The Golden State Warriors will face the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, Oct. 8. It will be the second game of the team’s preseason slate, having defeated the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, Oct. 5. During their opening win, Steve Kerr kept the Warriors’ starters on a tight minutes restriction, with each of them playing approximately 15 minutes.
When speaking to the media on Tuesday, Kerr noted how the Warriors plan to give all of their veteran talent some run against Portland. He also noted how the minutes will likely increase, as he looks to ensure his roster is ready to go once the games start counting and the schedule comes thick and fast.
“Warriors plan to play all their veterans tomorrow night in preseason game vs Blazers. Steve Kerr said he imagines minute total will be ramped up slightly from the opener (around 15 minutes),” ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported via X.
Against the Lakers, the Warriors looked like a team that had hardly missed a beat. There was already some chemistry forming between the new additions, most notably Al Horford, and the longer-tenured members of the squad. Nevertheless, the additional playing time will ensure those on-court relationships continue to form ahead of the new campaign, and in turn, should ensure Golden State hits the ground running.
Portland will be a different test than the Lakers, though. Chauncey Billups is building a defense-first mindset with his young team, and the addition of Jrue Holiday should help anchor that mentality. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how the Warriors’ movement and pace hold up against a younger and defensively sound opponent.
This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Golden State Warriors expected to adjust veterans’ playing time
Reporting by Adam Taylor, Warriors Wire / Warriors Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
