Los Angeles Lakers

Warriors' Luke Walton downplays significance of homecoming vs. Lakers

Published Jan. 5, 2016 9:28 p.m. ET

Jovan Buha

Golden State Warriors played it cool on Monday when asked about the significance of returning to Staples Center and facing the Los Angeles Lakers, the franchise he played 8 ½ of his 10 NBA seasons for and won back-to-back championships with, according to the San Francisco Chronicle:

“You saying that, it sounds kind of cool,” Walton said when asked about the homecoming before Tuesday’s game between the Warriors and Lakers. “That’s where I spent most of my career playing, it’s against an old teammate (Kobe Bryant) and it’s coaching against a coach (Byron Scott) who I played for at the end of my career.

“It should be kind of cool, but once you get going and the ball goes up, you get so locked in on what’s happening that I don’t think it will be any different than any other game.”

Of course, it is different than other games. It means more. The Warriors will almost certainly blow out the Lakers -- especially with Kobe Bryant and D'Angelo Russell sitting out -- but that's not exactly why.

Walton could very well be auditioning for the Lakers' heading position -- a rumor that's been floating around recently -- and displaying his tactical brilliance in front of the Lakers' brass will leave quite the impression (if he already hasn't).

Walton has led the Warriors to a 32-2 record -- the best start in NBA history -- in head coach Steve Kerr's absence. His embracement of small-ball and on-the-fly lineup experimentation -- clearly an extension of Kerr -- make him an intriguing coach for the modern era.

In 493 career games with the Lakers, Walton averaged 4.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 17.3 minutes per game.