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Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors emerged triumphant over the Phoenix Suns in a classic Christmas Day showdown between the top two teams in the NBA. With the win, the Dubs snatched the best record in the league.
Even more amazing, Golden State impressively did this despite missing two starters in Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins. They were also without Damion Lee, Moses Moody and obviously Klay Thompson and James Wiseman. Phoenix, meanwhile, had its entire roster intact.
Curry is undoubtedly the first name any NBA fan will associate with the Warriors. His play and presence on the floor is obviously the primary catalyst for their success this season. However, it is Golden State's depth has been instrumental in taking the team to the next level.
That was on full display on Saturday against the Suns. On paper, one would think Golden State would be at a major disadvantage considering they were severely undermanned. But their supporting cast came up big once again and gave Stephen Curry the necessary help he needed to propel the Warriors to the win.
Otto Porter Jr. was the man of the hour down the stretch, as he scored eight points in the final two minutes and 13 points in total in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting, stepping up big time for Andrew Wiggins. Gary Payton II provided the necessary defensive spark, as well as some efficient offense with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Nemanja Bjelica held his own against Phoenix's bigs.
Even the Dubs' prized rookie Jonathan Kuminga gave them valuable minutes off the bench. The 2021 no. 7 overall pick scored 12 points, played aggressively and confident, knocked down his free throws, and showed snippets of great defense on Chris Paul in the fourth quarter. He even had this tasty baseline reverse finish during a critical stretch of the game.
"That's no rookie!"
Jonathan Kuminga with the TOUGH reverse…6 minutes left on ABC 🔥#NBAXmas #NBARooks pic.twitter.com/QOb1Na3WFx
— NBA (@NBA) December 26, 2021
It's truly amazing just what the Warriors front office has done this offseason. Some Dubs fans clamored for a huge trade that would have brought another star to the Bay Area. But the Dubs stayed put and just worked around the edges instead of messing around with their core and future.
Golden State brought in veterans and floor spacers such as Porter and Bjelica who knew their roles and fit what they wanted to do. They also brought back a familiar and reliable face in Andre Iguodala. They found a great gem in Gary Payton II, who was just fighting for the 15th roster spot prior to the season. He continues to prove he belongs in the NBA.
The Warriors also made fringe NBA players like Damion Lee and Juan Toscano-Anderson into rotation fixtures. This is a testament to how advanced Golden State's player development is.
Heck, even their young players are already contributing. Jordan Poole has become the team's breakout star this season, emerging as their third best scorer in Klay Thompson's absence. As he proved in the Suns game, Kuminga is already able to deliver quality minutes in spurts. Moses Moody's game, more notably on the defensive end, is more mature beyond his age. And James Wiseman should play a vital role when he debuts this season as the Dubs need someone like him to beef up their front court.
The difference between Golden State this season compared to the last is night and day. Last year, Warriors Nation dreaded every moment Curry sat on the bench. This year, the Warriors are holding their ground in the non-Curry minutes. The two-time MVP was also arguably much better last season when he carried the Warriors en route to winning the scoring title. But the Dubs are miles better this year despite the drop-off in Curry's numbers, and that is in large part due to the guys around him.
Sure, Wardell Stephen Curry is the main attraction of the greatest show in the league right now. But Golden State's supporting cast has made this team the box office hit that it is.
