Curry and Butler will miss the game against the Lakers! Doncic’s preseason plans revealed, first response to LeBron’s injury

At 9:30 AM Beijing time on October 13, the Warriors are set to play the Lakers away, continuing their preseason schedule. Recent updates confirm Curry will miss the game because of a slight injury, and Butler, Horford, and Moody will also be unavailable. For the Lakers, LeBron continues to be out, with Kleber and Thybulle also sitting this one out.

Warriors’ assistant coach Slate posted: “According to head coach Kerr, Curry currently has a minor injury but is expected to play in Wednesday’s game (Beijing time) against the Trail Blazers.” Additionally, Moody is dealing with a calf issue, which the team considers not serious; he will undergo an MRI scan.

While some live practice before the new season is beneficial, at least these four players who won’t play have already appeared together in the Warriors’ first two preseason games. The Warriors’ roster has the second-highest average age in the NBA, just behind the LA Clippers, meaning they must maintain peak condition as much as possible when the new season begins.

For a team filled with veterans and likely to face player absences later in the season, a strong start is crucial. Curry’s health, clearly, is the top priority among all concerns.

On the Lakers’ side, LeBron has already been confirmed to miss at least 3-4 weeks, making it certain he won’t appear in the preseason games.It’s still uncertain whether Doncic will play against the Warriors, but he plans to participate in two of the remaining four preseason games. Doncic attended all training sessions today.

Doncic gave his first comments on LeBron’s injury. When asked about the impact of LeBron’s absence on the team, Doncic said: “It’s a big change; he’s amazing and brings us great support, but our team must have the mindset that ‘someone else steps up.’ We have a group of excellent players. Although we hope he can join full practice soon, even if he can’t play for now, we need to keep our team united.”

Doncic also mentioned he doesn’t feel LeBron’s absence adds much extra burden on him: “I always focus on the game itself; we just need to put in a bit more effort.”

Regarding LeBron’s injury, Reddick said: “We knew beforehand about his nerve irritation issue, and everyone hopes he returns soon. This kind of injury is indeed tricky. But we were aware of it before training camp started, so it didn’t change our planned training or preseason strategy. Until he’s back, who starts and how the lineup is arranged remain uncertain; these are things we will address gradually.”

Like LeBron, Kleber and Thybulle will also miss the game, but Smart and Reeves are confirmed to play against the Warriors, with Smart making his Lakers debut.