The Golden State Warriors’ unpredictable season has led to numerous starting lineup changes; head coach Steve Kerr’s most recent lineup included Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green, Stephen Curry, and Brandin Podziemski.
With a 5-3 record, this starting group has shown promise. But a deeper inspection reveals there’s more than meets the eye, and changes need to be done.
This past run of victories has come against either a team below.500 or a team without a starter. The weaknesses in this new starting lineup have been exposed in home defeats to the injury-ravaged Bulls and Knicks, as well as against top teams like the Nuggets.
When playing weak teams, Curry can cover up a lot of this lineup’s terrible spacing. But because he shares the floor with four very poor shooters, his looks have been quite challenging. For this reason, Klay Thompson needs to be added to the starting lineup in place of Podziemski.
Although Podziemski’s ability to charge and rebound is helpful, his offensive output does not warrant him to be a starter going forward. He has only averaged 7.6 points on 37.5% from the field in his last five outings.
Just by being there, Thompson would have opponents play honest with Curry, giving the superstar more opportunities to get clean shots. Although Thompson (17.2 PPG) has not played up to his usual level, he is shooting a solid 38.5% from three and has the force to draw two defenders, which opens up opportunities for his teammates.
The wear and tear Green sustains when playing the five is the most worrisome development with the current starting group. Green’s recent entries on the injury report serve as evidence of this.
Green has played center for the Warriors (35–32) in their finest and most adaptable lineups in the past, but this is not a sustainable way to play, especially given his age (34), size (6-foot–6), and injury history. Green ought to be kept for spot minutes at the five, ideally during the most pressing moments. In order for the Warriors to succeed in the playoffs, Green’s availability is essential.
In order to free up Green to play power forward, Trayce Jackson-Davis needs to start. This will lessen Green’s workload. The squad benefits from Jackson-Davis’ rim protection and lob threat, which keeps opponents honest when the Warriors push the ball in the paint or when they manage to get past the frequently inadequate perimeter defense.
Furthermore, Jackson-Davis and Thompson have outstanding coordination; his lob presence and Thompson’s gravity provide the Warriors flexibility in their traditional split-action and pin-down sets. Consider adding Curry in the mixture.
One spot at the three is left for Kuminga or Wiggins due to the above-described adjustments. Kerr has to start Kuminga since Wiggins (12.6 PPG) is blatantly underperforming and Kuminga appears to be a future All-Star.
The Warriors’ best combination of size, space, and athleticism is found in a starting lineup that includes Curry, Thompson, Kuminga, Green, and Jackson-Davis—even though it may not be a championship lineup. Even though it’s little, the lineup data from Cleaning the Glass indicates that this combo might be effective.
It’s time for a change as the losses mount and time is running out.
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