SACRAMENTO — Warriors Have a Tough Dress Rehearsal
The Warriors labeled their latest game as a dress rehearsal, aiming to sort out the lineup they hope to use for the playoffs. However, the task wasn’t straightforward for the nearly complete roster.
Stephen Curry faced an early scare due to injury but ended up being quite subdued for the second consecutive game. Kristaps Porzingis had one of his worst shooting performances this season, while Al Horford was mostly absent during limited playing time. You would think, logically, that their debut together against one of the NBA’s weakest teams would lead to an easy win, yet it turned into quite the struggle, resulting in a 124-118 defeat to the Kings.
Kings guard Devin Carter stood out as the star, nailing six 3-pointers and leading all scorers with 29 points. The Warriors, meanwhile, relied on two guards aside from Curry. Brandin Podzemski had a career-high of 30 points, and De’Anthony Melton contributed 17 points off the bench.
In 27 minutes, Curry managed to score just 11 points and didn’t return after heading into the tunnel with about five minutes left in the game. Porzingis logged 11 points, shooting only 4 of 12, while Horford had 10 points and didn’t grab a single rebound in his 17 minutes on the court.
What It Means
This game provided coach Steve Kerr with his first real look at a healthy lineup featuring Curry, Porzingis, and Horford. Without the latter two in the earlier matchup, the Warriors struggled to top the Kings at home once more, exposing ongoing issues even with most players back.
Turning Point
All hopes for a smooth postseason flashed in front of the Warriors when Carter, in the halfcourt, caught Curry off guard just minutes into the game. He cleanly stripped the ball, sending Curry tumbling to the ground, visibly rattled. However, it turned out to be nothing too serious.
Curry seemed to have slightly aggravated the same right knee that has kept him sidelined for all but three games since late January. Thankfully, he stayed in after a timeout and following input from the medical staff.
Carter hit a reverse layup early in the second half, extending the Kings’ lead to 65-51, their second-largest advantage during the game. Yet, the Warriors fired back, scoring 12 consecutive points, taking an 89-82 lead into the final quarter.
Sacramento then went on a 14-2 run that flipped a 98-92 Golden State lead into a 106-100 advantage with just over five minutes left, and the Warriors found themselves scrambling for control.
MVP: Brandin Podzemski
Amid expectations for Curry, Horford, and Porzingis to make their debut together, Podzemski, the only player to participate in all 81 games this season, surprisingly emerged as the best performer. He scored a free throw in the closing seconds, hitting 30 points for the first time in his career.
Game Status: 42
This matchup marked the 81st game of the season for the Warriors, showcasing their 42nd different starting lineup. “We’ve been looking forward to this,” Kerr said prior to the game, finally having Curry, Porzingis, and Horford healthy simultaneously. He opted to have Horford come off the bench, starting Podzemski, Guy Santos, and Draymond Green alongside Curry and Porzingis.
The team plans to have one more rehearsal before the play-in, but this initial attempt didn’t quite go as hoped. Even so, Kerr noted why this lineup holds such promise for Golden State: “Versatility, ball handling, shooting a lot. Obviously, Steph alleviates many spacing issues, but the spacing with Kristaps could really open things up for everyone.”
To the Next
The Warriors’ final tune-up game is set for Sunday against the Clippers, tipping off at 5:30 p.m. PT at Intuit Dome. Los Angeles faced a loss to the Blazers recently, so if the Blazers can beat the Kings on Sunday, the Clippers will host Golden State in a play-in matchup on September 10th.
