SAN FRANCISCO — After losing Stephen Curry six hours before kickoff and Draymond Green and Klay Thompson two minutes after kickoff on Tuesday night, the Warriors found something they need to find joy this season.
Once the saltiness was washed away, Golden State’s grit rose to the surface, reaching a level not seen in the last 11 games.
It wasn’t enough to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves, who cruised to a 104-101 win in the in-season tournament game at Chase Center, but it was a revelation of what’s possible for these Warriors when passion meets pride.
“To win in the NBA, you obviously have to have talent,” said coach Steve Kerr. “But you have to have energy. You have to bring something to the table in terms of life, joy, energy, competitiveness.
“And I saw that with the whole group tonight.”
It was definitely a livelier group of warriors than we’d seen most of the season. Aside from Curry, the Warriors were largely abysmal on offense. The defense has offered various shades of mediocrity. The Warriors were at Chase Center on Sunday with Steph in possession of the Timberwolves, and here was the rematch at Chase without him.
As if that wasn’t disheartening enough, Thompson and Green, along with Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels, were ejected within the first two minutes – before either team had scored. Thompson clashed with McDaniels and Green pulled Rudy Gobert away from Klay with a chokehold. This was the first time since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976 that three starters were ejected from a scoreless game.
With their entire four-ring core unavailable, the Warriors were doomed.
However, these now prohibitive outsiders refused to accept such a fate.
What followed the ejections, which came with 10:17 left in the first quarter, was the Warriors displaying such grit and courage that they endeared themselves to the packed arena. Two draws and five lead changes within the last five minutes caused a stir.
“It was just an incredible performance by our guys,” Kerr said. “To be so undermanned and to fight and compete the way they did. It was just beautiful to see.”
Andrew Wiggins, who lay dormant for the first three weeks of the season, didn’t shoot well but showed signs of renewed vigor and even barked at an official. Chris Paul and Dario Sarić did their jobs – providing stability with crazy rotations that the circumstances demanded – with the relative aplomb of the veterans that they are.
And freshman Brandin Podziemski came off the bench to deliver a star performance that will boost fan club numbers and confirm Curry and Kerr’s description as “cocky.”
Podziemski, whose demeanor fits the profile of a Grit Gang leader, scored a team-best 23 points on 9 of 18 shooting and added seven rebounds and five assists, giving him a team-high plus-11. He played a team-high 39 minutes because Kerr couldn’t justify taking him off the floor.
“I knew I was going to get minutes tonight,” he said. “I just didn’t know there would be 39.”
Golden State was outnumbered (44.4 percent to 41.6) but won the rebounding battle (46-42) and stayed close at 36-34 in paint points – one of their most visible weaknesses this season.
It was enough to build a 12-point lead late in the third quarter before the Warriors were outscored 28-18 in the fourth quarter.
“We played well,” Paul said. “We played hard. It just wasn’t enough.”
The squad will be reduced in size in the coming days. Curry is out indefinitely with a likely knee strain. Green can expect a suspension. Only Thompson is expected to be back Thursday, in time to face the upcoming Oklahoma City Thunder.
He will join a group that wants to cause a stir.
All in all, this was the kind of comprehensive performance that will give Kerr a lot to think about. And it’s a good playbook for the Warriors over the final 70 games, should they decide to follow it.
Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast