Steve Kerr called a timeout with 5:08 remaining on the clock as the Miami Heat trimmed its deficit to 12 points with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green on the bench. A 12-point lead with that much time left is far from safe in today's NBA, where the tide can turn fast. Kerr could have easily brought his veterans back in to help manage Miami's late surge, but instead he trusted his second unit.
Brandon Williams found Charles Bassey for a dunk. Yaxel Lendeborg assisted Georges Niang oon consecutive layups. Bassey blocked Pelle Larsson and drew a charge on Giannis Antetokounmpo. Williams threw an alley-oop to Lendeborg. And Niang capped the sequence with a final three-pointer. The Warriors closed the game on a 13-5 run, securing a 120-100 win over Miami, their sixth straight victory after losing their first three games of the season. Golden State's reserves outscored Miami's bench 53-27.
That chain of events represented more than just a productive run. It showed the variety of ways Golden State's second unit, which usually has Lendeborg and Brandin Podziemski at the helm, can impact a game. The Warriors' bench has outscored opposing benches by 8.4 points per game so far this season and posted the second-highest net rating in the league. From speed and shooting to defensive pressure and energy, Kerr can tailor his lineups as the game dictates while easing the burden on Curry and Green.
A healthier, more versatile bench gives Kerr options
Last season, Golden State's bench ranked 17th in the league in net rating, in part because the rotation was repeatedly disrupted by injuries. Two key pieces from last year's reserve group, De'Anthony Melton and Al Horford, missed a combined 69 games. Marred by injuries, the Warriors deployed 43 different starting lineups, constantly forcing reserves into unfamiliar roles. Nine games into the season, they've avoided the injury bug, while the additions of Niang and Williams, along with Bassey's expanded role, have given this group a new wrinkle.
Because of all the diverse and complementary skill sets that are available on his bench, Kerr can change the complexion of any game with his substitutions. If he wants speed, Williams is the guy. Niang and Horford provide shooting, high IQ, and experience. To protect the rim and bring verticality, Bassey checks both boxes. Gary Payton II and Will Richard offer defensive pressure. As for Melton, he can do it all. Niang called him a Swiss Army knife.
"It's just a different look of youth and energy," Curry said of Golden State's second unit. "We rely on that unit to either get us back in games, create momentum, or sustain leads."
Check, check, and check. The bench has already achieved all three this season. It was the second unit that sparked the comeback against the Lakers last week. When Draymond Green got ejected with the Suns up by 11 points, Bassey came off the bench and brought immediate energy that fueled a response. Thursday night against Miami proved they can reliably hold onto leads as well. Even when both Curry and Green sat out the front end of a back-to-back against the Clippers, the team's depth, led by Lendeborg and Podziemski, got the job done.
"Our depth is a big factor for us this year," Kerr said postgame. "We feel like we have a lot of guys who can close out games and protect Steph and Dray's minutes, and they did a great job of that tonight."
Through seven games, Curry is averaging 29.9 points – the fourth-highest mark in the league – in just 28.7 minutes. Green is averaging seven assists in 26.7 minutes. The second unit's strong play has helped keep both veterans' workloads modest. During the team's six-game winning streak, the Warriors have basically held serve with neither Curry nor Green – outscoring their opponents by three points in 134 minutes – and dominated with them on the floor – winning their 131 minutes together by 34 points.
The non-Curry minutes or non-Curry-and-Green minutes have been a recurring issue for the Warriors. With that second unit, whether it's at any point during the game or in closing situations, Kerr is comfortable turning to options beyond the familiar – and deadly – Curry-Green pick-and-roll. He can put the ball in Podziemski's hands, run the offense through Lendeborg, or push the pace with Williams.
Against the Heat on Thursday night, Green and Curry got an extra rest because Kerr was confident his team could close it out without them. When Golden State got off to yet another slow start, the bench contributed to erase that early deficit.
Niang put the responsibility of the second unit simply.
"You got to come in and change the course of the game," he said. "I think that's kind of what your job is, and I think all of us know what we signed up for when we signed here."
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