MIAMI - The Golden State Warriors, already without Stephen Curry, elected to rest Drummond Green, Klay Thompson and Otto Porter Jr. on Wednesday - a second night of back-to-backs - but still ended up beating the former Done - Losing three games to go ahead of the Miami Heat 118-104.
The move isn't necessarily out of character for the Warriors—they've been resting Thompson and Porter at one end of back-to-back games throughout the season. But the decision to rest the trio was more noteworthy as the Warriors entered a three-game slump on Wednesday.
Two of those losses, for the San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic, were games Golden State not only knew it could win without Curry, but needed to win with passion for playoff seeding in the West.
Golden State decided to sit Green, Thompson and Porter on medical grounds and because of a desire to reduce the likelihood of injury in the playoffs - not because of Tuesday's disappointing loss in Orlando, according to coach Steve Kerr.
“Just talking with the training staff and continuing the process of making sure that our players who are injured or who are recovering from injuries are getting the care they need and the rest they need and that they are at risk. Don't succumb to it," Kerr said. These decisions are based on process, not the results of last night's games.
Jordan Poole scored 30 points and a career-best nine assists against the Heat, with Damien Lee, Jonathan Cuminga and Andrew Wiggins scoring 22 for the Warriors, who took 11 points from Gary Peyton II and 16 rebounds from Kevon Looney. ,
Just 24 hours after the win, Green argued that the Warriors were "playing soft", as evidenced by Tuesday's loss to the Magic. He continued, "We're playing stupid. We're just not playing good basketball and we're getting punked. It's hard to win a game by being punk. That's where we are right now."
He came back in a big way against Miami, scoring 19 points in the first half of the second half.
"That's why it's so important to us to keep moving forward and not succumb to the noise and roller coasters that are the nature of it all," Kerr said Wednesday night. "You just have to keep moving forward."
The Warriors only improved 7-12 in their last 19 games, winning their first four visits to Miami. Golden State's last win on the Heat home floor was December 3, 2017.
The Warriors have three more left after one—to end this five-game tour in Washington and Memphis on Sunday and Monday, against Utah and Sacramento on April 2 and 3, then regulars on April 9 and 10— For the end of the season game. San Antonio and New Orleans. Kerr said that Thompson and Porter are almost certain to be out of a game in each set.