What we learned as Waters plays hero in Warriors’ preseason win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
HONOLULU, Hawaii – After four days of training camp at BYU-Hawaii, the Warriors ventured to the University of Hawaii on Saturday and brought fireworks to their preseason opener, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 91-90 on a game-winning buzzer-beater. beating 3 pointer from Lindy Waters III.
“What a great way to end a great week,” coach Steve Kerr said after the win.
Outside of Waters, shooting wasn’t the Warriors’ strong suit. Leading 53-49 at halftime, the Warriors shot 37.3 percent from the floor in the first two quarters and just 20 percent (5 of 25) from behind the 3-point line. The numbers also got worse as the game progressed. Overall, the Warriors shot 33.7 percent and 22.9 percent from three (11 of 48).
Steph Curry, who sat out the entire second half and played a total of 14 minutes, couldn’t give the fans the type of show they came to see. He scored nine points to lead the Warriors in the first half, but made 2 of 8 shots and missed all four of his 3-point attempts. At the free throw line, Curry shot a perfect 5 of 5.
The Warriors are working to become a top defensive team again, and there have been flashes of that in fits and starts. By halftime, the Warriors had already thrown nine steals and scored 20 points off 14 Clippers turnovers. They finished with 14 steals and seven blocked shots while holding the Clippers to 38.5 percent shooting and 22.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Waters was the hero of the day, hitting five 3-pointers, including four in the fourth quarter.
“Dude, shout out to Lindy Waters,” De’Anthony Melton said. “I knew from the jump that Lindy was going to hit some big shots tonight. I told him I needed at least four threes tonight. …Lindy came to shoot and I’m proud of him.
Kerr added: “He’s a very good shooter, but he’s more than just a shooter. He’s got good size, he’s not just a scout guy. As you saw on the last one, it came off a pin. So he’s a good shooting move, but he also understands the game well. We’re really excited to have him.
“We I loved him in the past when we played against him. (Warriors general manager) Mike (Dunleavy) did a great job finding him and trading for him. He definitely has the skills to play our style.
Here are three takeaways from an exhilarating first win of the Warriors’ preseason slate.
Starting composition
All week, Kerr hasn’t given a single indication of who will start the preseason opener with Andrew Wiggins out as he continues to be under the weather. Wiggins wore a mask Saturday and was on the sideline during the Warriors’ victory.
When the Warriors faced off on Friday and had a group consisting of Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green, it looked like it might be the first five on the court. Kerr then warned reporters not to assume anything, and it turns out he wasn’t joking.
The starting five were Curry, Melton, Kuminga, Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis. The first results were not great.
“Not great, but it’s preseason for everyone,” Kerr said. “We didn’t really have a good pace at the start – a slow start. But it’s still good to get these five guys on the field together and see what it’s like.
They played the first seven minutes together and found themselves in a 17-12 situation before Kerr turned to his bench.
Melton scored eight points on 3-of-7 shooting in just 12 minutes.
Green, who like Curry and Melton did not play the second half, had two points, two steals, a rebound and an assist, but also two turnovers and three fouls. Kuminga’s seven rebounds led the Warriors, and he also scored seven points. Jackson-Davis added four points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal, but was the only starter with a negative plus/minus (minus-2).
While Kerr maintained that he saw Kuminga, whose plus-4 was the best among starters, as a power forward more than a small forward, he says he’ll continue to try it alongside Green and Jackson-Davis.
“Yes, we want to continue to think about it,” Kerr said. “Obviously all three guys are talented players and you want to be able to play your best players together, but it has to click. We will keep trying.
Find combinations
It was not one or two players who came off the bench, but five new ones. That second unit was Podziemski, Gary Payton II, Hield, Kyle Anderson and Kevon Looney. Immediately, Looney blocked a shot and the group went on a 5-0 run to tie the game.
Moses Moody came in for the final five seconds after that five outscored the Clippers 14-6 to take a 26-23 lead after the first quarter.
“Loon comes in and immediately does what he does,” Kerr said. “He just makes things happen.” It’ll never make headlines – setting a screen, helping defensively – but it helps you win.
To start the second half, Kerr went with Podziemski, Hield, Moody, Kuminga and Jackson-Davis. That’s the goal of this training camp, as well as the rest of the preseason: to find who best matches who.
“We had so many different combinations,” Kerr said. “I liked the defensive activity of Gary, Melton too, BP. We have guys that can disrupt offenses and turn that defense into offense for us.
Moody makes his point
The preseason opener was another example of the numbers game. delicate situation for Moodyas well as how he can force Kerr’s hand. Despite missing almost the entire first quarter, Moody’s eight points in the first half were second only to Curry. He ended up scoring 12 points in 13 minutes on 4-of-9 shooting and conceded on two of his five 3-point attempts.
His plus-14 was a game high as he added four rebounds – three offensive – two steals, an assist and a block.
What made Kerr happiest was that Moody filmed without hesitation and made quick decisions, the two areas he emphasized most for Moody’s growth.
“He did a really good job in camp getting the shot off quickly and making that No. 1 priority,” Kerr said. “He’s a very good shooter, and he’s at the point now in his career where he feels where the fence is. I think early in his career he was more hesitant. But the offense runs a lot smoother when he just catches and shoots, and I love it when he does that, which he did all week.
Next up for the Warriors is a showdown in Sacramento against the Kings on Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center.
