Deep roster a lifesaver for champs
Reserves’ output much-needed after loss of Curry
OAKLAND, Calif. — First things first — the daily Stephen Curry update:
Warriors forward Draymond Green said the point guard and soon-to-be backto-back MVP’s “spirits are good” and that he is “moving around a little better” after being ruled out the next two weeks with a sprained knee.
And now, the series update. Golden State is pretty confident it will be able to take care of business and end the first-round series with the Rockets on Wednesday night at Oracle Arena.
The Warriors, who have a 3-1 lead, have mixed a lot of different lineups during the season and know they can pick up the slack without Curry.
“That’s the added value of having versatility throughout the lineup,” guard Shaun Livingston said after practice Tuesday. “Guys like Andre (Iguodala), Draymond and Klay (Thompson) can do different things with different guys on the court. All while getting defensive stops.”
Livingston has stepped up starting in Curry’s place, and little-used Ian Clark is making the most of some new-found minutes off the bench. He is 6-for-9 for 16 points with seven assists and only two turnovers in 34 minutes the last two games.
“We don’t have those ‘Strength in Numbers’ Tshirts for no reason,” reserve forward Marreese Speights said.
Yes, but even the Rockets had to be doing a doubletake when Clark scored nine points in the fourth quarter of Game 3.
“Our mindset is to play together without Steph and to be winners,” Clark said. “I’m a competitor. Every guy on this team is a competitor. We’re just trying to move the ball and win. Coach is always telling us that we have a deep team and be ready for your moment.”
Clark went undrafted in 2013 after leaving Belmont as the school’s alltime leader in points and three-pointers. He was the MVP of the 2013 Las Vegas Summer League championship game, scoring 33 points on a 7-for-10 threepoint-shooting night for the Warriors.
Clark spent two years in Utah before finishing the 2014-15 season with Denver. He beat out Ben Gordon for the Warriors’ last roster spot.
He said it wasn’t easy being the new guy on the NBA champs.
“It’s hard finding your role as the new guy coming in,” Clark said. “Everybody had been here. Once I found my niche and some confidence, things got easier.
“When (Leandro Barbosa) was hurt in December, Coach put me in some good positions and that’s when I started feeling better and part of the group.”
Sounds like a pretty good coach. NBA Coach of the Year Steve Kerr, meanwhile, did make his first public comments since the team said Curry was out for at least two weeks.
“He’s worked so hard and now all of a sudden, after several years of being injury free, he’s had backto-back injuries,” said Kerr, referencing Curry’s missing Games 2 and 3 with a sprained ankle. “But in a lot of ways he’s lucky it’s not worse. If we can take care of business while he’s getting better, there’s a chance that he can come back and be part of this playoff run and help us go deep.”