Five days of practice in Honolulu end Saturday, and then the scoreboard comes on. Clippers vs Warriors preseason action tips off Sunday, October 4, at 1 p.m. HST (4 p.m. PT) at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on the University of Hawaiʻi campus. It is the first look at Tyronn Lue’s rebuilt roster against an opponent, and Golden State has already named its starting five. NBA TV will carry the game.
Here is what came out of the Clippers’ fourth day of camp, who is out, what the Warriors are bringing and what Lue wants to see.
Clippers vs Warriors Preseason: Camp Day 4 Takeaways
Lue’s message in KHON2’s Friday report was about buy-in, not schemes. He said the main story of camp has been that the whole roster has been there and working from the very first day.
“It’s very rare that you can get all 21 guys in the gym,” Lue told KHON2. “And we have every veteran, every young guy in the gym from day one.”
He tied that directly to expectations. “That’s a story that shows you how serious they are about the season,” Lue said. “They want to put the work in and they want to be good.”
The coach also enjoyed the setting. He described the beach, the weather and the sunny days on Oʻahu as what Hawaiʻi is all about. But the trip has never been a vacation, which is the theme we covered when camp opened. Saturday is the last practice, and the camp ends with a real game instead of a scrimmage.
Who Plays for the Clippers
The Clippers have not released a starting lineup or an injury report for Sunday. The best guide is what Lue has shown in practice. Through the first days of camp, the first unit was Darius Garland, Max Strus, Derrick Jones Jr., Rui Hachimura and Isaiah Jackson, with Brook Lopez running with the second group, as we broke down in our Day 3 report. Lue has stressed that the groups can change, so Sunday’s opening five is the first public answer to that.
Beyond the starters, three young players are worth watching:
- Keaton Wagler: the rookie guard has drawn more camp praise than anyone, including from veteran Kris Dunn. Sunday is his first NBA game action. His rebounding and playmaking story is in our Day 2 report.
- Yuki Kawamura: the Exhibit 10 guard has said he can’t wait to face Stephen Curry, and preseason minutes are his best shot at earning a longer stay.
- Gradey Dick and Kobe Sanders: both are part of the wing competition behind the veterans, with Brandon Ingram unavailable.
The Clippers Injury Report Picture
Several important players will not be part of Sunday’s game, or their status has not been announced:
- Brandon Ingram will miss the start of the regular season. He had heel surgery in May, and doctors found a partially torn Achilles tendon during that process.
- Bradley Beal was held out at the start of camp with right knee inflammation, and the team has not given a timeline.
- Jordan Miller (shoulder) is set to be re-evaluated in five months.
- Yanic Konan Niederhauser is recovering from foot surgery and is expected to miss the start of the season.
That leaves a smaller, guard-heavy rotation. It is the reason Lue has spent all week talking about toughness and the glass. More on Ingram’s setback is in our Media Day story.
What Lue Wants to See
Lue has been consistent in public all week, and the preseason opener is the first test of those points:
- Effort first. Lue has said that playing hard comes before everything else for this group.
- Rebounding as a team. The Clippers are smaller than last season, so all five players have to crash the defensive glass. Second-chance points allowed is the stat to check after Sunday.
- Defensive habits. Associate head coach Jeff Van Gundy has been installing new defensive concepts, and the Warriors’ spacing will test them right away.
- Garland running the show. With Ingram out, Garland is the primary creator. How he and Strus share the ball will set the tone.
Scouting the Warriors
Steve Kerr announced his starting lineup in Lāʻie, where Golden State is holding camp: Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Draymond Green, Al Horford and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 11 pick out of Michigan. Lendeborg starting over Gui Santos was the surprise.
“Really good size on the front line, good playmaking from Steph and Dray, also spacing from Al,” Kerr said, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “All three post guys, Al, Yaxel, Green, can shoot the 3, but also make plays.”
Kerr also told reporters he is not sure the lineup will last. “The question will be, can we do that opening night given the age of Al, the minutes, and all that stuff? Who knows. But for now, that’s how we’ll start,” he said, per Sports Illustrated.
Golden State is short on bodies. Jimmy Butler (torn ACL) and Moses Moody (torn patellar tendon) are out indefinitely. Kristaps Porzingis is also out, and Kerr has described his situation as a “private health matter.” The Warriors finished 37-45 last season and reached the play-in tournament.
Their offense has a new emphasis. Kerr has talked up a “5-out” look that puts all five players beyond the 3-point line to open driving lanes. “The biggest part for us is trying to make sure spots are interchangeable, so no matter where you are on the court, you have options,” he said. For a small Clippers team that wants to rebound by committee, that spacing will pull defenders away from the rim.
Curry’s Honolulu Rematch
Curry looks healthy. He missed 27 straight games late last season with a bone bruise in his right knee, and the Star-Advertiser reported he hit about 30 straight 3-pointers from the right baseline in Tuesday’s practice. “We’re trying to mesh and come together and get our chemistry going,” Curry said. “Organized flow will help us create good shots and not turn the ball over.”
He also has a score to settle in this building. In the 2024 Clippers-Warriors preseason game at the Stan Sheriff Center, Curry scored nine points and missed all four of his 3-point attempts in Golden State’s 91-90 win. He has said he wants to make at least one this time.
Watch: Clippers Embrace Hawaiʻi, Keep It Business
KHON2’s Friday report features Lue on the camp and the trip:
Game Info and What’s Next
- Sunday, Oct. 4: Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors, Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center, 1 p.m. HST / 4 p.m. PT (NBA TV)
- Saturday, Oct. 10: vs. Toronto Raptors in Vancouver
- Wednesday, Oct. 14: vs. Denver Nuggets, Intuit Dome
- Wednesday, Oct. 21: regular-season opener vs. Sacramento Kings, Intuit Dome
One preseason game will not settle the rotation. It will show whether the effort and rebounding Lue demanded all week carry over against a real opponent. Follow InfanityTV for Sunday’s Clippers vs Warriors preseason coverage from Honolulu.
