LOS ANGELES — There’s something special happening at the end of the Warriors roster, or at least Steve Kerr believes so. Just look at the box score from Tuesday night.
Two key numbers: 12 and 55. As in 12 Warriors saw the court, and the ones who didn’t start contributed 55 points. That kind of bench play allowed the Warriors to skirt by the Lakers on a cold shooting night from Steph Curry. It also conjured in Kerr’s mind memories of, we all can agree, pretty good times.
“It just feels like five or six years ago,” Kerr said following the opening night win, “when we just had guys up and down the roster who could play. … We’ve got vets coming off the bench who just know how to play (and) know how to win.”
It starts with Andre Iguodala, the sixth man extraordinaire back anchoring the second unit after two years in Memphis and Miami.
But he’s surrounded by a new supporting cast, one that the Warriors believe is a significant upgrade from a year ago in their fit within the team’s style and philosophy.
On Tuesday, the Warriors were trailing the Lakers as the third quarter came to a close. Curry sank three foul shots to pull Golden State within two points, then headed to the bench for his usual rest at the start of the final period.
Iguodala started the fourth with Jordan Poole, Nemanja Bjelica, Otto Porter Jr. and Damion Lee. The group took a two-point deficit and flipped it into a lead as large as eight points against the LeBron-led top-line unit for the Lakers.
“That second unit at the start of the fourth quarter gave us a good cushion,” Curry said afterward. “We took advantage of it in the last six minutes. …
“It means a lot to know you can make the right play, see the attention, double-team, triple-team, and get rid of it and everybody’s either a threat to shoot or going to make the right play.”
Poole, Bjelica and Lee all scored seven fourth-quarter points to lead the Warriors as they built and sustained a decisive lead.
Nobody stood out more Tuesday night than Bjelica. When he was on the court, the Warriors outscored the Lakers by 20 points, or in Draymond Green’s words, “(expletive), man, that’s incredible.”
With 15 points and 11 rebounds, Bjelica was the first player to record a double-double off the bench in his Warriors debut since Sam K. Williams (16 points, 12 rebounds) on Oct. 30, 1981, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Bjelica’s versatile game has surprised his teammates.
“We knew he could shoot the ball. We knew he could space the floor,” Poole said. “But seeing the way he puts in on the floor and makes the extra pass and finds the open player, especially as a four man or a five man, it makes him a lot more dangerous because you’ve got to respect his 3-point shot.”
Curry pointed to a play in the fourth quarter, where Bjelica drove to the basket, then dropped down a pass to nearby Damion Lee, who finished the play for two points.
“That kept our momentum going,” Curry said. “He has the freedom to make those type of plays, especially when he’s at the five. He’s a threat to shoot (and) can put the ball on the floor and read the defense.”
Iguodala, 37, is surprising some people, too. Just not Curry.
“When he came here, there was that narrative that was he just a locker room presence and he’s just a veteran who’s gonna come in and be a chaperone, make sure guys stayed on the straight and narrow,” Curry said. “But he made it clear from day one that he’s still got a lot left in the tank.”
The Warriors rely on Poole, 22, to provide the playmaking spark when Curry isn’t on the floor.
The growing pains of the third-year guard were apparent at points with a couple errant attempts at the basket and lapses on defense, including one Kerr publicly pointed out.
“When Steph’s on the bench and Jordan’s out there making plays, we’re able to spread the floor and get the ball moving,” Kerr said. “He made some huge shots in the second half to get us started. That’s what we know he can do. Now we’ve got to continue to work with him on not letting Avery Bradley back cut him for a 3, and things like that. He knows it, but I’m gonna stay on him, and I’m gonna keep mentioning those plays.”
Rookie Moses Moody saw substantial time at the end of the first half, and even recently-waived-then-re-signed Gary Payton II got in for 7 seconds on a defensive possession (and made the most of it, teaming up with Curry to rob Russell Westbrook).
Kerr isn’t the only one who is taken back to the days of Shaun Livingston, Leandro Barbosa and Mo Speights.
Green can also recall the Warriors’ old “strength in numbers” mantra.
“We’ve got a lot of depth. When we’ve had those teams with a lot of depth, we’ve done well,” he said. “So that’s a good thing for us.”
