McAdoo gets his chance, contributes

HOUSTON — Late in the first quarter Friday night, Stephen Curry found James Michael McAdoo in the post for a two-handed dunk.

It was a forgettable play. That is, except for one detail: Those were McAdoo’s first points since a blowout loss in Memphis on Dec. 10.

“It felt good,” said McAdoo, who finished Golden State’s 125-108 win over the Rockets with a season-high eight points.

With center David West out with a thumb injury, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr made McAdoo his first big man off the bench Friday. He quickly turned the ball over on a bad pass before hitting all three of his shots and corralling two rebounds.

It was a memorable performance for someone who had totaled just 17 points in 88 minutes over Golden State’s first 42 games. Stuck behind West, Zaza Pachulia, JaVale McGee and, at times, even Anderson Varejao on the depth chart, McAdoo relied on extra conditioning work and post-practice games of threeon-three to stay in shape.

“It’s not easy, but at the end of the day, you just have to be a pro,” McAdoo said. “I take it upon myself each and every day to show up early, stay late. When days like this happen, I’m prepared.”

Added Pachulia: “That shows how professional he is. ... I’ve seen him working hard. He made an impact today, coming off the bench and bringing that energy.”

Kerr played the 6-foot-9 McAdoo a season-high 12 minutes, in part because he matched up well against a small, versatile Houston lineup. The rotation will continue to evolve. With West sidelined at least two weeks, McGee, Varejao or even rookie Damian Jones could be in line for expanded roles.

“This is just one game,” McAdoo said. “It’ll probably vary from game to game.” Warriors grounded: Because of flash-flooding in the Houston area, Golden State couldn’t fly out Friday night as planned. The team was to stay overnight and head to Orlando in the morning.