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Game 1. BRK 125, GSW 99. Wiseman impresses, Steph creates, everyone bricks.
Well it was fun seeing what Wiseman could do.
Here is the main takeaway:



Here are most of my unfiltered in-game notes.
Good luck everyone. I hope it's a fun ride.
BRK with an impressive "hit every long jumper" scheme.
Q1.8.35. That HORNS play I've been tracking, Steph to Wise to Wiggs, trying to get him on the move. Gets fouled.
GSW with the controversial "make BRK miss open jumpers" defense. Daring choice, let's see how that works out.
Oooo, I was wondering what happens with Kelly challenges KD at the rim. KD dunk, KOJ goes flying.
I'm not sure Kelly and Wiggs can be spot up shooters... it's a skill to just hang out until the ball comes out of nowhere and you shoot it well.
haha, KO real mad about getting fouled on last play... gets BIG dunk putback, then Steph with the gorgeous TD pass for another KO dunk.
GSW O aggressively going into KOJ, Wiggs early, lots of random mid Js. Not using Steph's gravity much now. You get a bad O when you let that be your first option each possession.
Steph tries a backdoor cut off ball, but Looney gets pass deflected leading to ugliness. If Steph starts off ball, the team STILL has to look for him first, then go get your own shot.
Q1.2.03. Head tap call. Aha it's still the Motion strong play usually for KD zipper cut. In this case, it ends up with Wiggins posting up.
GSW aggressively, defiantly never putting Steph in PNR... aha, it happens, to get Chriss an easy layup. I think to be fair, BRK should also hold themselves back, like not letting Kyrie dribble or something. Chriss with a bold 3 though.
welp, I don't think the O in early Q2 can get WORSE, but...
Chriss has total confidence on O, this is a good sign.
Chriss with a nice between the legs Blind Pig pass to Wiggs, he misses the mid floater. Wiggs may have to go in the memory eraser to get over this half. Me too.
The BRK D is actually pretty sloppy. GSW making them look good. BRK also winning the 50-50 balls.
Good Steph curl drop off to Wiseman who almost muffs the dunk
Q2.3.40. Steph with the Ambush PNR but the spacing with Wiseman is weird and Steph gets stuffed. GSW transition D looks dispirited , BRK dunks.
Oooh that was the future, in between kicks to the face, Steph to JW, fake handoff, sweet fluid soaring layup.
I like this sequence, JTA gets a chase down block, more physical D from GSW. Need to gunk up the game on D.
YES JAMES TRY TO DUNK THAT.
When Steph came back in Q2, the O went through him, even when he was off ball. That stopped the bleeding. GSW are actually still in the game, and they looked like an NBA team.
I'd like to see the Steph-centric O continue -- not all on ball, but as first option each play. I'm tiring of the Oubre/Wiggs drives into a wall of paint defenders. I want see the D get much more physical Muck up the game, maybe the game gets into single digits and then anything can happen. Make KD and Kyrie work for the win. [Spoiler: did not happen.]
Wiseman almost broke up that Kyrie lob for DAJ
KOJ dribbles around aimlessly on perimeter, grenade pass to Wiseman who hoists the 3.
KOJ dribbles around aimlessly on perimeter, grenade pass to Wiseman who hoists the 3. JTA screen for Steph. Gets hustle ball. Score. Wiseman going coast to coast. Pulls up before the charge this time. He's evolving!!
People miss shots, that's life. I just don't like the offensive choice for Wiggs to drive iso with Wiseman standing right there for a screen. Also, when Steph got beat backdoor, he didn't switch to cover -- ball watching.
Dubs on track to get within a single digit -- triple digits score to double digits score.
I think the idea behind letting KO, Wiggs, Wiseman iso to start Q1 and Q3 is to "get them going". But it gets no one going when you are getting smacked in transition when you miss.
You know, JTA kind of looks like he belongs.
Steph post up. Interesting new approach. Score.
Steph's shot not in rhythm, but he's creating lots of good shots all over the court. I don't think Wiggs/Oubre will shoot 2-11 on mostly open 3s most games. Steph with 20 PTS 10 AST through Q3.
I wonder how much of the bad shooting is fatigue from the fast pace of the game. They aren't good, but they aren't THAT bad.
I don't think Wiggs/Oubre will shoot 2-11 on mostly open 3s most games. Those are good shots to take, though maybe they need something to get into rhythm first... not sure what
Wiggins is not that bad at running the PNR. Don't let him iso any more. Oubre not looking great as a driver from a stop. Let him cut, screen and scrap in chaos. Wiseman showed me more than I expected.
haha, Mulder's like, I had to watch you all brick every shot tonight, I'm shooting as soon as the ball hits my hands. Swish 3. Then nice layup.
Wiseman making this entertaining garbage time
Wiseman on a heat check streak here. 3, jumper, alley pop dunk, what's next?
I'm about to owe Chuck an apology. Wiseman with 17 PTS 6 REB, 2 STL, a three, only 2 PF. Sure, the whole game has been garbage time, but still.
And I guess a 40 point loss counts as much as a 1 point loss
Wiseman has been the best jump shooter on the team tonight holy cow
haha Wiseman with the heat check long Dirk. Miss.
Wiseman about to be the leading scorer tonight.... nooooo he misses the FT. Misses both.
Tempting to sub in Mulder for Wiggs or Kelly, but probably politically impossible at this early stage. Maybe if GSW starts 0-5 though
Game 1. BRK 125, GSW 99. Wiseman impresses, Steph creates, everyone bricks.
Klay posts for first time after injury.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJHfN07M2kM/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
We miss you too Klay - not just your game but your personality. Heal up, brother (or as they say on The Expanse, beratna).
Just peeked - hate to admit - at the old site; disgusted, don't know where they brought some mercenary commenters from; must have platooned them from across SB Nation/not DUB FANS. Anyway my thoughts after game 1....
- Don’t kid ourselves, Kerr’s challenge is to match Mark Jackson after a lottery/injury-plagued/covid-shortened season, and return Dubs to the playoffs/2nd round. MJax did it after lottery/injury-plagued/strike-shortened season with no David Lee after first playoff game, a hobbled/decoy Steph, a soph/spot-up-only-Klay, a 60 per cent Bogut, 3 rookies-who-got-starts in Green/Ezeli/playoff Barnes, and a 27th-ranked-Steph teammate-Jarrett Jack-off-the-bench who led Dubs in shooting efficiency/2d in scoring behind Steph for the ENTIRE playoffs of 2 rounds. Kerr is in a fairly similar position; perhaps, a bit better, if Wiggins starts playing like the top-draft-pick star he is, and our awesome rookie center plays up to his accelerated maturation capabilities.
- Do we miss flip-side Splash, 30-something-pts-qr-NBA-record/2d-most-3pts/3 ring/5 Finals-Klay….you know, the same Klay Thompson that led Dubs, with Steph hurting, over KD’s Thunder in spite of KD getting a couple of dozen pts in losing effort…you bet we do, a lot more than the dynasty-robbing-KD-acquisition…
- The fun has just begun...LGW