What we learned as the Warriors' red-hot shooting drives preseason victory

What we learned as Warriors' blistering shooting fuels preseason win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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SAN FRANCISCO – Warriors coach Steve Kerr sidelined Stephen Curry and Draymond Green on Sunday, and not because they were facing the ever-struggling Detroit Pistons.

The reason was twofold. First, to allow the decorated veterans the usual one-game absence during the preseason. Second, to take a look at what the Warriors would look like without them.
“I want to see all of our young people,” Kerr said two hours before kickoff. “I want to see them take the next step and play well together, play for each other and all that.”

The coach got what he wanted as the Warriors took a double-digit lead late in the first quarter and cruised to a 111-93 victory at Chase Center.

Six Warriors scored in double figures, led by Moses Moody's 14 points. Trayce Jackson-Davis finished the game with 12 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.

Here are three takeaways from the game in which Golden State improved its preseason record to 4-0:

The budding relationship with the triple

When their offseason search for stars came up empty, the Warriors turned to the most important factor in today's NBA. They've added guys who can stroke it from deep.

That was obvious in the first three preseason games, but in this one it blew the Pistons away. The Warriors made 10 of their first 11 shots from distance and finished the game 18 of 39 for a 3-point percentage of 46.2. That was more than enough to offset the pedestrian's 45.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Nine different players scored at least one three-pointer, with Buddy Hield hitting a game-high four-pointer from distance, while Jonathan Kuminga and Lindy Waters III each scored three goals. Rookie center Quinten Post, who is on a two-way contract, scored his first triple of the preseason.

The Warriors entered the game averaging 44.7 3-point attempts per game, trailing only Boston and Minnesota. They also placed third with a percentage of 38.8. They are now shooting 40.5 percent from deep.

Get used to it, people. The Warriors have long been fascinated by 3-point shooting. Now, with their revamped squad, they are falling in love with it.

More lineup roulette

In their fourth preseason game, coach Steve Kerr introduced his fourth starting lineup — and the first without Curry or Green.

The starters: De'Anthony Melton, Brandin Podziemski, Kuminga, Moody and Jackson-Davis. All five had started at least one of the previous three games.

What did it look like? There were anxious moments, especially on offense, but they were offset by superior 3-point shooting and rebounding.

The Good: Although Melton didn't shoot well, he made several subtle contributions that benefited his team, most notably deft passing that resulted in five assists in his first 15 minutes. Jackson-Davis managed three blocks, two of which came on one possession.

The bad: Podziemski had four turnovers in the first half, most of them through forced passes. Melton didn't shoot particularly well to start, going 2 of 9 from the field in the first half and finishing 2 of 11, including 1 of 4 from long range.

Summary: This starting lineup will only be seen again if affected by injury or rest.

Buddy Bang

The Warriors pursued and acquired Hield in hopes that he can provide spacing and fill much of the shooting void left by the departure of Klay Thompson.

So far, the eight-year veteran has been up to the task.

Hield scored 12 points on 4 of 8 shooting from the field, including 4 of 6 from long range. In four games, he averaged 12.2 points per game on 18 of 30 shooting, including an astonishing 13 of 22 from beyond the arc.

Hield played 13 minutes against the Pistons and totaled 66 minutes in four preseason games. He scored 53 points in that span while shooting 60.0 percent overall and 59.1 percent from distance.

When coach Steve Kerr experimented with Thompson as Golden State's sixth man last season, it was primarily about bench power and regulating Klay's minutes. Without Thompson, it's almost certain that Hield will fill that role.

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