In today’s Dub Hub:
- Steve Kerr says he’s not ready to commit to a starting lineup following the Warriors’ 126-116 preseason loss to the Lakers.
- Moses Moody will miss the rest of the preseason due to a calf strain.
- Kings’ Keegan Murray to miss four to six weeks due to a UCL tear in his left thumb, according to ESPN.
Head coach Steve Kerr has experimented with several different starting lineups to open the preseason for the Golden State Warriors. While Sunday night’s 126–116 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers featured
another different group due to planned rest for the team’s veterans, Kerr says he’s still undecided about what the final starting lineup will actually look like once the season starts next week.
Assuming Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and Al Horford are locked in, that leaves one backcourt spot next to Curry up for competition. Moses Moody looked strong in his preseason opportunities before being shut down with a calf injury — one the team doesn’t appear overly concerned about. His combination of shooting and defense would make him an ideal fit alongside the starters.
The Warriors could also turn to Brandin Podziemski. During Sunday’s game against the Lakers, Podziemski was the de facto leader of the team, doing it all with 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field, eight assists, and five rebounds. His ability to play both guard spots and allow Curry to operate off the ball also makes him a strong candidate for the starting role.
It’s worth noting that while the question asked to Kerr was about the starting shooting guard spot, his response centered on Horford — a sign that the 39-year-old veteran’s minutes will likely be carefully managed throughout the regular season. There could be a scenario where Golden State starts small, as they did in the preseason opener, while staggering Horford’s minutes with Green to keep both fresh throughout the season.
With just over a week left until opening tip, there’s still time for Kerr to experiment with the rotation. One thing is clear though — this year’s roster flexibility gives him several good options to choose from.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Monday, October 13th:
Warriors News:
Given the wheel, Brandin Podziemski aces preseason test in Warriors’ loss | NBC Sports Bay Area
“He was great,” Kerr told reporters at Crypto.com Arena. “He’s been really aggressive throughout camp. I know he didn’t score particularly well in the first two games, but this is more like what he’s looked like in practice and scrimmages. Super aggressive, very confident with his shot, moving the ball …
“He just has a good feel and a good flow, a good pace to his game. He was definitely aggressive and playing at a high level. I think he knew without Steph and Jimmy, he needed to be more aggressive.”
Moses Moody to miss rest of preseason with calf strain, Warriors optimistic he will be ready against Lakers | The Athletic
Moody had an MRI on his left calf Saturday, which revealed the strain, a decision the Warriors felt was precautionary after he tweaked the calf in practice.
We’ll re-evaluate in a week or so,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before Sunday’s game against the Lakers. “We’re not too concerned about it, it’s just we’re being careful with it.”
Tom Tolbert Show | Complete Interview with Bob Myers
NBA News:
Kings’ Keegan Murray out for start of season with UCL tear | ESPN
Murray will undergo surgery and be reevaluated in four to six weeks, ruling the Kings’ young power forward out for at least the first 10 games of the regular season.
The injury comes at a pivotal time in Murray’s career. Entering his fourth season, he is eligible for a contract extension in the next week. The deadline to come to an agreement with the Kings is Oct. 20. If they can’t, Murray will enter restricted free agency next summer.
Bucks sign Alex Antetokounmpo to a two-way contract
In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:
Brandin Podziemski, Warriors unable to mount second half comeback in 126-116 loss to Lakers
Kuminga had some positive flashes. He finished the game with 6 assists, and had some other good passes that his teammates failed to convert. As a scorer, Kuminga racked up 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the field, including a made three, some strong moments posting up smaller defenders, and a highlight dunk of the preseason. However, he also had 5 turnovers, including some unforced errors, and failed to record a single rebound.
Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
