The Golden State Warriors put together their best offensive performance in preseason, beating the Trail Blazers 128-118 on Friday at Chase Center.
Stephen Curry had a team-high 20 points, with 13 coming in the second half. Yaxel Lendeborg and Brandin Podziemski chipped in with 17 points apiece.
Damian Lillard had a game-high 23 points, and Ja Morant added 19.
Here are three takeaways from Friday’s game.
Green Cures All on Both Ends
Draymond Green had a vintage performance against the Blazers, recording seven points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and three steals.
The difference between how the Warriors looked without him against the Lakers on Tuesday and how they looked with him on Friday was striking.
Against the Lakers, the Warriors trailed by 20 three minutes into the third quarter. Against the Blazers, they led by 14 at the same juncture.
The only bad stretch for the Warriors with Green on the floor came in the first four minutes of the game, as they fell behind 10-2.
Steve Kerr said before the game he wanted to see how Charles Bassey would look with Green in the starting lineup, but after those four minutes, he had seen enough.
Once Kerr took out Bassey and moved Green to the 5, the offense got into a great rhythm.
Not surprisingly, Kerr started the second half with Gui Santos in for Bassey, which pushed Green to the 5.
It’s a lot to ask Green to play small-ball center at this stage of his career, but he’s their best option there. Expect him to play more minutes at the 5 than the 4 until Kristaps Porzingis comes back.
Lendeborg’s Offense Continues to Look Real
Lendeborg had 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting with five assists and one turnover, and perhaps most impressively, he hit two off-the-dribble threes.
The turnover came on a drive and finish that was called an offensive foul. The Warriors challenged the call and lost it, but if I were coaching him, I wouldn’t tell him to change a thing. I doubt most officials would call what he did an offensive foul.
Lendeborg’s final preseason stats for scoring and shooting percentages were 15.6 PPG, 60.4 FG% and 43.8 3PT%.
He’s passed every offensive test this offseason.
He has had some issues defensively, but he had some better reps Friday.
Overall, the Warriors have to be thrilled that they drafted him.
Niang, Horford, Payton Solidify Rotation Roles
When the Warriors trailed 10-2, they subbed out Bassey, Podz and Lendeborg and brought in Niang, Santos and Gary Payton II.
The deficit was gone two-and-a-half minutes later after Niang had nine points in three possessions (a Niang flurry, if you will).
Horford had five threes in his 15 minutes. Payton had eight points and four rebounds in a steady 17- minute stint.
If I had to guess, Kerr’s opening night rotation will look like this:
Starters: Curry, Podz, Santos, Lendeborg, Green
Guaranteed to play: Brandon Williams, De’Anthony Melton, Payton, Niang, Horford
Could play depending on game flow: Bassey, Will Richard
It hasn’t been a consistently great preseason for Niang and Horford in particular, so it’s a welcome sight for them to finish strong.
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