Dub Nation HQ Comments of Week, plus open thread
Dub Nation HQ Comments of Week, plus open thread
Everyone except the commenters were gasping to the All-Star Break running on fumes
Warriors have a new batch of All Stars
Golden State has some fresh faces as the NBA All Star weekend evolves
GlueAndBold (13 ♡):
Btw, so glad this community is on substack. It seems to be gaining a lot of clout recently- just read a really good Dan Rather column on one. No advertising was a bold move, and I love it!
Funes (13 ♡):
for sure! i know people have made well reasoned comments outlining bigger issues, which is fair, but in the grand scheme of things i feel like losing a few games around this time is not a huge deal. the sky is not falling, to be in this position is fantastic and i just have to think back to the cohan days to remind myself why :)
Sleepy Freud (11 ♡):
If we had known before the season that at the All-Star break we’d be…
5.5 games up on the Jazz
6.5 games up on the Bucks
11 games up on the Nets
14.5 games up on the Lakers
I think most of us would have been pretty cool with that scenario?
Granted: finishing *56 games* ahead the Lakers, as we did in 2016, would have been even more fun, lol. But 56-game leads don’t come around often in the NBA.
stopnpop (10 ♡):
A bit of OT side commentary from me...
> Pre-draft intel suggested that Kuminga was a loner. Though few doubted his physical tools, he sometimes drifted through high school and G League games. [...] Nearly a half-decade spent 7,000 miles away from his native Congo — the former Zaire — had made him wary of new people and situations.
What do people expect when a teenager moves to a new country without his family and to a country that's vastly different from home?
> loner (noun): a person who prefers not to associate with others.
> wary (adj): feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems.
Not a fan of those words and the connotation attached to them. How about "felt isolated" instead of "loner"? And "unaccustomed to" versus "wary of"? Because if it was an average person having to relocate to another country for their job/life, that's probably what happens.
DFiB (8 ♡):
He’s been crushing it on 2 pointers lately, 67% in Feb.
Son of Aeneas (7 ♡):
Wiggins was a few rows behind the bench
belilaugh (7 ♡):
Harrison Barnes shot a layup in the dunk contest so this wasn't quite the most disappointing All-Star weekend Warrior performance I've seen.
DFiB (6 ♡):
He got all shy, lol
But there was nobody passing or anything, so what’s the point of cutting?
Nuggets stun Warriors 117-116 in a…
The Dubs could use some rest and relaxation during this All-Star break.
GlueAndBold (14 ♡):
I feel like "The Splash Brothers" kind of transcends this sentiment for me. And these last few weeks have told me that there really is no modern Warriors without Draymond.
Captain Jack (11 ♡):
I don't want to see any Klay doubters jump back on when Game 6 Klay returns
Alicat (10 ♡):
I've avoided all things NBA for the last 24 hours because I was in a complete adolescent snit about last night's game. Having recovered my perspective I realized anew that lo! I could be a Knicks fan or a Lakers fan or something else equally disheartening right now. So rest and rejuvenate Dubs! See ya on the back side of the season.
stopnpop (9 ♡):
> stephencurry30
> Verified
> This right here 🙌🏽 Moments you don’t ever forget. Except I forgot Canon’s last words to me “Don’t come off strong side shooter….” Catch y’all after the break!
storytellinsabrina (7 ♡):
Why are people trying to trade Klay? Do you really want to see me with a broken freaking heart?
(Back to freaking work but 💔💔💔)
Duby Dub Dubs (7 ♡):
> I can’t imagine a world where Tristan Thompson isn’t more valuable to us
It's just a different flavor of unplayable. You can look up his numbers if you like, but he just doesn't do much to help teams win - even if he is slightly better at some aspects of basketball than Bjeli
stopnpop (6 ♡):
Who the heck is proposing a Klay trade and have we revoked their Dubs Fan Membership?
Post Game: Kerr scoffs at being big, almost…
Solid outing for Golden State falls short to a buzzer beater
vignette17 (9 ♡):
Honestly, I'm not that mad about this game. Sure it sucks to lose a game you led for 47.5 min, but for the first time in a while it felt like Warriors basketball. We were pushing the pace, getting steals, and generally playing well. That's much better than even some of the wins since that 9-game streak that seems like ancient history. We lost this game because we shot 29% on 3's and we don't have Draymond. Well, and because Jokic is amazing.
And I haven't seen it mentioned much, but GPII had been kinda lackluster for a while and he hadn't been getting minutes. Today, he looked like that sparkplug that was amazing at the beginning of the season. I had assumed he had some injury and maybe he did, but today showed he could still produce at that level.
Listen, we aren't winning the title unless Steph is Steph, Dray is Dray, and Klay is Klay. None have really been themselves recently. But I still have faith we'll get there, regardless of whether Denver hits a buzzer beater against us in February.
thesarunas (8 ♡):
GP2 ties his career high of six steals, is immediately subbed out, and never sees the floor again. That's just genius level coaching.
ndubs (6 ♡):
I just watched the replay again. That is a total defensive breakdown by Steph, He is not in a good position to double as he leaves his man. When you double, you need to cut off the passing lane to your man when you approach. So Steph should have been higher up in the key and doubled from the side to close down the passing lane and at least force a tough pass. Instead he comes from the basket behind looney leaving a very clear passing lane to the wing. You should trust my judgment because I have three years experience coaching elementary school basketball, including one year at the first grade level. And I play over 40 pickup ball where good defense is frowned upon. So I definitely know what I’m talking about.
pooryorick (6 ♡):
For my own health (and safety) see y’all after the All Star break!
Phood Fight (5 ♡):
I'm a fan of Basketbum, so let me talk him off the ledge, and say thank you for having such a HOT TAKE that it has taken my mind off the loss tonight! Thank you, basketbum.
1. To think that the decline in the Warriors play is attributable to Klay is the same as saying Draymond Green has 0 value. What the Warriors are going through now has everything to do with Green being out and Wiseman being behind schedule.
2. Time and time again, I have seen great offensive players matched up with Klay one on one and they survey their situation, then pass the ball on. Klay is not a flashy defender. But he came back from 2 career ending injuries and he is not only holding his own, he is making plays.
3. Offensively, the league fears him and for good reason. In any playoff series, the opposing team is gonna have to deal with Game 6 Klay. That's not a fairy tale. Whetehr game 6 or 2, Klay is gonna win a game single-handedly.
Warriors counting on health, not the buyout…
One last game against the Nuggets, as Golden State looks forward to a post All Star reset
Sleepy Freud (12 ♡):
“As far as clamoring for a big guy, there isn’t an obvious ‘go get that guy’.”
C’mon Myers: as Asher noted in the last diary, the fact that you’re unwilling to trade Chiozza for Giannis is clear evidence that you’re either (a) incompetent, or (b) just not as invested in winning as we bloggers are.
rcknfn (11 ♡):
(not sure if this has already been posted)
Looks like Wise looked great in his first 5x5!
Emmerick (10 ♡):
[Slater] James Wiseman spoke to reporters after his first 5-on-5 scrimmage yesterday. Said the body feels good. "It went great. I got a couple dunks." He said he's in the last stages of his rehab process and will "most likely" get some time in the G-League before NBA return.
fzwinter (9 ♡):
For all the talk about the buyout market, I'm glad the Dubs are standing pat. What is so exciting about Robin Lopez? He seems like he's perpetually on the buyout market and doesn't get many minutes on the floor with bad teams. Not sold on Dragic either. Assuming Dray comes back soon, I expect the Dubs to be in a battle with Memphis for the 2/3 seed. Don't think the outcome of that battle is of great importance to the front office. The path to the finals is the same regardless, and perhaps we can get Game 6 Klay to settle that series at home for a change. The Dubs care a lot less about the remaining 24 games than they do about the 16 postseason games they hope to win. Buckle up!
Post-game memory wipe #6: It's a Zen world…
Zenyatta Mondatta
Phood Fight (10 ♡):
Can anyone think of 2 teammates that have had a greater impact on each others' careers more that Steph and Draymond? We know what Steph and Draymond have accomplished together. And we have a pretty good sample size of what they are on their own. The difference between these two is sizable. Steph is still a Hall of Famer without Dray, and we can assume that his primary ball handling point guard skills would have developed a little more in Dray's absence. But would Steph be, you know, .... freakin' Steph? Without Steph, Dray would still be a top flight defender, but I don't think he sniffs the hall. It's likely his ball handling and passing skills would not have been exploited to half their potential. His offensive deficiencies would have been magnified. Klay is the guy who's career would be pretty much the same no matter where he played. Klay is Klay.
"And with the 35th pick in the NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors select Draymond Green from Michigan State."
Imagine what the NBA would be like today if we never heard those fatefully exquisite words?
We don't have to imagine, it's been right in front of us the last few weeks.
The recipe that built a dynasty begins with these 2 ingredients.
Mix equal amounts of Steph and Dray, then add lots and lots of Klay.
Losing sucks, but we haven't seen these guys together on the same court since the 2019 Finals.
Patience my dear friends. A storm is coming.
Chasing Rings... (9 ♡):
To all the posts I've hearted but have been swatted away by Substack like I'm (5'10") trying to score on Mutombo ☝️
Here's to you ( ◕◡◕)っ ♡
Nadav (9 ♡):
Let’s not gloss over the real issue here: there’s clearly not enough ice cream being eaten at halftime.
Sleepy Freud (9 ♡):
True. And the defending champs (sans their superstar, but with everyone else) just got blown out on their home floor by the Lillard-less Blazers to fall to 35-23. And the 2020 champs are 26-31 with the #21 net rating in the league. And the 2019 champs, who had been rolling, ran out their full, healthy squad and got blown off the floor by 30 by the Pelicans, with up and coming stars Scottie Barnes and Gary Trent Jt. combining for 4-25 from the floor and putting up -25 apiece. They're now 31-25.
The 2018 champs are scuffling now too, but far less so than the others. And still waiting for their first game since 2019 with their Big 3 healthy. The last three seasons with all three of 'em healthy and available have ended in championships.
The regular season is long and full of potholes...
Kuminga, and the Klay Thompson role in the…
Two games to go till the All Star break.
Chasing Rings... (29 ♡):
Just wanna say, you are all such a great bunch to hang out with and hear your unique perspectives and passions on the game. Like a virtual barbershop, where wise heads and wisecracks are bouncing off of each other, I'm learning and laughing and appreciating this team so much more than before when I was just following them by myself. DubnationHQ is a force multiplier for a fan like me :) Let's Go Warriors!!!
Trogdor (19 ♡):
Don't sweat the petty stuff and don't pet the sweaty stuff.
Happy Valentine's Day, ya'll.
Phood Fight (18 ♡):
For 941 days, Klay was forced to play One on One. Wrapped up in a cocoon of injuries, Klay's game has undergone a metamorphosis. Unable to play 5 on 5 or even 2 on 2, Klay was forced into a personal game of isolation ball: him with a basketball and his opponent blocking his path to the hoop and his goal, to once again hear the reverberation of a basketball bouncing off the hardwood. Something unexpected has emerged from this cocoon. A man with a dribble. Before, Klay was confined to the ground, all of his movement coming off the ball. Today he has wings and the newfound freedom to move anywhere on the court WITH the ball. A three level scorer with deadly accuracy. The isolation scorer every Championship team pines for.
Klay didn't emerge from his cocoon as the same old Klay or some diminished version of his former self. He has emerged as something else entirely. Something none of us could have predicted or even imagined. When you are reborn with wings, you have to fly. 941 days of isolation ball and Klay has emerged with a dribble.
We didn't the same old Klay back. We got something else entirely. We got Majestic Klay. Iso Klay. 'Just give him the damn ball' Klay.
The league is on notice.
Warriors win after shutting down LeBron James…
And they did it without Draymond? Whoaaa
storytellinsabrina (25 ♡):
Bonta Hill
@BontaHill
Lakers went up 109-103 with 1:47 left and Dwight Howard turned around, looked at the crowd, and said “it’s ova! It's ova!”
Someone around him quickly said, “your career is ova!”
Goofus (18 ♡):
As I think everyone knows, I’m into wildlife photography and today was exciting. This as good as anything I’ve taken
Trogdor (18 ♡):
This game was actually therapeutic for me in some ways. Probably my clearest memory as a Warriors fan growing up was a random regular season game between the Lakers and the Warriors. The Lakers were great, the Warriors were terrible. You know the story. The Warriors weren't supposed to have a chance in that game.
Except for this night was different... for three quarters at least. The Warriors were dominating the Lakers for most of the game, and lead by 20 points entering the fourth. John Starks, if I'm remembering correctly, was having an exceptional game. However, during that last quarter the Lakers turned back into, well, the Lakers. They took control and dominated both ends of the floor.
With barely any time left, the Warriors were up by three points. Lakers had the ball. It looked like despite an epic collapse the Warriors would eek out an improbably victory. The Warriors fouled immediately upon the inbound. Time for two free-throws. The first free throw was good. The second one did exactly what LeBron attempted to do last night... it bounced off the back of the rim and went straight up. Instead of the Warriors being able to secure the rebound, a spry gazelle named Kobe Bryant flew out of nowhere and tipped in the loose ball. Tied game. Overtime.
As I'm sure you can imagine, the Warriors were lifeless in overtime and the Lakers won. I think about that game every single time there's a "up by three, foul them or not" end of game situation. This game very nearly turned out like my childhood nightmare. Instead, we showed yet again that we're not that Warriors team (and this is definitely not that Lakers team).
So a more comfortable win would have been preferable, but I like this one to its symmetry with that previous game.
I've avoided saying it until now (as not to jinx it) but the ONE thing the Warriors have not accomplished yet during this dynasty is a season sweep of the Lakers. Even during 73-9, they dropped one to LA. It would be oh so sweet if they could win the next two vs. these guys and finally get the season series brooms out against these guys.
fzwinter (14 ♡):
Interesting couple of weeks of "poking the bear." Kevin Porter Jr. starts trash talking Steph and Steph erupts with a 21 point fourth quarter and Dubs win going away. Last night, Kuminga gets into LeBron's grill and LeBron responds with a 1-10 4th quarter shooting performance, capped by bricking a FT with 2 seconds left. I was dreading it when Kuminga started staring down LeBron, but things turned out pretty good.
Goofus (14 ♡):
If he’s a better-shooting Giannis, but a couple inches shorter, I could probably live with that.
belilaugh (9 ♡):
It is kinda funny that they kinda drafted a shorter Giannis and a shorter Middleton in terms of their optimistic player comparisons. Although height is a big key for both Giannis and Middleton, but both rookies are pretty young so maybe a couple growth spurts are possible.
Explain One Play: Steph, Klay and Otto Porter…
The best kind of randomness
madams (11 ♡):
With my low BB IQ and heart stopping action and fireworks by Klay I confess to not clocking that OPJ kept being that guy that made play after play after play. Sweet E1P.
Duby Dub Dubs (8 ♡):
Because we’re men and we show affection by light violence loooooool
belilaugh (8 ♡):
Look at Looney on that last play, he wraps his left arm completely around AD and wouldn't have even let AD go up with two hands if the ball had ricocheted their way. Not to mention Looney, Wiggins, and Westbrook all step into the lane before LeBron shot the FT.
There will always be cheating on those crunch time free throw rebound opportunities, Wiggins just needs to fight harder imo.
vignette17 (7 ♡):
I'm more concerned that the Dubs seem to have gotten the short shrift in pretty much every game. When was the last time we got a home whistle? I'm sure every fan says this about their team, but this is different, because I'm right.
AKChaz (6 ♡):
Good Job EA.....as usual. If only you could have highlighted some of the little but important plays OPJ was able to make down the stretch
Captain Jack (6 ♡):
It's ok, Loon does so many other irreplaceable things for us he gets a pass for stumbling at the rim sometimes lol
Phood Fight (6 ♡):
The choice is:
a. releasing a JTA or Belly and getting a marginally better player for 6-10 mil who has never played in the Warrior's system or
b. value chemistry and continuity, pay zero extra dollars, and hope that those guys at the back end of the bench will be more reliable when called upon BECAUSE they know the system, they've been playing together, etc.
This is just like in the movie Miracle, stick with the guys who have been together, and don't bring in an unknown with only x number of games left. For Kerr, if he needs 6 minutes from JTA, I think he's real comfortable knowing exactly what to expect from JTA. They have the 2nd best record in the league and they haven't even sniffed being at full strength, so it looks to me like they like their team and are gonna ride this team home.
vignette17 (4 ♡):
I will say that I was extremely skeptical about Kuminga. It's really, really tough to be a star in today's NBA without a good to great jumpshot. It's basically Giannis, Lebron, and then like Simmons. All that said, I am now really excited about JoKu. In a redraft of this draft after .75 years, I might take him 2 after Mobely. And of our internal prospects, he's now #1, Poole #2.
Truly, an incredible development for the Warriors' future success.
Post Game: Warriors hold off Lakers after…
Thompson has game-high 33. Curry with 24 and 8.
Arash (38 ♡):
Yo . . . couldn't have picked a better game to attend. Best part was, JTA recognized me and said whattup!! (We went to the same high school and he was on Varsity when I was on JV).
Duby Dub Dubs (22 ♡):
E1P request: That Kuminga / LeBron matchup please!
>@DVSWhatItTweets
What’d Lebron shoot after Kuminga trash talked him?
Eric Apricot (17 ♡):
I just wanted to tell you all that I love you.
Duby Dub Dubs (16 ♡):
Wooooow Klay had 16 in the 4th?!! I love the little middie he's added to his game because it stops my heart every time he goes to the hole
Captain Jack (15 ♡):
Klay loves the big moment man. There's very few guys in the league with the "Mamba Mentality" and Klay is no doubt one of them. I don't know why but I trust him to hit that dagger more than Steph. They're both stone cold killers but Klay just has absolutely no fear in his DNA
storytellinsabrina (15 ♡):
*klay-off vibe amiright?
Grant Liffmann
@GrantLiffmann·48m
It was an almost playoff-like atmosphere in Chase Center, and that is Klay Thompson's vibe.
33 pts, and pretty much won the game for the Warriors.
madams (15 ♡):
It is midnight here but purely in honor of Klay I'm pouring some scotch.
Second chance opportunities doom Warriors in…
Rebounds rebounds rebounds.
storytellinsabrina (18 ♡):
Vin Diesel voice: Family.
95.7 The Game@957thegameSteve Kerr on a quiet deadline for the Warriors:
"It's a good feeling. This is family, so anytime you have trades, it's devastating...When the deadline passes and nothing happens, it's a relief for the small community that we've built. Everybody feels safer and we move forward."
b.p. (15 ♡):
While it absolutely sucks to get dominated by journeymen bigs (At All, let alone in back-to-back games), I'm still glad the FO didn't make the knee-jerk reaction to upset the roster in order to get a journeyman big of our own to stave off some regular-season losses. We've seen this roster do fine on the boards earlier in the season w/ Draymond and Otto healthy and playing, and that was w/ no Wise and almost no Kuminga. Waiting for Draymond is fine; resting dudes is fine; losing winnable games in February, while a depressing and horrible viewing experience, is ultimately probably fine, though I'd very much like to hold onto the #2 seed.
Come playoff time, if Everyone is healthy and available, Warriors are contenders; if a key contributor gets hurt at the wrong time, they're probably screwed - no fiddling at the margins is going to change that calculus. I DO believe Wiseman is coming back this season and I honestly think he's going to be useful. Dude has not been sitting w/ his thumb up his butt for the past 9 months - he's been working out, shooting, drilling, practicing, learning, and being a part of this team; there's a zero percent chance that he's the same kid we watched last year. He's going to know exactly what his role is ('do Big Guy things'); he's going to be motivated AF to prove that he's not a bust; and our guys are going to be chucking stupid lobs to him on the nightly. All he has to do is make a few good things happen in his 10 minutes to make a positive impact. That's the dream anyway.
Watching these losses is painful and frustrating, but every new game isn't proof that 'this is who the Warriors are now.' It's just one game - so many little things could have changed last night's loss into a win. Granted, eking one out against the Knicks is not ideal either, buuut it's February and one of our best players is taking a sabbatical. It's normally a brainless, overly-simplistic, throwaway soundbite to say "the guys didn't want it enough," but looking at the ball-watching that was going on under the rim in last night's game, that kind of feels like it applies here. The bright side is that losses like these come w/ shame, and that shame will need to be exorcised via the uncorking of some whup-ass (Warriors whup-ass being stored in a magnum rather than a can, natch) on some unfortunate team in the future.
After which I will gleefully (if hypocritically) embrace the idea that THAT game DOES represent 'who the Warriors are now.' Because it's just more fun that way.
Richard (11 ♡):
I admit I was shouting at my TV last night ‘YES YES KLAYYYYYY … NO NO HOW COULD YOU MISS????’
But this team was constructed to win with awesome three point shooting. Pretty much we were all in for that. At least I was. Last night’s 33.3% - with Curry below that! - wasn’t the plan and still was almost good enough. A big who could crush the boards for 20 minutes would have been an awfully nice backup plan, but it didn’t happen.
All we can hope for is the return of Dray, the emergence of Wiseman, Steph/Klay returning to historical shooting averages, or a white knight leaping out of the buyout market. I vote for all of the above!
stopnpop (10 ♡):
The move that dropped Randle last night: Curry vs. MJ side by side comparison.
Funny how Grimes and Starks almost end up in the exact same position, almost touching their hands to the ground.
Dunk contest in 1st quarter.
Did anyone notice just before the start of the Dunk Contest, the camera panned to the Judges row and apparently someone was working on Isiah Thomas seat monitor. When they noticed someone grabbed the poor guy and forcibly dragged him out and they sat Isiah down. It was kind of funny and kind of sad at the same time. For the whole contest that monitor was glitching.
I just wanted to see if anyone else saw that...