Warriors coach Steve Kerr is intrigued by the starting lineup he used in Wednesday’s victory over Portland and wants to see it in action again before the preseason ends, according to Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required). After going with a small-ball approach in the preseason opener while bringing Al Horford off the bench in his Golden State debut, Kerr made Horford a starter against the Trail Blazers along with Stephen Curry, Moses Moody, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green.
“That could be a really powerful combo,” Kerr said. “I didn’t have a great sense of it after the game because I was thinking so much of our turnovers and our lack of focus at times during the first half. But looking at the tape, it was a lot better than I expected for those first seven minutes or so.”
Kerr likes having more size on the court to start the game, especially with Horford, who shoots well enough from three-point range to give everyone else plenty of room to operate. The group only played together for a little more than half of the first quarter before Kerr began making substitutions, and the veterans rested in the second half.
“You can tell with all the different lineups, we know that there’s still going to be a lot to work on in terms of the chemistry and just the certain combinations,” Curry said. “That’s part of the journey of training camp. But I just like the vibe and the intentionality that we’re all coming with, understanding that we need to get off to a good start. And trying to make that happen.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- That starting group won’t be together on Sunday when Golden State faces the Lakers, Gordon adds. Kerr said Saturday that Butler has an excused personal absence for the game, while Curry and Horford will be held out. Green will start alongside Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jonathan Kuminga and Quinten Post, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link).
- Moody was set to undergo an MRI on Saturday for a calf issue, Slater tweets. Kerr said it’s believed to be minor, but the imaging is being done as a precaution.
- Kuminga and Podziemski come from different parts of the world and had polar opposite experiences as children, but they find themselves in the same position of competing for larger roles with the Warriors, observes Bruce Jenkins of The San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required). Kuminga, who grew up in the Congo, tends to be calm and peaceful while looking the part of an NBA star, Jenkins states. Podziemski is much more of an extrovert after years of having to prove himself against elite competition.
Start Heild not Moody
Interesting.
So yes, I think the starting lineup should be Curry Moody Butler Green Horford.
Sounds like when things are right that’s the best starting 5.
Perhaps this has been suggested the last month or so? I don’t know.., maybe?
ari, easymoneyrider, peter contrope, nba is ok, davey j ..,?
You gentlemen certainly have an opinion here?
I agree with that starting 5, but I am hoping we can see at least a few minutes of what Curry Butler Green Kuminga Horford looks like.
Moody can’t start. He has no handle lol …..
Don’t think he’d get much chances to handle anyways with Green facilitating a lot of the offence, Curry the go to guy and then Butler as your secondary scoring option and what third ball handler?
It would be more of a catch and shoot role and be good defensively
Handle means able to take your defender off the dribble. Handle means able to bring the ball up. Handle means able to push the ball. Handle means able to handle ball pressure. Handle means able to make decisions while handling ball. Handle means making decisions with ball pressure against good D.
Green nor Horford are guards. Neither has a good handle. Moody is more a wing and doesn’t have a good handle. His decision making I don’t really know. Jimmy is not a guard. He is more a SF that can be considered a wing. Jimmy can handle the ball and make decisions. But you don’t want him to be the only one. Curry is usually the one who ends up with ball. He can handle the ball and make decisions. Except his main job is to score. Curry is not a PG. He actually plays more like a wing. Cause Warriors use him so much off the ball.
Kuminga has a handle. But his decision making is not there yet nor is his shot. He is best now off the bench. Warriors offense is built for playmakers and shooters. Playmaker always has a handle.
Looks like Kerr has decided that’s his starting lineup.
Moody’s already hurt, so it could turn out to be Podz at the 2
Good, lets see what Podz can do here. I like the idea of Al shooting and Podz rebounding. Podz is a Russell Westbrook-type guy, and as GP2 proved, those types DO have a role in Kerr’s rotations, and often succeed when paired with Steph. It’s a more chaotic element that this slow, old team will need to deploy when the other team finds a rhythm on both sides.
One thing I think is imperative for this upcoming games is to try and get a non-oldies rotation to gel and be reliable in case of injury/days off for being old.
To get through the whole season with the oldies ready for the playoffs, the younger guys must step up and more importantly, be able to gel with whatever oldies are active and more importantly with each other.
Post Kuminga Moody Hield Podz is one rotation I’d love to see
Post TJD Kuminga Moody Podz is another
Santos and Buddy also are two more who need to step up. Oddly, Buddy is officially “everyday Buddy” who never misses a game, so he can be counted on being there as much as anyone can be. What a remarkable run of health, how does he do it? What he does need to be is more consistent. Now is his time to step up and show he’s still the guy he was on the Pacers, if he does, GSW is in tremendous shape. Santos is in a make or break year too. Need all these guys at their best this year, but aside from Kuminga, who still is in his head too much, I like all their chances.
Kerr is the best coach in the league and will figure it out. Maybe Kuminga will play more if he actually gives it full effort.
Moody starting? Damn this team is already imploding and the season hasn’t even started yet
He would be the SG. He is shooting great. What is your complaint?
He sucks at shooting
So far as a starter in the 2 preseason games, he’s shot 11-21 (52.3%) overall and 7-12 from three (58.3%).
Certainly above average!
This is just like your claim that Curry is getting divorced because of something that happened over 15 years ago.
He didn’t suck at shooting last season.
Yes he did
In the 60 games before the injury, he shot 45%/39%/78% avging 10 ppg, and the Warriors were 36-24 in those games.
Big D is just a warrior hater so it’s a bias opinion.
Obviously.
I’m curious, what happened to your arc89 profile?
Somebody must hate me because it will not allow me to
Post. I think I know who it is a laker fan that posted political stuff on here. Unfortunately this site just deletes profiles instead of looking into it. I am Jimmy Kimmel. Lol
Incorrect, I’m purely an objective observer, as I have already proven when you were liking my pro warriors comments. Now that the objectivity doesn’t go your way, you now only dislike my comments. That is peak example of being boas
1. Just wrong.
2. The “injury” never happened. Which is why the April, after the alleged injury, was his 3rd highest shooting month of the year.
Try again
1. The stats from those 60 games before the game he was injured in are facts.
2. Players don’t get surgery for nonexistent injuries. The playoffs, where he shot 35% overall/33% from three were in April.
LMAO!
The surgery was in May because the injury was in May.
Those are not facts you’re reading the wrong
information.
The alleged injury happened March. In February he shot 35%. In April he shot 37%.
Try again, and this time at least make it make sense. lMaO
He shot 48%/41% in March before the injury. Prove me wrong.
Wrong. Proved.
So, you have no source for your shooting stats?
I do
Are you saying he faked the injury and never had surgery??
No
In the 10 games he played in February, he shot 47%. (game log linked).
Why do you lie so much?
link to basketball-reference.com
In the 10 games he played in February, he shot 35%. (Game log linked).
Why do you lie so much?
link to basketball-reference.com
So are you blind, or just stupid?
As your posting the same link I did conclusively proves, he shot 47% overall and 36% from three pt range, and 83% from the ft line.
So are you blind or just stupid?
As your posting the same link I did conclusively proves, he shot 35% from three pt range
So which is it?
1. You claimed he shot 35% in February, when he actually shot 47%. Since you didn’t refer to a subset of where shots were taken from, you were off by 12%.
2. FYI, according to established mathematical convention for rounding fractions of a percent, 35.8% rounds up to 36%, not down to 35%, for obvious reasons (if not stupid, ofc).
Prove that he is lying about his surgery. Cite your source for his monthly shooting stats.
Prove that he’s telling the truth about his surgery.
You are the one making the allegation that he never had surgery on his thumb. It is up to you to back up your claim. So, backup your claim.
No I’m not, you said he had surgery first. I didn’t bring it up, you did, therefore it’s your allegation. It is up to you to prove the allegation, So back up your claim.
You said Moody lied about having surgery. You need to prove he lied.
I did not say that. That’s just another delusion of yours
So proud of Moody. A year ago, most of the fans here wanted him gone and thought he was only worthy of less than half of his contract. He’s playing with more confidence now, less hesitant, and making quicker decisions. He knows he belongs now. Kudos to Moody who also deserved more playing earlier in his career.
Yea players tend to play with confidence in the preseason. He should be preseason mvp
He shot well last year …. my critique is his handle.
.374% 3pt, .519% 2pt, .80% FT ….. his 2pt shooting was down last year. .520% is still considered good shooting.
37% is pretty weak if your only job is to be a shooter. Should be hovering around 40% especially when you’re playing with Curry
NBA considers 34% 3pt shooting respectable. And good. Cause of the analytics. And if you bothered to look at his stats you would know. He shot .425% 3pt in college and had a career high. In mins 22 mins and 3pt shooting last year .374% . For a 23 yr old.
Only THREE players shot over 40% 3pt shooting in 2024-25 nba season. OK and if Moddys .374% would count he would be the #5 on the list. I think you need to research what 3pt shooting actually means.
link to google.com
link to basketball-reference.com
This game is a test for Post. Can he play enough defense to show his value. He will be going against Ayton who is a lob shooter so Post must keep him from getting inside positioning.
Post will learn from Horford. His defense and rebounding must be better. Both he and TJD should learn a lot from Horford.
Waive Spencer and Rowe
Sign Gortmen and a C (22-23 years old, shot blocker)