Dub Nation HQ Comments of Week, plus open thread
Amazing road trip with a small hiccup ending
Helpful hint: Every commenter’s name is a link that leads back to the original comment.
Post game Zen #15: How fleeting are all human passions compared with the massive continuity of ducks… — MAR 3
We all expected to lose (Steph injured, 4th city in 6 nights plus plane all-nighter) but hooooo wheeeee
Captain Jack (17 ♡):
Absolute brilliance from Steve. He’s confident we’ll play them in the Finals so he didn’t want to leave A SINGLE THING on tape worth watching for them
Klaymation (15 ♡):
The stars are totally aligning for the Dubs.
This scheduled loss after the gritty sleepless win in Toronto was nearly erased by Dallas and Phoenix faceplanting at home.
If you'd asked "would you take 2.5 games out of 6th after this four game east coast trip," is there anyone who would have said no?
Today was just Game 5 in Memphis, 2022.
Captain Jack (13 ♡):
You know... what? All the teams ahead of us lost today and we get a nice 5 day break since we haven't played since Friday
Sleepy Freud (11 ♡):
The whole second half was garbage time. The fact that theiy think of Moses as above garbage time says something, imo.
Truckeeman (9 ♡):
We can all agree that there are trade-offs in life and in games like basketball. Get quicker, shorter players - work harder on the offensive glass and forego some fast break opportunities.
But hasn't it been amply demonstrated to the Warriors this season that failing to defend the 3-point line, particularly early in the game - is an approach with unacceptable trade-offs? Furthermore, reliance on a gross statistic like "3-point" shooting, unmodified by "nearest defender %" or "% by quarter" is mind-bogglingly stupid. What are all those analytical guys and extra coaches for?
I'm making an assumption here - players with modest 3-point shooting percentages shot better when undefended or when not fatigued.
What I think actually happened, rather than this unconvincing story, is that Kerr and the team decided to lay down in this 3rd game in 4 days. Given that we've already defeated the Celtics once this year, Kerr chose "rope a dope" and make them unprepared for us in the Finals this year. That's truly the only explanation that makes sense. Nice 12th dimensional thinking, Steve, et.al.
AJ (9 ♡):
Probably should've just given Steph the day off
DubsNerd (8 ♡):
Monte Poole with a compassionate look at the Wiggs situation:
It is natural for fans, certainly card-carrying citizens of Dub Nation, to be curious about Wiggins’ absence. Mysteries are intriguing. And this is the second time around.
If the Warriors can accept it, so should the rest of us. Wish him the best, send warmest regards to the man and his family and wait for his return.
DFiB (8 ♡):
Dray hasn't always been the most truthful in his communication through the media, but his comment of "giving JB space is something that only came up 15 minutes before tip off" is telling, if true. That's 100% not how anybody game plans for a game they take seriously. That, combined with the observable reality that they tried this cockamamie scheme, tells me they didn't take the game seriously.
Maybe they wanted to sit Steph & co., but the league office said "This is a premium nationally televised game in a premium time slot, and we made sure it wasn't the second game of a back-to-back... you better not be resting guys or you're gonna get fined!" So they "played", but didn't prepare for it like it was a real game, didn't practice or game plan. Steph got up 9 threes in 16 minutes, lol...
DFiB (8 ♡):
To emphasize, this was their 3rd game in 4 DAYS. It was also an early day game, so not "3rd game in 4 nights"... so the Warriors went from landing in Toronto and screwing up their biological clocks by napping during the day ahead of that game, finishing the game ~10pm, getting on a plane to Boston, landing and recovering their tired bodies and messed up biological clocks the next day, only to wake up the following day and have to weirdly start preparing for another game 4 hours earlier than they normally would have... where were they going to have game planning & prep? If I'm Kerr, I look at my team after the Toronto game and give them the following day completely off, skip preps, just play free and easy against the Celtics, and see what happens expecting a loss.
Alex (8 ♡):
If anyone needs me, I'm the one wearing a Celtics jersey at work and trying to install DoorDash on my phone to buy my insufferable coworker lunch after making a retrospectively ill-advised bet.
In fairness, I made the bet before hearing that the defensive strategy was going to be "Hey, let's just guard one of the two All Stars on the team! Also, remember the things we did to beat this team in the past? Let's not do any of those."
stopnpop (8 ♡):
What, you've never had Dubahol? It's made by fermenting Random Ending armpit sweat and tears of our enemies.
DFiB (8 ♡):
A light scrimmage today was the right move from Kerr.
DrumRollGyro (8 ♡):
Celtics won their Super Bowl
JZAlvarado (8 ♡):
Alright quick pulse after this game? How good do you feel this team is? Which teams do y’all think we can beat in a 7 game series AND/OR can we even get out of the play-in game?
This was a monumental beat down but it still doesn’t change my feelings on this team. I think we’re a hybrid of the past two seasons. 6th seed capable of winning a playoff series but also completely capable of blowing a 1 game play-in as the 9th or 10th seed.
Goofus (8 ♡):
And Wiggins’ perimeter defense would have brought that down to a downright respectable 20-point curb stomping.
Game 61: GSW @ Boston. 12:30pm Pacific early… — MAR 3
Long way from the 2022 Finals
Eric Apricot (13 ♡):
The best thing is that this can’t count for more than 1 loss, even if GSW lose by 90
belilaugh (11 ♡):
I mean if this is the price to pay for the 2022 chip, well worth it
ServantOfLuna (9 ♡):
What do you gotta say? It's the end of the Warriors four game road trip in six nights, and the team that we're playing is a team that has been dying to beat us up after we beat them back in December of last year. Boston is undoubtably the best team in the league (#1 offense, #4 defense), and tonight's game is showing just how scary they can be if they play their best bball.
Eric Apricot (8 ♡):
Call me weird, but I find this loss less distressing than any of the double-digit blown lead losses.
belilaugh (7 ♡):
Shout out to my fellow brain diseased fans who are still watching this to catch a glimpse of Gui Santos
TwoRingTest (7 ♡):
I can't get upset about this. They just won a game when they were running on fumes.
The Celtics are the best team in the league. Sometimes you get the horns.
Get home, get some sleep, hope we play a little better against the Bucks at home.
Explain: Draymond Green apologizes to Moses… — MAR 2
Explaining that mysterious Mic'd Up moment from the Knicks game
AttilaTheHun (15 ♡):
They say carrots are good for the eyes. Evidently so are Apricots.
Arash (12 ♡):
With the Celtics game arriving early tomorrow, I have a confession to make. Throughout the course of the Warriors dynasty, we've left the bones of potential champions litered behind us as we danced on their basketball graves.
Most notably . . .the Clippers/Cavs/Rockets. With the Celtics ascendant and having already defeated them in the championships, I would especially LOVE for the Warriors to meet and defeat the Celtics again in the Finals leaving behind the corpse of yet another could have been squad.
fotd (11 ♡):
Man, Eric. You see so much. Thanks.
g8tgod (10 ♡):
Saying that I love E1P would be redundant -- and yet, I can't help myself. Well done!
Sleepy Freud (7 ♡):
Fun fact: while it’s pretty safe to assume Steph ain’t gonna hit 40K points in his career, he‘s already got LeBron by “most points scored with one team”: 23,254 to LeBron’s 23,119 with Cleveland.
Mr.Plow (7 ♡):
I liked the part where he broke down the game
Kuminga and Moody's ascensions steady Dubs in… — MAR 2
We really hit the lottery with those young players, eh?
TwoRingTest (10 ♡):
[On DeMarcus Cousins] Oh, and:
1. ACL injury which robbed him of his lateral movement and athleticism.
2. Threatened to off the mother of his child over the phone (recorded, no disputing it).
3. Was regarded as a bully when he played for SAC.
So, yeah, by all means, let's bring him back, 5 years! after he didn't have enough to hang with the Dubs the first time.
We've got a good team with a few flaws. All teams have flaws. We've proven we can win with the ones we have.
Sleepy Freud (9 ♡):
> Satisfied with Kuminga over Davion at this point
😂
Sleepy Freud (9 ♡):
Then Draymond wouldn’t be the starting center, tho. Sengun’s a great player — a poor man’s Jokic in some ways — but he also would have changed the team’s whole style of play, especially defensively.
I’m totally cool with the guys we got. If you end with a great player for where you were picking, it’s all good imo, regardless of what other players you might have passed on. Draft hindsight is 20:20. Seems unsporting to fret about having picked Klay over Kawhi, or Hakeem over Jordan, etc.
MyŠarūnas (8 ♡):
Strength in Numbers - It's pretty wild that we can slot in a slew of promising kids, many who can't legally drink, to 1) to cover for missing All-Stars with Wiggins, CP3 and Draymond, 2) pick up the slack for a slumping Looney, Wiggins, and Klay, and 3) deal with very confusing rotations and DNP-CDs.
Strength of Character - All the guys have also had to deal with the national attention on Draymond's 2 unique suspensions, and then many were in the room during the tragic death of beloved Coach Deki.
My irrational optimism is based on them going through so much already and being deeply bonded to play this season for Deki. (I'm also eager for one or more of BP, LQ, MM, GPII, or Saric to find their shot - it's gonna be sweet.)
Stefano Gelati (8 ♡):
We hit the lottery when we decided on January to avoid trading them.
b.p. (7 ♡):
No do-overs. #OurGuys
Post-game: Dubs shock Raptors in 3rd game in… — MAR 1
Maybe this team has found something
DubsNerd (27 ♡):
Wow, this new guy Moody seems really good. What did MDJ have to give up to get him at the trade deadline?
Sleepy Freud (26 ♡):
2021 lottery picks ranked by career TS%
====
.599 J. Kuminga, GSW
.586 M. Moody, GSW
.581 E. Mobley, CLE
.576 F. Wagner, ORL
.547 S. Barnes, TOR
.536 J. Green, HOU
.531 Z. Williams, MEM
.523 C. Cunningham, DET
.521 J. Suggs, ORL
.520 C. Duarte, SAC
.514 J. Giddey, OKC
.510 D. Mitchell, SAC
.483 J. Primo, LAC
.476 J. Bouknight (out of the league)
MyŠarūnas (22 ♡):
I feel sad for whatever's been happening for Wiggins, last season and this one. It must be deep.
Ando (21 ♡):
I liked the part where they won the game.
GlennR (15 ♡):
I see Moody literally filled in Wiggins' missing 17 points ...
Captain Jack (15 ♡):
As far as purely playing the point guard position goes... Chris Paul is one of the best I've ever seen do it. It's amazing how much control he has of the offense with the ball in his hands. Still doesn't feel real that he's on our side this time.
ServantOfLuna (15 ♡):
Warriors are 9-4 in 2nd end of B2B games this season so far.
Ando (15 ♡):
Compared to his right non shooting hand (have you seen his 3pt %)
Sab Shaw (15 ♡):
CP:
r/warriors
39 min. ago
Lord_Vanguard
"We could have found every excuse in the book to come out and lay down tonight, but we got a lot of guys that's not built like that." CP3 on tonight's win after the Warriors experienced a nightmare travel delay on the way to Toronto
https://www.reddit.com/r/warriors/comments/1b4dx6b/we_could_have_found_every_excuse_in_the_book_to/
After 58 games, how are we feeling about… — MAR 1
Let's take a look at the big picture.
b.p. (18 ♡):
Love that everyone is finally healthy; hate that Wiggins had to leave the team just as Chris Paul was coming back; love that Moody is getting an opportunity as a result; hate that Dubs can't close out games uneventfully anymore; love that Kuminga is blossoming right on schedule; hate that I can't stop worrying that GPII is going to break again; love that our rookies are contributing meaningfully; love that Klay seems to be thriving off the bench; love that Draymond is >50% on 1st quarter 3s; love that Draymond hasn't gotten in trouble in weeks; love that Draymond is 2nd-peaking; love that CP3 would rather Bruise Your Sternum than go around you if you have the audacity to pick him up full court; hate that Steph does not get regular-NBA-player whistles (not asking for superstar calls - even though he is inner-inner-circle HOF); love that Steph is still really, really good at basketball; hate that Jim Barnett is not on the call (I'm dying on this hill like Jordan Poole dies on screens); love that I've refrained from picking on Jordan Poole all year.
Asher B. (10 ♡):
Paraphrasing Draymond in the postgame interview, I'll try to find the exact quote if someone insists, but it was very close to, "People have been saying nice things about us winning more since I've come back; but if you want to know the real reason that we have taken a leap forward, it's Jonathan Kuminga's development. Also, I think DNHQ is the best fan site on Earth."
OK the second sentence I may be superparaphrasing rather than merely paraphrasing. But he really did say that about Kuminga.
Sleepy Freud (9 ♡):
I haven't heard a lot of that, if at all. Except to the extent a lot of fans are happy to see Moody getting minutes.
My hope is that Moods plays so well that Kerr realizes when Wiggs returns that our optimal two-way starting unit is Steph-Moody-Wiggs-JK-Dray.
TwoRingTest (6 ♡):
Whoever was saying Moody should play more, stand up and give yourself a hand
< 300 DNHQ subscribers stand up >
Post-game: Warriors coast to victory vs… — FEB 29
Chris Paul is back playing the grownup
Eric Apricot (24 ♡):
I should start using Moody quotes for all future Post Game Zen posts
((
“It’s real life,” Moody said. “Different things happen. You gotta be able to keep your head, control your emotions. All my friends are in that space where they’re leaving college, trying to figure out life. Everybody’s going through different adversities. Who am I to think I should have an easy road to whatever I want? It’s just kind of how it goes.”
))
https://theathletic.com/5309141/2024/03/01/moses-moody-jonathan-kuminga-warriors-knicks/
Eric Apricot (20 ♡):
I just called
To say
I love you
Asher B. (18 ♡):
A month in a nutshell:
DNHQ: Hey Kerr, could you play Moody? He's really good.
Kerr: I love Moses. I love how he stays ready. Great character guy.
DNHQ: So you'll play him?
Kerr: We have a really deep team and everyone wants minutes and I love that
DNHQ: If you love it, why are you giving him DNP CDs while Quinones is playing real minutes?
Kerr: Sometimes it's a question of feel, or matchups, and I felt like the guys out there were really getting the job done
DNHQ: But, like, you never play him.
Media: Wiggins is unavailable
Kerr: I'm going to start Moody
DNHQ: Wait, what? Really?
Kerr: Of course, I always have loved the guy
DNHQ: So you're admitting that we had a point when we said play him?
Kerr: I like the feel our starters have and Moses fits in nicely with that group
DNHQ: But didn't you just not play him?
Kerr: Really proud of Moses. Always stays ready.
DNHQ: Well, agreed, he had a fantastic game. Does that mean you'll play him now?
Kerr: Thanks, guys.
Ando (17 ♡):
I liked the part where they won the game.
DFiB (12 ♡):
We won the 4th quarter! We won the 4th quarter!
Asher B. (12 ♡):
The most unsung, or least sung I suppose, part of Kuminga's improvement has been defending without fouling. That's a phrase we used to hear in every post-game. Kuminga hasn't been in foul trouble in forever. His rookie year he was a classic 6 minutes 5 fouls young guy, hands always foolishly in the cookie jar. Or am I thinking of Wiseman. Both I suppose.
DubsNerd (10 ♡):
Sit the vets, play the kids, and let them take care of business
DFiB (10 ♡):
Tomorrow's games:
GSW @ TOR
DAL @ BOS
IND @ NOP
SAC @ MIN
A win tomorrow, and losses by DAL, NOP, and SAC, and we're one game back in the loss column of 6 seed.
DFiB (10 ♡):
#2 defense in the league the last 15 games...
OakTownWs (9 ♡):
Steph and dray celebrating podz’ and 1 is weaponized joy for the kiddos.
So fun, this is how its supposed to be!
Game 59: GSW @ New York. 4:30pm Pacific early… — FEB 29
Donte DiVincenzo revenge game, Kuminga return to NY
Captain Jack (7 ♡):
Let’s not make this complicated: GIVE MOODY A SHOT AGAINST THE SHIFTIER SMALLER GUARDS
Arash (7 ♡):
Moody's incredible defense against Jalen Brunson makes me think that he'd be a good matchup against Jamal Murray as well (they're similar type guard scorers).
belilaugh (7 ♡):
Kuminga/Moody/Podz are Second Timeline-ing the shit out of this fourth quarter
TwoRingTest (7 ♡):
The knickerbockers ain't nothing but little breeches.
Let's get em!
Captain Jack (6 ♡):
It warmed my heart watching that Moses - JK connection tonight :')
They each had their moments individually so far in their young career but I haven't seen them share one yet until tonight
Explain: The new way Kuminga is defended and… — FEB 29
Some of these ideas should work with time and practice.
TwoRingTest (9 ♡):
Honestly, I'm kind of excited for the change, for a couple of reasons:
1. His passing is getting better, and more importantly, he's starting to recognize when passing is a better option.
2. He isn't pouting or hanging his head *at all*, despite the fact it's much harder for him to score in the halfcourt now.
He's staying engaged, and his energy level is very high. Bodes well for him continuing to grow into a team game, rather than a primarily one-on-one game.
Daniel Hardee (8 ♡):
This is complete fire!
AJ (8 ♡):
This is a great video. Definitely explains why his points are down. He's averaging 3.8 assists the past 10 games (career 1.6) and 4.5 the last 6 games. So he's adjusting and still being productive.
DraymondWantsItMore (7 ♡):
Loved this E1P, best of the year so far! Really great to see that even though Kuminga has made the scouting report it hasn't slowed him down too much, that shows a lot of growth!
Asher B. (7 ♡):
I don't know if he drinks or doesn't. But let's agree that even less so than some broadcasting blowhard on a morning hot-take show, a rando on Reddit never has to be held accountable for coming up with random or scurrilous info. It would be so lovely if the internet automatically kicked people out for half an hour if they say something so fucking stu ---
<THIS ACCOUNT TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED FOR VIOLATION OF TERMS OF AGREEMENT, RESUMPTION 10:51 PST
DFiB (6 ♡):
He's also handling centers on switches better to my eye...
fzwinter (4 ♡):
The 5-out option only works in the first half when Dray is capable of making an open 3 :)
fzwinter (3 ♡):
Dubs now closer to the #5 spot (3.5 games) than they are to the #11 spot (4 games).
DFiB (3 ♡):
I think there are some opportunities to have some weak side actions, like a hammer screen, to take advantage of the weak side defender's early rotation and focus.
If you've got JK in the post, a strong side split cut keeps 2 strong side defenders occupied, and it's the goalie and one other weak side defender guarding half the floor. Can/should easily be able to get a good shooter an open 3pt shot on the wing or even the corner.
Another option is to go for the full 5-out experience with Dray at the top of the key, Moody in the strong corner, Podz in the weak corner, and Steph on the weak wing.
AttilaTheHun (3 ♡):
One of your best E1Ps! And it addressed a question I have been musing about lately. I could see the defenses were adapting because JK was having trouble getting those "easy" (for him) paths to the rim, but I didn't have a clear picture of why until now. Huge thanks, EA!
MyŠarūnas (3 ♡):
Great E1P. The mid-range fall-away is really falling nicely for JK, and great to see how he's learning to pass when defenses are keyed on him. Still, I think he needs another counter - a sneaky scoop shot or pump fake when the open pass out isn't there.
Goofus (3 ♡):
Really great job, EA! Are these solutions similar to how Milwaukee responded to the Giannis wall?
I have an idea for what I think would be a great (and timely) video: Can Moses fill Wiggs’ shoes? It would interesting to compare their strengths/weaknesses and see MM in the Wiggins role in offensive sets.
Asher B. (3 ♡):
That's a great breakdown. My view in past couple of years is that Warriors could take better advantage of Kuminga's ability to score, but I never claimed he was Charles Barkley as a passer out of the post. When he makes the right read at right pace it looks great, but it's definitely a work in progress. The mad-dash downcourt can yield dramatic benefits but is also risky. Going one on three and missing with no offensive rebound available is an all or nothing proposition. To be used with care.
Post-game: Dubs take care of business vs WAS… — FEB 27
Whew
Ando (25 ♡):
I liked the part where they won the game.
Eric Apricot (24 ♡):
I just wanted to tell you all that I love you
Paul (17 ♡):
Klay Klay Klay.
Let’s be honest, this guy was made to be a 6th man.
His whole career he has been a shot hunter and a streak shooter.
He now can play with a totally free mind that his job is to fire away at every opportunity with no guilt.
I believe he will shoot over 40 from 3 the rest of the year and become the most feared 6th man in the league.
He will have his share of clunkers but this should be the best thing that could have happened to his mentality. He was made for this.
DFiB (17 ♡):
6th man Klay, in 5 games, is shooting 45% from 3, with a 65% TS, and is a +3.5 net rating. Love this player.
vignette17 (14 ♡):
The weirdest thing to me about Moody's playing time is when I watch him, he does the little things. He had 2-3 deflections. He had 2 saves. He even took a grenade or two and tried to get a good shot. Whatever the coaches are seeing, I'm just not.
Also, CP3 was the best player on the floor tonight. And he wasn't doing the annoying stuff. Just pure skill.
Asher B. (13 ♡):
My God that Moody save behind the back to Draymond's thump bounce pass to Steph's alley to Kuminga oop is SO BEAUTIFUL. That's some Globetrotter shit right there.
Asher B. (13 ♡):
The conditional perfect tense is fading away in sports discussion, and I lament that.
Instead of "We would not have won that game without Kuminga's heroics," I very often see online "We don't win that game without Kuminga's heroics." Or I often see phrases like "If they didn't draft Wiseman..." when I'm expecting "If they had not drafted Wiseman..."
You may say, "Oh hush, grammarian, what does it matter?" And it doesn't matter a whole lot. But it does get confusing when there's ambiguity. Also, I'm sentimental and have always enjoyed the conditional tense. My life would not have been as full had I not gotten to enjoy the conditional tense.
I request a pitchfork-armed mob to join in support of my point.
Sleepy Freud (13 ♡):
Can you imagine? My god.
MDJ...
• Poole for CP3 and hella cap flexibility
• Re-signed Dray to a pretty modest deal
• Drafted TJD and Podz with a #57 and a #19
• Traded Wiseman for GP2 (yeah, I'm giving him that, cos Myers was pretty checked out by then)
• Saric on a vet min
• Resolutely hung onto Kuminga, Moody, and Santos
A+++ to date, imo.
NoOneEverGotFired4GuardinSteph (12 ♡):
For anyone else that hadn't seen it, here's the link https://www.reddit.com/r/warriors/comments/1b1ui7a/globetrotters_went_to_dc/
Sleepy Freud (12 ♡):
Anyone else feel like the bloom is a *little* bit off the rose with Podz as the 5th guy in the starting lineup? Absolutely love Podz and think he's gonna be a star, but don't love starting out so small; and the lack of shooting is occasionally problematic.
Would love to see them leave Moody in the starting 5 when Wiggs returns. Make Podz part of the #6-8 group with CP3 and Klay. Podz is a pretty nice fit with those two cos he flies all over the place, rebounds like a 4, and pushes the pace.
Game 58: GSW @ Washington. Poole Party… — FEB 27
Update: Wiggins out for personal reasons
g8tgod (11 ♡):
Let's hope Moses can show his knack for playing winning basketball and make himself a fixture in the rotation. Rooting for the kid...
Alex (10 ♡):
Noooooo, let Klay continue to acclimate to his new role. Would rather start MM and keep everyone else's rotation the same. And if our support means anything, Moody will go 28 for 13 and score infinity points.
Klon (8 ♡):
I'm going to be greedy and request a win by 33 points for my 33rd birthday.
Sleepy Freud (7 ♡):
Still wanna see what the Steph-Moods-Wiggs-JK-Dray death lineup looks like.
DubsNerd (7 ♡):
Just call fouls on D vs. everyone like they do (don't) against Steph, scoring will plummet
Run_TMC (7 ♡):
Stop! Moody Time...
Kenny Nonymous (7 ♡):
Still rooting for the dude, but not tonight.
Post-game: Warriors storm out to big lead… — FEB 25
Rough shooting for Steph; Klay on fire in first half
Arash (16 ♡):
Davis is one of the best rim protectors of the league, but Moody is the best.
There are levels to this shit.
Alex (12 ♡):
I'm sure it's good, yet somehow Gilbert Arena talking about veteran leadership and professionalism sounds like an abstinence retreat led by Ron Jeremy.
Sleepy Freud (12 ♡):
> I wanted this one a bunch - because it’s Denver and because it would’ve given this streak a different level of legitimacy
Same. This one stings more than some of the other losses cos we were riding so high, and a win would have really felt like turning a corner. And you could taste it in the first half, as we whupped their butts up and down the floor. The last two minutes of the 2nd Q and the whole 4th Q were very harsh tokes.
Still, as you say, it’s just one game. Wheels up to DC and let’s start a new streak!
Sleepy Freud (12 ♡):
It's hard to get too mad about losing to Denver, when they play such an unselfish brand of bball, and have basically no hatable players. I hope they beat Boston in the Finals, if it comes to it.
fotd (10 ♡):
I wanted this one a bunch - because it’s Denver and because it would’ve given this streak a different level of legitimacy. It’s rationalization time now. It’s just one loss. Can’t expect to win them all. Reduce turnovers by 20% and let Curry shoot his usual percentages and we win. Movin’ on.
Game 57: GSW vs Denver, early start, 4pm… — FEB 25
Last of 3 games in 4 nights
Abaddon (12 ♡):
11/08 @Denver: 105-108; l2m shows Gordon uncalled 5s inbounds call
12/25 @Denver: 120-114; l2m shows uncalled foul on Gordon rebounding the ball
1/4: vs Denver: 127-130; huge blown lead and Jokic banks in a 44 ft game winner.
There isn’t some huge gap between us and Denver head-to-head; quite the contrary. Still 0-3 and a win here would go a long way to translating the good feelings to actual results against the Western Conference favorite.
Basketbum (11 ♡):
Anybody else looking for a win here? Denver looking vulnerable. We are rising. I don't think we fold in the 4th q. Big game. Street cred on the line. Need big game from Curry, Podz, & JK. Would be nice to see Klay go off from the bench!
Eric Apricot (9 ♡):
((
Santos is out today for the Warriors with right knee soreness. Hurt it in a G-League game last night in Santa Cruz. Belief is it’s not too serious.
))
https://www.threads.net/@anthony_slater/post/C3yI8RnSddA/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
DubsNerd (9 ♡):
Yeah, and no Dray for any of those games, he's, kinda important to their defense. Also, no JK for the last half of the last game.
And, this is also 3 games in 4 nights for Denver, with travel, and they are a lot less deep.
Plus, Jamal is not 100% with shin splints.
So, heck yeah I'm looking for a win here!
Asher B. (8 ♡):
This is the tried and true algorithm for how to root in the standings when climbing them, and there are multiple rival teams ahead:
1. Root for my team to win.
2. Root for all rivals ahead to lose all games not played against each other.
3. If they play each other, root for the nearest team above us to *lose,* so that we get past them.
4. Once we have passed them, repeat the process with the next nearest team above.
This is crucial, memorize it please, because what we root for is what occurs, as we all well know.
Warriors overcome Hornets as Chris Paul's… — FEB 24
Three straight wins and the return of a future HOFer? Get ready Dub Nation, the tides are changing our way!
void (13 ♡):
Man, Dray just won't stop until I full-on hate him will he?
[edit: just to be clear this is in the context of the hornets scuffle, but still]
“Miles is my guy, that’s my little brother, so I’m not going to sit here and go in on Miles. Miles can do no wrong to me,”
Is this the same Miles Bridges who beat the shit out of his girlfriend in front of their two kids?
"According to Johnson's hospital report which she posted to Instagram, she was an "adult victim of abuse by male partner" which included assault by strangulation, brain concussion, closed fracture of nasal bone, contusion of rib, multiple bruises, and a neck muscle strain."
Come the f*** on man.
Sleepy Freud (10 ♡):
It’s a Michigan State thing — and not about the domestic abuse — but yeah, still pretty tone deaf and gross.
Eric Apricot (13 ♡):
From the Kawakami Athletic piece today:
<<
“I knew he was frustrated,” Kerr said of Kuminga. “We had a great talk the next day. He came into my office. He’s a very respectful young guy. For the first two years, our conversations were very much one-sided. I couldn’t get him to respond. So I would tell him what we needed. And he didn’t say a whole lot.
“So I think it was actually a good thing for him to kind of express his frustration because it kind of forced him to really take ownership of it, and we had a good conversation. He let me know how he’s feeling, that he was frustrated, and we went through a list of things that I felt he needed to do,
“I think he gets a lot of criticism for, ‘Oh, he’s not playing young guys,'” Draymond said of Kerr. “But would JK have been as ready as he is now a year ago? I personally don’t think so. I think we all believed in what JK could become. But you almost do JK a disservice by not giving him credit (for) the work he put in to become the player that he’s become this year.
>>
Chasing Rings 💍💍💍💍 {🖤DM} (13 ♡):
Introducing the all new 2023/24 Podge Charger
Being (12 ♡):
Nets over the Wolves brings the Dubs half a game closer to taking the 1 seed.
DFiB (12 ♡):
Don’t look now, but the much maligned Wiggins has a higher 3P% (34.8%) than the much pined for Moody (34.4%)… sigh
Sleepy Freud (11 ♡):
NBA Charges Taken Leaders
5. D. Green, GS 17
4. M. Wagner, ORL 19
3. T. Hardaway Jr., DAL 21
2. J. Brunson, NYK 24
1. B. Podziemski, GS 31
Warriors win Curry Family Cup vs Hornets… — FEB 23
MOMENTUM!
Eric Apricot (28 ♡):
I just wanted to tell you all that I love you
Ando (23 ♡):
I liked the part where they won the game.
Being (19 ♡):
So for all the JK doubters out there. He isn't regressing, the league is adapting, sending doubles on him. He started passing out of them. Then they started sending late doubles. And he started giving up TO's. Now, he's adjusted again, and is passing even better. His Assist totals picking up is exactly what he needs to do to adjust to the continued doubles.
Being (17 ♡):
I think the odds of slipping into the 6th seed and out of the play-in are better than people think.
They need to catch up and pass 4 of the 5 teams ahead of them: Lakers (one more loss than Dubs), Suns (2 fewer), Pels/Mavs/Kings (3 fewer losses). That seems difficult to with only 27 games left for most of these teams.
However, these teams play each other quite a bit, which means mandatory losses spread amongst the group:
LAL has games left against Suns, Kings(2), and Pels
Suns have additional games left against Pels(2), Kings
Kings have additional games left against Mavs(2), Pels
Mavs and Pels have no more games against each other.
That's 10 games those 5 teams will play against each other, which means 10 losses spread across those 5 teams, or an average of 2 losses each which is huge in the standings.
Furthermore, the Dubs play the Mavs (3), Lakers(2), and Pels, which could be an additional 6 losses for those teams.
More specifically, the Dubs obviously control their own destiny w.r.t the Mavs since they are only 3 losses behind the Mavs, and the Dubs can hand them 3 losses on in their three games while taking the tiebreaker.
For the Pelicans, Kings, and Suns, the Dubs need to make up 3 losses for the former two teams, and 2 for the Suns, but to get the 6th seed they need to only catch 2 of the three. Even if the Lakers lose all of their remaining games against these teams, the Suns, Kings, Mavs, and Pels must play each other 6 times, which means at least 6 losses spread amongst them. Excluding the Mavs, it's 4 games for three teams. It's probably at least 1 loss each, so, the Dubs most likely only need to catch two of the three for the 6th speed: 2 games for the Pels and Kings and 1 game for the Suns.
That is of course, in addition to taking care of business against the Mavs and the Lakers falling out of the race and allowing the other teams to rack up wins.
I like those odds a lot. With the way the Dubs have been playing, they could easily gain 2 games in the loss column against those teams outside of the games those teams play against each other.
Being (13 ♡):
I like the part where they played defense.
Asher B. (11 ♡):
The real cause for hope is the fact that we are kicking ass and taking names. Since the bereavement pause, we are 11-4 and everything is clicking. Wiggins is back, the three forward lineup is great, Podz is in the starting lineup and that's working, Draymond and defense are back, GPII now back. I can see this team winning a championship, and not just because I'm a fan. Strong team.
DubsNerd (11 ♡):
JK double digit scoring streak is over, but with 7 boards and 6 assists, he's still making an impact
Warriors knock off Lakers 128-110, Curry… — FEB 22
WE'RE BACK BABY!
Eric Apricot (42 ♡):
I just wanted to tell you all that I love you
DubsNerd (31 ♡):
I remember hearing the ancient ones speak of games where the Dubs would get a lead, and then turn it into a larger lead. Games where the starters watched and laughed from the bench for the last part of the game. I always thought those stories were just myths, but tonight, it feels like we were watching those legendary Dubs teams of old.
Ando (26 ♡):
I liked the part where they won the game.
AJ (26 ♡):
Best stat:
Austin Reaves - 0 FTA
Asher B. (22 ♡):
Three Thoughts!! The “Hey There League, Remember Us?” Edition
1. Name a better year for Steph. I know, I know, he was the Unani Mouse. But with this squad, the way he’s pulling it all together, at an age when a lot of guys retire? Adding driving flourishes to his passing and shooting, and adjusting to the roster changes? I also loved ’21 and ’22 in this way, but I nominate this as his best year. I require a second for the motion.
2. Does anyone else remember early in the season when Podz and TJD were in Santa Cruz during a road trip and Draymond made some noise about it, arguing that even if they don’t play, they lift the team up by their presence? Wow, things have changed. Now they’re vital to the win. TJD was an ANIMAL tonight
3 The legendary “DNHQ Effect” is real, people. Whenever we bellyache about something for a month, Kerr does it. It just takes a month. We said play Kuminga more, eventually he did. We said bench Klay, we said play TJD more, we said bench Looney, we said play Moody. It’s not some weird telepathy. Steve Kerr constantly reads this site, and we all know which login name is his.
3. I would argue that Austin Reaves is at exactly the NBA middle, among starters. Not terrible, not fantastic. Just …pretty good. Precisely half of all league starters are better than him, half worse.
22. Wiggins is back. I no longer worry. He’s back and he’s staying back.
4. Always remember: Doc Rivers sucks.
Captain Jack (21 ♡):
God I love beating the crap out of the Lakers. F**K LA.
Captain Jack (19 ♡):
Klay had a forgettable shooting night but did other things well. Exactly what I wanted to see from him.
DFiB (13 ♡):
Moody looked really spry and effective out there!
Game 55: GSW vs Los Angeles Lakers. Plus open… — FEB 22
Chris Paul out but getting close; LeBron supposedly out wink wink
Asher B. (21 ♡):
Just so we’re clear: I did not endure a week of having to watch celebrity basketball games and skills challenges just so I could finally watch my team lose to some purple/yellow buffoons with their Top Buffoon watching from the cryogenic treatment capsule. No indeed not. I do not demand a blowout but I’m not even here for a close win. We are the New Look Warriors and we are all done messing around. Are you with me? Because if you’re here for a loss, for a moral victory or even a pulse pounding close one, then say your piece; but we shall have to go our separate ways. And so I ask again: are you with me?
I’m kinda insecure so someone better answer yes.
DubsNerd (15 ♡):
Pretty shocking quote from JK:
“People think it was me switching gears. It’s not, nah. I had to just keep going, keep growing every day. Locking in even more. It’s not the haircut. I had a mindset that was already set.”
Not the haircut? I'll have to rethink my whole worldview.
TwoRingTest (14 ♡):
Let us not forget. Wiggs was a f*** monster tonight and put the team on his back for a good 4 minute stretch there ( I think Curry was resting).
Arash (13 ♡):
"We will never, ever try to bottom out . . . the only thing is we'll never sit around and accept mediocrity. We're not going to sit around and let this happen to us.”
- Joe Lacob
I fucking love our owner!!!
Captain Jack (13 ♡):
https://twitter.com/warriorsworld/status/1760711944905085104
“Enjoy y’all last Win” - Steph to the Celtics Players after G3
Eric Apricot (13 ♡):
I enjoyed reading this article, but I dispute the basic thesis, which is that “Kerr didn’t want to play rookies, but when GSW bottomed out in Jan, he was finally forced to.” I think this is a reasonable enough thesis that I want to respond to it with some detail.
In fact, the evidence doesn’t fit the thesis.
- BP got heavy playing time starting Nov 14.
- JK has actually gotten consistent total 20 MPG since season start, though of course he’s been jerked around lineup and crunchtime wise. Starting with the ATL game, he’s been playing noticeably better and vaulted himself into starter land.
- Gui and LQ started to get play during the winning streak. This is the most support for the article thesis. But they haven’t looked close to ready before Jan.
The biggest stretch is this quote to support the idea that Kerr is finally playing the rookies.
<<
Meanwhile, Moody is averaging a career-high 17.3 minutes, having improved his scoring from 4.8 points per game last season to 8.2. Fellow rookie Jackson-Davis has four double-doubles, tied for sixth among rookies.
>>
What a great example of technically being true but being so misleading as to be a lie:
- Moody’s case is too painful to recount but we all know it doesn’t support the thesis. The quote exploits the NBA stat quirk where you only count minutes per game of games where you play.
- TJD got heavy time starting Dec 17 until being out of rotation at the start of the winning at the end of Jan.
My point is not that Kerr made the correct choices of rookie playing time but that it’s not nearly as simple as “after they sucked in Jan, Kerr was forced to face reality.”
Kerr and the staff have faced an incredibly difficult task, and they’ve responded with a lot of subtlety. The fact that GSW is kind of playing well, the locker room camaraderie is reportedly strong, and Klay, CP3 and Loon seem to be accepting their downgraded role… that’s miraculous.
Lester Quiñones gets an NBA contract; Magic… — FEB 21
Update: Pat Spencer gets LQ’s two-way spot
PlainCandleLight (14 ♡):
My favorite parts from the same article by Slater :
>>>>>>Green sprained his left ankle just before training camp. He missed about a month. In his ramp-up to return, the Warriors set up a scrimmage in Sacramento the morning of their second game. Podziemski was out of the rotation, so they had him play on Green’s team. They lost the first scrimmage after Green turned it over.
“We can’t have a turnover for game!” Podziemski told Green. “You cannot turn the ball over for game.”
Green was stunned. They’ve had rookies who barely say a word to him the entire season.
“I was like, ‘OK, cool, you got it. No problem,'” Green said. “Here we are playing a pick-up game, a game to get me ready and he’s yelling at me. That to me said a whole lot. I was like, ‘You know what? No problem. But make sure you speak up like that all the time.'” >>>>>>>>>>>>>>
DFiB (11 ♡):
[On Mark Jackson] Well... any group of people that believe in the same religion as him... as long as they're also cool with him falsely accusing teammates of rooting against each other...
And let's not forget that an assistant coach was so motivated by their distrust the culture that they secretly plant recording devices in the locker room... masterfully motivated that guy too.
So, yeah, as long as you drink the Mark Jackson Kool-Aid, it is pretty good, I guess... I'll look elsewhere, tho.
PGBreaker (11 ♡):
In that article on Podz, it is mentioned that they were also high on Jaquez and Lively as was DNHQ. so as all three of those guys look like they would have been excellent picks, it's nice to know the front office was doing some great prep, not just flipping coins or believing some other mock draft thingy somewhere.
Dub Nation HQ Comments of Week, plus open… — FEB 20
GSW find themselves just in time for All-Star break
Chasing Rings 💍💍💍💍 {🖤DM} (20 ♡):
TIL a new word that is so old and unused it is no longer found in most dictionaries: Apricity
An Old English word that means the warmth of the sun on a winter's day. The word comes from the Latin word apricus, which means having lots of sunshine.
I feel like it is apt on here 🌼
Thanks Eric for all your Apricity.
Chasing Rings 💍💍💍💍 {🖤DM} (14 ♡):
Klay on 4/20 is already too high
Eric Apricot (13 ♡):
For people who don’t want to visit the hell bird:
<<
The Golden State Warriors plan to convert two-way guard Lester Quiñones to a standard NBA contract, Mike Miller and Derek Malloy of @LiftSportsMngMt tell ESPN. Quinones — who has averaged 4.8 points for Warriors this season — was the 2023 Most Improved Player in the G League.
>>
Goofus (13 ♡):
OT: We took Amtrak trains from San Diego to Oregon. 36 hours of beautiful views (many from right above the beach) condensed into 13 minutes of highlights:
Goldarn Staid Worrier (13 ♡):
In related news, this article about Podz in the Athletic is fantastic. Lots of insider details, back story, info about his personality and drive. Great great stuff.
One quote among lots of juicy tidbits:
The Warriors nearly blew a huge lead to the Spurs in late November. They won, but it was a bad overall performance and Podziemski’s first real stinker. He missed all five of his shots. Kerr entered the locker room postgame expecting the team to be down and Podziemski to be in hiding.
“I would have been holed up in my apartment for three days wondering if I’d ever make a shot again,” Kerr said of his younger self. “But I went in there and he was the most upbeat guy. I loved it. Because when you play poorly and still can bring team energy and maintain confidence and swagger, that’s a great sign.”
Abaddon (12 ♡):
Klay already knows how to remain confident after missing all of his shots.
MyŠarūnas (11 ♡):
OK, so post-ASG, Steph has all the crowns. Dray and Klay got things to prove to the league.
We got JK the Hella Copter (sorry,) still rising. Someone found Good Wiggins tied up in the broom closet. We got 48-feet-of-Healthy GPII. Podz is clearly a basketball lunatic, and mostly in the best ways. Not to mention valuable minutes coming from Ye Olde Point God, Saric, LQ, and TJD. I predict winning.
Still, Free Moses! Lift the blockade on Moody Island!
Hey, I've never had a basketball article make me cry, until this https://theathletic.com/5279301/2024/03/06/tom-meschery-nba-warriors-cancer-poet/?source=user_shared_article
So … about my post a couple days ago that “22 games remaining” could be a bat signal for #22… 😊