The Los Angeles Lakers experienced a disappointing start to their regular season, falling to the Golden State Warriors 119-109 in their opening night contest. Following the loss, coach JJ Redick revealed that a crucial voice during the team's film review session was none other than LeBron James, despite his absence from the court. James, who missed his first regular-season opener in 23 years due to sciatica affecting his lower back and right leg, was highly engaged in dissecting the game tape.

LeBron James, currently sidelined and not expected to make his season debut until mid-November, played an active role in identifying key defensive breakdowns. Coach Redick highlighted the team's failure to locate dangerous shooters in transition, specifically pointing out open three-pointers allowed to Stephen Curry and Buddy Hield. Redick emphasized, "We did a poor job of locating the lasers in transition, which was a point of emphasis of our defense." He also praised James's contributions to the discussion, stating, "I told them him asking questions, him giving his input, us having a back-and-forth is so healthy."

Beyond the defensive lapses, the Lakers faced several other challenges in their opener. The team's three-point shooting was inefficient, converting only 8-for-32 attempts, while Hield and Curry combined for 8-for-19 from beyond the arc. The bench struggled, being outscored 33-18, and the team was dominated 35-25 in the third quarter. Furthermore, 11 missed free throws and 20 turnovers, which led to 22 points for the Warriors, contributed significantly to their defeat.

Despite the initial setback, the film review session offered the Lakers a clear-eyed perspective and a sense of encouragement. Guard Gabe Vincent noted that identifying specific issues that accounted for "12, 14 points" was encouraging, suggesting that cleaning up these areas could drastically alter game outcomes. Forward Jarred Vanderbilt echoed this sentiment, stating the game "wasn't as bad as we thought it was" and highlighting controllable factors that could change the game's trajectory.

In other team news, the health of a key Lakers player, who reportedly scored 43 points in 41 minutes against Golden State before requiring significant treatment for a groin injury, appeared less severe than initially feared. Coach Redick confirmed the player seemed "fine" after receiving treatment and participated in practice. This player's availability is deemed paramount, especially with James out, as the Lakers strive to build continuity early in the season.

Redick acknowledged that the team is currently lacking the "connective brain tissue" and collective trust seen at the end of the previous season. He stated, "We just don't have that yet. We don't have that connectivity where we all kind of trust and know each other on both ends of the floor and we know exactly what we're doing." However, he expressed strong confidence that the team would achieve that cohesion. The Lakers will aim to improve their performance when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.