The Lakers will need more than seven days to figure out everything about who they want to be under new coach JJ Redick.

But in just one week, the exhibitions turn into actual competition, meaning the season opener is now clearly visible to the team.

In their fourth preseason game, this Tuesday against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers looked like a team with a plan. However, they didn’t quite look like a team that was about to execute.

The Lakers, determined to make more three-point shots after finishing second and last in attempts last season, all seemed eager to launch. But for the third time in four preseason games, the ball rolled all over the gym as the team made just 11 of 40 (27.5%) from beyond the arc.

And against the Warriors, even with Klay Thompson now in Dallas, you’re going to have to make shots. You will have to be disciplined on defense. And on Tuesday, in a 111-98 loss, they simply didn’t do enough of either.

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“When we made things up, they hurt us,” Redick said.

But it wasn’t just that. The Lakers, after having more possession than Milwaukee in a win against the Bucks last week, did not hit the glass with the same intensity as Golden State. And when they created extra possession from offensive rebounds, as they did all night, they usually missed.

“I was very encouraged by the photos we received. Very encouraged,” said Redick. “It was when we didn’t trust our attack and stagnated a little bit, the ball got stuck.”

Since being hired as coach, Redick has preached a perspective that values ​​process over results, and creating and taking the right threes has been a key priority for his team in the preseason.

Anthony Davis continued his momentum from the summer against his Olympic coach, Steve Kerr, making 10 of 14 from the field on his way to 24 points. Dalton Knecht, who started the game two for eight, made four shots in the fourth and scored 19. LeBron James had just six points in 23 minutes.

Redick said Knecht, who scored 14 of those points in the fourth, can be counted on to be aggressive on offense even when games start in earnest next Tuesday against Minnesota.

“It doesn’t have an off switch, which is great. I mean, he’ll continue to shoot the ball and stay aggressive. The biggest thing for him is we have to get him better defensively and up to speed, but that goes for almost every NBA rookie,” Redick said. “…He can finish his shot. I want him to be aggressive. I don’t want to be in his head about things. And you know, whether it’s 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20, 25 minutes, like we want him to be Dalton Knecht when he’s on the ground.

Curry had 16 for the Warriors, who were without Brandin Podziemski and De’Anthony Melton.

Austin Reaves, who missed the win against the Bucks, returned Tuesday and played the first half while recovering from a sore ankle.

“I feel good,” Reaves said. “I just love getting out there and playing. Of course, when they told me 15 to 18 minutes, I thought, ‘Cool.’ When I got there, I thought, ‘I want to play more.’ But you stick to the script and trust that the medical staff will put me in the best position to be healthy all year long.”

The Lakers play in Phoenix on Thursday in what could almost be a dress rehearsal for the season opener before wrapping up their six-game schedule with another game away from home – this one in San Francisco against the Warriors on Friday.

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.