Warriors test another lineup vs. Rockets, and it might be their best

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Warriors test another lineup vs. Rockets, and it might be their best originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors played their 55th game of the 2024-25 NBA season Thursday night in Houston, where coach Steve Kerr unveiled his 33rd different starting lineup and decided he’s going to ride it for the foreseeable future.

We should assume, however, that it is subject to change because he has uttered such declarations several times this season.

Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler are and will remain the constants. In lineup No. 33 against the Rockets, they were joined by Moses Moody, who is undefeated (7-0) as a starter, and Brandin Podziemski, who replaced Buddy Hield, whose greatest value this season has been as a decoy.

Kerr’s reasoning is sound, the decision worked well enough to carve out a 105-98 victory at Toyota Center.

“We felt like it was the right time to do it,” Kerr told reporters in Houston. “Brandin has played so well the last couple weeks that I think he needs to be in that starting group now. He gives Steph another ball handler and decision-maker. He makes a lot of plays out of nothing with his brain and his skill.”

The new lineup brought an early spark that was impressive considering the Warriors played late into Wednesday evening in a loss at Dallas and didn’t arrive at their hotel in Houston until 3:30 a.m. To go up nine after one quarter and push the lead to 16 early in the second was testimony to their collective desire.

As has happened many times this season, though, was a night when the best and worst of the Warriors was on display. They built a 24-point lead with four minutes left in the third quarter and then a familiar wall, one that tends to materialize whenever Curry leaves the game for a few minutes. That wall led them to Butler, with Kerr immediately announcing that Butler will play “all of the non-Steph minutes.”

Kerr, perhaps concerned about his exhausted veterans, took a risk and got burned. With Curry, Butler and Green all on the bench, Golden State tried a lineup with Kevon Looney, Gui Santos, Pat Spencer, Hield and Podziemski. The offense died,…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-test-another-lineup-vs-230129231.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2025-02-13 23:01:00

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