Six Assists Made Miles Kelly’s Shooting Night More Interesting

Miles Kelly’s box score begins with six made 3-pointers, which is usually where a 24-point night starts and ends. That is the obvious headline from Wednesday’s 123-118 preseason loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

The more useful detail sits a few columns over. Kelly added six assists and committed one turnover in 28 minutes, giving the Warriors a glimpse of secondary creation on a night when only nine players were active. That is meaningful for his evaluation. It is still far short of a guaranteed job.

Kelly made 8 of 16 shots and 6 of 11 from beyond the arc. He also collected seven rebounds, one steal and one block, finishing with a plus-14 differential that led Golden State. The shooting supplied the volume, but the rest of the line explains why this performance deserves more attention than the standard exhibition “he got hot” treatment.

The closing minutes offered several examples of that passing. With 1:08 remaining, Kelly assisted Will Richard on a 24-foot 3-pointer. At 42.8 seconds, he set up Dalen Terry for a 26-foot step-back 3.

With 18.4 seconds left, he found Alex Toohey for a 23-foot bank shot. Golden State did not erase Portland’s advantage, but those three assists demonstrate that Kelly continued to produce points for teammates while also carrying a scoring load.

That balance matters more because of the lineup around him. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Al Horford, Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton, Gui Santos, Georges Niang, Gary Payton II and Yaxel Lendeborg were given the night off, leaving Golden State with a compressed rotation.

Kelly’s 28 minutes and offensive involvement were earned within that group, but the circumstances also created opportunities that will be harder to find when the roster is whole.

The comparison with Dalen Terry makes the distinction especially clear. Terry handled the heavier workload, playing 43 minutes and finishing with 23 points, eight rebounds, nine assists and four steals. He made 9 of 18 field-goal attempts and 4 of 5 3-pointers. He also turned the ball over four times.

Terry’s production was substantial, and the Warriors needed it. At 1:26 of the fourth quarter, he assisted Graham Ike on a driving layup. With 6.1 seconds remaining, Terry made a 25-foot running jumper after receiving a pass from Richard.

Those plays belong in the account of a productive night, even as the 43-minute burden makes it an awkward model for a normal rotation role. A normal supporting role would leave Kelly fewer opportunities to repeat that production, making efficiency and quick decisions especially relevant.

Kelly’s line tells a different story. He handled fewer minutes and less of the possession-by-possession burden, yet produced six assists with one turnover. That does not prove he can direct an offense or replicate Terry’s responsibilities. It does suggest that his value should be measured beyond whether the outside shot falls. Rebounding, defensive activity and passing gave the performance several ways to remain useful.

There were limits. Kelly missed both free throws with 1:56 remaining, and six 3-pointers naturally make the scoring line sparkle. Golden State made 19 of 34 3-point attempts as a team, while Morant and Lillard were both in Portland’s lineup. The short-handed conditions and preseason setting make individual comparisons imperfect. A strong night can clarify an evaluation question without answering it.

When Golden State’s veterans return, Kelly will have fewer chances to fill a box score. The best argument he supplied Wednesday was that a smaller role could still contain a timely pass, a rebound or defensive work. Those contributions would give his next appearance value even without another six-threes headline.

Sources

Warriors Wire: Wednesday Portland preseason report

ESPN: game box score and play-by-play