SAN FRANCISCO – It was but a matter of time before the Splash Brothers would interrupt the Chuck E. Cheese glee surrounding the Warriors’ recent youth-driven surge with a pointed reminder.
It takes everyone, to be sure, but the potential of this team will be dictated by its decorated veterans, beginning with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Though everybody on the roster got in on the fun Saturday night, it was Thompson and Curry combining for 55 points through three quarters that kick-started a 126-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at sold-out Chase Center.
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The performance was a splendid exhibition of the burgeoning veteran/youngster balance that Golden State has sought for several years, with everybody on the roster getting in on the fun.
“The balance feels right,” coach Steve Kerr said. “We’ve got a lot of options every night at our disposal as a staff, a lot of good players, so we’re able to survive injuries. The group just feels right. We’ve got a really deep roster with guys who complement each other well.”
The Warriors (15-14) have won five in a row and are above .500 for the first time since they were 6-5 on Nov. 12. And most of the spotlight during this span has shined on the youngsters: rookie center Trayce Jackson-Davis, third-year forward Jonathan Kuminga, third-year wing Moses Moody and rookie guard Brandin Podziemski.
With Curry scoring all 27 of his points and Thompson 23 through three quarters – the Splash Brothers combined 24 of Golden State’s 32 points in the third – all that was left for the youngsters was to finish the job.
Golden State Warriors
Which they did, with guidance from 38-year-old Chris Paul, in occasionally spectacular fashion. Golden State’s 37-29 advantage in the fourth sent the Blazers back to Oregon for Christmas.
“I love to see the young guys get their shot because they work as hard as anybody,” Thompson said. “They stay patient. Their playing time might be inconsistent, but to see them come in and make an impact, not just scoring but rebounding, taking charges, moving the ball. It’s amazing to see.
“It’s the Warriors way. It makes me very happy and grateful as a veteran.”
Every member of the team finished with a “plus” plus/minus for the game except Jackson-Davis, who was minus-1 despite scoring 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting, while adding five rebounds and three assists in 17 minutes.
Podziemski approached triple-double territory, with 15 points, 10 rebounds and a season- and career-high seven assists; the precocious 20-year-old from Santa Clara University was plus-25 over 32 minutes. Kuminga had 11 points, six rebounds and a season-high five assists to finish plus-18 in 30 minutes. Moody scored 11 points and was plus-6 in 17 minutes.
But this was a night for Curry, at age 35 a two-time MVP and nine-time All-Star, to lead the way. And for Thompson, a five-time All-Star who at 33 is determined to continue his drive to appear in the league’s annual weekend showcase for the first time since 2019.
Thompson, 33, shot 11 of 16 from the field, including 6 of 10 from distance. Curry shot 11 of 18 from the field, including 2 of 6 beyond the arc, and 3 of 3 from the line. Klay played 31 minutes, Steph 30.
“Steph and Klay playing the right way, it frees everything up for the rest of the guys that are out there,” Podziemski said.
It was in that third quarter, which often has been troublesome for the Warriors, that the vets stood out. With Portland trying to cut into an 11-point halftime deficit, Curry and Thompson combined to shoot 10 of 15 while the rest of the team was 4 of 9.
Taking a 12-point lead (89-77) into the fourth quarter, Podziemski and Jackson-Davis quickly pushed it to 19 with 9:58 to play. The Blazers never got closer than 13 the rest of the way.
“It just feels like the balance is great this year,” Kerr said. “(General manager) Mike Dunleavy did such a great job with this roster. We have the vets, who are the core of this team. But look at Brandin and JK and Moses, these young guys, who are contributing so much to our team. The balance feels right.”
The Warriors are one season removed from trying and failing to blend their youngsters with their vets. The experiment failed, with Jordan Poole, James Wiseman, Patrick Baldwin Jr., and Ryan Rollins – none older than 20 when drafted – being traded away.
Consider this Take 2. It’s only 29 games in, but it’s looking much better.