1 lineup Steve Kerr and Warriors must turn to in absence of Andrew Wiggins

Having used all 19 of their available players, there wasn't much sample size for different lineups in the Golden State Warriors preseason opener against the L.A. Clippers on Saturday.

Steve Kerr's starting lineup of Stephen Curry, De'Anthony Melton, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis emerged as a notable storyline, yet it was another five-man combination that the Warriors may need to turn to more moving forward.

The Warriors found an effective unit in Saturday's win

At the 9:45 mark of the second-quarter, Melton subbed in for second-year guard Brandin Podziemski. That left a unit of Curry, Melton, Moses Moody, Kuminga and Green which then proceeded to go on a 9-4 run in what resulted as their only three minutes together.

While there's not a genuine center in that group, there is enough defensive versatility to get stops and then be flexible with what they do on the offensive end. It's a small-ball lineup that should thrive in transition opportunities, but there's also more than enough shooting to suggest they can be effective in half-court situations.

Golden State announced on Monday that Andrew Wiggins will again miss Wednesday's game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center, with the 2022 All-Star having been limited by illness during training camp.

Wiggins' absence is certainly frustrating for both him and the team, but it does provide an opportunity to see more of the aforementioned group that has Moody at the small forward position.

The fourth-year wing was arguably the biggest positive for the Warriors on Saturday, finishing with 12 points, four rebounds and as a +14 in his 13 minutes despite being the 11th man used in the rotation.

While Kerr has promised to try more of the starting five he used on Saturday, perhaps we could see the Curry, Melton, Moody, Kuminga, Green combination open the game against the Kings. That might offer enough defensive versatility to combat De'Aaron Fox and DeMar DeRozan on the perimeter, allowing Green to battle with Domantas Sabonis on the inside.

If there's one thing Kerr needs to do over the remainder of preseason, it's find lineups that work together and lean into them as much as possible. That early second-quarter group was effective and needs to be seen more as the Warriors ramp up to their season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 23.

Wednesday's game will tip-off at 7:30PM PT, while the Warriors and Kings will also do battle in another preseason game at Chase Center on Friday.