San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Teammates pick up slack after Wiseman is injured
After landing awkwardly on a dunk attempt, Warriors center James Wiseman, grimacing, slowly climbed to his feet and began to hobble.
This was a concerning sight for the Golden State organization: In a season plagued by setbacks, Wiseman had finally started to make key strides, only to not return after suffering that right knee injury early in the second quarter
Saturday. The good news was what unfolded the rest of the way in the Warriors’ 125109 win over the Rockets at Chase Center.
With Kevon Looney its only true center available and guard Kelly Oubre Jr. sidelined by a sprained left wrist, Golden State got memorable performances from Stephen Curry (38 points, eight 3pointers), Andrew Wiggins (25 points) and Jordan Poole (21 points on 11 shots) as it moved past Friday’s late collapse against the
Wizards. As Curry dribbled by defenders, drained deep 3pointers and made a couple of shots near the rim that defied logic, he giggled with his teammates.
Such joy was much appreciated for a group that has laughed little over the past three weeks. Entering Saturday, the Warriors had dropped eight of 10 games as outsiders began to wonder whether Golden State should even try to chase a
playoff berth. Perhaps no defeat was more disappointing than Friday’s when, after seizing a threepoint lead in the final seconds, the Warriors made two critical mistakes — a foul by Wiggins on a Bradley Beal 3pointer and a turnover by Damion Lee — to squander yet another opportunity.
In the immediate aftermath, Golden State players found at least one positive: They had less than 24 hours until their next game. Fueled by the desire to silence chatter about tanking and feel good about themselves again, the Warriors ratcheted up the tempo against the Rockets, using a barrage of passes to find open looks and frustrate defenders.
After riding a 249 run to a 17point lead midway through the second quarter, Golden State was never seriously threatened. It helped that Curry was providing the type of highlights that only he can deliver. Midway through the third quarter, he drove into the key, laced the ball around his back and, while blanketed by two defenders, lofted in a higharcing floater.
After jogging into the empty stands for a mini victory lap, he pointed toward the ceiling and nonchalantly highfived teammate Juan ToscanoAnderson. This was part of a 23point quarter — including a run of 20 consecutive points — from Curry, who became the first Warriors player to score at least 30 points in six straight games since Rick Barry in 1974.
“Steph was incredible,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “The shotmaking — not just the 3s — some of the shots he hit around the basket, he had a highlightreel worth of plays out there tonight."
The Warriors finished shooting 53.8% from the field (40% from 3point range), but Kerr felt his team got a bit sloppy at times in the second half. His point was clear: This is a team that still has plenty of work to do as it sits three games below .500 with little more than a month left in the season.
The big question now is whether Wiseman will be available for Monday’s game against the Nuggets. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam, but Kerr had no update about the severity of the rookie’s injury.
What is known: An extended absence would be a devastating blow, given that Wiseman — perhaps the franchise’s most important firstyear player in decades — finally seemed poised for a breakthrough. After scoring a combined 31 points in recent games against the Bucks and Wizards, he opened Saturday aggressively, posting six points in six minutes before he got injured.
If Wiseman must miss time, the Warriors will do what they did with him out against the Rockets: play ToscanoAnderson and Looney more minutes, plug Draymond Green in at smallball center at times and hope they can ride more of Curry’s brilliance to wins.