Waters seizes opportunity, catapults Warriors to win vs. Pelicans

Waters seizes opportunity, catapults Warriors to win vs. Pelicans originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – On a night when the Warriors were without their ultimate spark plug in Stephen Curry, Lindy Waters III provided all the oomph that Golden State needed in its 124-106 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday.

The fourth-year forward poured in 21 points, snatched a career-high eight rebounds and matched his best with four assists.

All while logging 30 1/2 minutes, more than any other Warriors player besides Brandon Podziemski.

“I’ve said it since day one of [training] camp, this guy’s a ball player,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “The game flows when he’s out there. It’s not just because he’s a good shooter. It’s the shots that he doesn’t take because of his patience, it’s the cuts he makes to the basket, it’s getting into the fight defensively

“Couldn’t get him out there until tonight, and he’s going to make his case for more playing time.”

Waters made a nice case for himself against the Pelicans. He shot 8 of 13 from the floor and made a trio of 3-pointers.

“He got us going,” Golden State teammate Buddy Hield said.

Waters spent his first three seasons playing sparingly for Oklahoma City before the Warriors acquired him in a trade from the Thunder on Day 2 of the 2024 NBA Draft.

He’d been somewhat buried on the Warriors’ bench but broke out in a big way when given the chance Tuesday.

“It always feels good. I come in and do the work every single day, no matter if my number’s called or not,” Waters said. “I’m the same person. But it feels good to go out there and get a win, especially how we started out. We just kept our eyes off the scoreboard and focused possession by possession.”

Some people felt that Waters’ performance in training camp would have made him a bigger part of the Warriors’ plans. When it didn’t initially pan out that way, Waters tried to stay grounded.

“I’m grateful for what I have,” Waters said. “I can’t be greedy and have a bad attitude coming in, whether I get playing time or not. I’m going to be the same person every day. I’m going to always have a smile on my face and encourage my teammates. Whatever my role is, I’ll accept it. I just want the team to win.

“Just always stay ready. That’s my mentality.”

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