JaMychal

Green

The Dubs came away with a 27-point victory in Game 2 with this lineup, so why mess with a good thing? Steve Kerr will once again elect to bring Kevon Looney off the bench, and if Looney is feeling better, he may see more than the 12 minutes he logged Thursday.

Green also added two assists and a rebound, and he hit 3-of-6 shots from beyond the arc. He got the start over Kevon Looney, who finished with six points and eight boards in 12 minutes. It’s unclear if Thursday’s lineup change was a calculated attempt to space out Los Angeles or simply the result of Looney feeling under the weather. We’ll keep a close eye on the Warriors’ lineup ahead of Saturday’s tip-off, as Green could be in line for another start after this strong performance.

Kevon Looney will come off the bench after grabbing at least 20 rebounds in four of his last six outings. Rather than try to compete with the Lakers’ size, the Dubs will lean into a small-ball lineup and try to push the tempo and rain down threes in Game 2. Green averaged just 14 minutes per game in the regular season and started only one contest. It wouldn’t be surprising if he played limited minutes, despite garnering the start.

Green was ejected late in the Warriors’ loss to the Kings in Game 2 for stomping on the chest of Domantas Sabonis after Sabonis grabbed his foot. According to Shams, Green’s history of unsportsmanlike conduct was a big factor in deciding to hand down a suspension rather than a fine. Jonathan Kuminga and JaMychal Green figure to see the biggest bumps in playing time with Green out for a pivotal Game 3.

Looney has yet to miss a game this season, so it’s unclear who Steve Kerr will turn to if he isn’t good to go. Jonathan Kuminga, Anthony Lamb and JaMychal Green will all likely play larger roles, with Draymond Green potentially starting at center.

Kuminga gets the starting nod with Draymond Green suspended for this game. Kuminga should be worth a DFS/streaming play, though JaMychal Green should play a large role as well. Draymond will be back for their game on Saturday in Memphis.

With Green officially suspended, expect Jonathan Kuminga and JaMychal Green to see expanded roles. Kuminga is the preferred streaming option of the two players. With Steph Curry (thumb) also questionable, Donte DiVincenzo and Jordan Poole could see an uptick in assists.

The stat line isn’t the big news for Green in relation to Wednesday’s defeat. The big news is that he picked up his 16th technical foul of the season, which triggers an automatic one-game suspension. There’s never a good time for a player to get suspended, but doing so in the first game of a five-game road trip is tough, especially when your team is 7-27 away from home. With Draymond unavailable for Friday’s game in Atlanta, Jonathan Kuminga (eight points, two assists in 19 minutes) could be asked to fill the void in the starting lineup. JaMychal Green (7/2/1 in 16 minutes) will also see an increase in minutes, as Andre Iguodala (wrist surgery) is out indefinitely.

Kuminga has been sidelined for their last three games, but he should be back on Wednesday. He had been playing a larger role recently, averaging 25.4 minutes per game, which has allowed him to provide fourth round value over the last two weeks. His return will likely limit the role of JaMychal Green, who has stepped up in Kuminga’s absence.

Kuminga will miss a third straight game, which will allow JaMychal Green to fill the backup power forward role behind Draymond Green. He posted an 18/6/1/1/1 line against Milwaukee on Saturday and will look to continue to provide solid numbers off the bench.