Warriors Fall to Clippers 104-101 in Preseason Opener in Hawaii.
The Golden State Warriors opened their 2026 preseason with a 104-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday in Honolulu, giving head coach Steve Kerr an early opportunity to evaluate his roster and new offensive approach. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green saw limited action, with both veterans playing fewer than 15 minutes and sitting out the second half. Curry finished with 10 points, while Green recorded two assists and two steals. With the starters playing limited minutes, Golden State used the exhibition to get an extended look at its younger players and offseason additions. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg finished with four points on 1-of-6 shooting while collecting nine rebounds. His passing also showed potential, particularly when operating in pick-and-roll situations. Kerr emphasized after the game that Lendeborg needs to become more aggressive offensively as he continues adjusting to the Warriors' system. Brandon Williams also provided an early look at what his speed can bring to Golden State's offense. The offseason addition attacked the basket and created opportunities with his ability to get downhill, offering the Warriors another option for generating pressure in the paint. Golden State also experimented with its developing five-out offense. One sequence featured Al Horford handling the ball before working with Curry in an inverted pick-and-roll that resulted in Curry connecting from three-point range.
The Warriors continued testing different offensive actions throughout the game, including a designed play that used Williams' quickness to create a lob opportunity for Gary Payton II.
As the game progressed, Golden State turned to reserves, younger players and training-camp invitees. Although the preseason result does not count toward the standings, the matchup provided the Warriors with an early look at areas that will need development before the regular season.
Golden State will continue its preseason schedule Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center in the first game of a preseason back-to-back.
