Depth reminds Kerr of title teams
LOS ANGELES >> There’s something special happening at the end of the Warriors roster, or at least Steve Kerr believes so. Just look at the box score from Tuesday night.
Two key numbers: 12 and 55. As in 12 Warriors saw the court, and the ones who didn’t start contributed 55 points. That kind of bench play allowed the Warriors to skirt by the Lakers on a cold shooting night from Steph Curry. It also conjured in Kerr’s mind memories of, we all can agree, pretty good times.
“It just feels like five or six years ago,” Kerr said following the opening night win, “when we just had guys up and down the roster who could play . ... We’ve got vets coming off the bench who just know how to play (and) know how to win.”
It starts with Andre Iguodala, the sixth-man extraordinaire back anchoring the second unit after two years in Miami.
But he’s surrounded by a new supporting cast, one that the Warriors believe is a significant upgrade from a year ago in their fit within the team’s style and philosophy.
On Tuesday, the Warriors were trailing the Lakers as the third quarter came to a close. Curry sank three foul shots to pull Golden State within two points, then headed to the bench for his usual rest at the start of the final period.
Iguodala started the fourth with Jordan Poole, Nemanja Bjelica, Otto Porter Jr. and Damion Lee. The group took a two-point deficit and flipped it into a lead as large as eight points against the LeBron-led topline unit for the Lakers.
“That second unit at the start of the fourth quarter gave us a good cushion,” Curry said afterward. “We took advantage of it in the last six minutes . ...
“It means a lot to know you can make the right play, see the attention, doubleteam, tripleteam, and get rid of it and everybody’s either a threat to shoot or going to make the right play.”
Poole, Bjelica and Lee all scored seven fourth-quarter points to lead the Warriors as they built and sustained a decisive lead.
Nobody stood out more Tuesday night than Bjelica. When he was on the court, the Warriors outscored the Lakers by 20 points, or in Draymond Green’s words, “(expletive), man, that’s incredible.”
Bjelica’s versatile game has surprised his teammates.
“We knew he could shoot the ball. We knew he could space the floor,” Poole said. “But seeing the way he puts in on the floor and makes the extra pass and finds the open player, especially as a four man or a five man, it makes a lot more dangerous because you’ve got to respect his 3-point shot.”
Curry pointed to a play in the fourth quarter, where Bjelica drove to the basket, then dropped down a pass to nearby Damion Lee, who finished the play for two points.