Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors walked into Philadelphia without Stephen Curry or Jimmy Butler, lost Draymond Green midway through the second quarter, trailed by twenty-two points at halftime, and still should have flown home with a win. Instead, the final possession slipped away, Tyrese Maxey’s miss bounced straight into VJ Edgecombe’s hands, and a 99–98 gut punch ended a night that revealed something far bigger than the score.
Golden State isn’t just shorthanded. They’re misaligned. And Thursday’s thriller made the rotation problems louder than ever.
Warriors Rotation Problem: The Wrong Guys Are Playing the Most Minutes
This wasn’t a one-night fluke. It has been trending for weeks.
Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga sit fourth and fifth in minutes per game this season. On Thursday, both struggled again. Podziemski looked hesitant, caught between reading and reacting. Kuminga hunted mismatches, but nothing dropped cleanly. Together, they combined for rough possessions, shaky defense, and little rhythm.
The eye test matched the numbers.
Meanwhile, the guys buried deeper on the bench flipped the entire game.
Pat Spencer played like someone who had been waiting his whole life for this moment, not someone on a two-way contract. He orchestrated the offense with real conviction, broke defensive pressure, and finished with 16 points, 4 assists, and a game-best plus/minus.
Gui Santos didn’t touch the court until the second half, yet immediately shifted the energy. He cut hard, defended harder, and helped deliver the go-ahead bucket late in the fourth.
Quinten Post gave them clean screens, strong rolls, sound positioning. Will Richard gave them pace.
In short: the players fighting to carve out roles pushed the Warriors back from a twenty-two point hole. And the players expected to drive the season couldn’t match that level.
At 11–12, the Warriors can’t keep pretending time is on their side. The rotation needs reshaping. Minutes need to be earned, not assumed.
Melton’s Return Shows What a Real Two-Way Guard Looks Like
GettyDe’Anthony Melton of the Golden State Warriors in action.
Golden State got one undeniable positive: De’Anthony Melton is ready.
His numbers were solid. His impact was better. In his first NBA game in over a year, he guarded Maxey with real resistance, broke up actions, and made several plays on instinct alone. He pushed in transition. He cut with timing. He made two advanced finishes through contact.
He also delivered one of the best defensive sequences of the night, forcing a turnover and then contesting a difficult Maxey fallaway. That final miss should have sealed the win before Edgecombe’s putback.
More importantly, Melton looked exactly like the stabilizer Golden State envisioned a year ago. Healthy, confident, physical, and composed.
When this roster is finally intact, there’s no argument. Melton should be the first non-star to hit the floor.
Warriors Still Need More From Buddy Hield, But This Was a Step Forward
Buddy Hield hasn’t had the easiest start in Golden State, but Thursday showed the version they’ve been waiting for.
He scored 14. He rebounded. He defended like someone tired of being labeled a liability. He attacked off the dribble, which remains the most undervalued part of his game. When the Warriors sparked their fourth-quarter comeback, Hield was right in the middle of it, driving hard and hitting tough finishes.
His late-game mistake on the inbounds play can’t be ignored. But it also shouldn’t erase everything else. For a team that generates so few paint touches, his drives matter. And his energy Thursday matched the urgency of someone fighting for his spot.
Golden State needs that version of Hield far more than the one from the season’s first month.
A Brutal Loss, But an Honest Look at Where the Warriors Are
The Warriors nearly erased a twenty-two point deficit on the road with a lineup featuring two-way players, rookies, and role players improvising their way through crunch time. That says something about their heart. It also says something about who should actually be on the floor when the full group returns.
This loss hurts, but it clears the picture.
Pat Spencer deserves a real role. Gui Santos deserves consistent minutes. De’Anthony Melton should be leaned on heavily. The young core can still become something, but right now they’re not giving the Warriors what the season requires.
The rotation has been based on projection. Thursday showed the value of production.
Golden State faces Cleveland next. If adjustments are coming, that’s where they’ll show up.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
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