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The Golden State Warriors started the NBA season with a point to prove, showing their championship credentials in a comeback win against fellow favorites the LA Lakers. Breaking out of a patchy first quarter, the Warriors fought back, recording a 121-114 win to put them 1-0 up in the new season.
The Lakers dominated early proceedings as LeBron James and Anthony Davis controlled the pace of the game, making most of the early buckets. The duo combined for a joint 24 points early in the first quarter, whilst the Golden State Warriors plundered in vain.
Steph Curry had an off-day, shooting 5-21 (field goal of 23.8%), as Jordan Poole struggled to settle, making rash decisions. But as the game grew on, the Warriors settled in and found a rhythm. By the third quarter, Curry and Poole were shooting threes as the Warriors went on a 12-6 run that left the game at 85-83.
It was only a matter of time, as the Lakers struggled to keep up with the Warriors players' movements.
Steph Curry, who began to find space on the flanks, hit a tight triple to give the Golden State a 103-98 lead in the fourth quarter and substitute Nemanja Bjelica put the finishing touches on an opening day comeback experience, assisting Andrew Wiggins for an open three to give the Golden State Warriors a 115-103 lead.
Jordan Poole rounded off the win, scoring three-pointers to finish with 20 points, as the Warriors bench stepped in with a commanding performance, surging to a 68-55 points gap in the second half, the match finishing in a convincing win.
In the second game against the LA Clippers, the Golden State Warriors won by a 2-point differential, with Curry putting in a stellar performance that saw him finish the night with 45 points and 10 rebounds.
Here are the three biggest questions for the Golden State Warriors after their first two games.
#1 Can the Warriors' bench make the step up this season?
The Golden State Warriors have not had the best bench in recent memory, often falling flat when in need of help from their supporting cast. Steph Curry has usually been asked to carry the offensive load on the back of injuries or unfortunate situations. They’ve not been able to cope without him, losing 168 points last season, while he was on the bench.
With Klay Thompson and Daniel Wisewam out of the opener, and Steph Curry having an unusual off day, the Warriors looked for inspiration from somewhere, and by the second half, the Warriors were clawing their way back into the game.
Coach Steve Kerr called on his bench players to stretch the more physical Lakers side as the Serbian, Nemanja Bjelica, and Otto Porter Jr. helped pull the floor with their shooting, opening the lanes for driving as Curry started to get into the game, driving to the paint on multiple occasions.
Bjelica in particular was impressive, recording 15 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists, posting a 6-of-7 shooting from the field.
Returning veteran Andre Iguodala (6 points), Damion Lee (15 points) and J. Juan Toscano-Anderson also played key roles from the bench. By the end of the match, the Warriors bench had outscored the Lakers’ own, with a total of 55 points against the Lakers 29.
Just when we thought the Golden State Warriors' bench looked promising in their opening night game, we wondered if this is what is to be expected going forward. They didn't show up in their second game against the Clippers, posting only 28 points, with Lee leading the bunch with 11 points, Bjelica posted 6 points and Iguodala and Porter Jr. registered 4 points each, while Toscano-Anderson posted 3 points on the night.
It looks like they are back to their inconsistent ways and one can only hope they get more productive in the coming games if the team is to compete for the title this season.
#2 Will Jordan Poole star for the Golden State Warriors this season?
Jordan Poole had one of the best preseason games of any NBA player, averaging 21.8 points per game to raise expectations ahead of the new season. But not many people would have predicted the rollercoaster of his opening day performance for the Golden State Warriors.
The point guard started the matchup slowly, scoring just 4 points in the early stages but grew into the game, finishing with 20 points from a 44.4% shooting on the field and 36.4% shooting on threes — his dribbling and Bjelica's playmaking provided the scoring juice to support the struggling Curry.
However, Poole had a poor outing in the second game, finishing the game with 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists on the board. He managed a 4-of-14 from the field, with a 28.5% field goal accuracy and 1-of-6 three-pointers.
It remains to be seen if the third-year guard can keep up his scoring form over the season, cementing a place on the Golden State Warriors' starting roster. As things stand, the player is shaping up to be the biggest revelation of the season.
#3 Is the lack of physicality on the Warriors' roster going to hurt their title chances?
In their feisty opening day encounter with the Lakers, the Golden State Warriors suffered from their opponents' physicality. The Lakers tormented the less physical side using their overwhelming size and physicality on both ends of the floor. They were quick to transition, applying the tactic on offense to generate a multitude of player advantages.
Using their team’s superior length and physicality, they ran the Warriors off the three-point line, charging to the rim time and time, as the Warriors struggled to badly cope with the physical advantages.
Coach Steve Kerr admitted to the shortcomings of being on the lesser physical side, citing the use of sharp ball movement to counteract the loss in the second period, as the Golden State Warriors rescued the game from an increasingly confused Lakers side.
It wasn't much of an issue in their second game against the Clippers. Although, they had to play a small-ball lineup, the Clippers were up to the task and managed just fine.
However, it remains an issue amongst onlookers, as there are bound to be problems on the road when your tallest active player happens to be a 6’10” power forward. The NBA is a marathon, and Steve Kerr is an experienced coach. He surely knows his side need more than ball movement if they are to come out successful at the season’s end.
Also Read: How many rings does Stephen Curry have?
Guess the Lakers players!
