The Golden State Warriors may have recorded their second preseason victory on Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings, but the performance was chalk and cheese from their opening win on Saturday.
Not put off by their dismal 11-of-48 (22.9%) three-point shooting against the Clippers, the Warriors scorched the Kings with 28 made threes in what was a for more fluent and pleasing offensive display from the visitors.
Led by 14 combined triples from Buddy Hield, De'Anthony Melton and Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State's 28 threes on 53.8% shooting would have broken a franchise record had it not been in a preseason game.
The Warriors delivered their second-straight preseason victory on Wednesday
Despite the hot shooting which saw them go 15-of-27 from beyond the arc in the first-half, the Warriors actually trailed by two points at the main break after giving up 41 second-quarter points.
Led by 15 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting from All-Star acquisition DeMar DeRozan, the Kings shot 58.3% from the floor in the first-half. The sheer volume of Golden State's three-point shooting ultimately proved too much, particularly in the second-half where their bench depth was showcased in contrast to their opponent.
Head coach Steve Kerr responded "not much" when asked about what he liked on the defensive side of the ball, noting that the Kings picked them apart with their execution. He was much more complimentary of his team's offense, and rightly so given it was a near-flawless display particularly for a preseason game.
From an individual standpoint, the majority of players will have left this game feeling pretty good about themselves and their performance. That's not to say there's not a few who would have left disappointed, either because of their play or a lack of opportunity.
Let's have a look at four winners and three losers from the 10-point victory over the Kings:
1. Buddy Hield
The undoubted player of the game from a Golden State perspective, Buddy Hield shone against his former team with a game-high 22 points on a near perfect 8-of-9 shooting from the floor including 6-of-7 from three-point range.
It wasn't just the fact that shots were falling for the veteran sharpshooter, but perhaps more so about how he flowed beautifully within the Warrior offense and managed to find himself open on so many occassions.
Hield won't shoot the ball at this clip every night, but based on this performance there's no reason why he can't average 20+ minutes and put up 15 points per game on above 40% from beyond the arc.
2. De'Anthony Melton
Steve Kerr opted for a different combination in the starting lineup on Wednesday, replacing De'Anthony Melton with Brandin Podziemski as the two-guard next to Stephen Curry. It didn't seem to bother Melton whatsoever, with the 26-year-old producing his second-straight impressive performance to begin his Golden State career.
The move to the bench gave Melton more ball-handing duties, something he took advantage of in recording 16 points, five rebounds and three assists on 6-of-12 shooting from the floor and 4-of-9 from beyond the arc.
Melton's versatility has been a feature throughout the first two games, and if anything Wednesday's game should actually strengthen his hold on the starting shooting guard position despite the fact he came off the bench in this one.
3. Brandin Podziemski
He may have only had eight points on 3-of-8 shooting against the Kings, but Brandin Podziemski was still a winner in proving he's more than capable of being the team's backup point guard once Curry heads to the bench.
The second-year guard pushed the ball constantly not only in transition but also off Sacramento makes, finishing with eight assists and only one turnover in an encouraging display of his ball-handing and playmaking qualities.
Again, Wednesday's game may have proven that Melton should start and Podziemski should come off the bench, but that doesn't mean the 21-year-old can't play a vitally important role as the Warriors sixth man.
4. Jonathan Kuminga
There may have been some foul issues and defensive concerns, but if Jonathan Kuminga's aim is to prove to Kerr that he can be a starting small forward, then he definetly emerged
The key question is whether Kuminga can shoot the ball well enough to play alongside Draymond Green and one of Trayce Jackson-Davis or Kevon Looney? It's a one-game sample size but the fourth-year forward looked confident on Wednesday, never hesistating in finishing 4-of-7 from beyond the arc on his way to 16 points in 20 minutes.
There's a long way to go before Kuminga starts earning the respect of opposing defenses from the perimeter, but this was an encouraging start to his hopes of being the small forward he's spoken about.
While it was mainly positives for the Warriors, let's have a look at three players who may have been disappointed with Wednesday's outcome from an individual standpoint.
Losers
1. Gary Payton II
After being part of the second unit in Saturday's game against the Clippers, Gary Payton II was demoted to the 11th man in Sacramento. It felt inevitable to a degree, such was the impression Moses Moody left with 12 points, four rebounds and as a game-high +14 in the preseason opener.
Payton played the 12th most minutes of any Warrior on Wednesday, finishing with one point, one rebound and two assists in his 12 minutes. Based on the first two games and with Andrew Wiggins still to come back, it's hard to envisage Payton being part of the rotation.
The 31-year-old may be more of a 'break glass in case of emergency' option for Steve Kerr -- someone he can turn to when an opposing guard has broken loose and the Warriors need their best perimeter defender.
2. Kevon Looney
Many would have thought the Draymond Green-Kevon Looney starting front-court pairing was dead and buried following last season, yet Kerr dusted it off the shelf and went back to the veteran duo against the Kings.
Looney knocked down a mid-range jump-shot on the game's very first possession, but otherwise didn't leave the impression he may have liked. The veteran center had two points, two rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes, and while it's never about the raw box score numbers for Looney, there's little doubt the Warriors looked better on Wednesday when Trayce Jackson-Davis was on the floor with the second-year big finishing as a game-high +22.
3. Lindy Waters III
With nine points in 13 minutes on 3-of-5 shooting from three, there was nothing to be disappointed about in terms of what Lindy Waters III provided. However, the fact the 27-year-old couldn't crack the first-half rotation would probably leave him a little dispirited after his incredible heroics on Saturday.
If there's an award for 13th Man of the Year, Waters would probably be the favorite. Yet while it's easy to state that he should be getting more opportunity, those minutes also have to come from somewhere else. The Warriors have too much depth, leaving Waters on the outside of the rotation when he's probably capable of playing 15-20 minutes a game for a number of teams around the league.
