After leading the Golden State Warriors to a victory in his first career start on Saturday, Pat Spencer is back in the starting lineup against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.
Jimmy Butler will also start after missing two games with a knee injury. Spencer and Butler will be joined by Buddy Hield, Will Richard and Quinten Post.
Stephen Curry (quad), Draymond Green (knee) and Al Horford (sciatica) will miss Sunday’s game.
Dubs Have Chance at Improbable Winning Road Trip
Curry will miss the entire three-game road trip. Butler will play in just the last game. Green played nine minutes in the first game before missing the rest.
An 0-3 road trip would have been understandable.
Instead, Golden State is one defensive stop away from being 2-0 on the trip.
The Dubs’ deep reserves have led the way.
Spencer had 16 points and four assists in the one-point loss to the 76ers before recording a career-high 19 points and seven assists in the win over the Cavaliers.
Quinten Post, Gui Santos and Buddy Hield have also made major contributions.
The Bulls (9-13) have lost six straight games. Golden State has a real shot at a winning road trip.
Warriors Need More from Podz, Kuminga, Moody
Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody are absent from Sunday’s starting lineup. At least one had started every game this season.
It’s hard to blame Steve Kerr for going with other players in the first five.
Kuminga is 8-of-32 from the floor in the last three games. In the last eight games, Moody is 14 of his last 52 from three. Podz has eight turnovers to just six assists in his last three games, and he’s a combined minus-34 in that stretch.
Without Curry, Green and Horford, the Warriors don’t have enough depth to not play Podz, Kuminga and Moody. It’s likely the young trio will be in the rotation in the first half with the chance to earn closing minutes in the second half.
The Warriors can’t rely on Santos and Spencer to be their two leading scorers like they were on Saturday. Butler will need support, and Podz, Kuminga and Moody should be providing it.
