Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr made his first adjustment to the starting five this season by inserting veteran big man Kevon Looney at center over rookie James Wiseman. According to Kerr, the move to start Looney in their 130-108 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves worked the way he wanted it, as the Warriors were able to come out of the gates strong, especially on the defensive end.
Clearly, their start to games has been a troubling concern for the three-time NBA champion coach, especially after they were spanked by the Utah Jazz just two nights ago. The Dubs saw themselves trailing 14-0 within the first 3 minutes of the Jazz game and were not able to recover from the early onslaught. By subbing in a seasoned and more disciplined Looney, the Dubs held the Timberwolves to 23 points through the first 12 minutes of action, while also dropping 34 points of their own.
One has to think how this move will affect Golden State's prized rookie. Wiseman, however, took the benching in stride and even admitted he learned more from watching Looney on the floor.
Even if Wiseman's ego takes a bit of a hit, the Warriors have Stephen Curry to keep the no. 2 overall pick's spirits up.
After the game, Curry sought Wiseman out in the locker room to compliment him about how he handled his move out of the starting lineup.
— Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) January 26, 2021
Warriors fans must love Wiseman's attitude so far. The 19-year old has shown an unwavering willingness to learn, especially from his vets like Draymond Green and Steph Curry. And he's even willing to take a back seat if it means it will be better for his growth and development. He also shows that he cares a lot, with the way he expresses his frustration whenever he commits mistakes.
Looks like Golden State found themselves another gem. He'll start again in the future, it's only a matter of when.
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