ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Here are five takeaways after the Golden State Warriors wrapped up their preseason with a 136-97 win over the Los Angeles Lakers:

1. The Warriors struggled

For most of the preseason, anyway. The defense was sloppy and the energy was low. When asked if they had the same level of energy as last season, Draymond Green said, “It comes in spurts.” There were varying levels of concern throughout the organization, with some Warriors officials shrugging off the preseason malaise and others expressing disappointment.

In any event, the extended period of sloppy lethargy was without precedent in the Kerr era. That might have something to do with the next takeaway.

2. Kerr’s shadow looms

There’s no telling when Steve Kerr returns from back surgery complications, and that’s a troubling situation considering (A) Kerr is very good at his job and (B) interim coach Luke Walton must exert authority despite everyone knowing Kerr might return at any moment. By most accounts, Walton improved as the preseason went along, growing into the HC role. Still, this is asking a lot of a 35-year-old on substitute teacher status.

Kerr is more than just a playcaller, he’s also involved in personnel decisions and has the final say in much of how the Warriors operate. He’s the one trusted to handle delicate situations, such as getting Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli to perform under the pressure of their contract extensions. His absence is acutely felt.

After Alvin Gentry left to New Orleans, management was open to pursuing veteran assistant coach replacements. Kerr declined, electing to stand pat and go the internal promotion route. That decision is completely understandable and could pay off in the future. It’s the kind of choice that incentivizes people to buy into an organization. At the same time, the Warriors could probably use some vets on the coaching bench right now, with Kerr out and ailing.

3. Is the high note the real note?

As ragged as the Warriors were in the preseason games, they ended on a high note, absolutely crushing the Lakers by 39 points. It was a game Ezeli said the team would treat as a real one, “a dress rehearsal” as Walton put it. If that’s so, the preseason concerns will seem like so much over-analysis over games that don’t count. It also might presage a Warriors team that mirrors the Miami Heat' NBA Finals squads of the past: Deceptively sluggish till the switch is flipped.

Julius Randle might have flipped that switch when he taunted Green by yelling “He can’t guard me!” in the first preseason meeting. Randle also pointed at Green after his first basket on Thursday. From that point, Golden State’s swarming defense seized upon Randle, wrenching away six turnovers from the rookie. “I like the heart,” Green said after the game. “Don’t know if there was much else pointing going on.”

My interpretation of the preseason results: Expect a title contender in need of the occasional motivational spark. As in, don’t expect 67 wins this season.

4. Steph Curry looks improved. Top player improved?

The reigning MVP finished fifth among likely MVP candidates in the NBA’s GM survey. There seems to be a disconnect between Curry’s popularity (first in All-Star voting) and his reputation among people deep in the game. The expectation is that Anthony Davis or Kevin Durant eventually gets LeBron James’ status as top player. (There’s curiously little discussion of whether LeBron is still there after two seasons of drop off.)

There’s little expectation that Curry gets there, even after a season that saw him claim the best individual point differential since Jordan’s Bulls. Maybe it’s his height, maybe it’s the recency of his rise, maybe it’s how Davis and Durant are special effects disguised as human beings.

And yet, Curry seems to be getting better. This preseason saw him score a ruthlessly efficient 120 points in 137 minutes, as he flaunted sly finishes around the rim and perceptive passes (36 assists). It already seems inconceivable that someone with his frame can be this dominant, but don’t be shocked if he takes it up another level. Curry has made a career of defying expectations.

5. Barnes hears a "ca-ching"

Harrison Barnes was having an awful preseason until he turned “The Pond” in Anaheim into a lake ablaze. Barnes scored 23 points in 22 minutes on 13 shots, all within the game flow. He also guarded Randle for a pinch, displaying his enticing ability to “guard up” against power forwards. This was timely for a man asking after a deal in excess of $64 million. In short, Barnes made it hard on the Warriors. One can dismiss a preseason performance against the Lakers, but this moment was a reminder of why Golden State is so eager to make him part of the core. Barnes completed a very Barnes preseason: confounding, frustrating and, eventually, enticing.