While the Golden State Warriors fell just short of the Oklahoma City Thunder, in a narrow 114-107 loss on the road, the fact that they got Kristaps Porzingis back on the hardwood is enough to soften the sting of the defeat.
After Porzingis missed the past six games due to a mysterious illness, the big man finished with nine points, five rebounds, and five assists in 23 minutes of action.
In just his second game with the team after the Warriors acquired him at the trade deadline for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield, Porzingis, understandably, looked a ways off from the elite, two-way, stretch big he can be at his ceiling. At times, he seemed to be scrambling to find his sea legs in the Dubs' unfamiliar offensive and defensive systems. And the big man looked winded after nearly three weeks away from live NBA basketball.
But overall, it was an encouraging step in the right direction for the big man as he ran hard, banged in the post, and gave Golden State a much-needed threat on offense.
“I thought he looked like a guy who hadn't played in a bit, rhythm-wise,” Kerr said cheekily after the game.
“But I thought he looked good physically. Really encouraging night for him to play 23 minutes. I talked to him after the game, said he felt good. And it was really fun to see him. You can see the kind of weapon he is, the size he gives us. Obviously, we're [still] figuring out combinations, what kind of actions we want to run. With him and for him. It'll take a little time, but really encouraging to see him out there.”
What looked really encouraging about Porzingis was his ability to force the defense to react to him in the post. The Warriors have lacked a back-to-the-basket threat who can command a double-team since losing Jimmy Butler. While it didn't look perfect or smooth, Porzingis was able to be that threat. And as he gets his rhythm back, it's bound to become more potent.
How Kristaps Porzingis feels after an extended recovery period
Porzingis still saw flaws in his own game despite the encouraging green flags in his return.
“Today was okay,” Porzingis shrugged. “I still feel a little heavy, shot's not in a good rhythm tonight, and missing some free throws and all that. But we'll build from this game, and I think I'll be looking better with each game.”
Porzingis told reporters that his absence from the past six games was “stinging [him] a little bit,” as all he could do was watch from the sidelines. But with his health recovering over the past week and getting a workout in on Thursday before the Houston Rockets game, Porzingis felt comfortable that his body was healthy enough to make a return against the Thunder.
Whether that health will stick is still a question mark, as it has been with Porzingis his entire career. With how nebulous the details have been surrounding this recent illness and his ongoing POTS condition, it's hard to pencil him in for the rest of the season. But Porzingis expressed confidence in his ability to maintain his health moving forward.
“I believe I will be healthy, honestly,” Porzingis said. “This is what I really feel. Not to sell anything because I know I've been in and out and out again. But this time I really feel this is it.”
Porzingis told reporters he didn't want to get too much into why he feels confident in being able to stay healthy, but pointed to two things: The fact that he was able to stay healthy the past summer overseas during Eurobasket and the ability of the Warriors' training staff, specifically how they found a solution to this current issue “pretty quickly” in his words.
“I really believe, like I really, really believe I will be healthy from this point on, in terms of energy and things like that.”
Other noteables
- Gui Santos collected a career high 22 points along with 11 rebounds in the Dubs' loss. Over the last 10 games, Santos has averaged 14.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. After inking a three-year, $15 million extension with a player-option in the final year, Santos is trending towards playing well above the value of that contract.
- Moses Moody remained sidelined with his right wrist injury. He could be seen before the game, shooting around with his left hand due to his right wrist being in a small cast.
- Seth Curry, who's only appeared in two games this season, is expected to return sometime this upcoming week. He'd been sidelined for the past three months with sciatica, but got a workout in pregame in Houston. He and his brother, Stephen Curry, have yet to share the court on the same team.
