Preview: Warriors winning with stout defense, poise and composure
Butler will likely be a game time decision
Another performance for the ages from Stephen Curry put the Golden State back in control with the series lead on Saturday night. Up 2-1 over the Houston Rockets, they’ve got a chance to send a strong message and push the Rockets to the brink of elimination with another win at Chase Center tonight.
The status of Jimmy Butler is still up in the air, though with a couple of extra days of rest, hopes are high that the Robin to Curry’s Batman will be ready to answer the call tonight.
GAME DETAILS
WHO: Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets
Warriors lead series 2-1
WHEN: Monday, April 28th, 7pm PDT
WATCH: TNT, NBCSBA
Butler’s butt, Payton’s heart, and all the little pieces around the edges
What the heck happened to Jimmy Butler? Though the team had made a formal update earlier in the day to list him as active, when the broadcast coverage started, he was already off the list, with Kuminga slotted in as starter. According to reporting from Anthony Slater, Butler was never all that close to playing in game three, but hopes are a bit higher in regards to tonight.
Jimmy Butler worked out on the practice court pregame, per source. Medical team held him out to give body two more days to heal, but there’s a belief he will be back for Game 4 on Monday night with the Warriors searching for 3-1 series lead over the Rockets.
The Warriors will need Jimmy back, and while it’s hard not to judge the Kuminga minutes too harshly (given the short notice) there’s no shade to say that this is not the time to be exploring worse options. Watching these games up against each other, it’s clear why coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors coaching staff have been so adamant about the playoff rotation.
It’s not just the stats. Those stats were bad though: 3 of 11. 7 points, 2 assists and a turnover; three fouls in around 17 minutes. More jarring was the way Kuminga plays his minutes. There’s something incongruous about his fit right now.
I watched this game with my old friend Nate (the Blog Father) and on the way out we were talking about this. I blindly guessed that Kuminga would have the worst plus-minus on the team. He texted us on the way home, confirmed, Kuminga was indeed a -5 on the night.
Once again, Kerr was right. Trusted rotation players, Gary Payton (16 points) and Buddy Hield (17 points) helped lift Golden State to victory. Payton, in particular, was clutch. He scored 13 of the team’s 35 points in the 4th quarter and opened the quarter first with a nifty reverse layup, then forced a charging call turnover on defense, and then a corner three. His one-man run at the end of the game was instrumental in the victory - cutting aggressively into the holes that Curry’s gravity creates. There’s a certain art to being a champion.
Of course, there’s also a flip side to all of this - the Rockets are crumbling against the relentless will of the Warriors offense and defense. If Curry is the hammer that keeps pounding down, then the Warriors’ defense is the anvil. After scoring 38 points in Game 2, the Rockets’ Jalen Green only managed nine points (six rebounds, five assists). Sengun was Houston’s biggest threat, but with 15 points and 11 rebounds, it’s just not enough to keep up with Golden State.
The Warriors have learned this flexibility. It would seem obvious to lean right back into Kuminga, given Butler’s absence, but the Warriors have been down these paths before, they’re more than brave enough to close their eyes and trust their guts. The same core that brought them here has served them well over the years; this is just the most recent lesson in a long canticle.
Prediction
Jimmy may not play tonight, folks. Nonetheless, the Warriors are going to take this one. The goal here isn’t a home split, it’s time to get greedy.
Now comes the hard part. Smashing the opposition all the way into the floor. No mercy.
Post game thread up!
I’m off to the game. I’ll say hello to Jimmy from everyone. Jim-my But-ler clap clap clapclapclap