The Golden State Warriors dropped back-to-back games in Florida against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, but there were still positive signs from the losses as veteran players were more than eager to help the younger guys.
Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green all sat the game against the Heat to rest various minor ailments, but Curry and Butler remained very involved in the game even though they were not playing.
Warriors vets show they still care even when not playing
Throughout the game, both star players could be seen coaching up their younger teammates as they tried to keep pace with a Heat team that had a lot more talent on the floor than Golden State.
Young guys like Pat Spencer, Quinten Post and Brandin Podziemski stepped up and played well enough to at least give the Warriors a fighting chance in a game they really had no business winning.
Ultimately, their efforts came up short, but the fact that the young guys were out there playing hard and the vets were on the bench remaining invested when they very easily could have been distracted or not that involved in the game, speaks volumes to where this team's chemistry is at 17 games into the season.
There was a mini-controversy of sorts after the Warriors got blown out by the Oklahoma City Thunder to start the road-trip, with veterans Butler and Green making comments that some perceived as being critical of younger players like Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga.
In a brief moment there was some sense that the wheels could start to come off if the losing continued. Thankfully, Curry provided a pair of vintage performances in San Antonio to make everyone forget about the potential drama.
But even though the Warriors dropped both games in Florida to end their road trip, things feel like they are in a decent place. Sure, the team has lost games it should have won and there has been sloppy play with countless turnovers, but they are still at 9-8 and are at least somewhat healthy with a brutal stretch of the schedule behind them.
Now they have the chance to rest up a bit and actually practice to try and improve some areas of the game in which they have been struggling.
The fact that there is not a schism between the veterans and young guys on the roster is a really healthy thing because if the Warriors are going to be legitimate contenders for a title this season, they are going to need contributions from everyone on the team, not just one faction of it.
So whether it is Curry giving pointers on the bench or Butler having dinner with Kuminga, anything the veterans can do to make sure this is one cohesive team with one goal of winning is going to help as they push ahead.