What a weekend for Dub Nation.
First, our collective consciousness was treated to a vintage performance by Steph Curry - highlighted by the cartoon slippery-feet-sound-effect cross-up that sent Luka Doncic to the floor. Then the Valkyries brought home a championship in just their second season with enough time for trick or treating in perfect Fall weather. And now this evening, the Golden State Warriors have a chance to pick up yet another win in a quickly shifting Western Conference.
Perfect.
GAME DETAILS
WHO: Golden State Warriors (3-3) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (1-4)
WHEN: Sunday, November 1st, 2026; 5:30PM PDT
WATCH: Peacock (NBCSBA)
No Curry, no Green; Yes bench!
The Warriors announced that they will be intentionally holding Steph Curry and Draymond Green out of tonight’s battle in order to have them available for the tail end of the back-to-back when the Warriors host the Phoenix Suns. The Clippers are one of the easier teams in the Western Conference, but I’d bet most observers would say the same thing about Golden State without their two core vets.
Coach Steve Kerr went out of his way to publicly warn fans to be on the lookout for this on back-to-backs (notable, Al Horford will be available tonight; so will rest against the Suns).
"I would just come out, tell the fans out there to be mindful when you're buying the tickets, of the schedule," Kerr said. "Take a look. Because we've got, not just Steph, but we've got multiple vets who we are going to try to manage. Because it's the only way we can do this."
But there’s been a sneaky emergence occurring recently. The roaring comeback over the Lakers was notable not just because of Curry’s scintillating offense, or Green’s suffocating defense on Luka. The Golden State bench managed a 50-7 advantage as compared to the Lakers’ reserves. Brandin Podziemski (21 points), De'Anthony Melton (16 points), Georges Niang (11 points), and Brandon Williams( 9 points) all single-handedly outscored the Lakers bench. Without that advantage, the story could have been quite different. Curry was brilliant, but he was outscored by Luka.
What’s most promising here is that while the Lakers game may have been a bit of an outlier, the Golden State reserves have been a significant help over the win streak. Averaging 42 points, the Warriors’ bench has been +63 over the last three games.
Strength In Numbers has always been a corny slogan, but it’s directionally correct. The analogy here has never been that of a bundle of pencils that cannot be broken all together. One pencil is easy to snap, but that’s not all that’s happening here. Curry and the team’s other megastars have always served as a steel rod amidst the sea of #2 pencils. The strength is primarily coming from the core. So too has this team built an all-hands-on-deck culture that would seemingly be at odds with the heliocentric model built around a generational player like Curry - if not for the fact that said star welcomes this.
One of my earliest impressions of Curry was this weird quirk he has of running out right behind whoever is announced before him during the pre-game intros. Growing up, I knew there was supposed to be a certain rhythm to this. All the regular dudes go first, fans cheers getting louder as they build towards the final name: the big star. There might be a spotlight even, shining extra bright as the star player basks in the roar of the crowd. But not Curry. By the time the announcer calls his name, Curry’s out with the rest of his teammates on the floor. The crowd still roars like crazy.
For Curry, it started when Klay Thompson joined:
-Q: In the player introductions, you don’t wait for your name to be called, you run right behind Klay Thompson as soon as he runs out there. Is there a point to that? You’re impatient?
-CURRY: No, that’s on purpose, and I don’t know… think it was like Mark Jackson’s first year (in 2011-2012), when Klay got here and was in the starting lineup, I think it was because he waits until everything’s said about him.
He’s sitting on the bench, he’s waiting for everything to be said about him and then he gets up and goes.
I put my hands in the air and then start the run down the aisle right
before… I don’t know why I started, but I just make sure I do.
Golden State makes room in the spotlight, and hopes that the payoff comes.
Tonight, the rotations will be different. Curry and Green have both averaged around 28 minutes per game this season, so their absence will open up opportunities throughout the whole rotation. These aren’t totally permanent moves, but this is an important audition for the Warriors’ players that are hoping to carve out larger roles for themselves here. Remember that Golden State is currently without a combined $89 million worth of key talent - over half of the baseline salary cap - due to the indefinite absences of Moses Moody, Jimmy Butler and Porzingis.
In their stead, the Warriors have found some gems playing on non-guaranteed contracts. Brandon Williams, Georges Niang and Charles Bassey have all played well, and as these moments of opportunity pop up, those players aren’t just playing for a place in the rotation - they’re hoping to cement a place in this league.
The NBA doesn’t hand out opportunities like that very frequently, but the Warriors bench is taking advantage of this window. It helps on nights like this - when the team needs a quick fill-in or two to cover gaps in an already short-handed roster. But this is also about the Warriors’ chances this season. With every win being critical, and some key injuries opening up the Western Conference, the Warriors may be scrambling a little bit, but it’s a familiar and well-practiced scramble.
Media (and I’m guilty of this myself) is quick to simplify. To point towards what Yaxel Lendeborg could mean for the future of this team if he is able to step directly into a leadership role - both within the team dynamics as well as on the stat sheet - but tonight’s game will highlight just how much more complicated this team’s success will actually need to be.
The Clippers are vulnerable, but the Warriors will still need to handle business without their star players. It’s not impossible. Heck, even without Curry and Green, Golden State is still favored to win this game tonight. Tonight, Curry and Green won’t be there to make the job easier. That’s the opportunity.
The Warriors have spent years asking their role players to make room for the stars. Now, for one night, the spotlight belongs to the rest of the team. Let’s see what they do with it.
Prediction
Tough, scrappy game that won’t always be pretty, but it will be fun. And the Warriors win with a solid all-around team effort (again).
I think it's a weird thing to first give the championship trophy to the owners. And talking to the players about "your owner." I understand why, but it is weird. Lacob was gracious and gave credit to the "three women" who put the team together and coached them, but still.....
Ever game is better with Steph, but will still enjoy tonight's contest.
Yo sleepy!?
Someone did your Bridgey the bridge costume!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DfNNm1rNb0Y/?obrf=MWM0OW43MDVtbzFkaA==