Steve Kerr applauds 2 Warriors heroes in epic Rockets OT win

With how depleted the Golden State Warriors are right now, every win as of late has felt like a miracle. But this latest one might take the cake.

With seven players sidelined, including Stephen Curry, and three of the 10 active players who got playing time on two-way contracts, the Warriors mustered up some feisty and inspired basketball to stun the Houston Rockets 115-113 in overtime on the road.

Brandin Podziemski led Dubs to the upset with 26 points and nine rebounds. He scored 11 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, which included a 26-foot bomb with 2:32 left in OT to give the Warriors the lead they would eventually hang onto.

“I thought that was Brandin’s best game of the year,” coach Steve Kerr said after the win. “There was just the right mix of on and off-ball attacks. You saw him get that flare and dive layup to start overtime that gave us the lead. He recognizes those plays probably better than anyone else on the floor.”

Alongside Podziemski’s heroics, Draymond Green turned back the clock to get Golden State the unlikely victory. In a very Green-esque stat line, the veteran star put up 10 points, five rebounds, and eight assists while guarding Rockets star Kevin Durant as the primary defender.

“Vintage Draymond,” Kerr said. “The defense, the leadership, the force, the passing.”

Green, who has struggled as of late, showed why he remains a valuable foundational piece for Golden State. In games when the lights are brightest, and there are stars on the other side, the Warriors need to dim– Green’s the kind of guy who rises to the occasion.

“I don’t enjoy guarding Kevin,” a good-spirited Green mused after the game. “I enjoy competing against greats, and Kevin is one of the all-time greats. Top five NBA basketball player in the history of this game… I’m always excited for it.”

How the undermanned Dubs got it done on the road

Around those two key performances, De’Anthony Melton collected 23 points, three steals, and two blocks, Al Horford added 17 points, and Gui Santos collected 14 points and six rebounds and was a game-high +20. Melton and Horford each buried huge 3s down the stretch in the fourth quarter to get the Warriors to overtime.

But the Warriors also got this win thanks to their two-way guys, the guys who aren’t even 13th, 14th, or 15th guys on the bench. Golden State got valuable minutes from rookie LJ Cryer, Malefy Leons, and Nate Williams, three players under two-way contracts who were leading the G-League Santa Cruz team earlier this week. With key rotational pieces Moses Moody and Will Richard out with minor injuries, Kerr trusted those three to slot in.

Cryer, who’s no stranger to big moments from his time with the NCAA powerhouse Houston Cougars, collected 12 points off the bench, including a huge 3-pointer in overtime. Leons somehow found himself guarding Reed Sheppard of all players at the POA and looks solid while doing it. And Williams, whom the Warriors only acquired two weeks ago, gave them 18 solid minutes when they needed it.

“A great group, these young guys who’ve come in,” Kerr said. “Nate Williams has played really well for us. Malefy, you see the energy that he brings. It was really fun to see LJ tonight… Comes out tonight, hits four threes, big shots, big minutes. We start him in overtime because we were trying to keep Melton’s minutes down. He made some huge plays for us, he’s a winner.”

Holding down the fort til Curry returns

At this point, every win for the Warriors keeps them afloat until Curry can return and save them from drowning.

With most of the teams below them tanking out the rest of the season, it’s highly unlikely the Dubs fall out of the play-in tournament. However, wins like these keep them firmly in the eighth seed, as the Clippers and Blazers look to challenge them for the relative safety that play-in slot provides.

But maybe most importantly, wins like these keep morale up, and that’s something Green understands they’ll need moving forward.

“It felt great,” Green said of the undermanned Warriors’ upset win. “Under the circumstances, [ten] guys, guys dropping like flies, it’s a good morale booster. You need these throughout the season. And obviously, we’re trying to hold it together til we get Steph back. It’s a big-time win for us. It’s one you can build on. But this one feels great.”

Other noteables

• Kristaps Porzingis, who is with the team on this road trip, got a workout in pregame. It’s an encouraging sign for the center, who has missed the last six games due to illness. He remains out indefinitely, but given how his ability to practice has been spotty, this is a step in the right direction.
• Speculation regarding whether the Warriors will shut Curry down picked up after another 10-day re-evaluation was announced. But Green is very confident Curry will be back this season. Green told reporters Curry does not want to shut it down and that Curry texted him, “Keep going, I know it’s tough, but promise you, I’m coming back.”

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