SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Inexperienced has began 132 consecutive playoff video games, however that streak will finish Sunday.
In a shocking growth forward of Recreation 4, Inexperienced got here off the bench for Sunday’s matinee recreation.
The Warriors are sticking with their Recreation 3 starters: Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney, the group introduced about half-hour earlier than tip-off.
(Inexperienced completed with 12 factors, 10 rebounds and 7 assists within the Warriors’ 126-125 win on Sunday. After the sport, Inexperienced mentioned it was his suggestion that sparked the lineup tweak.)
With Inexperienced watching Thursday’s recreation from his house whereas he served his one-game suspension, Curry & Co. powered Golden State to a 114-97 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Coach Steve Kerr opted to run it again with the identical group because the Warriors attempt to even the first-round collection earlier than it shifts again to Sacramento this week for Recreation 5.
That is solely the third time Inexperienced has come off the bench beneath Kerr and first time within the playoffs. Inexperienced began all 72 regular-season video games he performed this season. He got here off the bench for the primary two video games he performed after coming back from a prolonged absence from a again damage.
It appeared seemingly that Kerr would take into account staggering non-shooters Inexperienced and Kevon Looney to optimize their offensive prowess after Golden State conquered the Kings in Recreation 3. Beginning 4 shooters, as they did Thursday, allowed Golden State to higher unfold the ground. That paired with Looney’s aggressive rebounding and taking higher care of the ball — the Warriors had solely 11 turnovers in Recreation 3 — turned out to be the recipe for achievement.