Golden State reserves maintain Warriors’ high level
OAKLAND >> They are “The Others,” Golden State’s tight-knit second unit of non-superstars. The backups, and a talented bunch, indeed.
Shaun Livingston heard a while back that Shaquille O’Neal had been referring to Steve Kerr’s reliable reserves as “The Others.” It caught on — and no insult taken by the Warriors.
“It makes sense, I know what he was trying to say,” Livingston said of Shaq. “It’s more about separating the superstars to the bench guys, the superstars to the others or starters to the bench, however you want to say it.”
They were a huge reason the NBAbest Warriors rebounded from a short rough patch to run off a 14-game winning streak after Kevin Durant went down with a knee injury.
They take great pride in their roles of spelling KD, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson while maintaining a high level of play.
“A lot of people do talk about the four of us, but one thing that’s constant in this organization is everybody — the strength in numbers,” Green said, “the depth that we rely on so heavily throughout the course of the year and through the playoffs.”
And who knows? It might not be much of a stretch that Golden State’s second team could be a playoff eight seed on its own.
The Warriors needed everybody on their bench during Durant’s recent 19- game absence , and again Wednesday night in a commanding playoff win against the Trail Blazers as KD sat out with a strained calf. Golden State leads the best- of-seven series 2- 0 as it shifts to Portland for Game 3 on Saturday.
“We all should be so lucky to have ‘Others,’ right?” said Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry, a former Warriors top assistant.
Andre Iguodala held his followthrough a little longer to punctuate the Curry-like 3-pointer he swished at the halftime buzzer against Houston on the final day of March. David West dished out five of his seasonbest six assists in short order during one second- quarter flurry to get the offense rolling April 4 while facing Minnesota. Ian Clark missed a couple of long jumpers and, just as his teammates urge him to do, fearlessly kept firing them until his shot began to fall — at key moments as Golden State held off the Rockets.
And how about Livingston’s smooth shooting night after night, or JaVale McGee’s big blocks and dunks off perfect lob passes that he keeps putting down. McGee made all seven of his shots with several alley- oops in Wednesday’s 110-81 win.
lot of attention but their guys who come in off the bench, like JaVale McGee had an impact on the game at both ends, and “When he can elecDavid West has played trify the crowd with a at a high level for a long huge block and the altime in his career, and obl ey- oop dunks and viously Iguodala,” Blazers things like that, it’s just coach Terry Stotts said. a different dynamic that “They all complement we love to have,” Curry those four guys really well said . and Steve has a lot of trust
Kerr has so much conin them.” fidence in all his players Iguodala and Livingsto contribute when their ton have mentored Clark names are called. He has and rookie Patrick McCaw. mixed and matched the They go crazy for Clark, versatile reserves to keep with his retro headband. his starters in the rotaWest made a key rebound tion at all times, and it has on a miss Wednesday by worked brilliantly. Clark and converted a
“We’ve just got a good turnaround hook shot. collective group IQ. Guys Clark made his next athave seen a whole lot, extempt and has scored in perience is key for us, and double figures both playwe just try to play off that off games so far — noting, more than anything,” “I just guess against this West said, “approach the team, the shot’s falling.” game with a certain level Everybody knows how of seriousness to try to be potent the second unit effective when we’re on can be. the floor. KD going out “I think what happens forced some guys to take is you tend to overlook on some bigger roles and the importance of Andre I think it’s going to help us Iguodala, Shaun Livingslater in the year.” ton, David West,” Tim
Iguodala had barely berwolves coach Tom checked into Game 1 for Thibodeau said. “Those the first time Sunday guys have been good playwhen he drew a charge ers in this league for a against Al-Farouq Aminu. long, long time.”
Portland’s Damian LilIguodala and Livingslard was perplexed by how ton accepted lesser roles McGee beat them in Game with the addition of Du2. rant but have since been called upon to do more. Nobody’s counting minutes.