[Gordon] Warriors coach Steve Kerr says he started Klay Thompson because he wanted more spacing on the floor to start the game. Doesn’t mean it’s permanent, he said. Thompson played to a game-high plus-25:

14 comments

1. 

2. Why wouldn’t it be permanent if it opens up the floor?

3. I kind of like Klay off the bench but he needs to get serious. Podz is not a replacement, the spacing was terrible & it only worked well when Steph was on an insane heater.

4. [This man literally said not even a week ago](https://x.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1771342872572567737?s=20) that the reason he doesn’t mind that Podz doesn’t score as part of the starting lineup is because he loves the spacing he provides when he’s on the court, which was obviously laughably absurd when it came out of his mouth because there is literally not a bigger oxymoron in the game of basketball than a non-shooter/scorer providing spacing. But, it’s the absolute double speak not less than a week later admitting that was obviously a BS thing to say like there are cameras at your media availabilities, Stephen, we can see and hear you when you say these things.

   

   Also to have the gall to add the “doesn’t mean it’s permanent” caveat like we can’t all see with our eyes that it was and is the biggest no brainer adjustment of the season is some real testy shit. Lol don’t even

5. What needs to be done is proper in game adjustments and not put in silly lineups, pulling out players who are hot just because of staggered minutes

6. the month leading up to klay’s benching he was shooting it very poorly and remember this was around when draymond came back from his suspension and we saw the emergence of the wiggins-kuminga-draymond front court so the starters were all playing much better other than klay

   from mid january to mid february leading up to the benching in 12 games klay averaged 15.6 pts on 38/31/100 splits in 32 minutes

   klay in 19 games since being benched has averaged 18.6 pts on 45/42/92 splits in 27 minutes granted he’s actually started in 5 of the 19 games

   but whatever that benching did with klay be it physical as he is playing less minutes or mentally where he finally came to terms that he can’t play like he did previously which cleared his head space … klay has been playing a lot better ever since offensively

   so at this time i think klay probably should stay in the starting lineup the rest of this season but also still believe klay’s best role going forward is as a 6th man microwave scorer

7. Y’all boys really calling for Klay back in the starting lineup? Wasn’t this same sub that was screaming for Klay to get benched and traded like 2 months ago?

8. It’s crazy how this entire sub called for curry to not sit til 5min left in the 4th against the wolves. Curry comes back with 9:30 left tonight and guess what? Warriors held the lead and won. Same thing about kerr earlier this year when everyone was calling to play a kuminga wiggins lineup and he was saying the numbers don’t support it. Sometimes he needs to stop tryna galaxy brain these lineups. Reddit shouldn’t have all the answers

9. So…if you put a first ballot hall of famer who is considered one of the best shooters ever in the lineup, good things happen. Or you can put in the rookie who can’t score or play defense. Such a hard choice. Agonizing!

10. It’s most likely Steph Curry not happy about podz or kuminga not moving the ball fast enough . He actually talked about offense hierarchy a couple days ago. He is kinda right tho. Even in today’s game, only CP3 was looking for Thompson when he’s hot. Kuminga really needs to try to kick the ball out back to Steph and Klay more instead of going 1 vs 4 sometimes.

11. every week somehow there’s a lineup issue

12. At this rate they just need a new starting lineup every week. They play well for 2 games after the change and then go back to being mediocre, apparently only the thrill of having a different 5th guy gets them up to play defense and not turn the ball over 20+ times

13. Why not just let steph decide the lineup? He’s been carrying the team long enough to have a say

14. Yall need to chill. It was a dumbed down team they played. The problem is Klay plays like shit against good teams. He can’t defend or hit shots when it matters.