Why Kerr remains confident in Warriors’ inconsistent starting five originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Steve Kerr has the utmost confidence in the Warriors’ starting five and does not envision making changes to the lineup.
In speaking to reporters prior to Golden State’s matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday at Chase Center, Kerr was asked if he plans to tweak his go-to starting lineup of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney given the group’s surprising inconsistency this season.
“That group has such a track record for the last couple of years,” Kerr said. “There’s zero thought in changing the starting lineup. We’re only nine games in, Draymond missed all of camp. So I’m going to give that group every opportunity and like I said, I fully expect the results to change here soon now that we’re getting into better rhythm, better conditioning. That group will be fine.”
Last season, the Warriors’ starting five of Curry, Thompson, Wiggins, Green and Looney had a net rating of plus-21.9, which was the best mark in the NBA among lineups with a minimum of 100 minutes played together.
This season, however, that same lineup has an abysmal net rating of minus-19.3.
What changed?
As Kerr mentioned, Green, who missed the first two games of the season with an ankle injury, has been working his way back into basketball shape. Wiggins also has struggled mightily this season, but Kerr has expressed confidence in his veteran forward returning to form.
The Warriors’ starting five might not be firing on all cylinders just yet, but when they are, there’s little doubt they will be one of the NBA’s most productive units this season.
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