Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr continues to make head-scratching lineup decisions.
The Warriors are one of the smallest teams in the NBA, but Kerr refuses to give much playing time to two of his tallest players, 6-foot-9 Kevon Looney and 6-foot-9 rookie Patrick Baldwin Jr. Instead, the coach gives more PT to middling Anthony Lamb and JaMychal Green.
Looney averages 6.9 points and shoots 65.8% from the floor. Baldwin has played 10 or more minutes in a game only seven times, scoring eight points or more in all but two of them.
Kerr said Lamb and Green play more because of their experience. Both are journeymen.
“When you’re struggling and you don’t have a rhythm, you don’t have consistency, veteran players are going to be able to provide more than younger players are,” Kerr said earlier this season.
But Lamb, 25, has little recent experience. He played in only two games last season for San Antonio. The season before, he played in only 24 for the Houston Rockets.
In a 124-111 loss Thursday to the Lakers, the Warriors first game since the All-Star break, Lamb played 24 minutes, scoring zero points and committing four fouls. Baldwin Jr. played only 10 minutes, scored 11 points (3-for-5 from three) and was a +7.
Green was a -21 on Thursday and scored only three points.
Baldwin Jr. averages 8.2 points on 46.3 percent from three in 5.2 minutes per game. His shooting percentage from downtown is better than Stephen Curry’s (42 percent).
Lamb averages more than twice the minutes (19.5 to 8.2) of Baldwin Jr., who deserves more playing time for a team (29-30) desperately searching for a spark.
Looney’s role makes even less sense. Golden State’s only true center should be starting. He averages career-highs in points (6.9), rebounds (8.9) and assists (2.5). Looney is also a great defender who can switch and stay in front of guards.
In Thursday’s loss, Looney came off the bench and played well. He had a double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds (seven offensive) in only 19 minutes. Yet Lamb played even more minutes than Looney.
Kerr has harped on his team’s defensive miscues, but the coach isn’t helping.
Against the Lakers, he thought it was a good idea to defend a frontcourt of Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Jarred Vanderbilt with a 6-foot-6 center, Draymond Green. Green is a defensive wizard, but he can’t guard the paint and multiple positions simultaneously.
Kerr must wise up. It’s time to play Baldwin Jr. and Looney or else his team will descend deeper in the West.
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