How many games are in the NBA preseason? Total matches and more explored 

The NBA preseason got underway on October 5, when the Dallas Mavericks lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The game took place in Abu Dhabi and marked the start of the 2023-24 NBA season. The NBA has a 73-game preseason schedule, with each team playing between four and five games to prepare for the upcoming 82-game regular season.

Two games are scheduled for Saturday, October 7, as the preseason starts to ramp up. The Mavericks and Timberwolves will face off for the second time within a week, while the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers will lock horns in a repeat of the Western Conference semi-finals.

Preseason is a chance for teams to begin ironing out the finer details of their system and working through any changes the coaching staff has made over the summer. It also allows players to begin working up to full-game fitness without the competitive edge of the regular season.

Furthermore, it gives teams a chance to let their rosters gel together in real-game situations, which is useful for teams that have acquired a number of new players. Following the two games scheduled for Saturday, there will be a total of 70 games remaining. However, that schedule will quickly dwindle down as the league ramps up its preseason schedule with six games on Sunday, October 8.

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LeBron James, Austin Reaves to miss the Los Angeles Lakers preseason debut

Part of preparing your roster for the upcoming NBA season is to manage their minutes. Some players will enter the new season after struggling with injury or having gone a little too hard in the weight room throughout the summer. As such, coaches will often use preseason games to dive into alternative rotation options, gathering data for emergency situations in the regular season.

LeBron James and Austin Reaves will be missing from the Los Angeles Lakers preseason opener against the Golden State Warriors. LeBron dealt with a foot injury toward the end of last season and will likely manage his minutes throughout the preseason, and most likely into the regular season. Reaves has had a shortened summer following his time with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup.

While fans may be upset at not seeing two fan favorites participate against the Warriors, it's clear the Los Angeles Lakers are taking the necessary steps to ensure they're competitive when the games begin to matter.

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka has added multiple new faces to the side's rotation this summer, allowing Darvin Ham the luxury of a deep and competitive roster. So, we should expect the Lakers to put on a strong showing against a new-look Warriors team that includes Chris Paul and Dario Saric. Still, it's preseason basketball, so our expectations should be kept in check.