DETROIT — After two straight disastrous showings against the Kings and Heat, the Warriors’ effort was in question for the first time all year. Head coach Steve Kerr called it a “crisis of confidence.” He needed to see more “competitive spirit.”
Even short five rotation players, the Warriors played with the type of urgency they’d been missing. Gui Santos, a surprise hero, got a shouting ovation in the visitor’s locker room postgame.
“This game is about so much more than whether you make a shot or miss a shot,” Kerr said postgame. “It’s defense, it’s rebounding, it’s hustle, sprinting. Everything you saw Gui do tonight.”
Golden State forced 13 first-half turnovers to build a lead and, despite missing almost all of their rotational wings, contained Pistons star Cade Cunningham until the fourth quarter.
Cunningham scored 18 of his 32 points in the fourth and Steph Curry (5-for-21) had an off shooting night, but the Warriors (19-18) got enough unlikely contributions to hold on for a 107-104 win. They’re now 9-0 in games Buddy Hield scores at least 18 points. Santos (career-high 12 points, five rebounds, three assists) supplied the type of effort Golden State needed.
Detroit had won eight of nine entering the Warriors matchup. But Golden State, desperate and reeling, halted their momentum.
“Wonderful to see our guys, especially on a night when Steph didn’t shoot it well, for them to generate that kind of offensive flow and game momentum, just connecting the game back and forth,” Kerr said.
The Warriors chased down long rebounds on both ends and flew down the court off steals. Players on the bench stood up and clapped after turnovers and stops. The competitive spirit the Warriors had apparently lost this week looked charged-up.
Given how depleted the roster was, and how poorly they’ve played recently, the Warriors needed the energy.
Jonathan Kuminga, out at least two more weeks with a sprained ankle, made the trip and sat on the bench in a walking boot. Andrew Wiggins went through morning shootaround in Detroit before flying home for personal reasons. Moses Moody’s lingering knee issues ruled him out. Brandin Podziemski and Gary Payton II are still not quite ready to return from their ailments.
Half the rotation in street clothes left the Warriors with 10 healthy bodies, two of which were Santos and Pat Spencer.
Santos in particular made the most of his chance. Normally at the end of Golden State’s bench, Santos played 13 straight minutes in the first half, which the Warriors won by 18 points. Santos chased down a long offensive rebound then battled for another one, creating extra possessions. He buried his first three 3-pointers for a season-high nine points, drew a charge and dropped a pair of dimes, too.
Santos got 26 seconds of rest before Draymond Green picked up his third foul. Kerr tapped Santos over Kyle Anderson, who played nine minutes even with the lack of options.
Detroit closed the half on a 12-4 run after Curry checked back in, cutting the Warriors’ advantage to 10.
The Warriors opened their lead up to 17, but Detroit answered with 11 straight points. Kerr called timeout with 5:30 left in the third quarter after back-to-back 3s from Cunningham and Tobias Harris.
More energetic minutes from Santos in the third helped the Warriors maintain their edge, but Curry missed all four of his shots — each from behind the arc – in the frame, allowing Detroit to hang around. He started 1-for-11 from 3 and went 2-for-14 overall.
In the fourth quarter, Santos sank his fourth trey and guarded Cunningham defensively. Green, playing 100 miles south of his hometown of Saginaw, fed Trayce Jackson-Davis for a dunk, drew a charge and leaked out for a dunk. He also instigated a mini dust-up, igniting a fire under the Warriors and leading a 10-0 run.
And after missing six straight shots, Curry converted a four-point play to put the Warriors back up 16.
Cunningham threatened to take over, but Dennis Schroder made a couple key buckets to fend the Pistons off just enough. With 4.1 seconds left and trailing by three, Cunningham perfectly missed a foul shot right to himself, earning the chance to send the game into overtime. But Malik Beasley’s 3-pointer fell just short as time expired.
