While the Warriors led 3-1 in the series against the Rockets, a 131-116 Game 5 loss made them reconsider their strategy. Houston’s Fred VanVleet showed his brilliance by shooting 7 for 13 from the floor after going 8 for 13 for consecutive games. He converted all nine of his free throws, too. So the GSW’s HC, Steve Kerr, made a quick decision ahead of Game 6. He cleared it up that he preferred either Steph Curry or Jimmy Butler to have the ball. ‘Feed them,’ the coach said, and of course, ‘them’ referred to Curry and Butler.

With this came some other changes, too. Steve Kerr just pulled a fast one—and it got Brandin Podziemski fans doing double-takes. After starting most of the season and holding it down with poise beyond his years, Podz headed to the bench for Game 6. In his place? Gary Payton II. So, as per the reports, the Warriors’ starters for Game 6 were: Stephen Curry, Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler, Gary Payton II, and Draymond Green. This move screams playoff chess, not panic.

Kerr’s clearly seen enough of the Rockets’ backcourt cooking, and he’s going full defense mode with Payton’s perimeter clamps. Don’t get it twisted—Podziemski’s been rock-solid. He’s smart, he rebounds, and he rarely makes rookie mistakes. But his coach’s decision is all about physicality and grit. With Curry, Hield, Butler, Green, and now Payton in the starting five, this Warriors lineup is all about switching, scrapping, and stopping runs before they start. The message? They are not giving Houston an inch. But there is a lingering worry.

The starting five group has no experience together. They did not share the court together even once in the regular season, nor in the first five games of the first round of the playoffs. Having Payton start puts Rockets’ Alperen Sengun into pick-and-roll actions. However, having Payton and Green playing together could mean that the Warriors have two non-shooters.

Yet Brandin Podziemski, this isn’t a demotion—it’s a playoff adjustment. He’ll still get minutes, especially if Kerr needs a jolt of playmaking or some second-unit energy. But right now, it’s all hands on deck, and Kerr’s betting defense wins Game 6. Let’s see if it pays off—or if Podz has to remind everyone why he was in the starting lineup in the first place.

Brandin Podziemski didn’t start, but he hustled the second he stepped in!

Out of the starting lineup? Sure. But Podz didn’t come off the bench just to ride out the game. In the first quarter, he was everywhere—taking a charge from Dillon Brooks, fighting through screens, drawing a foul on Şengun, and even stripping Jabari Smith Jr. in the post. That’s not just hustle—that’s IQ and grit wrapped up in a rookie jersey.

When Kerr made his first substitution and brought in Podziemski to replace Hield, the team was down 11-7. However, those four extra points Houston had came from Draymond Green’s Flagrant 1, which happened just three minutes into the game.

But fans still have a lot of questions. Why did Kerr decide that Podziemski should not start? Well, Game 5 was a disaster. Steph and Jimmy combined for just 21 points on 22 shots. Meanwhile, the Rockets’ five starters went off, and Fred VanVleet was hitting everything. Houston shot 55% from the field and smacked the Warriors around early. And that’s the reason Kerr decided to make a bold move. He wanted to stop that from happening again.

So yes, Payton starts for defense, but Podz is still in play to change the energy when needed. Because when it comes to winning time, it’s not about names—it’s about who makes the damn plays. The Warriors’ bench isn’t just a bunch of warm bodies—it’s strategic depth at work. GSW has been targeting Alperen Sengun in Curry screen action. Houston hid him on Moses Moody, so the Warriors quickly brought in Buddy Hield—a movement shooter to stretch the floor. Then, the Rockets responded by putting Hield on Podziemski, and Kerr countered by bringing in Payton—a Curry screener to exploit that mismatch. This is the depth in action.

As Kevin O’Connor said, “Less shooting. More defense.” Kerr’s plan was clear: limit the Rockets’ rhythm and focus on lockdown defense rather than relying on bench scoring. It’s about shutting down Houston’s offensive weapons, making sure they never get into a flow. But did it work?

The Warriors lost to the Houston Rockets 115-107. Payton, who was supposed to slow down VanVleet, left the player wide open on the left wing. Payton was about 20 feet away, scrambling as a few of his teammates pointed in his direction. But the issue only aggravated further. “Fred VanVleet has 17 3s in three games and he’s wide open coming out of a timeout?” Green said in disbelief. “That’s crazy.”

Do you think Steve Kerr made a prudent decision?