SAN FRANCISCO – After trying 14 different lineups, most of which failed miserably, the Warriors discovered one on their 15th attempt that could potentially push them back into the NBA playoff race.
Saturday night featured lineup 15, consisting of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson at guard, Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga at forward, and Draymond Green at center.
This group isn't built to log big minutes every night, mostly because it's unfair to ask the 6-foot-10 Draymond to hit and shove mastodons for 30 minutes on a regular basis. But for now, it's as good as Golden State has to offer. Even after another furious defeat (145:144) against the Los Angeles Lakers in double overtime, it is obvious that this lineup has the best chance of getting out of the crisis.
“There's a lot of versatility in this group, defensively and offensively, and great athletes and shooters,” said Thompson, who fouled out in the second OT. “Draymond was incredible tonight. A plus of 31 shows its effect. This device offers a lot of versatility.”
Green made his first start since December 12th, so he is the new addition. He was great: eight points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals and two blocks. His plus 31 was by far the best on the team.
Curry and Thompson combined for 70 points, well above their combined average of 44.2 per game, and added 11 assists and seven rebounds.
Playing through foul trouble, Kuminga scored 22 points, his 23rd straight double-digit scoring performance – his sixth straight with at least 20 points – and also grabbed nine rebounds.
“With this lineup, we've got some speed, we've got some athleticism, we've got Draymond's brain and mind and just the way he sees the court defensively,” said Curry, who scored a game-high 46 points – 24 after the third quarter . “We had a pretty good start to the game tonight.”
The Warriors started well enough to build a five-point lead in the first eight minutes. One of the reasons for the good start was Wiggins.
It is Wiggins, a ghost for most of the season, who is the key to this group's fate. If he can bring something back to the top of his game with some consistency, the Warriors have two options that are more attractive than they were a week ago.
First, they will likely have the opportunity to trade Wiggins as his stock rises. Or two: They can keep him because he looks a lot like the player who was so crucial to Golden State's victory in the 2022 NBA Finals.
Wiggins was great. There was one production: 22 points. Efficiency: 8 of 12 shots from the field, including 3 of 4 from deep. There was committed defense on the perimeter and in the court, including a crowd-pleasing pursuit of LeBron James at the rim.
“Gives us a little more size and athleticism overall,” Kerr said of the newest lineup. “We’re trying to maximize the number of possessions these guys play together. We are now in a position where Wiggs is playing at a high level, JK has recovered and Klay, Steph and Draymond are back from suspension.
“We have the ability to put these guys together and probably our top five. We want to maximize the number of properties they share.”
The Wiggins-Kuminga combination, which performed poorly in previous iterations, suddenly looks like a threat. It wasn't the combination that was a wayward experiment. It wasn't good because Wiggins, in his tenth season, saw some of the worst basketball of his career.
“We figured out how to play against each other and with each other on the floor at the same time,” Kuminga said. “It's not so much about Draymond being in there or out there. He helps us with a lot of things, but we just have a feeling for each other now.”
Just as Wiggins was a big factor in Golden State's struggles as he struggled, he can also be vital to any recovery. If he is very good, they are much better. If he's this good in the next few games, it might give the front office new leverage.
If Wiggins stays put, the Warriors likely won't find a better two-way wing on the open market. Plus, they don't have to look.
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