Warriors weekly recap: Steph Curry in MVP form to start season

SAN FRANCISCO – Surrounded by Halloween decorations on a stage that seemed more suited to hosting trick-or-treating than speaking into a microphone, Warriors coach Steve Kerr took a measured approach to the first week of his team’s season.

The Warriors could have “won the week” by going 2-1. The franchise also exhibited some traits that will likely become a pattern during the 82-game regular-season marathon.

Steph Curry was brilliant, totaling 100 points in his first three games and leading the Warriors to an overtime win against Denver.

On a night full of spectacular plays, no one could sum up the showman Curry like he did, who beckoned the Chase Center crowd to make noise before shooting (and making) all three foul shots late in the game.

“It was a cool moment and I needed that energy to finish the game,” Curry said.

The Warriors also strategically inserted newcomer Al Horford into the third game of the week, the second part of a back-to-back in Portland, a game in which no player exceeded the 30-minute threshold. The Warriors hope to keep their starters fresh for the long haul.

Here’s how the week went for the Warriors.

THE GAMES

Warriors 119, Lakers 109: Jimmy Butler scored 31 and made all 16 free throws as the Warriors pulled away in the third quarter. Even a huge performance from Luka Doncic with 43 points wasn’t enough to take down a balanced Warriors team that also got great games from Curry and Kuminga.

Warriors 137, Nuggets 131 (OT): Curry turned in his first masterpiece of the season, scoring 35 points in the second half and overtime to beat the Nuggets in overtime. The Warriors discovered a big lineup that could yield wins across the board, overcoming a 50-point outburst from San Jose legend Aaron Gordon.

Trailblazers 139, Warriors 119: Curry scored 35 points in just 27 minutes. That was where the positives ended for Golden State, who was demolished by a Blazers team embroiled in a gambling scandal. As the third game in a third different city in four nights, it was as expected a defeat as there will be this season.

WHAT WE LEARNED

• Jonathan Kuminga’s passing vision – and place in the starting lineup – could be here to stay. After averaging four assists per game in the preseason, he has twelve through three regular season starts. A dime against the Lakers was the highlight. The supreme athleticism is still there too. He also had a trio of nasty dunks in Portland.
• Don’t expect the Warriors to have too many long winning streaks. As proved against Portland, the veterans can’t reap the rewards every game, and Kerr won’t hesitate to pull the plug on a game he considers a lost cause. The starters sat for the final 10 minutes of regulation.
• Brandin Podziemski still has a long way to go before he becomes the cornerstone of the franchise he wants to be. He has averaged just 8.7 points per game through the first three matchups, shooting just 36% from distance while often looking unsettled with the ball in his hands.
• Turnovers will be one of the dominant storylines of the season. They committed at least 20 in every preseason game, then committed 18 against the Lakers and 25 against the Blazers. The eight-turnover overtime win against Denver seems like an outlier.