SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors were down by as many as 18 points late in the third quarter. In the preseason, that kind of deficit might call for coaches to empty the bench and call it a loss. But the Warriors have bigger goals than to just get through the preseason; a big deficit provided no better opportunity for this new-look team to mount their first comeback together.
The Warriors’ comeback 116-115 win over the Sacramento Kings ended with a bang. Down two points with 11 seconds remaining on an inbound pass from Chris Paul, Steph Curry shook off De’Aaron Fox to create just enough space for a game-winning 3-pointer.
“We all want to win,” Curry said on NBC Sports Bay Area. “That’s the bottom line.”
The swish sent the Chase Center crowd into a frenzy typically reserved for meaningful basketball, but the comeback win meant something to the team, too. Golden State is now 4-0 in the preseason with a blowout win and narrow road win against the Lakers along with an overtime win and comeback victories against the Kings.
“It’s been great for us,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “Overtime last game, close game in LA. To have three straight games where some guys had to feel crunch time and execute during those moments and come through, those are really great experiences.”
Since before training camp began Curry has made a point to shed the malaise that bogged this team down hard last season. He’s organized mini camps and team dinners from Los Angeles to Las Vegas during the summer.
“We all have such confidence in our ability to put it all together,” Curry said on NBC Sports Bay Area. “We didn’t want training camp to be the first time everybody – it’s like when everybody has ‘Hello, my name is’ name tag on. We didn’t want that to be training camp.”
In training camp, Kerr and the coaching staff are digging deeper into the teaching part of practice to get veterans and young players on the same page. While the offense can look clunky and much of the same turnover and fouling issues that that Golden State last season have carried over, it’s possible the team’s stronger will to win can help them overcome the mistakes.
That will overcame the many blunders – 21 fouls, 22 turnovers – on Wednesday. Curry hit four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, including the game winner with game-winner, for a 30-point night shooting 8-for-12 from 3. Four of those 3-pointers (on four shots) came in the fourth.
Much has been made of whether Chris Paul will start or sit when the season begins and Draymond Green returns from injury. Before Wednesday’s game, Kerr said they hoped Paul could be more himself and that maybe he was just “trying to fit in” through his first two preseason games. He seemed to be more comfortable despite playing an unfamiliar role.
Paul started off the bench for the first time, but his closing minutes with the starting unit that included Andrew Wiggins, Klay Thompson and Dario saric helped fuel the furious fourth-quarter comeback.
With Paul seeking him out off-ball, Curry began his big fourth to get the Warriors down one point with 18 seconds remaining in the game. Saric was fouled, but missed both of his free throws. On the other end, Kevin Huerter made one of his two free throws to give the Kings a two point lead, but Curry recovered the loose ball off his miss just inbounds – a Kings challenge was unsuccessful – to give the Warriors the ball back and set up his big three.
Paul finished with nine assists and 13 points.
Paul’s chemistry with former teammate Saric was evident as the pair danced into a handful of pick-and-pop plays. Paul assisted Saric on two of his seven first-half baskets and Saric had 12 points at the half on 5-of-7 from the field with a 3-pointer made above the arc. Saric finished with 14 points shooting 6-for-10 from the field.
Curry has described Paul as a fellow basketball junkie, noting that the pair have bonded over watching other teams’ preseason games together. Saric learned in Phoenix and Oklahoma City how to trust that knowledge.
“He understands basketball maybe the best in the league,” Saric said. “He’s watching all games, watching every play, watching every defense…I like to play with him because he’s not selfish, he’s going to make the right play at the right moment.”
Trayce Jackson-Davis started in place of an ill Kevon Looney — who sat out Wednesday’s game — and put together his first double-double, scoring 13 points with 10 rebounds. Andrew Wiggins came alive in the second quarter, getting to the rim and stringing together a handful of jump shots to score nine of his 10 first-half points. He finished with 16 points shooting 7-for-10 from the field.
As planned, Curry, Klay Thompson, Wiggins and Paul played 30 minutes or more.
“We had targeted this game as one where we can get our main guys up in the 30 minute range,” Kerr said. “This was a game we wanted to ramp it up and get our conditioning level up. Guys did a great job down the stretch, it’s fun having Chris Paul down the stretch getting us organized and it was fun watching Steph do what he does.”
Source: www.mercurynews.com