Curry helps win game, possibly wins starting job

Game photos

OK, no more predicting, no more wondering, no more blind guesses. Based on Thursday's preseason finale, a 126-92 win over the Hornets, it's suddenly crystal clear. When the regular season starts next Wednesday, the Golden State Warriors' starting lineup will be ... different almost every single game.

At least that's the impression coach Don Nelson has given the past few days.

Just a day after Nelson said he was going to "take it slow" with rookie Stephen Curry and give C.J. Watson a chance to start, Curry had his finest game of the preseason and re-asserted himself in the mix for the starting five.

"As far as I'm concerned, he won the job tonight," Nelson was quoted as saying in The Chronicle.

Curry, shooting less than 35 percent from the floor, still didn't display his trademark stroke that made him a hero and the nation's leading scorer at Davidson, but everything else was on display. Curry scored 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting but added 10 assists, six rebounds and six steals in 38 minutes.

Curry replaced Watson with 2:08 left in the first quarter and the Warriors down 26-19. With Curry running the show, the Warriors cut the deficit to 28-26 by the end of the first quarter, took the lead at 35-34 early in the second quarter and led 55-53 at the half.

"I thought the difference was Curry," Nelson said after the game. "When we inserted him into the lineup we immediately started to move the ball better and pushed the ball and do all the things that I've been trying to do. I was really happy to see him do that, and he got his shot back a little bit so that was good to see as well. The little guy is good, very good player. It's going to be hard to keep him off the floor."

When the second half started, Curry was back on the floor. Granted, three-fifths of the Hornets starting lineup, including All-Star point guard Chris Paul, didn't play in the game, but the Warriors outscored the Hornets 71-39 in the second half. In Curry's 38 minutes, the Warriors outscored the Hornets by 41 points.

"My main focus is to push the tempo with my fresh legs when I am coming off the bench and as a result of that I found myself in the lane a lot more tonight and being able to make more cross-court passes to guys when the defense collapsed on me," Curry said. "Then passing out to C.J. Watson, Monta Ellis, Anthony Morrow and they make plays. Just pushing it in transition to get into our tempo opens it up to everything."

Curry has said he's most comfortable starting, keeping his rhythm from warmups rather than going to the bench then coming back in cold. If the second half in any indication, even against lesser competition, Curry certainly made his case to be a starter.

"We've got five days to make some decisions on who's going to start back there with Monta (Ellis)," Nelson said. "We'll look closely at Curry when the situation is right, when we're not facing some big post-up guards. He's my best passer."

But that doesn't mean Watson is out of the mix, if you believe Nelson. Watson is a better defender and could be asked to play the point and defend bigger 2 guards in certain situations. Nelson said he likes Ellis playing shooting guard better than point guard and wants another ball-handler on the floor with his flashy play-maker.

But don't forget about Anthony Morrow, who played all 48 minutes for the second time this preseason, scoring a game-high 34 points on 13-of-19 shooting. While he seems to thrive as a second-team runningmate with Curry, Nelson has to at least consider starting the league's second-highest scorer during the preseason.

"He's the hot man and that's great to see," Nelson said.

Ellis, a sure starter in all situations, showed he's ready for the regular season with 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting, adding seven rebounds and six assists.

Stephen Jackson, who didn't play because of a mild strain of his right hamstring, has been declared a starter from the beginning, regardless of his trade demands and outspoken demeanor. Center Andris Biedrins, who sat out because he was "under the weather," is another guaranteed starter.

And then there's Anthony Randolph, who started camp as one of the four pre-destined starters (with Ellis, Jackson and Biedrins) after a stellar summer league. Randolph has had his moments this preseason, but a bruised lower back has contributed to a fall off in play recently. He had only one point and one rebound in 20 minutes Tuesday against the Lakers and didn't play Thursday.

Nelson told the Press Democrat on Wednesday that Corey Maggette, who had 23 points in 27 minutes Thursday, will be starting in Randolph's spot -- and it's not necessarily because Randolph is hurt.

"I don't think I have Randolph anyway," Nelson said. "He's really been hurting and he hasn't been playing up to his potential for several weeks now. ... A lot of times guys take a step back before they go forward. I don't know if it's injury or it's that situation."

And don't forget Ronny Turiaf, who started in place of Biedrins at center on Thursday and at power forward on Tuesday. Turiaf had nine points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots in 28 minutes against the Hornets.

So, if you believe that Curry earned a starting spot with his performance Thursday, and you believe Watson will get some starts at point guard and Ellis will start every game and Jackson and Biedrins will start every game and Maggette will start in the near future and Turiaf will get some starts depending on matchups and Randolph will presumably fight his way back into the starting mix, the Warriors have eight starters. And that's if Morrow continues to come in and light it up off the bench.

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