Stephen Curry watched the spectacular and horrific opening period from a seat on the Warriors' bench, where he was joined near the end by Draymond Green, who was fouled on a two-point play with 8.3 seconds left.

From the sidelines, Golden State's two touchstones, retired and unavailable, caught a glimpse of Golden State's future. The one that is there when they retire and are no longer available.

The veterans in their 30s had to like, maybe even like, what they saw from 21-year-old Brandin Podziemski and 22-year-old Jonathan Kuminga, two young guys the front office hopes can develop into All-Stars.

The Warriors won't win many games with Curry and Green watching crucial minutes, but Podziemski and Kuminga made sure they took this game, a 127-121 overtime victory over the surging Rockets on their floor in Houston.

Without Podziemski's perfect shot in the fourth quarter (3 of 3), the Warriors would not have taken this game to overtime. The 6-foot-4 combo guard succeeded not with picture-perfect jumps, but with exquisite footwork and his trademark courage.

“He took Amen to the post a couple of times,” Green said, referring to the 6-foot-2 Amen Thompson, to reporters at Toyota Center. “He goes against bigger guys and makes those shots. As much as I want to praise his skills, that's heart. That means, “I want the ball right now and I will do whatever it takes to score that basketball.”

“Obviously his footwork getting guys to post was great. But this is pure will and determination. That's why he leads the league in plus/minus. At that moment he wanted the ball, no matter how things went. He hit hard, and he hit hard.”

The Warriors were crushed in the fourth quarter, losing the quarter 39-23. Podziemski scored seven of those points, all within the final four minutes, the last a 12-foot turnaround fadeaway that gave Golden State a 118-112 lead with 51.5 seconds left.

“We were killed,” Podziemski said. “My attitude was, 'I'm going to try and get a bucket.' If we lose, we will lose. Someone's going to have to try and get a bucket.' That was my attitude.”

But no. The Rockets got a 3-pointer from Jabari Smith Jr. and four free throws before the end of regulation, and the Warriors' last point before OT came when Podziemski drained two free throws with 28.4 seconds left.

When Green was whistled for his disqualifying sixth foul 20 seconds later, circumstances seemed to darken. The Warriors, who shot 36.4 percent from the field in the second half, trudged into OT in the third and fourth quarters against a Houston team that scored 76 points on 57.1 percent from the field – including 52.6 Percent from distance – scored.

With Curry and Green watching for OT, Kuminga summoned his highlight-reel gene and lit up the Rockets and their building.

“I went into overtime because I just wanted to play great defense, so I put on (Kevon Looney) and Kyle (Anderson),” Kerr said. “We needed JK’s ability to get over the switches and get downhill.”

Kerr got his wish. The Warriors limited Houston to 1 of 12 shooting in OT, and Kuminga pierced his defense like a hot arrow through tissue paper.

Kuminga's “hello” to the Rockets was a mid-range turnaround jumper 40 seconds into overtime that gave the Warriors a two-point lead. His “good evening” was a layup that gave them a four-game lead with 3:05 left. His “good night” was another beat by the Houston defense for a layup that brought the score to 127-121 with 1:18 left.

“He just took over,” Kerr said of Kuminga. “He was fantastic.”

When Kuminga got up from the ground, Draymond was there with a greeting and a hug. He has developed a particular interest in Kuminga since the Warriors selected the youngster seventh overall in the 2021 draft. Kuminga doesn't have Draymond's gift for the game, and they both know it. Draymond doesn't have Kuminga's amazing athleticism.

Podziemski doesn't have Curry's unparalleled shooting/scoring ability – no one does – nor his flair for the dramatic. Curry doesn't have Podziemski's talent for rebounding or harassing opponents. What they have in common, and this is significant, is swaggering composure in big moments.

Kuminga won't be the next Draymond, but that won't stop Green from working as a mentor. Podziemski won't be the next Steph, but that doesn't stop Curry from cheering.

The bar set by Curry and Green for Golden State is incredibly high. It's unrealistic to think Podziemski and Kuminga can do it.

It's entirely realistic to believe that the youngsters are better at breathing the same air as the distinguished veterinarians who watched them complete a daunting task.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast