SAN DIEGO -- The Los Angeles Lakers ' much-anticipated first preseason game opened with a bang as JaVale McGee tapped the opening tip toward LeBron James, who watched Rajon Rondo take the ball and throw an alley-oop to a twisting McGee from near halfcourt for the Lakers' first points.
The start to the Lakers' 2018-19 preseason could not have been scripted much better. However, the Lakers' 124-107 preseason opening loss to the Denver Nuggets proved that Luke Walton's team has a ton to work on and is very far away from where it wants to be.