In the grand scheme of things, it really doesn't seem like that long ago since we last saw the Golden State Warriors play -- an inherent part of that championship lyfe is a shorter offseason.
But tonight, we get our first look at the 2015-16 Warriors and especially some of the new faces who are competing either for roster spots or playing time in the rotation — as reported by Rusty Simmons of the S.F. Chronicle, interim head coach Luke Walton is planning to limit the starters' minutes in this opening contest.
Walton said he plans to open with the Warriors’ usual starters: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green and Andrew Bogut. The starters are expected to play about 20-25 minutes.
With the starters resting, there will be more time to see some of those other hopefuls.
Jason Thompson, indirectly acquired from the trade of David Lee, will get his first run in a Warriors uniform in his bid to find a consistent spot in the rotation. Returning forward James Michael McAdoo will get his chance to prove that he's worthy of all the optimism about his potential to contribute sooner rather than later. And there will be about seven players looking to earn their way onto the roster with their performance in the preseason and training camp.
However, as Simmons also reported, there will also be time to try out some intriguing combinations that we haven't normally seen.
...the Warriors will focus on some intriguing combinations, like getting a chance to see forward James Michael McAdoo play the pick-and-roll game with Curry as well as in the typically slower-paced style of the second unit.
The game is not going to be televised, but even the minute distribution could be interesting in terms of seeing who's making a positive impression early in training camp.