There has been a lot to like from the Golden State Warriors to start the season, including Monday's 131-118 win over the Grizzlies. It's not just that the Warriors won, but that their leading scorer wasn't Steph Curry. It wasn't Jimmy Butler, either. It was Jonathan Kuminga, followed by Brandin Podziemski.
Kuminga, who has [started in all five games](https://bluemanhoop.com/warriors-make-thrilling-jonathan-kuminga-statement-fans-been-dreaming-for-years), finished with 25 points (9-of-14), 10 rebounds, four assists, and one block in 32 minutes. Podziemski had 23 points (8-of-14), four rebounds, six assists, and one steal in 32 minutes. Moses Moody had 20 points (6-of-10) off the bench to go with two rebounds, two blocks, one assist, and one steal in 22 minutes.
Curry had 16 points (5-of-11) in 30 minutes, Butler had 20 points (6-of-8) in 31 minutes, and Draymond Green had seven points and 10 assists in 28 minutes. While their contributions certainly helped power Golden State to a win, it was the young players who stole the show.
In the Warriors' 98-79 win over the Clippers on Tuesday, Podziemski had another strong night with 12 points (5-of-10), five rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block in 27 minutes. Quinten Post started and also scored 12 points (4-of-7 from three), eight rebounds, one steal, and one block in 25 minutes. Kuminga had nine points, five rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 26 minutes.
The Warriors traded for Butler last February to help them compete for another title with Curry and Green, a move that has aged well, but the verdict is still out on whether they can actually win a championship.
Warriors don't need Curry, Green, and Butler to do it all
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One of the main talking points about Golden State leading up to the season was the ages of Al Horford (39), Curry (37), Butler (36), and Green (35). People wondered— and still do—if a team _that_ old could _really_ make it out of the West to win a title. The season is still young, but so far, the young players are proving that the veterans [don't have to do it all](https://bluemanhoop.com/warriors-five-year-plan-comes-together-infamous-timelines-quietly-converge) by themselves.
Golden State doesn't want its older players to barely make it over the regular-season finish line, and one way to ensure that won't happen is to let Curry, Green, Butler, and Horford rest (Horford didn't play against Portland or Memphis). Fans can breathe a little (a lot) easier knowing that the older guys don't need to run themselves into the ground.
The Warriors' title window with their lead trio may be short, but everyone should feel much better about their chances now than they did a few months ago, much less than they did at the start of the calendar year.
And when the day comes when Curry calls it a career (not a fun thought), Golden State could be in better hands than anyone expected.