The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors are about to write a very different chapter of their rivalry. No LeBron James. A new center in L.A. A suddenly thin Golden State bench. And a season opener that feels less like a formality and more like a stress test for two teams with very different kinds of uncertainty. So, here is everything you need to know about their game.

When Is Warriors vs. Lakers, and What Time Does the Game Start?

The Warriors visit the Lakers on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PT at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. That is 10:00 p.m. ET, 9:00 p.m. CT, and 8:00 p.m. MT.

It is the regular-season opener for both teams, so expect a little extra juice even before the first timeout. Golden State enters with a 0-0 record, and so do the Lakers, but this one carries the familiar Warriors-Lakers tension, plus a new-look Los Angeles roster built around Doncic.

Where Can You Watch Warriors vs. Lakers Live on TV and Streaming?

The game will air nationally on ESPN, with ESPN Deportes providing a Spanish-language broadcast. The primary streaming option is the ESPN App, while NBA League Pass is also listed as a viewing option.

If you have cut the cord, live-TV streaming services that carry ESPN, such as Fubo, YouTube TV, and Hulu + Live TV, should also have the game. Availability can vary by market and subscription package, and regional restrictions may apply to some streaming services.

Local radio and team-specific coverage may also be available in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, but ESPN is the national TV home for this one.

What Is the Warriors vs. Lakers Injury Report?

This is not a clean opening night for either side. Golden State is missing several rotation pieces, while Los Angeles is mostly healthy where it matters most. Here is a list of the injury report.

Which Warriors Players Are Injured or Questionable Against the Lakers?

Golden State’s biggest concern is not Curry anymore, it is everything around him. Podziemski’s absence removes a connective guard who can defend multiple positions, make quick decisions, and knock down open shots. De’Anthony Melton is the likely replacement in the starting five, with Brandon Williams another backcourt option.

The bigger-picture absences are brutal. Butler remains out while recovering from a torn right ACL, Moody is still working back from a patellar-tendon injury, and Porzingis is unavailable because of an ongoing health issue. That leaves Golden State without three players who would normally change its defensive matchups, secondary creation, and frontcourt flexibility.

Bassey’s questionable tag matters too. If he cannot go, Steve Kerr said the center rotation would mix Draymond Green, Al Horford, and rookies Yaxel Lendeborg and Graham Ike.

Curry’s ankle scare had Warriors fans holding their breath, especially after he limped off during Sunday’s open practice. However, Kerr quickly shut down the worst-case scenario by saying, “He’s fine. He practiced fully.”

Which Lakers Players Are Injured or Questionable Against the Warriors?

Los Angeles is in far better shape. Doncic, Reaves, and Kessler are all expected to be available, which gives the Lakers their preferred core for the opener.

Sexton is the only meaningful rotation question. A right soleus strain makes him questionable, and his status will determine whether the Lakers have another ball-handler and scoring guard behind Doncic and Reaves. If he sits, Los Angeles may need more creation from its second unit.

Thiero and Carr are out, but neither is expected to alter the starting group. Thiero’s left-knee swelling and Carr’s oblique strain are depth concerns rather than lineup-altering absences.

What Are the Expected Starting Lineups for Warriors vs Lakers?

Warriors (projected): Stephen Curry, De’Anthony Melton, Gui Santos, Yaxel Lendeborg, Draymond Green.

Kerr had been leaning toward Curry–Podziemski–Santos–Lendeborg–Green before Podziemski was ruled out. With Podz unavailable, De’Anthony Melton is the most natural fill-in; he gives Golden State another ball handler and a physical defender on the perimeter. Brandon Williams is the other option, but Melton’s experience and defensive versatility feel like the safer bet on opening night. The real wild card is Lendeborg: a 6-foot-9 rookie starting next to Green in a regular-season game is a statement, whether Kerr intends it as one or not.

Lakers (projected): Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Quentin Grimes, Walker Kessler, plus one more wing/forward.

Doncic, Reaves, and Kessler are locked in. Quentin Grimes has been the most frequently mentioned candidate for one of the two open spots, and his two-way ability fits what Redick wants on the wing. The fifth starter is genuinely uncertain; Ziaire Williams and Sandro Mamukelashvili have both made cases in the preseason, and Redick has been open about still evaluating combinations. This is a projection, not a confirmation, and Redick himself hasn’t pretended otherwise.

The matchup underneath all of this is simple, Golden State will try to speed L.A. up and force the Lakers’ new pieces to think instead of play. Los Angeles will try to punish the Warriors inside with Kessler and Doncic’s size. Neither team is whole. Neither team is settled. That’s exactly why opening night is worth watching, not because it answers every question, but because it finally makes the questions real.