Kerr explains why he likes the Curry-Wanamaker pairing

Share

Entering Thursday night's game vs. the Denver Nuggets, Steph Curry and Brad Wanamaker had shared the court for a total of 22 minutes over the first 11 games.

The Warriors were a very good plus-22 with those two on the floor at the same time, so Steve Kerr gave that duo six minutes of playing time together vs. the Nuggets.

While the Warriors were outscored by three points in that span, you probably can expect that pairing to get consistent opportunities moving forward.

Watch the latest episode of Warriors Outsiders

"We like the fact that Brad can handle the ball and also make plays off of Steph's penetration," Steve Kerr told the media after the Dubs' 104-94 loss. "When they play together, we kind of have two playmakers out there.

"Brad's really good at getting into the paint -- drive and kicking."

"So even though it's not a big backcourt when they're together, we can survive defensively because of Brad's strength. Brad's a really good player. We're lucky to have him."

Curry also was asked about playing alongside the 31-year-old journeyman.

"It's a great look to get me off the ball with another ball-handler," the two-time NBA MVP said. "He's very savvy and can create and make the right pass. So I'm sure we'll get more looks at that the next couple of games.

"Any time I can put pressure on defenses coming off screens and moving without the ball and you have capable ball-handlers out there -- it helps."

RELATED: Why Warriors' starting lineup not responsible for Nuggets loss

Wanamaker's minutes right now come at the beginning of the second and fourth quarters when Curry is on the bench. So the duo only plays together if Kerr keeps Wanamaker on the floor when Curry checks back in midway through the quarter.

Perhaps the coaching staff shakes things up a little bit and inserts Wanamaker into the game for the last couple minutes of the first and third quarters.

With so many new players on the roster, the Warriors still are tinkering with various lineup combinations.

We'll see what happens Monday night when the Dubs face off against LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Follow @DrewShiller on Twitter and Instagram

Download and subscribe to the Dubs Talk Podcast

Contact Us