dyslexia-awareness, an educational disability he has dealt with throughout his life. The foundation provides funding for educators to become certified in early intervention services and support for students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, including early screening, detection and certified assessment for youth and young adults.

Payton’s own personal struggle with dyslexia, and his passion and efforts to uplift young people impacted, led to the Warriors expanding their Read to Achieve program to specifically include students with learning disabilities. He also led attended a rally at San Francisco City Hall in support of universal screening for risk of dyslexia via Senate Bill 237 and hosted his first-ever Reading Rally with Decoding Dyslexia for students affected by learning disabilities. Additionally, Payton participated in the Warriors’ Black History Month celebrations and 75th Anniversary Live, Learn or Play Center dedication, among other events. He was awarded the January monthly NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente.

Lanier, a League Office executive and NBA Global Ambassador for more than 30 years, had an enormous influence on the NBA family and young people globally, traveling the world to teach the values of the game and making a positive impact through his kindness and generosity. An author and humanitarian, Lanier was the recipient of many distinguished awards throughout his lifetime, including the National Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Award for his significant contributions to civil and human rights and the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award as a player. The legacy he built will continue to live on through the seasonlong Community Assist Award recognition, which honors the next generation of players’ commitment to positively impacting their community throughout the NBA season.

Finally, Al Horford reaches the NBA Finals

The Celtics’ big Game 7 win over the Heat was of course huge for everyone on Boston’s squad, but for Al Horford it was a big different. Via Boston.com:

Al Horford has experienced just about everything in his 15-year NBA career, one in which he long ago earned the reputation as Mr. Reliability, a poised and almost regal presence who could be leaned on to do the right thing under any circumstance.

But in the most satisfying moment of his career, Horford was temporarily stumped.

As he secured the rebound of the final missed shot of the Miami Heat’s season in the Celtics’ 100-96 victory in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals Sunday night, he wasn’t quite what to do next.

For understandable reasons, too. After playing 950 regular-season games and another 141 in the playoffs, Horford was heading to the NBA Finals for the first time. No player in NBA history has played more playoff games before reaching the Finals.

2022 NBA Finals game schedule

Game 1: Thursday, June 2: Boston vs. Golden State, 9 ET, ABC

Game 2: Sunday, June 5: Boston vs. Golden State, 8 ET, ABC

Game 3: Wednesday, June 8: Golden State vs. Boston, 9 ET, ABC

Game 4: Friday, June 10: Golden State vs. Boston, 9 ET, ABC

Game 5: Monday, June 13: Boston vs. Golden State, 9 ET, ABC (If necessary)

Game 6: Thursday, June 16: Golden State vs. Boston, 9 ET, ABC (If necessary)

Game 7: Sunday, June 19: Boston vs. Golden State, 8 ET, ABC (If necessary)

On the Grizzlies and the 2022 NBA Draft

Here’s the Memphis Commercial Appeal on the Grizzlies heading into the 2022 NBA Draft, which is now less than one month away:

The Memphis Grizzlies are loaded with one of the best young rosters in the NBA, and they have the potential to add more in the 2022 NBA Draft.

The Grizzlies have three picks, including the 22nd and 29th overall selections in the first round. Picks at the back end of the first round are less likely to be home runs, but the Grizzlies have recently struck gold. They selected Desmond Bane with the 30th overall pick in 2020 and Brandon Clarke 21st in 2019.

Tyus Jones and Kyle Anderson are headed for free agency. If they’re not in the franchise’s future plans, Memphis could draft their replacements or it can bolster depth at other spots.

Either way, the 2022 NBA Draft on June 23 figures to be one in which the Grizzlies can maneuver around the board, be creative or stay put and strengthen the young core.

Chauncey Billups praises Lakers’ choice of Darvin Ham as new coach

Here’s the Los Angeles Times, via the Detroit News website, with reaction to the news that the next Los Angeles Lakers head coach is going to be Darvin Ham:

The news of Ham’s hiring — which still hasn’t been announced by the Lakers — has been met with endorsements from those who crossed paths with Ham during his career: former coaches, teammates and colleagues lauding the Lakers for handing things over to a first-time coach.

“He’s going to be honest as a coach of the Lakers, which is what I think you need in the NBA today — somebody that’s going to be honest but know how to be honest without actually just tearing you down,” former teammate and Pistons great Chauncey Billups, now the coach in Portland said Saturday. “What can you say? He’s won as a player. He’s won as a coach. I mean, this dude is more than qualified for the task at hand. I’m so happy and proud of him. I spoke to him last night and he was so excited.”

Billups thinks the Lakers got it right.

“He’s ready for this job. He’s the right guy for this Lakers job,” Billups said.

Udonis Haslem discusses Bam Adebayo’s role in the Miami Heat offense

Here’s Miami Heat veteran Udonis Haslem discussing the role star center Bam Adebayo plays in the team’s offense, via the Miami Herald:

The Miami Heat doesn’t evaluate center Bam Adebayo based on shot attempts and points. Teammates and coaches appreciate Adebayo for everything else he provides on the court.

So when the outside conversation regarding Adebayo’s offensive aggression finds its way into the locker room, those within the organization disregard it.

“I don’t pay attention. They don’t know what the hell they’re talking about,” Heat veteran and team captain Udonis Haslem said to the Miami Herald ahead of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday night. “95 percent of people don’t know what they’re talking about when it comes to being aggressive. He can’t just go out there, put his head down and go forward. He’s got to get other guys involved. Bam’s heart is in the right place. He’s trying to do the right things.”

In Friday’s Game 6 win over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, Adebayo finished with just six points on six shots and committed four turnovers. That’s not the type of production many have come to expect from a player on a max contract like Adebayo.

But it was Adebayo’s rebounding, screening, dribble handoffs and rolls to the basket to keep the Heat’s offense flowing that teammates and coaches noticed more than his points and shot attempts.

Warriors eliminate Mavericks in five games to reach 2022 NBA Finals

ESPN.com: The Golden State Warriors are heading back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2019 and for the sixth time in the last eight years. The Warriors punched their ticket with their 120-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 on the Western Conference Semifinals on Thursday night. Klay Thompson played his best game of the series, finishing with a game-high 32 points on 12-of-25 shooting, including eight 3-pointers.

ESPN.com: Stephen Curry celebrated the Golden State Warriors’ return to the NBA Finals by adding a new trophy to his collection as he was named the first Western Conference finals Most Valuable Player on Thursday. After the Warriors eliminated the Dallas Mavericks with their 120-110 win in Game 5, Curry was handed the brand-new Magic Johnson Western Conference finals MVP trophy and was immediately hugged and lifted in the air by his teammates. Nine members of the media voted on the series MVP at the end of the game.

San Jose Mercury News: “Steph Curry added to a dusty trophy case Thursday night as the Western Conference Finals’ MVP. What comes with that is the NBA’s inaugural Magic Johnson Trophy, named after the Los Angeles Lakers’ legend. “The new trophy is pretty cool,” Curry said, “especially with who it’s named after and the standard that Magic set in terms of being a champion and playing the point guard position — and other positions — and the excellence he had through his career.” What may be surprising is that Curry’s trophy case is not as filled as you might suspect for a Warriors legend who’s closing in on his fourth NBA championship. In his three NBA Finals triumphs, MVP honors did not go to Curry, but rather Andre Iguodala in 2015 and Kevin Durant in 2017 and ’18. Of course, that Larry O’Brien Trophy is Curry and the Warriors’ ultimate goal once the NBA Finals get underway for the first time in San Francisco, at the Chase Center next Thursday night.”