Warriors not surprised by Luke Walton’s early success with Lakers

Shaun Livingston first noticed Luke Walton had the makings of an NBA head coach four years ago. [...] a reserve forward for the Cavaliers, Walton's biggest contributions came outside games. "When he spoke out during team meetings or in practice, you could tell he had that vibe," said Livingston, a backup point guard on that Cavaliers team. Walton returns to Oracle Arena for the first time Wednesday night since he left Steve Kerr's Warriors staff to take over the Lakers. Picked in September by Las Vegas' Westgate SuperBook to finish with the NBA's second-worst record, Los Angeles has used a fun, up-tempo style to open 8-7. While Kerr recovered from complications from back surgery last season, Walton guided the Warriors to a 39-4 mark that featured a record 24-0 start. The team Walton inherited was a far cry from the burgeoning dynasty he left. With no big names on the roster, Walton has followed Kerr's "strength in numbers" blueprint: 10 players have appeared in at least 14 games, all of whom are averaging between 14 and 28 minutes. The much-maligned Nick Young, whose career was on life support when Walton arrived in June, has thrived as the Lakers' starting shooting guard.