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What we learned as Kuminga’s career-high 33 fuels Warriors’ win

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What we learned as Kuminga’s career-high 33 fuels Warriors’ win

SAN FRANCISCO – In what was an NBA Cup quarterfinals preview between the Warriors and Houston Rockets, Golden State ended its five-game losing streak with a 99-93 win Thursday night at Chase Center.

Down Steph Curry (bilateral knee pain) and Draymond Green (left calf tightness) to injuries, Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins carried the load for the Warriors. Kuminga scored a career-high 33 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, and Wiggins scored 22, giving them a combined 55 points.

A game featuring two of the NBA’s best defenses saw shooting struggles on both sides, making every point that Kuminga and Wiggins added even more valuable. 

The Warriors have played 13 clutch games through their first 21 games this season, including seven straight and 10 of their last 11. This time, they held off their opponent instead of crumbling down the stretch.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors snapping their five-game losing streak.

Picking Up The Pieces

Whenever the Warriors are without Curry, others must provide more offense than usual. Kuminga appeared to be the one ready to jump into that bigger role, enjoying his second straight strong first quarter. Kuminga scored eight points on a mid-range jump shot and two 3-pointers to open the game. 

But the offense stalled when he first came out. The Warriors were up 14-8 at the 3:44 mark as Kyle Anderson entered for Kuminga. The rest of the quarter with Kuminga on the bench, the Warriors were then outscored 14-4 and trailed 22-18 going into the second.

That’s when Wiggins turned it on. He scored just three points in the first quarter and missed two of three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point shot. But in the second, he knocked off early rust and scored 12 big points on 4-of-5 shooting while making both free throws, including one on a four-point play.

Kuminga and Wiggins combined to score 25 of the Warriors’ 43 points in the first half. A mere 53 seconds into the second half, a Kuminga layup forced a Rockets timeout as the Warriors led by 10 points. Through three quarters, Kuminga was up to 19 points and Wiggins was at 18 as no other Warrior had more than eight.

They then scored 19 of the Warriors’ 26 points in the fourth quarter.

Filling Draymond’s Shoes

Finding points without Curry is only one piece to the puzzle. Who was going to step up Green’s absence? 

A handful of people it turns out.

Brandin Podziemski didn’t have any assists in the first half, but he did have seven rebounds. Podziemski grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds in the end. Kevon Looney was a team-high plus-16 in the first half, snatching six rebounds to go with two assists. He finished with 11 rebounds as part of his game-high plus-20. Then there’s Anderson, the ever-trusted veteran.

Green’s left calf injury has opened minutes again for Anderson in each of the last two games after sitting the entire second half two games ago in Phoenix. The Warriors needed Anderson’s ability to handle the ball, as well as his length and basketball IQ.

Anderson played 14 minutes off the bench and provided eight points, two rebounds and two assists.

Attack The Weakness

The Rockets selected Reed Sheppard No. 3 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft mainly for how he can light it up from long distance. The only problem for him, and the Rockets alike, is that Houston has a crowded backcourt. The fact that Sheppard entered the night making a lowly 33.3 percent of his threes makes it even harder for him to find minutes. 

Sheppard played a little under eight minutes in the first half and scored five points while making one of his three 3-point attempts. But the small guard was exposed defensively by the Warriors. 

Multiple times in the first half, the Warriors put Sheppard into every action they could. He missed a three at the 8:40 mark of the second quarter, just to see Buddy Hield hit a trey on him nine seconds later as Looney screened the rookie. Less than a minute later, Jalen Green replaced Sheppard, and the rookie never came back in the rest of the half.

Ime Udoka didn’t play Sheppard once in the third quarter, but did use him to start the fourth quarter.

The real weakness that had to make every Warrior smile? Letting Dillon Brooks shoot. The longtime Warriors nemesis took eight threes and only made two. Music to Dub Nation’s ears in a much-needed win.

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