Instant Warriors analysis: Al Horford’s versatility on display vs. Lakers

SAN FRANCISCO Steph Curry zipped around screens before burying three-pointers Jimmy Butler slalomed into the lane for crafty layups on a tender ankle Draymond Green got into a scrap with a Lakers big man Curry scored points Butler put in nine and Green had five assists as a playmaking five It might have been just the preseason opener against a Lakers organization that lacked LeBron James and Luka Doncic but the Warriors star-led lineup looked identical to the band that went - to end the regular season early in Sunday s - preeminence Well almost identical That new Al Horford guy he was pretty hard to ignore The stats accrued in just minutes were impressive enough three points four rebounds three assists a trio of blocks and a steal stood out on the box figure But the -year-old center s impact went beyond numbers It was his shooting gravity pulling Deandre Ayton out of the paint in the first quarter giving Curry and Butler space to run a two-man match that ended in a layup It was his quick give-and-go with Curry in the corner a limited moments later hitting the point guard in stride for the layup It was his rim-protection which was highlighted by an emphatic swat of LeBron James Jr his father only able to watch the carnage from the bench Coach Steve Kerr stuck to his plan of having the veteran players Curry Green Butler and Horford play only around to minutes in the first half And in those minutes Horford looked even better than the cerebral well-rounded veteran he was advertised as Horford might as well have been a longtime Warrior part of those dynastic teams of the s who knew the intricacies of the offense While he may not be able to play the big minutes or back-to-backs like Horford could as an All-Star in Atlanta or Boston but if the first tournament is anything to go by he will be a high-impact force who fits in perfectly with the stars Curry looks spry Like the rest of his late- s peers Curry played around minutes all in the first half But in his allotted time on the Chase Center floor the -year-old played like he was years younger Curry scored points and made of shots He ripped around screens for threes and exposed openings in the paint for layups like usual but he also showcased chemistry with his new teammate Horford too His transition layup was the highlight but he also looked reassured running a high pick-and-pop with the center even if it resulted in a rare Curry miss Like the rest of the Warriors he benefited from Horford s shooting prowess as a floor spacer Kuminga s is a passer After an offseason spent focusing on Jonathan Kuminga s scoring role with the Warriors the newly re-signed restricted free agent seemed intent on showing he was capable of making the right play Coming off the bench with left in the first quarter and wearing a new No on his jersey the fifth-year forward only attempted three shots in minutes He instead did his best Aaron Gordon impression grabbing six rebounds and throwing four assists Two of those dimes came in the third quarter when he drew attention on the break and dished to open teammates Kuminga even had a block He scored six points on a drive and an open -pointers There were missed box outs and iffy defense but the Warriors had to be encouraged by what they saw from the new million man to start the season The Warriors will play host to Portland on Wednesday Other notables The Warriors mixed in both zone and man defensive looks as to be expected in a preseason competition They also went -deep in the first half and in total players suited up Moses Moody began the battle by blowing past Ayton for a dunk and finished with a team-high points Kerr previously revealed that he sees Moody as more of a playmaker in the screen-and-roll battle but on Sunday he diced up the Lakers as a corner shooter and driver Will Richard scored three points and had a slick behind-the-back assist to Trayce Jackson-Davis for a third quarter dunk Buddy Hield and Pat Spencer combined for points with Hield playing mostly with the regular rotation players while Spencer ran with the deep reserves Seth Curry De Anthony Melton and Alex Toohey were not progressing for the encounter Curry is yet to be cleared by the curative unit Melton is still rehabbing from a torn ACL and Toohey is dealing with tendinitis in his right knee