Here’s the thing about a team that starts four players with a combined 61 seasons of NBA experience. Sometimes, the Golden State Warriors veterans are not going to display a lot of enthusiasm at the start of an exhibition
game. But sometimes, the guys bound for the back of the bench or the Santa Cruz Warriors score 51 points in the 4th quarter to lift the team to a 129-123 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Sophomore center Quinten Post scored 15 of his 20 points in the final quarter while rookie guard L.J. Cryer scored 14 as the Warriors shot 66.7%, assisted on 10 of their 14 baskets and made up a 21-point deficit to pull off the comeback win. Pat Spencer’s and-one gave the Warriors the lead, finally, while Cryer’s no-hesitation three with less than a minute left put them ahead for good.
Midway through the 3rd quarter, Bob Fitzgerald dubbed the players replacing the starters in a hockey-style lien change the “Shock Troop Unit” — Gui Santos, Pat Spencer, Moses Moody, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Will Richard. According to Fitz, they would “play with their hair on fire” but generally that phrase means they’re out there to take casualties, like eating up minutes in a preseason game where the starters are done for the night.
In the 4th, they went to an even more desperate lineup. Post replaced TJD, Cryer played instead of Moody, and Jackson Rowe logged seven minutes. It may not mean much for the regular season, but it was encouraging to see Post go off after some early struggles, and it speaks well for the Sea Dubs offense next season.
The game started with an underwhelming defensive effort from the home team, as Portland put up 39 points in the first. When the backups came in, they couldn’t stop fouling, turning the ball over, and letting Toumani Camara bomb away from three-point range (4-for-5 in the quarter).
The Warriors simply had no answer for Duop Reath, a sentence that has never been typed before tonight, as he scored 9 points in 11 minutes and avenged the Blazers training staff by blocking Gary Payton II’s layup attempt.
But that wasn’t the best block of the game. No. 2 would have to go to Camara, who made an athletic block on Buddy Hield early in the second half.
No. 1 goes to Jonathan Kuminga, who went vertical like prime Roy Hibbert to stuff a Shaedon Sharpe dunk.
Steve Kerr had to use a challenge to get Kuminga’s foul overturned, but Kuminga’s quick jump, two-handed rejection was very impressive.
The Warriors adjusted their starting lineup Wednesday, inserting Al Horford into the lineup in place of Brandin Podziemski, perhaps as a result of facing 7-foot-2 Donovan Clingan. Or they’re simply experimenting with different combinations, knowing there’s a good chance some of their veterans will sit during early back-to-back games.
Steph Curry had 11 points, four rebounds, and three assists, going 2-for-5 from three-point range and registering his first four-point play of the preseason.
Draymond Green hit two threes as well, scoring 9 points after a two-point effort in the preseason opener. He grabbed only one rebound in his 16 minutes, giving him four boards in 30 minutes so far. Let’s hope he’s still ramping up his vertical leap. Kuminga had five rebounds in 18 minutes, plus two assists — he’s finally playing Steve Kerr’s brand of basketball!
Jimmy Butler scored 12 points, going 6-for-8 from the foul line. He’s now 6-for-10 from the field and 9-for-12 on free throws. In other words, he’s already in midseason form, especially with his two steals Wednesday. His best frenemy Buddy Hield shot 3-for-6 from distance, scoring 13 points and not disappointing Jimmy like he did in the opener.
Did the Warriors look good? Some of the bench lineups led by Podziemski and Kuminga struggled. But it’s preseason! 80% of the starters didn’t play after halftime, Cryer’s unlikely to make the NBA roster, and the late comeback came at the expense of players like Sidy Cissoko, Rayan Rupert, and rookie Caleb Love.
Here’s the best part. No one got injured. And the fans got to see some excitement in a meaningless game!
The Warriors play again on Sunday in Los Angeles, before a rematch with the Blazers in Portland next Tuesday. Let’s hope they can give us something to overreact to.
