The Golden State Warriors may have delivered a 14-9 record through the first 23 games of the season, yet an initial 13-man rotation has left significant uncertainty on what combinations Steve Kerr should turn to moving forward.
An incredibly deep roster figured as a major positive through an impressive 12-3 start, but since then questions have arose and holes have been found in a Warrior team that's lost six of their last eight games.
Which lineup combinations are working best for the Warriors?
Finding effective lineup combinations is an ongoing challenge for Kerr, often leading to criticism among fans for not the first time in recent seasons. Let's have a look at the top four Golden State lineups by net rating and what that might tell us about what we'll see as the season progresses.
*Ranked by net rating, minimum 20 minutes played.
1. Podziemski, Hield, Wiggins, Kuminga, Looney - 39.6 net rating in 23 mins
In what will be a surprise to many, the Warriors' best lineup by net rating doesn't actually include superstar guard Stephen Curry. This certainly goes against the eye test which has suggested that the team's reliance on Curry has been growing over recent games.
If anything this should tell us that a Wiggins-Kuminga-Looney front court may prove effective, with that trio potentially part of the starting lineup together if Kerr does indeed plan on bringing Draymond Green off the bench.
2. Curry, Hield, Payton, Wiggins, Green - 37.8 in 26 minutes
3. Curry, Hield, Payton, Kuminga, Green - 35.8 in 23 mins
These two lineups are clearly very similar and can subsequently tell us a few things. Firstly, Gary Payton II remains a valuable part of the Warriors despite shooting just 16% from 3-point range this season. The impact of the defensive-minded guard was on full display against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, having kept Anthony Edwards to 1-of-7 shooting in the fourth-quarter.
The Curry-Hield back court combination may be more viable than some think, and might reiterate that the latter plays better when getting to share the court with the 2x MVP. Lastly, Green at center lineups still appear like the best option for Kerr, but it will be fascinating to see how much he goes to that versus trying to balance the 34-year-old's workload over a long season.
4. Curry, Waters, Wiggins, Green, Jackson-Davis - 8.4 net rating in 71 minutes
This is not only the fourth-ranked lineup by net rating, but is also the most used lineup so far this season -- imagine saying at the start of the year that Lindy Waters III would be in Golden State's most used lineup through 23 games...wild.
Kerr went to to this as his starting group for six consecutive games. It may have statistically performed better than most expected given Waters has struggled shooting the ball over the last 15 games, and Jackson-Davis' form has declined to the point where he was a DNP on Sunday against the Timberwolves.
This lineup may be the most used one so far, but don't expect that to continue as Waters and Jackson-Davis appear like bit-part role players right now more than legitimate starters.