The Golden State Warriors have a tough stretch of games coming up as they try to make a push for the playoffs after the return of Stephen Curry. The two-time MVP made a positive comeback against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, though the reigning champions fell 113-105 after a slow start.
The Warriors currently hold the five-seed, but there is no real gap between them and being forced to go through the play-in tournament. In fact, they are only three games above the 10th seed.
The Golden State Warriors need a number of key players to step up should they wish to accrue a rare road win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
While it definitely helps that the greatest shooter of all-time is back in the lineup, it doesn’t mean they will start winning road games. It’s a group effort, and some guys are going to have to step up. In such a competitive conference, very few of Golden State’s remaining opponents will simply roll over.
These three players in particular are going to have to step up in order to get a win over the Thunder at Paycom Center on Tuesday:
Jordan Poole
With Curry back in the lineup, the Warriors moved Jordan Poole to the bench unit ensuring scoring punch without their starters on the floor. Unfortunately, that didn’t prove effective against the Lakers.
Poole finished with just 10 points in a game where they needed his scoring badly. Poole went 3-for-10 from deep and 3-for-11 from the field overall. He needs to be better against a team like the Thunder, and less reliant on his three-point shooting.
Kevon Looney
Looney has been great for the most part this season, always playing bigger than his size would suggest. His rebounding has been great, and his paint scoring has seen improvement. However, his last game wasn’t great against Anthony Davis and the Lakers.
Looney finished with just six points and five rebounds, along with a -26 plus/minus. Neither Looney or Draymond Green were able to contain the Los Angeles star as Davis went off for a game-defining 39 points.
Andre Iguodala
The 39-year-old returned for just his fourth game this season, providing zero points, zero rebounds, and just two assists in his 14 minutes of action. His defense, as expected, is nowhere near his best either, relying more so on his quick hands given the reduced athleticism.
It’s hard to see what he produces at this stage, and if he isn’t doing anything at all, why is he getting 14 minutes? Sure, he doesn’t have to score a ton, but at least do what he’s brought in to do — play defense and offer a calming presence.