THAT’S MORE LIKE IT
Green, Curry lead way as Warriors cruise to first victory of season after two stinkers
NEW ORLEANS >> Warriors forward Draymond Green faked a dribble handoff at the top of the arc to Stephen Curry, then darted past New Orleans Pelicans center Jahlil Okafor for an open layup. And 11 seconds into their third
game, the Warriors had their first lead of the season, and one they would not give up in route to their first win of the season.
The Warriors (1-2) cruised past the Pelicans (0-4) 134-123 on Monday at Smoothie King Arena in a game they led by as many as 29 points. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said there was “more joy than relief” after earning their first win.
“I was just happy everyone went out there and played really well. Every guy came in off the bench and gave us good minutes. I loved the energy the whole night,” Kerr said. “So it was a really fun night.”
The Warriors’ effort was led by Curry and Green, who established their dynamic two-man game early. Kerr decided to start a small-ball lineup with Green at
center, believing the Pelicans presented a matchup they could take advantage of. The decision helped refresh a previously hapless offense.
“I thought it gave us a good chance to get started early, open up the floor,” Kerr said. “Obviously when Draymond is in the middle of our offense as the fulcrum, he’s going to generate a lot of offense.”
Curry turned in his most vintage performance of the season — 26 points on 9-of17 shooting and 4 of 10 from 3-point range and 11 assists. In the second quarter, Curry made a 29-foot shot falling down, which may have been the best indication that the offense was finally humming. With more shooting on the floor, Curry spent the night scurrying around screens and finding space that resulted in more open looks.
Green posted a tripledouble with 16 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. It was his best performance of the season, as he bodied up Pelicans centers and pushed the ball in transition. The dribble handoff to Curry was a pet play all night.
The Warriors cited a lack of continuity for the two blowout losses, and their solution was to turn to Curry and Green’s familiar two-man game. Teammates played off a series of dribble handoffs and pick-and-rolls.
Rookie guard Jordan Poole made three-consecutive 3-pointers in the first quarter, and forward Glenn Robinson III added 12 points and nine rebounds. Two-way forward Damion Lee finished with a 23-point, 11-rebound double-double off the bench, and forward Omari Spellman had eight points and eight rebounds.
Kerr continued to stagger the minutes of Curry and guard D’Angelo Russell. When Curry was on the bench, Russell led the offense, and finished with 24 points and eight assists. He showed off his ability generate plays and deliver creative passes on tough angles.
On one play in early in the third quarter while Russell and Curry shared the court, Russell lulled the Pelicans defense to a halt with a slow dribble then flung a fastball to a cutting Curry for an open layup. For a duo that has had trouble coalescing, it was a promising sample of what the partnership could be. KERR DOESN’T WANT CURRY TO PLAY HARDEN’S GAME >> Coach Kerr isn’t ready to turn Curry into James Harden.
Warriors fans have often speculated what the team’s offense would look like if Curry was put in a similar, high-usage position as Houston Rockets guard, but Kerr doesn’t believe that’s the solution to fixing the seventh-worst offense in the league.
“I don’t know that it’s that simple,” Kerr said before Monday’s game. “We can turn him into James Harden and give him the ball on every play, but that’s really hard to do. You have to build a team for that.”
Harden, the 2017-18 MVP, is the engine, gas, ignition and driver of the Rockets ‘offense. His usage ratings — how many possessions he uses in a given game — have hit historic levels.
Every Rockets possession follows a similar script: high pick-and-roll between Harden and a center with three other players positioned beyond the 3-point line ready to shoot if Harden passes them the ball. The 30-year-old Harden, at 6-5, 220 pounds, is uniquely qualified to shoulder that load over the course of a season.
“That kind of basketball wears you out, too. Especially for a guy who’s 180 pounds like Steph is,” Kerr said. “I don’t think it makes a ton of sense from Steph’s standpoint.”
If having Curry run more pick-and-roll and shoot 15 3-pointers per game isn’t the answer, then Kerr is still working to figure out how to fix an offense he called “disjointed.”
Green told reporters Sunday that the team’s newer, younger players are confused about their assignments on a play-to-play basis. Kerr echoed those statements Monday.
Curry and Green are used to an offense that facilitated improvisation and leaned on role players like wings Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston with more experience and high basketball IQs. Those players are no longer on the roster, while incumbents Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney have been sidelined for all or most of the season.
With nine players age 23 or younger, there’s a learning curve for Curry and Green, too. The team is figuring out how to make the newcomers comfortable while maintaining those common threads that helped the Warriors go to five straight Finals. “They’re handling it, but they’re not enjoying it,” Kerr said of Curry and Green.
And though the Warriors aren’t asking Curry to be the driver of the offense in the way Harden is for the Rockets, the goal is still to find ways to get him highquality shots. With fewer playmakers around him, Curry has taken a higher degree of contested shots.
“What we have to figure out is how we can free him up better,” Kerr said. “And those are the things we’re exploring every day.” SPARTANS TO RETIRE GREEN’S JERSEY >> Seven years after leaving Michigan State for what became a decorated NBA career, Draymond Green will have his jersey hung in the rafters of East Lansing’s Breslin Student Events Center.
Michigan State announced Monday that Green’s No. 23 jersey will be retired. The ceremony is set for Dec. 3, the day of a nationally televised matchup with Duke. Green, 29, played four years at Michigan State where, as a senior, he was named Big Ten Player of the Year. He finished his career as one of three players in Michigan State history with over 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
“This is a fitting honor for one of the ultimate winners in Michigan State history,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said in a press release.
Green (jersey No. 23) is the 11th person to be honored with a retirement at Michigan State. Other players with their jerseys retired include Mateen Cleaves (12), Steve Smith (21) and Earvin “Magic” Johnson (33).
“I am so appreciative of everyone in East Lansing, starting with Coach Izzo, who provided an opportunity for this young kid from Saginaw to achieve my dreams and laid the groundwork that has enabled me to become a champion,” Green said in the press release. “It is simply awesome to think that my jersey will hang in the rafters along with the likes of Magic Johnson, Mateen Cleaves and Steve Smith, just to name a few of the iconic Spartans in our rich basketball history.”