The Golden State Warriors got their season started off in the right way on Wednesday night, using a huge second half to blow out the Portland Trail Blazers 139-104 and move to 1-0 on the young season. The Warriors led by just 12 at the half, but a 37-22 third quarter put the game away and allowed the bench to close things out in the fourth.
One player that saw a lot of action in the second half was guard Brandin Podziemski, a second-year player who showed very promising flashes as a rookie. Podziemski can knock down a shot when asked to but also does plenty of the little things well. He defends hard, rebounds extremely well for his size and isn't afraid to step in and take a charge.
The jumper wasn't falling for Podziemski in this one, as he finished the game scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting with four missed three-pointers. However, he still managed to set a franchise record. His plus-minus of +34 was the best mark in any season opener in Warriors history, according to StatMamba.
One of the draws of playing Podziemski as a rookie was all of the different ways that he impacted winning. That as something that led Steve Kerr to start the rookie at times over franchise legend Klay Thompson, and those traits are bearing out once again in his second season. Plus-minus is a flawed stat, but the fact that Podziemski is at the top of the list for the Warriors tonight speaks volumes about his impact.
Warriors using unconventional approach to compete out West
The Golden State Warriors made it a priority to build out their depth this offseason, and they did just that. Even after losing Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks in free agency, the Warriors added helpful pieces such as Buddy Hield, De'Anthony Melton and Kyle Anderson.
As a result, Steve Kerr went with a 12-man rotation in the season opener against the Blazers, and said postgame that that was going to continue for the foreseeable future. That depth should help their older veterans — Stephen Curry, Kevon Looney and Draymond Green — stay fresh and healthy.
A blowout like they had in the season opener will also help them stay fresh. Curry only played 25 minutes in this one, Green played 20 and Looney played 14. As many nights like this as they can get will add up as the season winds down in the spring.
Of course, the Warriors' ceiling still comes down to Curry. If he can still be one of the truly elite players in the league, then this Warriors team can be a legitimate playoff contender. The jumper wasn't falling at the rate that we all know it can in the opener, but Curry played a smart, methodical game and controlled everything on the offensive end, finishing with 17 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.
It remains to be seen how the extended rotation will work out for Kerr and the Warriors, but as long as Curry is humming, they should be just fine even in a difficult Western Conference.
