The Golden State Warriors have undergone a major change to their dynasty dynamic as they open the season on Wednesday night against the host Portland Trail Blazers.
Klay Thompson departed the club in the offseason for the Dallas Mavericks. That leaves Stephen Curry and Draymond Green without their longstanding partner after the trio reached six NBA Finals together, winning four championship rings.
Now Curry and Green will mix in with other players as Golden State looks to reinvent its approach. The Warriors (46-36) didn’t make the playoffs last season as they were routed by the Sacramento Kings in the Western Conference play-in round.
With just one “Splash Brother” aboard, Golden State will rely on the 36-year-old Curry and try to mold a lineup that fits. Green, 34, and Andrew Wiggins, 29, are the other certain members of the starting group entering the opener in Portland.
After Tuesday’s practice, Warriors coach Steve Kerr wasn’t revealing the complete starting lineup.
“My gut is we’re going to look at a lot of different combinations, but when we find one, we’ll stay with it,” Kerr said. “We just have to start a certain way and then see how it plays out. Just like I’m telling the players, everybody’s just gotta stay ready.
“I’d like to have one starting lineup for the whole year, and hopefully the group that I start (Wednesday) becomes our consistent starting five-man group. But it has to lead to wins.”
Curry recently sprained his right index finger but is a full-go for the opener. Kerr held an extended scrimmage on Sunday, primarily to give Curry extra time to find his form.
The list of Golden State newcomers includes guards Buddy Hield and De’Anthony Melton and forward Kyle Anderson. The young holdovers include guards Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody and forwards Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis.
“They are very, very deep,” Portland coach Chauncey Billups said. “They’re going to be a difficult team to play against.”
Curry is among the people waiting to see how the logjam plays out.
“I don’t think you can avoid feelings getting hurt, which is not a bad thing though,” Curry said. “It’s a part of the NBA.”
Kuminga averaged 16.1 points last season. Now entering his fourth season, he declined overtures prior to Monday’s rookie extension deadline for his draft class. He will become a restricted free agent after the season.
The Trail Blazers (21-61) were one of the worst teams in the NBA last season and they equaled the second-most losses in franchise history.
Portland closed the door on the Damian Lillard era prior to the start of last season and is still in the process of plotting a path forward.
The Trail Blazers chose center Donovan Clingan of UConn with the seventh overall pick in this year’s draft. Center Deandre Ayton had his moments last season, forward Jerami Grant provides consistent scoring while the backcourt includes Anfernee Simons and second-year pro Scoot Henderson.
Portland has experienced a plethora of injuries in recent campaigns and guard Shaedon Sharpe (shoulder), post player Robert Williams III (hamstring) and swingman Matisse Thybulle (knee) will miss the opener.
Having manpower will be important for the Trail Blazers as Billups plans to speed up the pace.
“I love our depth,” Billups said. “I think it’s hard for any coach to play more than nine guys. But there will be nights when I play 10. We want to play fast, we want to pressure guys out and that wears you out. Not just the other team, but it wears us out, too.”
Golden State went 4-0 against the Trail Blazers last season and has won 10 of the past 11 meetings.
–Field Level Media
