The Warriors’ excellent preseason continued Tuesday night time in Las Vegas, as they beat the Los Angeles Lakers 111-97 to enhance to 5-0.
The groups will face off once more Friday night time at Chase Middle to shut out the exhibition schedule.
Andrew Wiggins shook off some rust in his Warriors preseason debut, scoring 11 factors in 21 minutes, which added one other wrinkle to questions on what the beginning lineup shall be on opening night time. Golden State.
Steph Curry scored 16 factors on simply 6 of 18 taking pictures and three of 11 from 3-point vary, however he additionally had 5 rebounds, six assists and two steals, giving Sin Metropolis followers loads of causes to rise up out of their seats . .
Steph does = Steph shakes pic.twitter.com/t0Aw1fZ7GB
– Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 16, 2024
The Warriors’ preseason 3-point barrage additionally continued, as they made 45 pictures from lengthy vary however solely made 14. Nonetheless, they overwhelmed the Lakers 55-50, scoring 12 extra factors within the paint (52-40) and took higher benefit of turnovers (20 factors for Golden State on 12 turnovers in Los Angeles, in comparison with 11 out of 14).
Brandin Podziemski didn’t play attributable to a damaged nostril suffered in Golden State’s earlier sport, and De’Anthony Melton was dominated out with a again pressure Tuesday morning.
Listed here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ win over the Lakers at T-Cellular Area.
Wiggs is again
Earlier than the beginning of the preseason, Warriors coach Steve Kerr was stuffed with reward for the form of form Wiggins appeared in and publicly praised him for being the group’s No. 2 scoring possibility. Then an sickness Wiggins sidelined for total coaching camp and the primary 4 preparatory video games till this competitors in Vegas.
Instantly inserted into Golden State’s beginning lineup, Wiggins’ first shot try was a missed floater that fell brief. On his subsequent scoring alternative, he took benefit of an open lane and porous protection from Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell, who fouled Wiggins as he drove to the basket. He drained each free throw makes an attempt, which accounted for his solely two factors within the first quarter, in addition to the primary half.
Wiggins sat out the ultimate seven minutes of the primary quarter and returned early within the second. He took only one shot within the second quarter, lacking a 3-point try, and he additionally missed two pictures within the first minute of the third quarter, earlier than an uncontested dunk gave him his first aim.
Wiggins lastly has his first preseason bucket 🙌 pic.twitter.com/vzhfiiFrEW
– Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 16, 2024
Whereas Wiggins began slowly offensively, making 3 of 9 pictures, he was 5 of 5 from the free throw line and, extra importantly, had a number of strong defensive runs.
Change starters…once more
The trickle-down impact of Wiggins’ return was a brand new beginning lineup.
The Warriors have now performed 5 preseason video games and used 5 completely different beginning fives. This one additionally had Wiggins at a distinct place than typical.
As a substitute of his typical small ahead function, Wiggins moved to taking pictures guard, becoming a member of Curry within the backcourt. They had been joined by Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Inexperienced and Trayce Jackson-Davis. This group was by no means on the sector collectively final season.
If Kuminga truly strikes to a three-man lineup, it is definitely doable that each one 5 of these gamers will spend time collectively — whether or not they’re all starters or not.
Steph meets Kuminga for the transition jam 💥 pic.twitter.com/yJzXfsLtAS
– Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 16, 2024
The spacing seems to be extra just like the mid-Nineteen Nineties than 2024, however that does not bear in mind the taking pictures enhancements Kuminga confirmed, and fingers crossed final season was an exception when it got here to dangerous taking pictures for Wiggins . Basically, the group surrounds Curry with added size, athleticism, and protection.
When Kerr made his first substitution, bringing in Buddy Hield for Wiggins, the Warriors trailed 16-14 at 6:10. The group did not share the courtroom once more till the beginning of the second half, when Golden State led 58-51. The rating was then 67-59 in favor of the Warriors when Hield entered for Wiggins.
General, the beginning 5 Curry-Wiggins-Kuminga-Inexperienced-TJD performed 11 minutes and eight seconds collectively and had been minus-1.
Moody mania
Wiggins’ return was positively the sport’s marquee storyline. Kerr altering his starters but once more was one other straightforward speaking level.
He’ll let his play converse for him, however a method or one other Moses Moody continues to search out methods deserve extra recognition.
Moody, at three-quarter time, was plus-20. His final plus/minus was plus-17 in 19 minutes, simply behind Kyle Anderson’s plus-22 in 17 minutes.
The longer the preseason goes on, the extra it turns into clear that Moody should obtain rotation minutes. He deserved them. For his fifth act of the preseason, he got here off the bench and effectively scored a team-high 21 factors on 7-of-13 taking pictures and 5-of-7 from deep, with 5 rebounds and two assists.
Moody is now taking pictures 44.8 p.c from behind the 3-point line this preseason.
Moses warms up deep in Vegas 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Nql8lUF7QO
– Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 16, 2024
Kerr’s selections will not be straightforward with such a deep rotation. His determination concerning Moody needs to be straightforward although if the goaltender continues to play like this.
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