SAN FRANCISCO – Warriors coach Steve Kerr sidelined Stephen Curry and Draymond Green on Sunday, and not because they were facing the perpetually struggling Detroit Pistons.
The reasoning was two-fold. One, to give the decorated vets their customary one-game absence during the preseason. Two, to have a look at how the Warriors would look without them.
“I want to see all of our young guys,” Kerr said two hours before tipoff. “I want to see them take the next step and playing well together, playing for each other, all that stuff.”
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The coach got what he wanted, as the Warriors took a double-digit lead late in the first quarter and coasted to a 111-93 victory at Chase Center.
Six Warriors scored in double figures, led by Moses Moody’s 14 points. Trayce Jackson-Davis finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.
Here are three takeaways from the game in which Golden State ran its preseason record to 4-0:
The Budding Relationship With The Triple
Golden State Warriors
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When their offseason hunt for stars came up empty, the Warriors turned to the most important factor in today’s NBA. They added guys who can stroke it from deep.
It was evident in the first three preseason games, but it blew the Pistons away in this one. The Warriors made 10 of their first 11 shots from beyond the arc and finished 18-of-39, a 46.2 3-point percentage. It was more than enough to offset their pedestrian 45.8 percent shooting from inside the arc.
Nine different players drained at least one triple, with Buddy Hield nailing a game-high four from distance, while Jonathan Kuminga and Lindy Waters III each made three. Rookie center Quinten Post, on a two-way contract, made his first triple of the preseason.
Lindy Waters III joins the party with a trey 😎 pic.twitter.com/rjsq8BAqc1
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 14, 2024
The Warriors entered the game averaging 44.7 3-point attempts per game, ranking behind only Boston and Minnesota. Their 38.8 percentage also ranked third. They are now shooting 40.5 percent from deep.
Get used to it, folks. The Warriors have long been infatuated with 3-point shooting. Now, with their revamped roster, they’re falling in love with it.
More Lineup Roulette
In their fourth preseason game, coach Steve Kerr introduced his fourth starting lineup – and the first without Curry or Green.
The starters: De’Anthony Melton, Brandin Podziemski, Kuminga, Moody and Jackson-Davis. All five had started at least one of the three previous games.
How did it look? There were choppy moments, mostly on offense, but they were nullified by superior 3-point shooting and rebounding.
The good: Though Melton didn’t shoot well, he made several subtle contributions that benefitted his team, most notably savvy passing that resulted in five assists in his first 15 minutes. Jackson-Davis managed three blocks, with two coming in one possession.
TJD with the block, Podz with the three 🤝 pic.twitter.com/zWQD268vjv
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 14, 2024
The bad: Podziemski had four turnovers in the first half, most of them through forced passes. Melton didn’t shoot particularly well early, going 2-of-9 from the field in the first half and finishing 2-of-11, including 1-of-4 from deep.
Summary: The only way this starting lineup is seen again is if influenced by injury or rest.
Buddy Bang
The Warriors pursued and acquired Hield with the hope that he can provide spacing and fill much of the shooting void created by the departure of Klay Thompson.
So far, the eight-year veteran has been up to the task.
Buddy Hield from WAY downtown 😳 pic.twitter.com/zOTS1fseEK
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 14, 2024
Hield scored 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field, including 4-of-6 from distance. Through four games, he’s averaging 12.2 points per game on 18--of-30 shooting, including an astonishing 13-of-22 beyond the arc.
Hield played 13 minutes against the Pistons and has totaled 66 in four preseason games. He has scored 53 points over that span, shooting 60.0 percent overall, 59.1 percent from deep.
When coach Steve Kerr experimented last season with Thompson as Golden State’s Sixth Man, it was primarily to have firepower off the bench and regulate Klay’s minutes. With Thompson out, it’s almost certain that role will go to Hield.
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