The very first offensive possession by the Golden State Warriors in their preseason rematch against the Sacramento Kings was intriguing for a couple of reasons.
First possessions are important to monitor because it’s one of a few times during a 48-minute NBA game where the head coach has full and complete control over what is going to occur. Scripted sets are commonplace throughout a game, but never are they at their most scripted than the opening offensive possession.
Whichever set teams open the game with — whether they result in a bucket or not — provides a glimpse into a team’s philosophy for that given night.