De’Anthony Melton needed 21 minutes to collect six steals, which is an efficient way to make a preseason box score feel unusually loud. His teammates added 14 more takeaways, helping Golden State overcome poor shooting and beat the Los Angeles Lakers 101-89 on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The worthwhile takeaway is the Warriors’ defensive depth. Los Angeles finished with 29 turnovers to Golden State’s 20, though a turnover total is not a perfect count of forced mistakes. Still, Golden State repeatedly converted loose possessions into something useful, including 26 points off Lakers turnovers. That helped cover a 33-for-84 shooting night, including 14-for-50 from 3-point range.
Melton supplied the clearest individual evidence that Golden State can create offense without shooting its way into comfort. In the second quarter, he stole the ball from Quentin Grimes at 9:53, then took Austin Reaves’ lost ball at 7:57 and scored a driving layup immediately afterward. In the fourth, Melton added takeaways from Bronny James at 10:17 and Dalton Knecht at 5:08.
The latter came before Gary Payton II’s running layup stretched the Warriors’ lead to 88-80.
Those plays were different versions of the same useful skill: Melton turned defensive pressure into possessions before Golden State had to solve every trip in the half court. He finished with eight points, three assists and one turnover. Payton added two steals in 17 minutes, and Will Richard had two steals while scoring nine points, including three 3-pointers in four attempts.
Golden State’s 20 steals were not a one-man exhibition.
The comeback itself was more about accumulation than a Curry rescue act. The Lakers led 63-50 at halftime, and Golden State won the second half 51-26. The Warriors narrowed the margin to 72-76 after three quarters, then tied the game at 76 early in the fourth when Brandin Podziemski made an 11-foot shot and a 15-foot pull-up on successive possessions.
Los Angeles briefly moved back in front 78-76. Golden State’s next decisive burst came through persistence around the rim. After a Melton miss, Charles Bassey grabbed an offensive rebound. Podziemski then missed from 26 feet, Gui Santos secured another offensive board, and Bassey collected yet another rebound after Richard’s miss. Podziemski finally hit a 27-foot 3-pointer at 8:38, putting the Warriors ahead 81-78.
The next possession was less glamorous but just as revealing. Jaden Hardy missed for Los Angeles, Bassey secured the defensive rebound, and Santos hit a 25-footer at 8:13. Golden State had turned a possession full of clanking into a six-point lead. It was not beautiful, unless one has a particular fondness for second chances and bruised shot clocks, but it was productive.
