San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Curry returns, adjusts to new cast in opener
those good feelings came back.”
With James Wiseman and Draymond Green sidelined after testing positive for the coronavirus, Golden State seized a 20point lead midway through the third quarter, only to let Denver back within striking distance after Kerr sat his starters. After guard Mychal Mulder hit a free throw with 9.4 seconds left to put the Warriors up 107105, Golden State played strong defense, forcing Nuggets forward Vlatko Cancar into an offkilter 31footer that he missed at the buzzer.
This was important progress for a team that, after owning the league’s fifthworst defense last season, aspires to rank among the top 10 in that category even with guard Klay Thompson — the Warriors’ best perimeter defender — out for the season with a torn right Achilles tendon. Golden State was quick switching off screens and putting hands on shooters Saturday.
“It’s going to be a lot quicker to come at the defensive end than at the offensive end,” Kerr said. “I think we’ve preached that, and our guys have picked that up right away first week of practice. We are a defensiveminded team.”
On offense, the Warriors attacked closeouts and played with the type of enthusiasm that long has been Curry’s trademark. Forward Kent Bazemore, who signed a oneyear, veteranminimum deal with Golden State last month, came off the bench to post a teamhigh 13 points in 18 minutes. Damion Lee added 12 points, and four players — Curry, Mulder, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Jordan Poole — finished with 10 points apiece.
Kevon Looney, who started at center in Green’s absence, exorcised the memory of last season’s health issues as he finished with eight points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal in 18 minutes.
Though Curry shot just 3for10 from the field ( 2for7 from 3point range), he had a couple of highlights — including a transition 3pointer in the third quarter — that served warning to the rest of the league that he’s still capable of brilliance after being limited to five games last season because of injury.
After checking out of the game for good midway through the third quarter, Curry cheered loudly from the bench as the Warriors’ unproven youngsters closed out the win. As Cancar’s lastsecond heave missed, Curry raised his fist and smiled, acknowledging that — even in a game that doesn’t count — Golden State made some positive strides.
This is a team that has already endured Thompson’s devastating Achilles injury, and the training camp absences of Wiseman and Green. Even without fans in the arena, the Warriors had reason to celebrate.
“Just being able to play basketball again was absolutely amazing,” Poole said. “It was good for the soul, for sure.”