SAN FRANCISCO – Surrounded by Halloween decorations at a podium that looked more fit for hosting trick-or-treating than speaking into a microphone, Warriors coach Steve Kerr took a measured approach to the first week of his team’s season.
The Warriors had been able to “win the week” by going 2-1. The franchise had also displayed some traits that will likely become patterns over the 82-game regular season marathon.
Steph Curry was brilliant, putting up 100 total points in his first three games, and carrying the Warriors to an overtime victory against Denver.
On a night full of spectacular plays, none summed up the showman Curry remains like him beckoning to the Chase Center crowd to make noise before he shot – and made – all three foul shots late in the game.
“It was a cool moment, and I needed that energy to finish the game,” Curry said.
The Warriors also strategically sat newcomer Al Horford in the third game of the week, the second part of a back-to-back in Portland, a game where no player cracked the 30-minute threshold. The Warriors hope to keep their starters fresh for the stretch run.
Here is how the week went for the Warriors.
THE GAMES
Warriors 119, Lakers 109: Jimmy Butler scored 31 and made all 16 of his free throws as the Warriors pulled away in the third quarter. Not even a huge 43-point Luka Doncic performance was enough to take down a balanced Warriors squad that also got great games from Curry, Kuminga.
Warriors 137, Nuggets 131 (OT): Curry turned in his first masterpiece of the season, scoring 35 points in the second half and overtime to vanquish the Nuggets in overtime. The Warriors discovered a big lineup that could pay dividends down the line, overcoming a 50-point outburst by San Jose legend Aaron Gordon.
Trail Blazers 139, Warriors 119: Curry put in 35 points in just 27 minutes. That was where the positives ended for Golden State, who were demolished by a Blazers team engulfed in a gambling scandal. As the third game in a third different city in four nights, it was as expected a loss as there will be this season.
WHAT WE LEARNED
- Jonathan Kuminga’s passing vision – and spot in the starting lineup – might be here to stay. After averaging four assists per game in the preseason, he has 12 through three regular-season starts. A wrap-around dime against the Lakers was the highlight. The supreme athleticism is still there too. He had a trio of nasty dunks in Portland, too.
- Do not expect the Warriors to go on too many long winning streaks. As shown against Portland, the veterans cannot bring the juice every game, and Kerr will not hesitate to pull the plug on a game that he sees as a lost cause. The starters sat the final 10 minutes of regulation.
- Brandin Podziemski has a long ways to go before he becomes the franchise cornerstone he desires to be. He has averaged just 8.7 points per game over the first three matchups, and is shooting just 36% from distance while often looking unsettled with the ball in his hands.
- Turnovers will be one of the dominant storylines of the season. They committed at least 20 in each preseason game, and then had 18 vs. the Lakers and 25 against the Blazers. The eight-turnover overtime win against Denver looks like an outlier.
Horford plan
The Warriors’ newest big man will not play in Golden State’s upcoming back-to-back as expected. However, Kerr mentioned that the team is managing his play-time differently than the weekend’s doubleheader.
Horford will take Monday’s game against Memphis off, and will face the Clippers on Tuesday. There is a pragmatic reason for switching the order of rest.
“With Memphis, Jaren Jackson Jr. is obviously a great player, but we opted to play him against the Clippers, since Zubac has given us trouble and they’re a really big team,” Kerr said.
Moody minutes
Moses Moody made his season debut against the Blazers, playing 21 minutes and getting in some valuable cardio by closing out the last eight minutes of the blowout loss.
Kerr said that he will consult with team doctor Rick Celebrini when planning out the path forward for the fifth-year perimeter player coming off a calf injury. Whether he will play both games of the back-to-back is still up in the air.