Warriors see potential in Porzingis, Melton after skid-ending win
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The Golden State Warriors halted a five-game slide on Monday night with a 125-117 victory over the Washington Wizards, highlighted by a combined 57 points from Kristaps Porzingis and DeAnthony Melton.
Porzingis poured in 30 points, while Melton added 27, giving the Warriors a snapshot of a lineup the franchise hopes can extend beyond this season, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole reported.
Spacing, movement and multiple scoring options stood out as Golden State tested a configuration featuring Porzingis at center alongside Draymond Green and Gui Santos in the frontcourt, with Stephen Curry and Melton in the backcourt. The Warriors also anticipate Jimmy Butler returning from a torn ACL to rejoin that mix.
Both Porzingis and Melton are poised to reach free agency. Porzingis will enter the market unrestricted, and Melton is expected to decline his player option. Their postseason status has elevated the importance of Monday’s performance for a club searching for consistency.
“Working my way back into good shape,” Porzingis said after the game. “Today I think was a pretty big step forward for me. I was having fun out there — there’s still a lot of room for improvement.”
The win offered evidence that the Warriors may already have the necessary pieces in place; the next challenge will be retaining them when free agency arrives.
Source: Hoops Wire
