Heading into a four-game road trip, the Golden State Warriors were severely depleted by injury ahead of their matchup with the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday.
In addition to the lengthy injury Jonathan Kuminga sustained against the Memphis Grizzlies on January 4, Andrew Wiggins is taking an absence from the team for personal reasons, Moses Moody is dealing with a knee injury, and Brandin Podziemski and Gary Payton II remain out for the time being.
With a short rotation, youngster Gui Santos, the Warriors' second round pick in the 2022 draft, got his first real opportunity of the season in playing 25 minutes off the bench.
Golden State's 107-104 win over the Pistons depended on a number of role players to match the intensity of their opponents who were riding a five-game winning streak. Santos emerged as the shining star of the game, with his shooting ability and hustle helping the Warriors offense maintain their lead throughout the night.
Warriors forward Gui Santos revealed just how hard he's worked on his shooting
Santos went 4-of-6 from the field, all of which came on 3-pointers after having only made one triple through the first 35 games of the season. When questioned about his sudden shooting breakout post-game, Santos said it's something he's worked on daily as he looks to become a consistent scorer from the perimeter.
"I've been working everyday. No days off," Santos said. "Even when we have days off I'm going with coach or machine that rebounds for me. I'm there working on my shot everyday and today was the day you can see that I'm working it, like improving."
Currently a power forward by position, Santos was seen primarily as an athletic wing who was capable of finishing at the rim and playmaking at the time of his drafting. However, in his second year with the Warriors, the Brazilian has remained log-jammed outside the rotation with little opportunity.
On a night where Stephen Curry shot 5-of-21 from the field, the Warriors desperately needed points from their role players, and Santos took full advantage of his time on the court. If Santos' hidden hard work on his shooting can emerge further into the spotlight over multiple games, he could prove to be a major boon to a struggling Warrior offense who could certainly do with a 6'8" perimeter threat.
Both Buddy Hield and Dennis Schröder have struggled from beyond the arc over recent weeks, and even Curry has had a few games this season (like Thursday) where his shooting has dipped and he's struggled offensively as a result. Golden State's 36.5% from 3-point range currently sits 14th in the NBA, but they are in the bottom 12 of that category since Christmas.
As the Warriors have looked to solidify their rotation, nearly every player on the roster has seen minutes. It is clear that Steve Kerr will leave no stone unturned as far as his internal options are concerned, with potential roster moves still likely to be forthcoming before the trade deadline.
While the Warriors have a number of players with Santos' natural skillset, developing a solid three-point shot could help him break into the fluctuating Warriors rotation. It's also the aspect that's likely to make or break his NBA future, having drilled 35.7% from beyond the arc in his short career to date.
Santos' intensity on both ends of the floor against the Pistons, coupled with his breakout shooting performance, are exactly what the Warriors have been missing in their rough stretch since a 12-3 start to the season.