The Golden State Warriors continued their winning ways on Monday night as they secured a 125-112 victory over the Washington Wizards. The Warriors (6-1) controlled the glass on the affair and stifled the Wizards from three-point range.
Golden State also got steady contributions from a handful of players. But despite that and their gaudy point total, there were also things that emanated from the win that Warriors head coach Steve Kerr may harp on in their next film session. Let’s examine the good and bad from the Warriors’ most recent triumph.
Good news: Warriors’ Stephen Curry returns to form
Warriors superstar Stephen Curry got off to a terrible start to the season individually. He averaged 18.3 points per game on a bizarre 41.5 percent clip from the floor through his first three games. The four-time NBA champion then missed Golden State’s last three games due to an ankle injury before returning to action and hanging 24 points on Washington on 7-15 shooting from the field. Curry exploded for 15 of those points on 5-7 shooting from the floor in the third quarter.
He may not be all the way back to his MVP ways, but the Davidson product’s season-high point total was encouraging to behold. Curry’s six-two assist-to-turnover ratio was a cherry on top for him on the night.
Good news: Warriors defense disrupted Wizards’ potent duo
Wizards star Jordan Poole may have had 24 points, but his former team held him to 2-10 shooting from three-point range and a minus-nine on the affair. The Warriors also stymied Bilal Coulibaly’s torrid stretch to begin the campaign. The former No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft was limited to a season-low nine points on 3-11 shooting from the field after pouring on 22 or more points in three of his last four outings.
Admittedly, Golden State did allow Jonas Valanciunas (16 PTS, 12 REB, seven AST), Kyshawn George (20 PTS, six REB), and Carlton Carrington (16 PTS, eight REB, seven AST) to have notable performances, but collectively, they did enough to keep Washington at bay. That was showcased by them winning the rebounding battle 56-47, and holding the Wizards to 23 percent shooting from distance.
Bad news: Andrew Wiggins faded vs. Wizards
Andrew Wiggins’ effective early play was put on pause against the Wizards. He managed to score five points on a putrid 1-9 shooting overall. Wiggins only saw 18 minutes of action and did show off his underrated shot-blocking abilities with two rejections on the game, but he struggled mightily from three-point range, going 0-6.
Warriors star Buddy Hield may be playing out of his mind early, but Golden State will not have a legitimate chance at contending for this year’s championship unless Wiggins plays like he did earlier in his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was showing signs of charting that course prior to Monday night before his down game. The Kansas product will look to erupt in the scoring department again next time out for the Dubs.
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Good news: Draymond Green, Buddy Hield & Jonathan Kuminga fulfilled roles to a tee
Once again, Buddy Hield gave another performance worthy of Sixth Man of the Year honors with 20 points, five rebounds, and three triples. Draymond Green played assertively, pitching in 18 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Plus, Jonathan Kuminga came off the bench for the fourth straight game after starting the year off on a forgettable note and scored a strong 15 points on 7-15 shooting from the field.
The Warriors have seen a wealth of their players show out throughout the early campaign. Nevertheless, it was Green, Hield, and Kuminga who shined next to Curry in this one. Coach Kerr will continue to thrive off of the embarrassment of riches he has on his roster and ride the momentum from this win.
Moving ahead, the Warriors will pursue their seventh win of the year when they take on the defending champion Boston Celtics on the road on Wednesday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 PM PT.
