CLEVELAND – Lacking a 3rd of their gamers on Saturday evening in Cleveland, the Warriors wanted their ragtag group to play with supreme effort, maintain the ball and make just a few well timed pictures to remain aggressive.
In the event that they did these issues, maybe the Warriors – lacking Steph and Seth Curry, Draymond Inexperienced (foot), Al Horford (sciatica), Jimmy Butler (knee) and De’Anthony Melton (relaxation) – would stand an opportunity towards the full-strength Cavs with Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley.
Or the Warriors may simply lean on one other Pat Spencer masterclass, which led to a 99-94 victory.
After scoring 17 factors and 16 in back-to-back video games, Spencer earned his first begin and scored a career-high 19 and dished out seven assists. After burying a triple halfway via the fourth, Spencer turned to the Cavs crowd and talked smack.
Golden State led 96-91 with a minute left, however Evan Mobley made a putback and Darius Garland canned a free throw to chop the result in simply two factors with 21 seconds remaining.
In a sport the place all 10 energetic Warriors performed, Gui Santos scored 14 factors and made a free throw to place Golden State up 97-94 with 11.3 seconds left. MItchell missed a 3-pointer with 4 seconds remaining because the Warriors snapped a two-game shedding skid.
With Spencer in foul bother for many of the first quarter, the Warriors offense scuttled whereas the Cavs’ assault did simply sufficient to scrape out an 18-12 lead after 12 minutes.
However every part modified within the second interval, when the Warriors outscored the Cavaliers 33-18 with Spencer obtainable for many of it. Golden State pushed the tempo towards a Cavs staff that seemed to be sleepwalking towards a shorthanded opponent, main 72-62 after three quarters.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr wouldn’t get into specifics, however he mentioned he expects many of the Warriors’ wounded will play Sunday towards the Bulls.
Kerr’s problem
Kerr issued totally different but comparable challenges to his depleted staff’s two polarizing 23-year-olds earlier than the staff took on the Cavaliers at Rocket Enviornment on Saturday evening.
Guard Brandin Podziemski wanted to be extra keen to play off the ball. Jonathan Kuminga, making his first begin since Nov. 12 in Oklahoma Metropolis, needed to run the ground with effort.
“We’re urging him to get up the floor, instead of holding it back in the backcourt and asking for the ball. I want him to be the first guy down the floor,” Kerr mentioned of Kuminga.
Together with his agent Aaron Turner within the constructing, Kuminga completed 1 of 10 from the sector, typically taking ill-advised pictures and layups in visitors. Podziemski was not statistically prolific, however nonetheless had a decent 10 factors and two assists off the bench.
Steph Curry replace
Steph Curry has missed the previous 4 video games with a quad pressure suffered on Thanksgiving eve towards Houston.
As an alternative of travelling with the staff on the present highway journey, Curry has remained within the Bay Space as he works with the Warriors’ medical employees. Kerr expressed optimism he’ll have the ability to play within the staff’s subsequent dwelling sport on Dec. 12.
“I talked to (team doctor) Rick (Celebrini) yesterday, and he said Steph is doing well and that he’s started back on the court yesterday, and everything is going well,” Kerr mentioned.
Kenny Atkinson’s Warriors affect
Steve Kerr has seen a large number of assistant coaches transfer on to varied head teaching spots over his 11-year tenure with the Warriors. Few have been as fiery as present Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson, who was a lead assistant for Kerr from 2021-24.
Atkinson’s intense, numbers-based strategy was appreciated by the extra laid-back, feel-based Kerr.
“I learned a lot from him, and you know, he looked at the game a little differently than I did,” Kerr mentioned. “He had much more analytical mind than I did, and it was one of the reasons I brought him in.”
Atkinson, who was awarded the 2025 Coach of the Yr honor after going 64-18 final season, made positive to offer Kerr reward for serving to him additionally develop as a coach. Atkinson had beforehand coached the Nets for 4 seasons earlier than being fired.
“It was like finishing school for me,” Atkinson mentioned. “Steve understands leadership as well as anybody, any coach I’ve been around.”
