After one game, the Dubs have to be feeling good about the status of the center position.
Following an offseason in which their frontcourt experienced a hefty amount of turnover, one of the biggest question marks surrounding the Warriors entering the 2018-19 season concerned the group of players that would be tasked with anchoring the paint for a team seeking a fifth-straight trip to the NBA Finals. Longtime veterans Zaza Pachulia, David West and JaVale McGee had since departed Golden State, leaving a major void that youngsters Damian Jones, Kevon Looney and Jordan Bell would be asked to fill.
Well, it's obviously a small sample size, but the Dubs have to be feeling good about the status of the center position.
Golden State got their new season started off on a positive note with a 108-100 victory over the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder on Opening Night on Tuesday, and the big man rotation was a major reason why. Jones and Looney had standout performances in particular, with the former playing well in his first career start, and the latter notching his first career double-double in just 18 minutes off the bench.
For Jones, it was a night to remember – and not just because he got a shiny new championship ring before the game started. In addition to making his first career regular season start, Jones established career-highs in points (12), made field goals (six), blocks (three) and minutes (27). His supreme athleticism was on display from the start, as his first four baskets all came by way of the dunk. He also led Golden State with three blocks in the contest.
"It was cool getting the rings," said Jones following the win. "Just seeing the hard work from last year, but my main focus was on the game. Just coming out there and executing everything we went over. I thought it went well."
Jones wasn't the only one that came away with that opinion. He impressed many of his teammates, a few of which just happen to be NBA All-Stars.
"He [Jones] has an extreme amount of potential and we're trying to unlock that this year," said Stephen Curry at his postgame press conference. "He gives us a different versatility in terms of lineups. We can go out there and put pressure on the rim, defensively being a presence. It's always great to see guys chomping at the bit to get that opportunity finally break through."
"DJ was great tonight," said Kevin Durant. "There's so much being thrown at him from everyone. His development has to be a little bit accelerated right now, especially with Boogie [DeMarcus Cousins] out. He's coming in. He's learning the schemes. Just learning little tricks of the game that you don't really get unless you play. I think it's a great test for him to go against Steven Adams who is a bulldog down in the paint. I think he held his own."
As promising as Jones' performance was, he was only part of what proved to be a very effective center-by-committee. When Jones went to the bench, he was typically replaced by Looney, who took full advantage of the opportunity. Not only did Looney record a double-double in a team-high 18 minutes off the bench, but eight of his 10 rebounds on the night were of the offensive variety. In fact, Looney singlehandedly corralled half of Golden State's offensive rebounds in the entire game.
"They both played very well," said Draymond Green of the two young centers. "They competed, like I said before. They both made plays. DJ great finishes at the rim. Loon [Kevon Looney] caught the ball out of the pick-and-roll and made plays. He had some great finishes and he rebounded the basketball. Both of them defended well. It was good to see both of those guys play well. They both will continue to get better."
If proven true, that last statement might keep opposing coaches up at night, particularly considering two realities. First, between Curry, Durant, Green, Klay Thompson and others, the Warriors already possess more than enough firepower to spoil even the most stifling of defensive game plans. Second, Golden State's center depth and production should only improve as the season wears on, given the continued development of the young bigs, not to mention the eventual return of All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins is working his way back from an Achilles injury and remains in the rehab process at this time, but the thought of him playing alongside four other All-Stars can certainly boggle the mind with the possibilities.
Suffice to say, when it comes to the center position, there's plenty to look forward to for Golden State.