:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/16498563/20130714_kkt_cs1_189.0.jpg)
There isn't much left to say that would either provide new information or open your eyes to a whole new world of Warriors basketball. And perhaps that's been the best part of these Summer League games. Kent Bazemore, Draymond Green and a healthy dose of Lance Goulbourne and Ian Clark led the Warriors to an all-too-familiar grind-it-out victory. The Milwaukee Bucks turned the ball over 21 times while shooting a measly 28.6 percent from the field. The first wave of defenders were aggressive in its passing and dribbles lanes; the help defense active; and the energy flowing despite the lack of crowd noise.
A main storyline coursing through this week's worth of games was the seriousness in which the Warriors takes these games. Exhibition? Doesn't mean anything? Darren Erman, his stable of coaches and Draymond Green have treated every single play, rebound, timeout and dead ball as if it's Game 7 of the NBA Finals. At the end of the second half, Green and Bazemore called consecutive timeouts on two plays to set a play up.
Warriors bench is a cacophony of called out coverages and the Bucks bench is mostly quiet. Teams do Summer differently.
— Ethan Strauss (@SherwoodStrauss) July 16, 2013
The level of continuity also matters, as Goulbourne, Cameron Jones, Bazemore, Green and Scott Machado are familiar with each other, and that's the point. It spreads to management as well and they've shown the ability and fortitude to start (and excuse me for this) from the bottom, building towards a much larger goal, as explained here by Kevin Pelton of ESPN.
While this may seem like something that's suddenly happened, and it's not to the point of the Warriors winning in Summer League—something they've made a habit of in the past half-decade—it's been a progression of measured moves and analysis.
As for the game itself, we saw breakthrough performances from Goulbourne as he showed excellent touch around the basket, nailing a couple mid-range shots and even a corner three. A D-League veteran, there's an outside shot Goulbourne could make the roster as somewhat of a replacement for Festus Ezeli in the middle. Hey, he can catch the ball, at least. Cameron Jones and Ian Clark showed off excellent jumpers, making a case for another perimeter shooter—something any team can never have enough of. It's the defense that will push either one over the top and Clark has looked a tad more comfortable on that side of the ball so far.
Play of the Game:
Kent Bazemore crossover dribble on the left side, took two steps and lifted off from the third hash line lining the paint, and finishing with his left hand almost grazing the backboard. That's some kind of length.
The next game is TBD as the tournament format gets set. The Warriors will play no fewer than two more games and no more than five more games.