SAN ANTONIO _ Warriors head coach Steve Kerr often talks about wanting to replicate the success of the San Antonio Spurs, and part of that includes finding contributors on the NBA's fringe.
In the Warriors' 117-113 loss to the Spurs Tuesday at AT&T Center, Glenn Robinson III, a cast-off signed to a veteran minimum contract this summer, finished with 25 points on 10-for-17 shooting, three rebounds and three assists. In one of the best games of his career, he continued to give Golden State (9-26) a reason to keep him around after this season.
Following a disappointing year with the Detroit Pistons in which he was barely part of the rotation, Robinson went into the summer a free agent, and sought an opportunity that played to his strengths.
In the first quarter, Robinson took a dribble-handoff from rookie center Alen Smailagic and finished through traffic, collecting the and-1, showing off his cutting ability. By the end of the game, he made three 3-pointers, padding his numbers from beyond the arc during a career year.
Robinson was not the only once-overlooked player to chip in on New Year's Eve. Without point guard D'Angelo Russell (shoulder), guard Damion Lee, an emerging starter in the waning days of his two-way contract, scored 20 points on 8-for-13 shooting, including a clutch 34-foot jumper to extend a late fourth-quarter lead to 93-89.
Guard Alec Burks, another minimum-contract signing who played for three teams last season, finished with 28 points, including a 3-pointer with 1:03 left that bailed out the Warriors from a broken possession and gave them a 98-96 lead.
Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan's scored on back-to-back possessions to give San Antonio (14-18) a 100-98 lead with 17.1 left in the game.
Kerr called a timeout and drew up a play for his hottest hand. Forward Draymond Green passed to Robinson, who hit a 2-point jumper for the tie and sent the game to overtime, when the Warriors were outscored 17-13.
It was San Antonio's experienced fringe findings who helped lift them to a win, as guard Patty Mills scored 18 points and guard Bryn Forbes scored 14, including the game-sealing free throw. DeRozan, the consolation prize of 2018's Kawhi Leonard trade, finished with 24 points on 11-for-18 shooting.
The Warriors overall played a clean game, assisting on 31 of 44 made field goals and committing just eight turnovers.
Where they were beat was on the boards. Without starting center Willie Cauley-Stein (flu-like symptoms), Golden State was outrebounded 53-to-44.
As they head into the new year, the Warriors will prepare to re-evaluate the roster in the summertime.
At the beginning of the season, it was a question if any of the newcomers would prove enough to play a role when Stephen Curry (left hand surgery) and Klay Thompson (left knee surgery) return and Golden State reprises its status as a title contender.
Robinson, like several others, has at least done that much.
