Instant Warriors analysis: Podziemski, Kuminga lead Golden State skeleton crew in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES – A half dozen future members of the Basketball Hall of Fame were in Crypto Arena on Sunday night. Unfortunately for the paying public, most of them were inactive in the Warriors’ 126-116 loss to the host Lakers. 

On the Warriors bench, Steph Curry and Al Horford were in street clothes, and Jimmy Butler was not even in the building, as he missed the game for personal reasons. 

The Lakers were down LeBron James, afflicted by nerve pain. Luka Doncic was still not game-ready, and former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart was ruled out a few hours before tipoff. 

The results were … predictably ugly for the Warriors. 

Starting Brandin Podziemski at point guard, Jonathan Kuminga next to Draymond Green at forward, and flanked by Quinten Post and Buddy Hield as shooters, the ragtag Warriors sputtered early, falling behind 63-46 by halftime. 

 If there was any area the team missed their stars, it was in the ballhandling department. Golden State committed 20 turnovers, a ghastly 14 of them in the first half. 

“The spacing wasn’t good,” coach Steve Kerr said. “then in the second half, that was much more how like we wanted to play.”

Podziemski was the star for shorthanded Golden State, with a stellar 23-point, eight assist night on 10 of 16 shooting. Kuminga poured in 13 points, and Gary Payton II had 11 points. Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 21 points. Undrafted guard LJ Cryer scored 11 points, all in the fourth quarter. 

Green played 22 minutes, the most the 35-year-old has played thus far in any game this preseason. He will not suit up when the Warriors take on Portland on Tuesday.

“He will have the night off in Portland, and then play against the Clippers on Friday,” Kerr said.

The Warriors won the first matchup between West Coast teams 129-123 at Chase Center last week. 

Brandin Podziemski, point guard

Brandin Podziemski does all of the little things as a guard. He makes quick passes that maintain advantages. He fights for rebounds and earns Golden State extra possessions. He’ll make a few shots. 

But driving the offense as a point guard? That is far from one of his strengths, but something he was asked to do against the Lakers with Curry and Butler sitting. The results were decent, with the Santa Clara alum dishing out eight assists. 

“I think I’ve played pretty well (in preseason and training camp),” Podziemski said. “I’m just trying to find my lane and do the right things on and off the flor. And what I’ve been doing has been working.”

He flashed as a playmaker in the open court, driving in transition on a number of occasions before dishing off to a cutting Hield or another teammate.

 And on a night when his teammates couldn’t help themselves when it came to giving away possessions, Podziemski only had two turnovers. On an otherwise forgettable night in Los Angeles, Podziemski was a bright spot in the city of stars. 

Jonathan Kuminga keeps on passing

With the team’s top offensive engines sidelined, the stage was set for a Kuminga chuckfest. Instead, the fifth-year forward adhered to the same pass-first philosophy – an ill-advised pullup 3-pointer aside – he had shown in the first two games. 

Kuminga dished out six assists in 22 minutes, the most impressive being a pair of first quarter dimes thrown in the open court. He was also the only Warrior to reach the free throw line in the first half, knocking down both of his foul shots. 

GP2 still has it

Steve Kerr seems to love few things more than raving about Gary Payton II’s impact during the team’s run to the 2022 championship. Back then, Payton was a destructive and uber-athletic 6-foot-3 bundle of energy, capable of blowing up plays with hustle and a limitless vertical leap. 

These days, Payton, 32, is a step slower and cannot quite soar the way he could three years ago. But that does not stop him from making an impact in smaller bursts. 

In 16 minutes off the bench, Payton made all five of his shots and harassed any ballhandler he was assigned to. 

He had a vintage moment in the late third, when he finished a layup between four defenders, and then threw a pass to Will Richrd for a fastbreak layup on the next possession.