Virtually nothing happens of note in terms of substitution patterns and rotation decisions at the mid-seven-minute mark of first quarters for most teams, including the Golden State Warriors. Barring injuries or foul trouble, teams usually stick with their starting lineup till around the six minute mark and beyond, where subs begin to occur.
So it was a surprise to see that Steve Kerr — with no one in foul trouble and no one seemingly injured, at least to the naked eye — made a substitution at the 7:24 mark of the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets.