Golden State Of Mind: All Posts by Thomas Bevilacqua"UNSTOPPABLE BABY!" - Warriors rookie Marc Jackson to the Mavs' bench, after a lay-up during a 29-point loss (2000)https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50563/gsom-fav.png2019-12-12T09:00:00-08:00https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/authors/thomas-bevilacqua/rss2019-12-12T09:00:00-08:002019-12-12T09:00:00-08:00Analysis: Chriss, Russell aren’t enough as Warriors lose 124-122 to New York Knicks
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<img alt="New York Knicks v Golden State Warriors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/G4fOpdyL6HncziBcR5T_V_W2a4U=/0x0:7360x4907/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65885188/1188074645.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Missed opportunities and mistakes haunt the Warriors as they fall short in this matchup of teams with the two worst records in the NBA this season.</p> <p id="gtmCgd">After losing to the <a href="https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/">Memphis Grizzlies</a> at home on Monday night, the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> had another good opportunity to pick up their sixth win of the season when the <a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">New York Knicks</a> came to town. But the Knicks raced out to a massive lead in the second quarter and were poised to hand the Warriors perhaps their worst defeat of this 2019-20 NBA season. But the Warriors fought back in the second half, erasing that large Knicks advantage and pushing the game into overtime. In the extra frame, the Warriors luck ran out and their shots didn’t fall as the Knicks held on to pick up the 124-122 win.</p>
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<strong>Chriss</strong><strong> provides Warriors with second-half spark</strong>
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<p id="jEVQv6">After trailing by 22 points at one time in the first half and 18 points at halftime, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr elected to make a change. Kerr decided to play <span>Marquese Chriss</span> alongside the other four starters to start the second half rather than <span>Willie Cauley-Stein</span>, who was the starting center. Chriss provided the Warriors with a spark in the third, helping the Warriors to a 30-19 quarter as they cut into that Knicks lead and eventually pushed the game into overtime.</p>
<p id="waSFSy">Chriss scored 12 points against the Knicks while grabbing 10 rebounds (this included a career-high 6 offensive rebounds as well). Chriss also had a defensive highlight as he blocked a <span>RJ Barrett</span> dunk attempt and then stared the rookie down after.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The block and the staredown from Chriss <br><br>D-Lo finishes the play with the <a href="https://t.co/1zMzSfGbNX">pic.twitter.com/1zMzSfGbNX</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1205002189531316225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2019</a>
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<p id="pV1IEZ"><span>Cauley-Stein</span> has had a lock on the starting center spot since he’s joined the team but Chriss’ performance against the Knicks might give Kerr something to think about with his next starting lineup.</p>
<h2 id="7ZYKuG"><strong>Warriors’ offensive struggles continue</strong></h2>
<p id="GHahO8">Some of the offensive issues the Warriors had against the Grizzlies on Monday night were present in Wednesday night’s loss. Early in the game, the Warriors missed numerous point-blank layups and wide-open midrange shots, high-percentage shots that one just expects to fall. The Warriors shot 33.3% from the field in the first half, helping the Knicks to jump out to that massive advantage.</p>
<p id="hASC3m">In the past, when the Warriors missed a layup or a dunk, there was always the sense that they could make it up with one impressive barrage of three-pointers. But without <span>Stephen Curry</span> and <span>Klay Thompson</span> providing that firepower, the Warriors need to be more careful about capitalizing on offensive opportunities when they have them.</p>
<p id="DPwXqm">Just as he was against the Grizzlies, <span>Eric Paschall</span> was so bothered by an opponent’s length and physicality that his offensive game was totally disrupted. Paschall scored just 5 points in Wednesday night’s loss to the Knicks and grabbed 1 rebound. Teams are now game-planning for the rookie from Villanova, making a concerted effort to slow him down. </p>
<p id="cIQ5p4">This is a part of the learning and development process for Paschall, figuring out what to do when he’s unable to do whatever he wants on the court. The Warriors will need him to take that next step, learn how to counter when an opponent who is specifically game-planning to stop him, before they will be able to make big improvements this season.</p>
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<img alt="New York Knicks v Golden State Warriors" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/l4SiozvP44cU2sYIqco4ku8vBMg=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19486424/1188069546.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Wednesday night was another game to forget for Warriors rookie Eric Paschall</figcaption>
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<p id="5hjxov">The Warriors also struggled from three-point range against the Knicks, going 10/37 from long distance. This wasn’t an issue of the Warriors taking bad shots or the Knicks defending the three-point line well. The Warriors had open looks from beyond the arc throughout the game, they just did not make them. That said, there was one player who did not suffer from the long-distance shooting woes that befell the rest of the team.</p>
<p id="yzM9M5"><span>D’Angelo Russell</span> managed to have a good night from beyond the arc, going 6/14 from three-point range on his way to scoring 32 points. One of those three-pointers came with time running out in the game to push the game into overtime.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">D-LO. THREE. TIE GAME. <a href="https://t.co/sgkWzD3zPd">pic.twitter.com/sgkWzD3zPd</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1205005395581788160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2019</a>
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<p id="U5prGZ">But outside of <span>Russell</span>, there was not much production from long distance.The Warriors aren’t expecting Splash Brothers-level production out of players like <span>Alec Burks</span> and <span>Glenn Robinson III</span>, but they will need them to make open looks from three-point range with at least some regularity. That was not the case against the Knicks and it’s a major part of why they lost this game.</p>
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<strong>Morris</strong><strong> takes advantage of soft Warriors defense</strong>
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<p id="oEZIzu">Leading the way for the Knicks tonight was not the rookie Barrett, although he did score 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Rather it was a veteran player in <span>Marcus Morris</span> who led the way for the visitors from the Eastern Conference. </p>
<p id="92kXDH"><span>Morris</span> scored 36 points in the win over the Warriors, going 5/9 from three-point range. The defensive issues the Warriors had on Monday night returned in the game against the Knicks. Their rotations were not tight and too often they left shooters open, specifically <span>Morris</span> (who is a competent shooter from three-point range).</p>
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<cite>Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>The Warriors left Marcus Morris Sr. open too many times and that cost them in Wednesday night’s loss to the Knicks.</figcaption>
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<p id="mMDfLK">In addition to Morris and his three-point shooting, the Knicks used their size and their glut of power forwards to dominate the paint. The Knicks scored 54 points in the paint in Wednesday night’s win. It was that domination of the paint that allowed the Knicks to jump out to that early lead as they had 32 points in the paint in the first half alone. Players like <span>Bobby Portis</span> and <span>Julius Randle</span> took advantage of the Warriors’ lack of size and physicality and feasted in the paint, helping the Knicks to get off to a hot start.</p>
<p id="Su4mLY">The Warriors did to one good thing defensively—force the Knicks into turnovers. The Knicks turned the ball over 19 times on Wednesday night, resulting in 27 points for the Warriors. 13 of those turnovers came in the second half alone, resulting in 19 points for the Warriors that allowed them to get back into the game. </p>
<p id="63ZM91">But those turnovers weren’t enough and the Warriors’ suspect defensive effort, especially against the three-point shot, led to a dispiriting home defeat.</p>
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https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/12/12/21012287/nba-2019-golden-state-warriors-game-new-york-knicks-dangelo-russell-marquese-chriss-marcus-morrisThomas Bevilacqua2019-12-10T09:00:00-08:002019-12-10T09:00:00-08:00Analysis: Warriors unable to stop Morant, lose 110-102 to the Grizzlies
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<img alt="NBA: Memphis Grizzlies at Golden State Warriors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2jzhrbMOvKk_sfMk68rXWcCdT0U=/0x0:3596x2397/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65864073/usa_today_13774036.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Memphis’ rookie point guard scored a game-high 26 points as the Warriors fail to win two games in a row for the first time this season.</p> <p id="jE7tee">After getting the win over the <a href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a> on Friday night at the United Center, the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Warriors</a> looked to do something they haven’t done all season—win two games in a row—when the Memphis Grizzlies came to the Chase Center for a Monday night matchup. The Warriors picked up one of their more impressive victories of the season the first time these two teams faced of when, on November 19th, the Warriors defeated the <a href="https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/">Grizzlies</a> at the FedEx Forum in Memphis by the score of 114-95.</p>
<p id="0wPnk9">Unfortunately, the Warriors did not have a repeat performance on Monday night. The Warriors struggled offensively while the Grizzlies got hot from three-point range. Though the Warriors made runs throughout the game to stay within striking distance, the home team could not come up with the baskets or the stops to ever take control away from the visitors. When the final buzzer sounded, the Grizzlies notched the 110-102 win over the Warriors, dropping the defending Western Conference champions’ record to 5-20 for the 2019-20 regular season.</p>
<h2 id="nPTElk"><strong>Paschall stumbles in battle of standout rookies</strong></h2>
<p id="H38TWw">Monday night’s game featured a matchup of the two best rookies this season in the Grizzlies’ <span>Ja Morant</span> and the Warriors’ <span>Eric Paschall</span>. This graphic from NBC Sports Bay Area shows just how much these first-year players have dominated the Rookie-of-the-Year conversation so far.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Helpful graphic! <a href="https://t.co/BclOtQVg9z">pic.twitter.com/BclOtQVg9z</a></p>— Kerith Burke (@KerithBurke) <a href="https://twitter.com/KerithBurke/status/1204274980923400194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2019</a>
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<p id="GA01mq">While Morant struggled in the matchup between these two teams in Memphis, the electric first-year point guard played like someone who deserved to be taken with the second pick in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft">NBA Draft</a> on Monday night. Morant scored a game-high 26 points, (including 13 points in the fourth quarter to seal the win for the Grizzlies) while going 3/5 from three-point range. It marked the fifth time this season Morant has scored 25+ points. Morant also finished the game with 7 assists, as his attacking play led to more open looks for the his teammates and made a fairly middling offensive team look like a juggernaut.</p>
<p id="fBMfe7">While Morant shined, Paschall struggled. In one of his worst performances of the season, Paschall scored just 5 points, going 2/10 from the field while grabbing just 2 rebounds and not handing out a single assist. This poor play from Paschall was thanks to the Grizzlies’ defensive effort, specifically the play of <span>Jaren Jackson Jr.</span> </p>
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<img alt="Memphis Grizzlies v Golden State Warriors" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/I91VKmjVHwxGjneDvosI3OLTEG8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19446072/1187446620.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>It was a game to forget for Eric Paschall against the Memphis Grizzlies, due in large part to their defensive strategy against the rookie big man.</figcaption>
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<p id="Ht0ZVY"><span>Jackson Jr.</span> is one of the bigger and longer players Paschall has dealt with this season and he really made him work, especially in the first half of Monday night’s loss. Paschall went 0/5 from the field in the first half, not knowing what to do against the size and length of <span>Jackson Jr.</span> It’s all part of the learning process for Paschall, a reminder that he’s still just a rookie and has many lessons yet to learn in this league.</p>
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<strong>Burks</strong><strong> a bright spot on dark offensive night for Dubs</strong>
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<p id="DDiFC1">While Paschall underwhelmed on offense, <span>Alec Burks</span> made key contributions for the Warriors. Coming off the bench, <span>Burks</span> scored a team-high 18 points, going 2/4 from long distance. It was Burks’ seventh-consecutive game scoring 10+ points as the free-agent signing continues to be a standout player for the Warriors this season. While the Warriors received solid offensive production from Burks and <span>Draymond Green</span> (who tied a season-high by scoring 16 points), the rest of the Warriors’ lineup was considerably less proficient. </p>
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<img alt="Memphis Grizzlies v Golden State Warriors" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hWl2PI-ByOw1GuBHzVUGU6Kuvbs=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19446077/1187446757.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Alec Burks was one of the few Warriors players who was consistent on offense, doing everything he could to get the Warriors the victory.</figcaption>
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<p id="GVg8FV">The Warriors shot 37.6% from the field in Monday night’s loss, the second-worst shooting performance for the Warriors in a game this season. When you shoot that poorly in a game, it’s going to be very tough to win unless everything else goes right. Unfortunately, that was not the case and the Warriors were dealt another defeat.</p>
<p id="cqbMAA">Of all the Warriors who saw action on Monday night, it was <span>D’Angelo Russell</span> who was the greatest example of these shooting woes. <span>Russell</span> scored 18 points but did so while going 6/22 from the field. There were innumerable shots from close range, floaters and layups, that Russell missed. Those high percentage shots—ones Russell normally makes— might have had a big impact on the result of the game, allowing the Warriors to extend scoring runs and perhaps regaining a lead. Russell has not played well since returning to the Warriors lineup after that right thumb sprain sidelined him and hopefully he’ll get back on track soon.</p>
<p id="xyzKa3">The Warriors did not help their cause by committing 16 turnovers, resulting in 24 points for the Grizzlies. Though <span>Green</span>’s energy and effort provided the Warriors with much-needed scoring, it also led to some reckless and careless play that gave the ball back to the Grizzlies. <span>Green</span> addressed this in his postgame comments:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">You could tell the Warriors few vets were pissed about this loss. One of the rare nights they should’ve and could’ve won if they played even decently. Draymond Green: “We fucked around with the game. We’re not good enough to do that.” <a href="https://t.co/x3FNbz0zWT">pic.twitter.com/x3FNbz0zWT</a></p>— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) <a href="https://twitter.com/anthonyVslater/status/1204285718891155456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2019</a>
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<p id="7yHZIx">While the Warriors with <span>Stephen Curry</span> and <span>Klay Thompson</span> could get away with some carelessness and turnovers because they had the talent and three-point firepower to make up for it, they can’t afford to do that with this depleted roster. </p>
<h2 id="Aqfd3P"><strong>Grizzlies’ three-point shooting leads them to a win</strong></h2>
<p id="aFJp8B">The Grizzlies aren’t an especially good team when it comes to shooting the ball from three-point range, placing near the bottom of the league in that regard. But on Monday night at the Chase Center, the Grizzlies let loose an impressive barrage from long distance to earn the victory. The Grizzlies went 15/40 from long distance in Monday night’s win, making nearly 4 more three-pointers than the 10.8 they’ve averaged so far this season. </p>
<p id="J7awhJ">In addition to Morant, <span>Jonas Valanciunas</span> got into the act from beyond the arc, making both of his three-point attempts on his way to scoring 13 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Coming off the bench, <span>Grayson Allen</span> also got hot from three-point range, going 3/4 from long distance and scoring 15 points before exiting the game with an ankle injury.</p>
<p id="k50EVq">Those three-point looks the Grizzlies converted were due in large part to Morant. Morant’s attacking put pressure on a suspect Warriors’ defense, causing their defensive rotations to get thrown off, leaving Grizzlies players open that Morant would find for the uncontested shot. Cleaning up these defensive lapses, along with doing a better job of converting high-percentage shot attempts, will be key to the Warriors get back on the winning track in the coming games.</p>
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https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/12/10/21004218/nba-2019-golden-state-warriors-game-loss-memphis-grizzlies-ja-morant-eric-paschall-draymond-greenThomas Bevilacqua2019-12-02T09:00:00-08:002019-12-02T09:00:00-08:00Analysis: Warriors suffer another close loss, falling 100-96 to Magic
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<img alt="NBA: Golden State Warriors at Orlando Magic" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1AmYaZfDsz9Gp8dQmIxtuFZtq9I=/0x141:3600x2541/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65809144/usa_today_13739124.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Despite strong performances from rookies Paschall and Bowman, the Warriors drop the second game on this Eastern Conference road trip on Sunday evening in Orlando.</p> <p id="kXktDh">After losing on Friday night to the <a href="https://www.hothothoops.com/">Miami Heat</a>, the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> made their way to central Florida to face off against the <a href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/">Orlando Magic</a> as part of the five-game road trip they’ve currently on. The Magic were a team many thought could make something of a leap this season (building off their playoff 2019 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-playoffs">NBA Playoffs</a> appearance) but they’ve struggled and fallen behind in the Eastern Conference. In other words, this was a game that only true NBA die-hards were looking forward to watching. Even though the game itself was a bit ragged at times, sloppy and rough around the edges, the Warriors and Magic played an exciting, hard-fought contest on Sunday evening for the crowd assembled at the Amway Center. </p>
<p id="25Y9Q0">Neither team was able to pull away and the game was close throughout, with 15 lead changes and 7 ties.But the Magic came up with big plays down the stretch and <span>Alec Burks</span> missed a good look at a three-pointer that could have sent the game to overtime as the Warriors lost 100-96 to the Magic. It was the Warriors’ 17th defeat as we just pass the quarter mark in this 2019-2020 NBA season.</p>
<h2 id="88vtQG"><strong>Bowman provides a spark</strong></h2>
<p id="13mJb4"><span>Glenn Robinson III</span> led the way for the Warriors, scoring 19 points against the Magic while going 3/6 from three-point range. Sunday night’s performance was easily one of <span>Robinson III</span>’s best since joining the Warriors and it was a shame it could not have come in a victory.</p>
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<img alt="NBA: Golden State Warriors at Orlando Magic" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/I-1lthYnZ3UpAE11rY2C3ODKeuk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19422908/usa_today_13739204.jpg">
<cite>Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
<figcaption>Glenn Robinson III led all Warriors players with 19 points but it wasn’t enough to get his team the win.</figcaption>
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<p id="yl49vl">While he didn’t quite the same numbers as <span>Robinson III</span>, <span>Ky Bowman</span> played just as important a role in keeping the Warriors in this game as they tried to get out of Florida with at least one win.</p>
<p id="HgdxAu">Bowman scored 12 points in Sunday evening’s loss, the eighth time this season the rookie point guard has scored 10+ points. 8 of those points came in the third quarter, including this bucket while in transition to cut the Magic’s lead to three points.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sky Bowman in full effect <a href="https://t.co/xmdlh49JTf">pic.twitter.com/xmdlh49JTf</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1201301118183100416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2019</a>
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<p id="ZltoF8">Beyond the traditional statistical measures, Bowman’s hustle and intensity were vital to the Warriors against the Magic. Even though he’s undersized, Bowman is a tenacious defender and rebounder, making up for his lack of size with determination and drive. It’s something that has come up here and that other people have been saying, but that doesn’t make it any less true...</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">END OF Q3: Warriors trail the Magic, 72-71. Two-way-contract guard Ky Bowman continues to show that he deserves to be on this team through the season. Has 10 points and 4 rebounds off the bench.</p>— Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) <a href="https://twitter.com/Con_Chron/status/1201301546618757121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2019</a>
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<p id="P9gneA">Bowman needs to be a part of this team and its plans going forward. This is a player who could be a key part of a very good team so he is someone you do not want to let slip way. Hopefully, once it’s possible, GM Bob Myers will make this a reality and Bowman can feel secure in his place with this franchise.</p>
<h2 id="eEgVDY"><strong>The future is here and its name is Paschall</strong></h2>
<p id="k6L3kU">At some point, the idea of <span>Eric Paschall</span> being a Rookie of the Year candidate is going to go from joke to (a quasi) serious thing. On Sunday evening, Paschall played well beyond his years on his way to scoring 17 points, pushing his total points this season up to 340, which leads all rookies thus far. You can see those things that make Paschall look not like a rookie on this play in the second quarter.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Paschall with the strong finish <a href="https://t.co/s6bLHjJd9B">pic.twitter.com/s6bLHjJd9B</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1201289213158789125?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2019</a>
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<p id="WznVhX">This is a basket that it takes most players some time to learn how to make, figuring out how to deal with the contact and all the traffic around the basket. But Paschall is able to drive, pick up the foul and make the basket to give himself a chance at a three-point play. </p>
<p id="bUVo9W">The Warriors have been such a veteran-heavy team these past three seasons (something of a necessity when you’re trotting out a starting lineup featuring two former MVPs) but there is a youth movement going on in the Bay Area. Some of it is by necessity—because of all the injuries and bad luck that has befallen the Warriors this season—and not totally by choice, but it is happening. </p>
<p id="ZHQtDI">Any time during this season when Warriors fans get frustrated with another loss in a game they would have won easily in the past few seasons (like this one, for example), they should just remember this experience the younger players are getting will pay enormous dividends at some point in the very near future. </p>
<h2 id="gzOmsn">
<strong>Fournier</strong><strong> and </strong><strong>Fultz</strong><strong> fuel the Magic</strong>
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<p id="jGB5fG">The Warriors did a good job containing the Magic’s star forward Aaron Gordon. Gordon, who hails from the Bay Area, scored 8 points on 2/11 shooting and was rendered something of a non-factor in this game, most likely because of the continued defensive excellence of <span>Draymond Green</span>. </p>
<p id="hU1V0y">But while the Warriors didn’t allow Gordon to beat them, they weren’t able to say the same thing about <span>Evan Fournier</span>. <span>Fournier</span> scored a game-high 32 points in the victory, going 6/10 from three-point range. Those 32 points also tied a career-high for <span>Fournier</span>. </p>
<p id="8R8S4N">Between Fournier and <span>Terrence Ross</span> (who scored 19 points coming off the bench), the Magic took advantage of the Warriors’ lack of wing defenders and put up some big numbers. Robinson III and <span>Burks</span> can make good offensive contributions but they are defensive liabilities that opponents can exploit.</p>
<p id="cbAodT">But late in the game it was <span>Markelle Fultz</span> who came up with the plays that secured the win for the Magic. <span>Fultz</span>, the first pick in the 2017 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft">NBA Draft</a>, had been labeled a bust as he was shipped to Orlando in just his second season in the league. But against the Warriors, Fultz looked like someone who deserved to be drafted that high.</p>
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<img alt="Golden State Warriors v Orlando Magic" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/k8utcH-61B4RVghk346TOJV0Jwc=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19422902/1185969695.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Fultz was clutch in the fourth quarter as the Magic earned the win over the visiting Warriors.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="Z8Moob">Fultz finished the game with 14 points and 9 assists, while also posting a game-high plus/minus of +9. 8 of Fultz’s 14 points came in the fourth quarter, including a 4-point mini-run around the two-minute mark that gave the Magic the lead for good.</p>
<p id="aEfQ8v">The Warriors continue their northward travels on Monday as they head to Georgia to face off against the <a href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a>.</p>
<p id="mzNvsm"></p>
<p id="yRMP3G"></p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/12/2/20990834/nba-2019-golden-state-warriors-game-orlando-magic-loss-ky-bowman-eric-paschall-evan-fournierThomas Bevilacqua2019-11-18T09:00:00-08:002019-11-18T09:00:00-08:00Analysis: Warriors cannot contain Pelicans from three-point range, lose 108-100
<figure>
<img alt="NBA: Golden State Warriors at New Orleans Pelicans" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/uQOryeo79KOhCIUIclphTwGuh6U=/18x897:2132x2306/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65723282/usa_today_13682089.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Even with Eric Paschall contributing 30 points, the Warriors can’t stop the Pelicans long-distance barrage as they lose their seventh-straight game.</p> <p id="XoBhPz">The <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> began a four-game road trip on Sunday in the Crescent City with a matchup against the <a href="https://www.thebirdwrites.com/">New Orleans Pelicans</a>. Both teams came into this game short-handed as the Warriors added <span>D’Angelo Russell</span> to their already lengthy injury list with a right thumb sprain. The Pelicans, meanwhile, were without <span>Brandon Ingram</span>, <span>Lonzo Ball</span>, and <span>Josh Hart</span>. </p>
<p id="fNyhS3">While there wasn’t much offense to be had (at times it felt like a bit of a rock fight), the Warriors battled throughout the whole game, not throwing in the towel even after falling behind by as many as 17 points. But once again, another inspired effort put forth by this undermanned Warriors team was all for naught as they lost to the Pelicans, 108-100. The loss left the Warriors’ record at 2-12 at this early point in the 2019-20 regular season.</p>
<h2 id="j3oNuA"><strong>Dubs defensive development continues</strong></h2>
<p id="OES9qG">Many of the defensive improvements that the Warriors displayed against the <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a> on Friday night were still present in the game against the Pelicans, holding team that averages around 116 points per game to just 108 on Sunday night.</p>
<p id="QaJ4Kz">Just like they did against the Celtics, the Warriors played solid defense, particularly in the pick-and-roll situations they frequently found themselves having to defend. Save for the occasional lapse, players like <span>Willie Cauley-Stein</span> and <span>Marquese Chriss</span> did a good job contesting shots without fouling while <span>Omari Spellman</span> once again was a solid defender coming off the bench.</p>
<p id="5ge0NK">Also, because I couldn’t find a good place to put this, here’s <span>Chriss</span> throwing down an absolutely vicious, rim-rattling dunk.</p>
<div id="SBZkj0">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Marquese just caught a body <a href="https://t.co/7mMbH0axIV">pic.twitter.com/7mMbH0axIV</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1196245189133619202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2019</a>
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<p id="aZAvrv">The Warriors even did limited the damage <span>Jrue Holiday</span>, probably the most talented Pelicans player on the court on Sunday night, could do. <span>Holiday</span> scored 22 points but they were a very workmanlike and inefficient 22 points as he needed 23 shots to get them as the Warriors did a good job containing a good player in <span>Holiday</span>.</p>
<p id="rQdzEF">At the very least, one could still see that defensive improvement in the loss to the Pelicans, that the strides the team made in Friday night’s game against the Celtics were real. As the team (hopefully, mercifully) starts to get healthy and players they expected to be on the roster start to return to action, that trend of defensive improvement will continue.</p>
<h2 id="8TUSLS"><strong>Pelicans’ three-point shooting wins them game</strong></h2>
<p id="kJN1YM">But where this game was won and lost was at the three-point line. The Pelicans were dominant from long distance while the Warriors struggled to make anything from long range. The Pelicans shot 39.1% from three-point land in Sunday night’s game, as they had 18 makes from beyond the arc, compared to the 7 made three-point shots the Warriors had. That’s a 33-point disparity when it comes to three-point shooting and it’s what doomed the Warriors in this matchup. Whether it was the home team finding the weak spot in the Warriors’ defensive game plan or just a good shooting performance from one of the best three-point shooting teams in the league this season, the Pelicans ability to make three-point shots was the thing that really gave them this win.</p>
<p id="5dGd7M">Leading the way from three-point range for the Pelicans was, not surprisingly, <span>JJ Redick</span>. The prolific three-point shooter went 6/11 from long distance on his way to scoring a team-high 26 points in the win. Also getting in on the act was rookie <span>Nickeil Alexander-Walker</span>. The rookie Alexander-Walker scored 19 points and shot from three-point range while coming off the bench for the Pelicans. Another Pelicans rookie, <span>Nicolo Melli</span>, went 5/7 from three-point range as part of his 15-point night. </p>
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<img alt="Golden State Warriors v New Orleans Pelicans" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xHjMpaMVlqXQkQyMuCWaTx4-fGs=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19385709/1188297391.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Redick and the rest of the Pelicans got hot from three-point range, propelling them to victory over the Warriors.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="gJOCJy">The Warriors, meanwhile, had trouble making anything from long distance. The struggles of <span>Jordan Poole</span> continued in New Orleans as he didn’t score a single point, going 0/3 from three-point range. I talked about <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/11/16/20967746/nba-2019-golden-state-warriors-boston-celtics-dangelo-russell-draymond-green-kemba-walker-alec-burks">Poole’s play and the way in which his rookie campaign has not gotten off to an ideal start</a> after the Celtics loss, so I won’t belabor it here. <span>Alec Burks</span> also didn’t make a three-point shot against the Pelicans, going 0/4 from beyond the arc and scoring just 8 points after being inserted into the starting lineup for the injured <span>Russell</span>. </p>
<p id="yzQpoD">Perhaps the greatest sign that this is a different (and strange) Warriors season—they are getting dominated by teams from three-point range. The Warriors, the team that really helped usher in the three-point revolution in basketball, is getting bested by teams from beyond the arc. These are truly peculiar times (and, certainly, has to do with a couple of the players who aren’t on the roster due to injury).</p>
<h2 id="sE2ahl"><strong>Paschall and Bowman lone offensive bright spots for Warriors</strong></h2>
<p id="tVoBTF">The one Warrior player who did not struggle offensively was rookie <span>Eric Paschall</span>. Paschall, who really might be becoming a dark-horse Rookie of the Year candidate, scored a game-high 30 points in the loss while shooting 2/4 from three-point range. It was the third-straight game in which Paschall has scored in double figures and the second time this season he’s scored 30+ points. </p>
<p id="bnwh5m">The prospect of Paschall eventually lining up with <span>Stephen Curry</span> and <span>Klay Thompson</span> and <span>Draymond Green</span> should give all dispirited and dejected members of Dub Nation some hope during this frustrating season through which we’re making our way.</p>
<div id="8Qf0eK">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Paschall <a href="https://t.co/zBDsNV2Y5b">pic.twitter.com/zBDsNV2Y5b</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1196232967019847680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2019</a>
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<p id="SyuCDv">The Warriors got an offensive boost from another rookie—<span>Ky Bowman</span>. Pressed into more minutes because of the injury to Russell, Bowman scored 19 points while going 3/7 from three-point range. Those three makes from long distance were a career-high for the young point guard. Bowman also finished the night with 4 assists and 1 steal. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Golden State Warriors v New Orleans Pelicans" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/c8eO2RjONEA0tDt16x9_oW7Vg8A=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19385729/1183160451.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Ky Bowman’s career-high three made shots from three-point range weren’t enough for the Warriors to get their third win of the season on Sunday night.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="fSWM40">I know that invoking his name brings up bad memories of the 2019 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-finals">NBA Finals</a>, but I see a little <span>Fred VanVleet</span> in Bowman, a slightly-undersized-but-still-tough point guard who can come off the bench and either provide an energy boost or be a part of a second unit while the starting point guard (i.e. <span>Stephen Curry</span>) gets some rest. </p>
<p id="nx9wnj"></p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/11/18/20969790/nba-2019-golden-state-warriors-game-new-orleans-pelicans-loss-eric-paschall-jj-reddick-ky-bowmanThomas Bevilacqua2019-11-16T09:00:00-08:002019-11-16T09:00:00-08:00Analysis: Warriors play tough, come up just short in 105-100 loss to Celtics
<figure>
<img alt="Boston Celtics v Golden State Warriors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jgIAOTI-k06jxepjOJUxmYqOKxA=/1171x720:4256x2777/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65714541/1182751621.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>20 points from Alec Burks along with a much-improved defensive effort wasn’t enough to get the Warriors their third win of the 2019-20 season.</p> <p id="Tx1WcZ">After a road loss at the hands of the <a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Los Angeles Lakers</a> on Wednesday night, things did not get much easier for the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> as they welcomed the Eastern-Conference leading <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a> to Chase Center for a Friday night matchup. Most people watching probably suspected that the Celtics would make quick work of the undermanned Warriors and the game would not be competitive for very long. </p>
<p id="dZIoRl">But in reality, it was a hard-fought, back-and-forth affair with the Warriors even holding a slim lead late in the fourth quarter. But the Celtics’ talent and firepower were too much and they hung on late, getting the 105-100 win over the Warriors.</p>
<h2 id="J8p2MH"><strong>Draymond leads better defensive effort from Dubs</strong></h2>
<p id="LYe464">The key to the Warriors staying in this game was their defense. As the Warriors feature the league’s worst defense this season and they were facing one of the NBA’s premier offenses, astronomical point totals and a gaudy final score for the Celtics seemed like a certainty. But the Warriors played perhaps their best defense of the season on Friday night, holding the Celtics to 40.7% from the field and 39.4% from three-point range while also forcing the Celtics into committing 14 turnovers. </p>
<p id="2G1UjP">The Warriors defense in the first quarter was especially impressive, as the Celtics scored just 23 points in the opening frame. The Warriors were able to build off this great first-quarter defensive effort as they led by as many as 15 points before ending the quarter with a 9-point lead. </p>
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<img alt="NBA: Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5wSj0OGqKb2JTtG9fsQtbmUpUjQ=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19382157/usa_today_13672285.jpg">
<cite>Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
<figcaption>D’Angelo Russell’s ten first-quarter points, coupled with much better team defense, allowed the Warriors to jump out to an early lead.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="E5JB7L">Too often this season, the Warriors have fallen behind early and not been able to climb out of those big holes, their fate seemingly determined before the game can really begin. By keeping the Celtics from racing out to an early lead and not getting off to a horrendous start of their own, the Warriors were able to keep things close even as they played against one of the best teams in the league.</p>
<p id="gZigjv">If the Warriors were going to finally put together a good defensive game, you knew <span>Draymond Green</span> was going to be at the heart of it. Chase Center saw a focused and intense <span>Green</span> on Friday night as he posted a double-double (11 points, 11 rebounds) while setting the tone on defense that the rest of the Warriors followed. </p>
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<img alt="NBA: Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YtibR7t9UtZx1rWe-nsY3Pjhaw4=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19382164/usa_today_13672250.jpg">
<cite>Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
<figcaption>Making big contributions on offense and defense, Draymond Green looked like the Draymond Green of championship-winning seasons on Friday night.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="k1FkwH">So many of the defensive errors we’ve seen during this first month of the regular season were absent against the Celtics, especially the lapses in the transition defense and in the paint. <span>Omari Spellman</span> continued to look like a capable defensive player and even <span>Willie Cauley-Stein</span> looked competent defensively to go along with his 10 points and 8 rebounds. </p>
<p id="oe17pA">The Warriors even did a good job containing the Celtics’ point guard, <span>Kemba Walker</span>, through the first three quarters of the game. <span>Walker</span> came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 of his 20 points in that final frame as he gave his team the push it needed to secure a road victory. But the Warriors’ efforts containing the All-Star through those first three quarters should not be totally overlooked.</p>
<p id="tdP9Ti">Perhaps this new Warriors team just needed a little bit of time and practice before they could start playing quality team defense. Hopefully they can give this same kind of effort in the games ahead.</p>
<h2 id="0uw4aa"><strong>Turnovers the main problem for Warriors offense</strong></h2>
<p id="sOhiFW">While the Warriors played much better defensively on Friday night, what led to them giving up that early double-digit lead and ultimately losing this game was what happened on offense. Specifically, the Warriors’ predilection for giving the ball away really doomed them against the Celtics. The Warriors turned the ball over 20 times on Friday night, which resulted in 22 points for the visitors from Boston. </p>
<p id="CJvY2o">Too often this season, the Warriors have not been able to come up with the defensive stops that would allow them to cut into an opponent’s lead or build up an advantage of their own. On Friday night, they were getting those stops but proceeded to give possessions away, which prevented them from capitalizing on those stops.</p>
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<img alt="NBA: Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ci9FiJByVEM-AGIYRw1FnCvcudo=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19382178/usa_today_13671488.jpg">
<cite>Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
<figcaption>The Celtics capitalized on the Warriors’ 20 turnovers in Friday night’s game, using those extra possessions to jump start their offense on their way to a narrow victory.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="h3VKnJ">It was the Warriors turnovers in the second quarter, giving it away six times in the second frame of Friday night’s matchup, that helped the Celtics overcome that sizable first-quarter advantage for the Warriors and retake control of the game heading into halftime.</p>
<p id="IszDoX">That Warriors’ turnover total included a career-high 9 turnovers from <span>D’Angelo Russell</span>, who left the game in the third quarter with a <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/11/15/20967752/2019-nba-warriors-game-celtics-dangelo-russell-injury">sprained right thumb</a> and did not return. <span>Russell</span> finished the night with 12 points and 7 assists. </p>
<p id="1V50pQ">After putting in some electric offensive performances this season that went for naught because of the Warriors’ defensive woes, Russell had a chance to get the Warriors a victory if he could just give them a little of that offensive magic (because they were finally playing defense well enough to win). Unfortunately, it wasn’t Russell’s night and the Warriors secured their eleventh loss of the season.</p>
<h2 id="paQBiW">
<strong>Burks</strong><strong> and Paschall shine once again</strong>
</h2>
<p id="ZYmnPi">While Russell struggled before exiting the game with an injury, <span>Alec Burks</span> provided the Warriors with an infusion of offense against the Celtics. Coming off the bench, <span>Burks</span> scored 20 points on Friday night to lead the team in scoring. It was the third time that Burks has scored 20+ points in a Warriors uniform.</p>
<div id="bOTv0B">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Steal ➡️ Layup <a href="https://t.co/xpcJyqyiMY">pic.twitter.com/xpcJyqyiMY</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1195576249541771265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2019</a>
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<p id="lGe3op">In addition to Burks, the Warriors got 16 points and 8 rebounds from their standout rookie, <span>Eric Paschall</span>. Once again, Paschall played less like a rookie and more like a player who has spent time in the pro game and feels very comfortable at this level. </p>
<div id="93BwZz">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hakeem Paschall? <a href="https://t.co/jnSRViQl74">pic.twitter.com/jnSRViQl74</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1195557262997086209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2019</a>
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<p id="LJ63T0">The same could not be said for his fellow rookie, <span>Jordan Poole</span>. Poole’s struggles continued as he scored just 4 points and went 1/8 from the field and 0/5 from three-point range. Poole was just one part of an abysmal three-point shooting night for the Warriors as they went just 5/28 from long distance.</p>
<p id="fQvwXm">While Paschall has been the pleasant surprise of the season, at this point one has to say Poole’s rookie campaign is firmly in the realm of the disappointment. The book certainly hasn’t been written on Poole and he has plenty of time to develop and start playing better (which he should begin to do at some point). But Poole was someone who was expected to hit the ground running and fit in seamlessly with this Warriors’ roster. Up to this point in the 2019-20 regular season, he certainly has not.</p>
<p id="MKNyAh"></p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/11/16/20967746/nba-2019-golden-state-warriors-boston-celtics-dangelo-russell-draymond-green-kemba-walker-alec-burksThomas Bevilacqua2019-11-07T09:00:00-08:002019-11-07T09:00:00-08:00Analysis: Warriors show heart, progress in 129-112 loss to Houston Rockets
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<img alt="Golden State Warriors v Houston Rockets" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NXK3ksfpYadB0__0--Xy9OthF58=/0x0:4248x2832/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65650546/1180487995.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Even though the Warriors came up short in this rematch of the 2019 Western Conference Semifinals, their young players played hard and gave Dub Nation a glimpse into what might be a promising future. </p> <p id="ja6EPN">After an inspiring victory over the <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> on Monday night, giving the team their first regular-season win in the Chase Center, the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> traveled to Texas for a matchup against their opponents in the 2019 Western Conference Semifinals—the <a href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Houston Rockets</a>. Just as it was against the Trail Blazers, it was going to be a tall order for the undermanned Warriors to keep up with the Rockets, a team with real championship aspirations (whether they should have those aspirations with a team built around <span>James Harden</span> and <span>Russell Westbrook</span>... that’s a question for another day). </p>
<p id="wr2tlX">But the young Warriors fought valiantly, keeping the game close for much of the first half until the Rockets’ firepower advantage became quite apparent, pulling away in the third quarter as they handed the Warriors the 129-112 loss. </p>
<h2 id="fmJlJp">
<strong>Burks</strong><strong>, Spellman provide boost off the bench</strong>
</h2>
<p id="QFRaWi">Leading the way for the Warriors was someone coming off the bench. <span>Alec Burks</span> scored a team-high 28 points in 31 minutes of action against the Rockets. <span>Burks</span> shot 10/18 from the field, going 3/8 from three-point range in the loss. Burks also pulled in 8 rebounds and finished the game with a plus/minus of +2, one of the few Warriors players to finish the game with a positive plus/minus figure. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Golden State Warriors v Houston Rockets" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xtyGzN_WCEeTGUlvMKZz5YNLjbg=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19355482/1180489640.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Alec Burks came alive against the Rockets, scoring 28 points in Wednesday night’s loss.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="8K189l">While Burks is a seasoned veteran relative to some of the very young players on the Warriors roster, he’s still a player in the early stages of his career who hasn't quite developed into as good as player as many expected he would be. With the Warriors, Burks is showing signs that he’s moving towards realizing at least part of that potential. If he can, Burks will become a true asset, either as a part of what this team looks like going forward or as a trade chip the Warriors might use later this season.</p>
<p id="VzyqpQ"><span>Omari Spellman</span> is a player, much like Burks, who found himself on the Warriors after underperforming at the beginning of his career. But on Wednesday night, Spellman played like someone who belongs in the league and as a part of a solid rotation. Spellman scored points coming off the bench, going from the field. Spellman also grabbed 7 rebounds, handed out 3 assists, and grabbed 2 steals in minutes of action. </p>
<div id="Fi35e2">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Spellman doin' work on both ends <a href="https://t.co/caJeGwq1gw">pic.twitter.com/caJeGwq1gw</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1192256312052043776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2019</a>
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<p id="piD2pE">Spellman did an admirable defensive job, holding his own when he got switched onto one of the Rockets’ attacking perimeter players. If Spellman continues the progression he’s shown in his lfirst few games with the Warriors, he might establish himself as a solid big man coming off the bench for the team in the future. Holding his own against the Rockets’ players is what made us all realize <span>Kevon Looney</span> could be a good player, perhaps its revealing that there is something there with Spellman as well.</p>
<h2 id="uYmHUh"><strong>Rookies Paschall and Bowman continue to impress</strong></h2>
<p id="8GvDvR">Picking up where he left off in Monday night’s win over the Trail Blazers, <span>Eric Paschall</span> scored 19 points against the Rockets, going 6/15 from the field and 2/4 from three-point range. One of those baskets came on this play as Paschall took advantage of being defended by the undersized and defensively challenged Harden to not only get the basket but also earn a trip to the free-throw line. </p>
<div id="tP90rC">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Beard too small for Paschall <a href="https://t.co/TKt0vfGyHg">pic.twitter.com/TKt0vfGyHg</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1192252457381855232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2019</a>
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<p id="kNYcpv">11 of Paschall’s points came in the first half as he was instrumental to the Warriors keeping things close, even holding a six-point lead at one point in those first two quarters of action. Though it wasn’t quite as mesmerizing a performance as the one he turned in against the Trail Blazers on Monday, Paschall continues to look like a real steal for the Warriors. It remains to be seen how long the rookie from Villanova can keep this up but Paschall is probably making quite a few teams regret passing on him in the 2019 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft">NBA Draft</a>.</p>
<p id="5y7lZF">Another key to the Warriors getting off to that good start which allowed them to hang with the Rockets for much of the first half was <span>Ky Bowman</span>. Bowman scored 8 points in the loss, but 6 of those points came in the first quarter and all of them coming on makes from beyond the arc. Bowman’s energy and intensity, especially on defense, really stood out when he’d get on the court during <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-summer-league">Las Vegas Summer League</a>. But early in the 2019-20 regular season, Bowman has shown that he has some offensive pop as well.</p>
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<img alt="Golden State Warriors v Houston Rockets" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/M16x532nqONgx8ftwwEHsKBFxTs=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19355463/1180497534.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Ky Bowman’s three-point shooting in the first quarter of Wednesday night’s game helped them keep things close against the Houston Rockets.</figcaption>
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<p id="rsfs5B">While Paschall has turned the most heads in this short-handed start to the Warriors’ regular season, Bowman has quietly given them good play from the point guard position. It’s still early but Bowman might be playing himself into an actual contract with the Warriors, not just the two-way contract he currently has.</p>
<h2 id="rsKw6W">
<strong>Too much </strong><strong>Harden</strong><strong> for Warriors to stop</strong>
</h2>
<p id="8gwT3N">The Warriors slowed Harden down for most of the first half of Wednesday night’s game, but the 2018 NBA MVP came alive late in the second quarter, spearheading an 18-6 Rockets run to end the first half that allowed them to enter halftime with an 11-point lead. Harden scored a game-high 36 points on Wednesday night while also handing out 13 assists. As well as the Warriors played for stretches of this game, not having a <span>Stephen Curry</span> or <span>Klay Thompson</span> (or a <span>Draymond Green</span> or even a <span>D’Angelo Russell</span>) who could match Harden’s offensive impact (even if Harden’s impact is largely through chicanery, but I digress) was going to make getting a victory almost impossibly difficult.</p>
<p id="KQQxvZ">Stepping up alongside Harden for the Rockets was <span>P.J. Tucker</span>, who scored 22 points while going 4/8 from three-point range as well as serving as the primary defender on the Warriors’ Paschall. The Rockets also got a big contribution fro <span>Danuel House Jr.</span>, who scored 17 points and shot 5/6 from three-point range in Wednesday night’s victory. </p>
<p id="9uJf09">The Warriors did do a good job limiting the damage Westbrook inflicted, as he scored 18 points on an inefficient 8/18 shooting. But even as they held Westbrook relatively in check, the Warriors did not contain the Rockets’ other scoring options and thus left the Toyota Center with a loss.</p>
<h2 id="4MpH11"><strong>Poor performance from Poole</strong></h2>
<p id="UWQWI7">While rookies Paschall and Bowman showed promise against the Rockets, <span>Jordan Poole</span> struggled considerably. Poole scored just 8 points and was 2/11 from the field, going from 2/8 from three-point range. It’s not surprising that a rookie will be up-and-down to begin his NBA career, but those ups and downs are very pronounced with Poole. Right now, Poole is in one of those down stretches when it seems like there’s no hope of getting back on track.</p>
<p id="MNeDOY">That said, while Poole struggled to make baskets, he still found ways to make plays and help his team, as one sees on this play from early in the fourth quarter. </p>
<div id="ntnn86">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jordan Poole is struggling with his shot again, but he continues to show the ability to create for others <a href="https://t.co/uuKaQUdj9X">pic.twitter.com/uuKaQUdj9X</a></p>— Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrewShiller/status/1192272723570937862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2019</a>
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<p id="3dOb8P">With <span>Curry</span> out for three months and <span>Green</span> banged up as well, the Warriors need players who can start the action and set up his teammates to convert opportunities. At times against the Rockets, Poole looked like he could be that kind of player. Hopefully that’s something we’ll see more of throughout the season and in victorious efforts.</p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/11/7/20952702/nba-2019-golden-state-warriors-game-houston-rockets-alec-burks-eric-paschall-james-harden-ky-bowmanThomas Bevilacqua2019-11-02T09:00:00-07:002019-11-02T09:00:00-07:00Analysis: Warriors drop third consecutive game at Chase Center, lose 127-110 to San Antonio Spurs
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<img alt="San Antonio Spurs v Golden State Warriors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/AKEn8gkSwg0eUfsafJLrIAdK4_8=/0x0:3600x2400/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65612584/1179396365.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Despite a 30-point performance from D’Angelo Russell, the Warriors can’t come up with the defense or rebounding needed to earn a victory. </p> <p id="RpLq7d">The <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Warriors</a> began their new, <span>Stephen Curry</span>-less reality (<a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/11/1/20944222/2019-nba-warriors-steph-curry-broken-hand-injury-update-surgery">for the next three months at least</a>) on Friday night as they welcomed the <a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a> to Chase Center. Once again, the Warriors came up short in a 127-110 loss but the game was closer than that final score indicates. There were 9 lead changes and 8 ties on Friday night as the Warriors played well (or at least better than they have been playing) for much of the first three quarters before the Spurs pulled away in the fourth.</p>
<h2 id="Du1u5H">
<strong>Change in offense helps </strong><strong>Russell</strong><strong>, Warriors</strong>
</h2>
<p id="1qXWPP">In his first game as the unquestioned centerpiece of the Warriors’ offensive gameplan, <span>D’Angelo Russell</span> showed why he’s viewed as one of the more promising young players in the league. Russell scored 30 points against the Spurs, his first time scoring 30+ points for the Warriors and the 22nd time in his career he’s done so. Russell also handed out 8 assists in his 33 minutes of action. </p>
<p id="YiGu0T">Russell scored 14 of his 30 points in the first quarter as the Warriors avoided falling behind big early, something they’ve done quite a few times this season. Three of those first-quarter points came on this shot from beyond the arc after Russell used a nifty move to get open.</p>
<div id="mRhi5W">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">D-Lo goin’ behind the back to the <a href="https://t.co/Q0V4ykDE98">pic.twitter.com/Q0V4ykDE98</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1190464417214787584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2019</a>
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<p id="GKEtzh">The Warriors offense was run by Russell, the ball was in his hands most of the time he was on the court as Steve Kerr steered the game plan away from the more pass-heavy system he prefers to something a little less complex. The Warriors also ran more pick-and-roll action for Russell and other players and used more high ball screens. After having an offense that tended to stagnate and grind to a halt in three of the first four games of the season, the Warriors looked much improved on that end against the Spurs.</p>
<p id="PQOlt9">This simplified game plan also helped <span>Jordan Poole</span> and <span>Alec Burks</span> get going and have nice games of their own. Poole scored 20 points in the loss, going 4/7 from three-point range. Those 20 points were a career-high for the rookie from Michigan and it’s the second time this season that Poole has scored in double digits. </p>
<p id="AhbjRm">It’s clear that Poole has the green light and is not afraid to shoot, which resulted in makes like this three-pointer in the second quarter.</p>
<div id="QhNV5e">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">JP looking confident <a href="https://t.co/tFMsIXg7Kp">pic.twitter.com/tFMsIXg7Kp</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1190468815433285633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2019</a>
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<p id="7zDuIt"><span>Burks</span> missed the first three games of the 2019-20 season but, after a rough start in Wednesday night’s loss to the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a>, showed why the Warriors chose to sign him this past off-season against the Spurs. Coming off the bench, <span>Burks</span> scored 14 points while going 2/2 from three-point range against the Spurs, beating the buzzer at the end of the third quarter to convert this make from beyond the arc.</p>
<div id="xfY6ul">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Burks beats the clock <a href="https://t.co/J5GVdr3QgI">pic.twitter.com/J5GVdr3QgI</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1190483397614825472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2019</a>
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<p id="PPmTHb">Though the result wasn’t what the Warriors nor their fans wanted, on Friday night one saw both the potential of players like Poole and Burks and the kind of play one expects from a player like Russell. With a little more time, the play of these players in a slightly augmented offensive system will start to have an effect on the win column.</p>
<h2 id="lHmpgW"><strong>Dubs dominated on the offensive glass</strong></h2>
<p id="IOtH5x">While the Warriors looked better offensively against the Spurs, keeping things close for the first three quarters of the game, their defense—specifically their rebounding— failed them and allowed the Spurs to get the comfortable win. </p>
<p id="ihsOcd">While players like Russell and Poole made considerable contributions on the offensive end, they were frequently getting lost on defense, allowing open looks for Spurs players and preventing the Warriors from putting together big runs. There were bright spots defensively for the Warriors as both <span>Eric Paschall</span> and <span>Omari Spellman</span> looked good defensively, but the team’s defensive effort left a great deal to be desired.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="San Antonio Spurs v Golden State Warriors" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Og8RooiOCe_nZTgBlK7nNtj3DKE=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19340804/1179396856.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Rookie Eric Paschall was one of the defensive bright spots for the Warriors but it was not enough to get his team the victory.</figcaption>
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<p id="5M9Ebq">The Spurs pulled down 16 offensive rebounds on Friday night, resulting in 23 second-chance points (compare that to the Warriors and their 8 second-chance points in the game). With a depleted roster filled with very young players and marginal NBA talents, defense is going to be a constant struggle for the Warriors this entire season. Stops are going to be hard to come by. But on Friday night, even when the Warriors got stops, they gave up an offensive rebound that resulted in another shot attempt that the Spurs converted. </p>
<p id="mI3nyl">The psychological effect of playing good defense and forcing the opponent to miss only to watch the opponent get the ball right back and have another chance to score cannot be overstated. Also, with how suspect this Warriors defense is, they have to capitalize any time they can get a stop. They didn’t do that against the Spurs and it’s what cost them the game. </p>
<h2 id="v44UO1">
<strong>Mills</strong><strong> and </strong><strong>Aldridge</strong><strong> finish the job</strong>
</h2>
<p id="8QvAaL">As he seems to do whenever he plays the Warriors, <span>Patty Mills</span> played exceedingly well. Coming off the Spurs bench, <span>Mills</span> scored a game-high 31 points in minutes on Friday night going 6/9 from three-point range. Mills gave the Spurs a big lift in the second quarter, scoring 8 points in the second frame to make sure that the Spurs went into halftime with a two-point advantage. </p>
<p id="cZeELL">In the second half, <span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span> took over as the Spurs began to pull away from the Warriors to earn the comfortable victory. <span>Aldridge</span> scored 14 of his 22 points in the second half as the Warriors, especially without <span>Kevon Looney</span>, could not slow down the Spurs’ big man. </p>
<p id="4ELwYp">The Warriors were able to keep <span>DeMar DeRozan</span> relatively quiet as he scored 13 points on 4/7 shooting, but they couldn’t slow down Mills in the first half and then Aldridge picked up his game in the second to secure a victory for the visiting Spurs.</p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/11/2/20944760/nba-2019-golden-state-warriors-game-loss-san-antonio-spurs-dangelo-russell-jordan-poole-patty-millsThomas Bevilacqua2019-10-28T05:00:00-07:002019-10-28T05:00:00-07:00Analysis: Warriors struggle in all facets of the game during 120-92 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder
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<img alt="NBA: Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7RwZKwtKh3nkZh6iwW2CClGFAkw=/0x0:3111x2074/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65566180/usa_today_13580716.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Warriors’ poor start to the 2019-20 season continues as they lose their second consecutive game in blowout despite 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists from Stephen Curry.</p> <p id="ZfUrvj">After opening up the Chase Center with a blowout loss to the <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a>, the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> set out on a quick two-game road trip that began on Sunday afternoon with a matchup against the <a href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Oklahoma City Thunder</a>. Despite a 23-point, 8-rebound, 5-assist game from <span>Stephen Curry</span>, the Warriors suffered another large defeat, losing to the Thunder by the score of 120-92. The Thunder jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, leading by as many as 42 points on their way to a comfortable win over the defending Western Conference champions.</p>
<h2 id="CkCN1k"><strong>Lack of size allows the Thunder’s offense to roll</strong></h2>
<p id="L8MBi1">With both <span>Kevon Looney</span> and <span>Willie Cauley-Stein</span> missing this game due to injury, the Warriors gave up a ton of size to the Thunder, a team poised to take advantage of that mismatch. On Sunday afternoon, the Thunder certainly did and <span>Steven Adams</span> was the main beneficiary. The Thunder big man scored 8 points and grabbed 9 rebounds while dominating the painted area in just three quarters of action. 5 of <span>Adams</span>’ 9 rebounds were offensive rebounds, preventing the Warriors from taking advantage of the rare Thunder missed shot.</p>
<p id="UEbDQY">With the Thunder able to control the paint, their shooters were left open for three-point attempts which they knocked down. The Thunder shot 15/32 from long distance in the win and 9/17 in the first half, as they jumped out to a 33-point halftime lead that rendered the rest of the game not terribly competitive. After struggling offensively in the first two games of the season, the Thunder looked like a team reborn against the Warriors as they put on a shooting clinic.</p>
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<img alt="Golden State Warriors v Oklahoma City Thunder" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Oz5tqEosfLDl8sESk8Dsk53m6ew=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19323708/1178483998.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Gallinari, and the rest of the Thunder, were unstoppable from three-point range, as they buried the Warriors with an onslaught from long distance.</figcaption>
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<p id="FVdYCP">Leading the three-point barrage for the Thunder was <span>Danilo Gallinari</span>, who scored 21 points while going 4/9 from three-point range. <span>Dennis Schroder</span> got into the act as well, coming off the bench and scoring 22 points while going <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>2</sub> from beyond the arc and handing out 6 assists. <span>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander</span> didn’t give the Thunder much long-distance scoring (shooting 1/5 from three-point range) but was still an offensive threat as he dropped in 19 points of his own.</p>
<p id="DixmMf">Perimeter defense was going to be a problem for the Warriors this season even with everyone healthy. But not having <span>Looney</span> or <span>Cauley-Stein</span> out there, thus giving the opponent an automatic advantage in the front court, makes a difficult situation even worse. </p>
<h2 id="acT8xd">
<strong>Russell</strong><strong> struggles as the Warriors’ offense stagnates</strong>
</h2>
<p id="VQqrXp">After playing well in the opening-night loss to the Clippers (scoring 20 points and handing out 8 assists), <span>D’Angelo Russell</span> turned in a poor performance against the Thunder. The Warriors desperately need Russell to score, both to compliment <span>Curry</span> and to give other teams something else to focus on defensively, freeing up <span>Curry</span> to get better shots. But if he’s not giving the Warriors anything on offense, then he’s a real liability (unlike players like <span>Kevin Durant</span> and <span>Klay Thompson</span>, he’s not giving you a boost on the defensive end) and the team is going to scuffle.</p>
<p id="RejExH">Russell did not contribute much of anything offensively against the Thunder. He scored just 6 points on 3/10 shooting, missing countless layups and easy shots before, mercifully, getting ejected from the game in the third quarter.</p>
<div id="zQnpH8">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">D-Lo ejected after this play <a href="https://t.co/5NSyRmbP7F">pic.twitter.com/5NSyRmbP7F</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1188563049575149568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2019</a>
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<p id="OmXOGP">Russell’s offense is what allowed the Warriors to stay close to the Clippers in the first half of Thursday night’s loss, before the Clippers pulled away in the second. But that scoring wasn’t there on Sunday afternoon. Thus, the Warriors weren’t able to keep things close enough to where they could get back into the game and it was a <em>fait accompli</em> by halftime.</p>
<p id="xyRoMK">While the defensive issues continued, the Warriors also had to deal with offensive woes. The Warriors shot 32.6% from the field against the Thunder and went 5/33 from three-point range. While those numbers were in part the work of the Thunder’s defensive effort, some of that was the Warriors missing shots they would make (and that they should make). The Warriors couldn’t convert on layups and other good looks, misses that usually let to a Thunder fast break, which they subsequently converted into points. </p>
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<img alt="Golden State Warriors v Oklahoma City Thunder" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rv31sdhOigJXsAupL7P4Ga33AdU=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19323721/1178494565.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Too often, Chriss looked to pass rather than score, resulting in the turnovers that led to a blowout loss for the Warriors.</figcaption>
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<p id="0aDZ0X">The Warriors also turned the ball over 15 times, empty possessions that led to 26 Thunder points. <span>Marquese Chriss</span> led the team with 4 turnovers, frequently forcing passes rather than taking a point-blank layup or dunk attempt, passes that often resulted in turnovers or a missed three-point shot. <span>Chriss</span> played well enough in the preseason to earn that roster spot and even a place in the starting lineup with <span>Looney</span> out. But if he wants to continue to be a part of this team, he’s going to need to play better and, perhaps more importantly, make better decisions when he’s on the court.</p>
<p id="O8nxhs">While Warriors head coach Steve Kerr certainly doesn’t deserve the entire blame for this rough start to the season, it’s become increasingly clear that his pass-heavy motion offense just won’t work with this team right now. If overpassing was a problem when you had great players like <span>Durant</span>, <span>Thompson</span>, and <span>Andre Iguodala</span> out there, it’s going to be an enormous problem when you’re putting players out there who just don’t possess that kind of basketball IQ and experience (this is a <em>young</em> roster, don’t forget that). While these players are learning and thus you have to give them some time (and that's why having <span>Curry</span> go full Westbrook would not be good for their development)(you never go full Westbrook), I think Kerr and the coaching staff need to alter their offensive gameplan slightly.</p>
<h2 id="0NYEcz"><strong>Spellman and Paschall bring something to the table</strong></h2>
<p id="J00eQf">Two bright spots in an otherwise dreadful game was the play (in the first half at least) of <span>Omari Spellman</span> and <span>Eric Paschall</span>. With <span>Looney</span> and <span>Cauley-Stein</span> sidelined, both of these players knew they were going to be pressed into action, something that was compounded with Chriss picking up two early fouls. Spellman was the first player off the bench, blocking 2 shots and grabbing 2 rebounds in the first quarter. After not playing well in the loss to the Clippers, Spellman looked good for stretches against the Thunder, playing good defense against <span>Adams</span> that forced him into some misses.</p>
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<img alt="Golden State Warriors v Oklahoma City Thunder" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/R_w7p4dQkyMDHkFdTW2Q72yEy5k=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19323705/1178484735.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>He couldn’t affect the outcome, but Omari Spellman played well at times during Sunday afternoon’s loss to the Thunder.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="Lh4jfp">Paschall came into the game later in the first and gave the Warriors more size as well as playing decent defense, particularly when he would get switched onto one of the Thunder’s perimeter players. Paschall has looked good through the first two games of the season, appearing like he might be a Draymond Green-esque steal from the second round. If Paschall keeps developing and <span>Jordan Poole</span>’s shots finally start falling (he went 1/9 from the field and 1/5 from long distance in the loss to the Thunder, but he still got good looks), this year’s rookies will be able to make some good contributions to this team going forward.</p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/10/28/20935216/nba-2019-golden-state-warriors-game-oklahoma-city-thunder-stephen-curry-dangelo-russell-steve-kerrThomas Bevilacqua2019-10-11T09:00:00-07:002019-10-11T09:00:00-07:00Analysis: Curry’s scoring barrage helps the Warriors earn preseason win over Minnesota Timberwolves
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<img alt="Minnesota Timberwovles v Golden State Warriors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hjyNeVTzLGdhAVKE9Ri_T9RN_wg=/0x0:4920x3280/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65449026/1175269276.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Curry scores 40 points in just 25 minutes of action to get the Warriors their first preseason victory of the 2019-2020 campaign.</p> <p id="4OsUL6">The <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> continued their preseason slate on Thursday night, welcoming the <a href="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Minnesota Timberwolves</a> to the Chase Center for the first time. One again, a depleted Warriors squad would be suiting up to play these preseason games as six players were listed on the inactive list. But Stephen Curry electrified the Chase Center crowd with some dazzling offense as the Warriors picked up the 143-123 win over the Timberwolves.</p>
<h2 id="ydx09p"><strong>Curry looking like an MVP candidate</strong></h2>
<p id="sSk4sq">Curry is a trendy pick for the Most Valuable Player award heading into the 2019-20 regular season, given that he’ll have to carry so much of the load for the Warriors with <span>Klay Thompson</span> out until at least the All-Star break and <span>Kevin Durant</span> in Brooklyn. Curry certainly played like an MVP frontrunner on Thursday night, scoring 40 points in just 25 minutes of action while going 6/8 from three-point range. </p>
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<img alt="NBA: Preseason-Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden State Warriors" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Lwzcz_FJ8V5De-1pwqHLycvex_s=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19278569/usa_today_13494744.jpg">
<cite>Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
<figcaption>If Stephen Curry plays and feels in the regular season like he did in Thursday night’s preseason game against the Timberwolves, then the rest of the league should be very concerned.</figcaption>
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<p id="du4BFI">Curry looked like he was already in mid-season form, easily embarrassing opposing defenders like he did on this three-pointer early in the third quarter.</p>
<div id="OipYVb">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Too easy for Steph <a href="https://t.co/7EGuRGbpqY">pic.twitter.com/7EGuRGbpqY</a></p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1182507650652635137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2019</a>
</blockquote>
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<p id="yrGTZe">In addition to those 40 points, which went along with his 6 assists and 6 rebounds, what stood out about Curry’s game was how quick and spry he looked both with the ball and without it. Curry’s play was indicative of someone who knows that he needs to control the game if the Warriors are going to do well. It looked like Curry understands this and thus he’s prepared for the regular season with that in mind. We could be getting something akin to the 2015 or 2016 versions of Curry on the court this season, a prospect that must be terrifying to the rest of the teams in the league.</p>
<h2 id="gsHb2w">
<strong>Robinson III</strong><strong> continues to make a place for himself on the Warriors</strong>
</h2>
<p id="o848S7"><span>Glenn Robinson III</span> was in the starting lineup for this preseason matchup and the seventh-year veteran was able to capitalize in that starting role. <span>Robinson III</span> played with energy, pushing the ball and attacking the basket, on his way to a 13-point, 5-rebound performance.</p>
<div id="tvtPab">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Absolutely love what I'm seeing from GR3 so far. <a href="https://t.co/ckw0BP1RXJ">pic.twitter.com/ckw0BP1RXJ</a></p>— Chris Montano (@gswchris) <a href="https://twitter.com/gswchris/status/1182488644050812933?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2019</a>
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<p id="SnyuJS">Earlier this week, I wrote about <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/10/8/20899172/nba-2019-golden-state-warriors-dangelo-russell-alec-burks-glenn-robinson-kevin-durant-andre-iguodala">what Robinson III might offer this Warriors team</a>. You saw the best version of Robinson III, the one that GM Bob Myers and the Warriors front office were hoping for when they signed him this off-season, against the Timberwolves. Once the Warriors get a little bit more healthy at that wing position (particularly once they get <span>Thompson</span> back), having a player like Robinson III on the roster will be a good asset. Depth has been an issue for the Warriors the past few seasons but with a player like Robinson III on the bench, it might not be so much of a problem anymore.</p>
<h2 id="uP8Pph">
<strong>Chriss</strong><strong> might play his way onto the team</strong>
</h2>
<p id="XqtQqk">Only <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/9/24/20882569/2019-nba-news-report-warriors-sign-marquese-chriss">recently added to the team</a>, <span>Marquese Chriss</span> was also inserted into Thursday night’s starting lineup. Chriss, the number eight pick in the 2016 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft">NBA Draft</a>, was not only given ample playing time (20 minutes), he made the most of it as scored scored 8 points while also grabbing 11 rebounds in the preseason victory. </p>
<p id="yJu0pF">Quite a few of those buckets came courtesy of an assist from <span>D’Angelo Russell</span> (who had five assists in Thursday night’s preseason win).</p>
<div id="ZA3FRW">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">D’Angelo Russell building some chemistry with Marquese Chriss <a href="https://t.co/fvPG7b2MsD">pic.twitter.com/fvPG7b2MsD</a></p>— Logan Murdock (@loganmmurdock) <a href="https://twitter.com/loganmmurdock/status/1182509267305160704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2019</a>
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<p id="xhsuum">Chriss could give the Warriors another solid pick-and-roll option to go with <span>Willie Cauley-Stein</span> (once he returns from injury). The Warriors have been missing a big man who can finish well at the basket since <span>JaVale McGee</span> left to join the <a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Los Angeles Lakers</a>. In Chriss and the injured <span>Cauley-Stein</span>, the Warriors have some players on their roster who might be able to fill that void.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NBA: Preseason-Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden State Warriors" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/g5GubvUyQfpdheBmw3IFEpbwDMo=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19278579/usa_today_13494725.jpg">
<cite>Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
<figcaption>Marquese Chriss made a good case to be a part of this Warriors team going forward with his play against the Timberwolves.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="HvH5bk">But beyond his scoring, Chriss did quite a few little things that stood out and showed why <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/nba-rumors-warriors-petition-gm-bob-myers-keep-marquese-chriss">Warriors players would lobby Myers to keep him on the roster</a>. Whether it was setting screens to get players open looks at jump shots or making passes like these, Chriss seems to be doing a good job of fitting in on this Warriors squad.</p>
<div id="ATQQxf">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chriss really tried the patented Zaza between-the-legs dime <br><br>Warriors gotta keep him now <a href="https://t.co/yQFG5TZ12y">pic.twitter.com/yQFG5TZ12y</a></p>— Chris Montano (@gswchris) <a href="https://twitter.com/gswchris/status/1182499220818808832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2019</a>
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<p id="wGBhRz">Maybe <span>McGee</span> is the perfect comparison for Chriss—a reclamation project, someone cast aside as a bust and a joke, who comes to the Warriors and is able to reach his potential as a part of this team because of its special culture and environment.</p>
<p id="dAa8Xa">It is still remarkably early and no one knows what will happen (the Warriors might decide to move on from Chriss in the next couple of days) but Chriss has shown enough for astute basketball watchers to be at least a little bit intrigued by what he could do.</p>
<h2 id="zG8m0j"><strong>Trouble ahead for McKinnie?</strong></h2>
<p id="vrpAoF">Between Chriss and Robinson III’s play, things are looking a little bit dicey for <span>Alfonzo McKinnie</span>. With Robinson III and <span>Alec Burks</span> (who missed his second-consecutive preseason game with a right ankle sprain), the Warriors have options to play on the wing (even more so once <span>Thompson</span> returns from his injury). </p>
<p id="mMJ3DE">If they feel confident enough in Robinson III and <span>Burks</span> (along with rookie <span>Jordan Poole</span>, whose game looks like it’s going to translate somewhat smoothly to the NBA as he scored 19 points against the Timberwolves) and want to give Chriss a real chance, moving on from McKinnie might be the way to go. Now it’s only the second preseason game so there’s a long, long way to go but it is a situation worth monitoring.</p>
<p id="5lXW0b">The Warriors’ preseason resumes on Monday night as they travel down to Staples Center to face off against <span>LeBron James</span>, <span>Anthony Davis</span>, and the Los Angeles Lakers.</p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/10/11/20909276/nba-2019-golden-state-warriors-game-win-minnesota-timberwolves-preseason-steph-curry-marquese-chrissThomas Bevilacqua2019-10-08T09:00:00-07:002019-10-08T09:00:00-07:00What can Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III give the Warriors this season?
<figure>
<img alt="2019-20 Golden State Warriors Media Day" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vRQ9Z9tki_yuxmkB_iiBSI64hik=/112x212:2322x1685/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65421231/1172979738.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The signing of these two players might have flown under the radar during this turbulent off-season, but Burks and Robinson III both could make useful contributions to the 2019-20 Warriors roster.</p> <p id="b28ufC">When it comes to the new additions to the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> in the 2019 off-season, much of the attention has focused on <span>D’Angelo Russell</span> coming over as part of the sign-and-trade with the <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Brooklyn Nets</a> for <span>Kevin Durant</span> in addition to the incoming rookie class. But the Warriors did make some moves that have flown a bit under the radar. Yet the free-agent signings of <span>Alec Burks</span> and <span>Glenn Robinson III</span> were both acquisitions that will have an effect on how the Warriors’ 2019-2020 season goes and thus they are players we should take a look to consider what each could offer the squad.</p>
<h2 id="zbYH7M">
<strong>Bad luck and poor circumstance set </strong><strong>Burks</strong><strong> back</strong>
</h2>
<p id="oK8mA2">Drafted by the <a href="https://www.slcdunk.com/">Utah Jazz</a> in 2011, <span>Burks</span> provided those teams with a solid offense effort over his first few years in the league. Burks averaged approximately 14 points in both the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, looking like a productive wing player at the beginning of a promising NBA career. </p>
<p id="F0GMo7">But Burks’ career got derailed thanks to a series of injuries that kept him off the court preventing him from building off those promising first seasons. 2016 and 2017 were lost years for Burks as he wasn’t able to play. When Burks was able to remain healthy, he found himself on the outside looking in with the Jazz’s plans and something of a redundancy given the other players the Jazz had on their roster. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS VS UTAH JAZZ" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5gu3sG6w8Iz3XxTnvY_HtM9RXXQ=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19268744/1172251367.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by MediaNews Group/Bay Area News via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Alec Burks displayed potential in his first seasons with the Utah Jazz, only to see his career derailed because of injuries and bad luck.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="RNdoRV">Burks bounced between the Jazz, the <a href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cleveland Cavaliers</a>, and the <a href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Sacramento Kings</a> in the 2018-19 season, unable to secure consistent minutes. But occasionally one could see flashes of what Burks can do when he was able to get on the court. When Burks was given playing time, which mostly came as a part of a depressing and depleted Cavaliers team, he was able to make the most of it. This included a 21-point performance against a good <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a> team in February of 2019.</p>
<div id="tKWQGD"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HZzsMgVrk9w?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media; accelerometer; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="hnSDnd">Burks hasn’t had the career befitting of a player taken with the 12th pick of the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft">NBA Draft</a> (one pick after the Warriors selected Thompson) but that might have more to do with being unlucky and poor circumstance. He’s not going to make Dub Nation forget about <span>Durant</span> and <span>Andre Iguodala</span> but given an opportunity to play with elite players, Burks might be able to re-capture some of that early-career form.</p>
<h2 id="PB1c91">
<strong>Can </strong><strong>Robinson III</strong><strong> grow into a big dog?</strong>
</h2>
<p id="MNYaXP">The son of Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson, <span>Robinson III</span> is a slightly different story than Burks. There hasn’t been quite as much evidence that this is someone who can be a real contributor to a top-tier NBA team and too much shouldn’t be expected of someone who’s been at the margins of the NBA for most of his career. But with all that said, there’s still a hint of promise when it comes to him and what he might be able to give the Warriors.</p>
<p id="uNYRLr">Robinson III’s best season was 2016-17 when he played on an <a href="https://www.indycornrows.com/">Indiana Pacers</a> team that made it to the playoffs, getting bounced in the first round by <span>LeBron James</span> and the Cleveland Cavaliers (with “Playoff P” <span>Paul George</span> being a noticeable no-show). In that season, Robinson III hit his single-game career highs in points and rebounds while being a rotation piece for a team that did make it to the postseason. </p>
<div id="r72vgS"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8VOqEZ2pDnY?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media; accelerometer; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="Btld7a">While Robinson III’s traditional metrics aren’t especially great, the more advanced ones as well as his numbers prorated-for-36-minutes (especially from that 2016-17 season) all show another potentially solid wing piece that the Warriors were able to pick up for not that much. Look at Robinson III’s advanced stats that season compared to <span>Patrick McCaw</span>’s from that 2016-17 campaign.</p>
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<table class="sr_share" id="" data-cols-to-freeze="2" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size:.83em; border: 1px sold #aaa; overflow:auto;">
<caption>Advanced Table</caption>
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<tr>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">Rk</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">Player</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">Season</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">Age</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">G</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">MP</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">PER</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">TS%</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">USG%</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">OWS</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">DWS</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">WS</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">WS/48</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">OBPM</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">DBPM</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">BPM</th>
<th scope="col" style="background-color: #ddd; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 2px;">VORP</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th scope="row" csk="1" style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">1</th>
<td csk="McCaw,Patrick" style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; "><a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mccawpa01.html?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool">Patrick McCaw</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">2016-17</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">21</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">71</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">1074</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">8.6</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">.540</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">11.9</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">0.5</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">1.2</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">1.7</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">.077</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">-1.6</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">-0.2</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">-1.8</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">0.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row" csk="2" style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">2</th>
<td csk="Robinson,Glenn" style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; "><a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/robingl02.html?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool">Glenn Robinson</a></td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">2016-17</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">23</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">69</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">1427</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">11.5</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">.564</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">12.8</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">1.3</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">1.2</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">2.5</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">.085</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">-1.2</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">-0.2</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">-1.3</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 2px 3px 2px 2px; white-space: nowrap; ">0.2</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div id="credit_stats-advanced" class="sr_share" style="font-size: 0.83em;">Provided by <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/sharing.html?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool">Basketball-Reference.com</a>: <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pcm_finder.fcgi?request=1&sum=0&player_id1_hint=Glenn+Robinson+III&player_id1_select=Glenn+Robinson+III&y1=2017&player_id1=robingl02&idx=players&player_id2_hint=Patrick+McCaw&player_id2_select=Patrick+McCaw&y2=2017&player_id2=mccawpa01&idx=players&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool#stats-advanced">View Original Table</a><br>Generated 10/6/2019.</div>
</div></div>
<p id="GCkKQw"><span>McCaw</span> was a quality rotation player for the Warriors that season, putting up stats that were about the same as Robinson III. The Warriors definitely missed that element last season, lacking that consistent, somewhat solid wing play coming off the bench.</p>
<p id="EQHjCb">He doesn’t boast the same untapped or overlooked potential as Burks, but there’s enough there for the Warriors to take a flyer on him and hope he can be more consistent mid-rotation wing player that what the Warriors have had over the past couple of seasons.</p>
<h2 id="138EeK"><strong>Filling out the roster with under-appreciated players</strong></h2>
<p id="zneehe">I’m certainly not trying to argue that Burks or Robinson III can make up for the permanent absence of <span>Durant</span> and <span>Iguodala</span> or the temporary absence of Klay Thompson. I’m not here to tell you that by merely being in <span>Stephen Curry</span>’s presence and playing in Steve Kerr’s system that they will suddenly turn into superstars or even very good players. But what I do think is that both players can do certain things well on the court and that they haven’t had much of a chance to show it. </p>
<p id="meC5Vz">These moves both make me think of <em>Moneyball</em>, the film adaptation of Michael Lewis’ book on Billy Beane and the early 2000s Oakland Athletics, specifically these two scenes:</p>
<div id="gYC1IA"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ud3VDZ75zBk?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media; accelerometer; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"></iframe></div></div>
<div id="vOmkxS"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PlKDQqKh03Y?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media; accelerometer; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="pvl6ht">Given the salary-cap constraints of the Warriors, they are in a similar position as those Athletics teams where they had to look to the “misfit toys,” players that are undervalued and under-considered because of their flaws. But as the Warriors seek to replicate the production of players like <span>Durant</span>, <span>Iguodala</span>, and Livingston “in the aggregate” while constrained by that hard cap, those are the kinds of players to which the Warriors will need to turn. Though both Burks and Robinson III have been overlooked or put aside by much of the NBA, they do look like the kind of players who can be productive within the environment that the Warriors have created and help them be successful in the upcoming season. </p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/10/8/20899172/nba-2019-golden-state-warriors-dangelo-russell-alec-burks-glenn-robinson-kevin-durant-andre-iguodalaThomas Bevilacqua