With Draymond Green and others returning, Warriors could be a
mix-and-match proposition in playoffs
Warriors coach Steve Kerr: `We could have a different lineup from game
to game, series to series'
>Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, left, argues for a call
in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets,
Monday, March 7, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
>Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, left, argues for a call
in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets,
Monday, March 7, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
By JERRY MCDONALD | jmcdonald@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: March 12, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. | UPDATED: March 13, 2022 at 5:31
a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/03/12/with-draymond-green-and-others-returning-warriors-could-be-a-mix-and-match-proposition-in-playoffs/

SAN FRANCISCO — Steve Kerr is coming to the realization that playoff
basketball will be a smorgasbord of opportunity.

Forward Draymond Green is on schedule to return Monday against the
Washington Wizards and center James Wiseman may not be far behind. Otto
Porter Jr. should also face Washington after being out with an illness
while forward Andre Iguodala is being brought along with back stiffness
with the idea of being ready for the playoffs.

So as far as having set lineups and rotations in the playoffs, Kerr said
Saturday night it would probably be more of a mix-and-match proposition
based on production and the opposition.

“There’s a lot of balls in the air to juggle,” Kerr said before the
Warriors faced the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks at Chase
Center. We’ve got to figure out quickly what combinations make sense. I
think what’s becoming apparent to me this year is we could have a
different lineup from game to game in the playoffs, from series to series.

“This is not the Warriors from five years ago where you knew exactly
what was coming.”

Jordan Poole has emerged as a legitimate scoring option to go along with
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. He moved into the starting lineup
Saturday night against the Bucks as a forward along with Wiggins, Kevon
Looney, Thompson and Curry.

The role of Juan Toscano-Anderson has fluctuated throughout the year.
And then there are the two precious 19-year-olds that are contributing
more than expected — forwards Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga.

“We’ve got a lot of really good pieces,” Kerr said. “We have some new
ones, we have some unproven ones, we have to be able to adjust quickly
on the fly if things aren’t going well because we’re not a veteran team
in terms of having a set eight, nine-man rotation.”

So if all goes according to plan there will be Curry, Thompson and
Wiggins, with Kevon Looney manning the middle. Poole has emerged for
now, and pretty much everything else is up for grabs.

Moody and Kuminga have presented a pleasant dilemma in perhaps being
ready to play when it matters most despite their age.

“I think you never really know what to expect with rookies,” Kerr said.
“I think both Moses and J.K. have done a great job. We’ve given them a
lot of responsibility. Some of it is because of injury and some if it is
because they’ve earned more minutes. They’re both doing a great job and
we’re really excited about what they’ve done this year and what they’re
capable of doing in the future.”

James Wiseman slams home a dunk for the Santa Cruz Warriors Thursday
night in Stockton in a G League game.
WISEMAN AT CHASE: Wiseman gets to play in his home arena Sunday when the
Santa Cruz Warriors play their G League game at Chase Center against G
League Ignite at 3 p.m.

Kerr liked what he saw on film of Wiseman’s debut in Stockton Thursday
night.

“I’m excited for him. I watched the tape and he just looked happy,
exxcited, moving well,” Kerr said. “it’s been a long 11 months for him.”

Kerr’s assessment of his play?

“He got up and down the floor, he had some scores in transition,” Kerr
said. “That was the main point in that first game was to get his legs
underneath him. Now it’s just a matter of more reps which he’ll get
tomorrow.”

WIGGINS AT THE LINE: Andrew Wiggins has had a startling slump at the
foul line, seeing his percentage drop each month from a high of 73.5
percent in November to bottoming out with 22.2 percent in November.

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Kerr talked to Wiggins about it last week and urged him to keep
attacking the basket.

“The thing I shared with him is this happens to everybody — maybe not
Steph — it happened to me,” Kerr said. “I was a good foul shooter and
there were times where it got into my head and I shied away from going
to the foul line in key spots.”

The solution, Kerr believes, is to keep going at the basket and getting
to the line.

“I think you have to confront this stuff head-on and the best example of
that is right down the hall in Giannis (Antetokounmpo),” Kerry said. “He
just continued to attack and go to the line and in the final game hit
(17) of 19. The only way to get past it is to be more aggressive than
cautious. As soon as you get cautious and you’re avoiding the free throw
line, your whole game is affected.”

INJURY LIST: Green is on schedule to play Monday night. Porter
scrimmaged Saturday and should play Monday as well after missing two
games with an illness. Kerr still isn’t sure about Payton (knee
soreness) or Iguodala (back tightness).

--
Jerry McDonald | Raiders reporter
Jerry McDonald has been with the Bay Area News Group for more than 30
years, with a heavy concentration of NFL football since the Raiders
returned to Oakland in 1995.