On Thursday, October 1, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr revealed his starting five for the team’s opening preseason game.
The Warriors face the LA Clippers on Sunday, Oct. 4. Speaking with the media after practice on Thursday, Kerr said Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Draymond Green, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Al Horford will be his starting five.
Kerr then revealed what he likes about the new-look starting lineup.
“Really good size on the front line,” Kerr said. “Good playmaking from, obviously, Steph (Stephen Curry) and Dre (Draymond Green) together. But also spacing from Al (Horford). And then all three of those guys, Al, Yax (Yaxel Lendeborg), will be able to shoot the three, but also make plays. So it’s a good, well-balanced lineup. The question will be, can we do that opening night? Given the age of Al and the minutes and all that stuff, who knows? But for now, that’s how we’ll start.”
Kerr will undoubtedly experiment with his starting lineup at points in the season. He’ll need to gather information on how different rotations look together. The same will happen with substitution patterns.
Nevertheless, the starting five set for Sunday makes a ton of sense. It could become the primary starting unit until Jimmy Butler is back on the court later in the season. We’ll have to wait and see.
Kerr Has Been Impressed By Brandin Podziemski
During the same media availability, Kerr named Brandin Podziemski as one of the more impressive players in the opening days of training camp.
“Brandin has played great,” Kerr said. “Picking up right where he left off last year. He was one of our best players. He’s still a young player, so growing and learning…Three days in, he’s had a great camp.”
Podziemski was an ironman for the Warriors last season. He suited up for all 82 regular-season games, averaging 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He shot 53.1% from two-point range and 37.1% from deep.
Entering his fourth season with the Warriors, Podziemski has an opportunity to take another step forward in his career. However, that will require growth on both ends of the floor. Judging by Kerr’s comments, there’s a genuine chance he does that throughout the season.
Kerr Expected To Mirror Curry And Green’s Minutes
During a recent news conference, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said he is likely to mirror Draymond Green and Stephen Curry’s playing time when possible.
“The number one thing for me is that I’m going to keep Steph and Dray together, as much as possible,” Kerr said. “Those guys are still top of the league when it comes to offensive rating when they’re together.”
When healthy, the Warriors are still a team to be reckoned with. The question is, can they get healthy during the regular season? More importantly, can they stay healthy heading into the playoffs?
The answer to those two questions will undoubtedly define how well the Warriors’ season plays out. Nevertheless, with the blend of youth and experience in Golden State, there’s every reason to be quietly confident about this team.
Warriors’ Steve Kerr Reveals Preseason Starting Five