Aside from the "scheduled loss" at Toronto with most of the key players resting, the Dubs have had a chance to win EVERY game this year. All 10 of their losses were in games that were tight down the stretch. This is a club that has a lot of heart and refuses to get blown away by anyone. Come playoff time, that heart will really shine.
I'd say the most discouraging part of last night's game was that Wiggins looked like he had no chance of guarding Morant. I'm seeing a lot of "Wiggins is a better POA defender than Klay ever was" but I don't recall Klay getting cooked by speedy guards like that too often. Maybe I'm just remembering the best version of Klay because of all the highlights I've been watching recently lol.
Still not worried about the Grizzlies in the playoffs. I saw a tweet that showed the Warriors tried out 26 different lineups in last night's game, so it's hard to say Kerr was treating this like a playoff game or anything. Give me 35+ minutes of Curry, 25-30 minutes of Klay, 35+ minutes of Draymond, and 30+ minutes of GP2 and I just don't see the Grizzlies taking it past 5 games.
Also, Ziaire certainly looks like he has potential as a scorer but come on man you are like 6'10, you should not be averaging only 2.7 rebounds per 36 minutes (for comparison, Davion Mitchell is averaging 3.1 per 36, Chris Chiozza is averaging 4.1 per 36). I like his fluidity, his shooting potential, and even his lateral quickness for his size despite Curry taking him to school, but the rebounding at his size is a big red flag for me.
I keep seeing it stated that Wiggs was "disengaged". I think he just had a bad game. I think his mild mannered behavior comes off as disconnected at times, but he also looks that way when the shots go in.
I mean Steph missed 4 layups and had 2-3 air-balled 3 pointers. He still had a triple double, but no one would say he was disengaged.
I think when Draymond returns, Wiggs play will take a significant jump. I just cringe when people say he is disengaged. Dude just had a slightly off game.
It's funny that most of the Warriors loses follow the same pattern; get way behind to start the game, catch up in the 3rd, and then fall completely flat in the 4th. I don't think it is fatigue because nobody is really playing all that many minutes and it is usually turnovers that cause the initial deficit.
Steve said they will have to reestablish their identity with Klay back, which is a given. Wiggins is who I'm interested in seeing how they involve him now that Klay is back. Plus trying to work in Wiseman down the line. I hope they can win while reestablishing their identity.
I’d have to say these Memphis games have been some of my favorite to watch. Ja Morant is a special player. We needed a bit of Draymond tonight for sure. And the athleticism gap is a bit scary - the youth on Memphis are flying around the court, where as we looked a bit like we were playing old man basketball. But if Steph and Klay can find a rhythm, and Draymond is in there disrupting we can still take these guys. Although what’s up with Stephs airballs? That was weird.
Bucks have lost 4 out of their last 5 games (Pistons, Raptors, and Hornets X2). If the Pistons and the Raptors can beat the Bucks in Milwaukee, I think the Warriors can do the same.
The sky is not falling. Dubs scrappy against a tough Grizzlies team on the road without Dray. If Dubs stay healthy, they've got a great shot at 60 wins this regular season and, of course, another 16 in the playoffs. Eyes on the prize.
Is it true that Steve played 26 different lineups?
On ball Steph was getting that run going in 3rd, wish we would've kept that going the rest of the way. Got his shot going and then we went away from it. Wiggs got involved during that time as well. Need the balance between on ball and off ball especially without Draymond.
Tough night here in the kingdom. One of our JP's worst games of the year, but he'll work hard and turn it around.
Depressing reading the comments below. Of course Poole is not Ja. He also wasn't drafted second. He was picked 28th. In his first year, he looked like he wasn't going to amount to anything, then he worked his ass off, and then turned into a pretty terrific player. Lots of room for growth still.
On top of that, we watched Q1-Q3 on Hulu. Then it started giving us ads. So we told it to start the recording from the beginning (in the hope of avoiding the ads), and it took us right to Kerr's presser and showed us the final score. TBH I wasn't that unhappy to miss Q4 when I saw the score.
Let Wiggins and poole run the second unit and give curry hack his regular rotation
Aside from the "scheduled loss" at Toronto with most of the key players resting, the Dubs have had a chance to win EVERY game this year. All 10 of their losses were in games that were tight down the stretch. This is a club that has a lot of heart and refuses to get blown away by anyone. Come playoff time, that heart will really shine.
I'd say the most discouraging part of last night's game was that Wiggins looked like he had no chance of guarding Morant. I'm seeing a lot of "Wiggins is a better POA defender than Klay ever was" but I don't recall Klay getting cooked by speedy guards like that too often. Maybe I'm just remembering the best version of Klay because of all the highlights I've been watching recently lol.
Still not worried about the Grizzlies in the playoffs. I saw a tweet that showed the Warriors tried out 26 different lineups in last night's game, so it's hard to say Kerr was treating this like a playoff game or anything. Give me 35+ minutes of Curry, 25-30 minutes of Klay, 35+ minutes of Draymond, and 30+ minutes of GP2 and I just don't see the Grizzlies taking it past 5 games.
Also, Ziaire certainly looks like he has potential as a scorer but come on man you are like 6'10, you should not be averaging only 2.7 rebounds per 36 minutes (for comparison, Davion Mitchell is averaging 3.1 per 36, Chris Chiozza is averaging 4.1 per 36). I like his fluidity, his shooting potential, and even his lateral quickness for his size despite Curry taking him to school, but the rebounding at his size is a big red flag for me.
I keep seeing it stated that Wiggs was "disengaged". I think he just had a bad game. I think his mild mannered behavior comes off as disconnected at times, but he also looks that way when the shots go in.
I mean Steph missed 4 layups and had 2-3 air-balled 3 pointers. He still had a triple double, but no one would say he was disengaged.
I think when Draymond returns, Wiggs play will take a significant jump. I just cringe when people say he is disengaged. Dude just had a slightly off game.
An annoying loss (but they all are). Are the Grizz peaking too early? That’s my expert analysis.
It's funny that most of the Warriors loses follow the same pattern; get way behind to start the game, catch up in the 3rd, and then fall completely flat in the 4th. I don't think it is fatigue because nobody is really playing all that many minutes and it is usually turnovers that cause the initial deficit.
Lines ups played yesterday - 26!
https://go.nba.com/crtc
Highest mins - 8/7/5/5/3/3 and rest are 2 or below.
Kerr wasn't really chasing win. But then why play Curry 39 min
Two takeaways from that game:
2) Memphis is good, really good.
1) +17 ………… visibly the better team when Klay played (and to some extent Klay + GP2 was just nasty.)
Steve said they will have to reestablish their identity with Klay back, which is a given. Wiggins is who I'm interested in seeing how they involve him now that Klay is back. Plus trying to work in Wiseman down the line. I hope they can win while reestablishing their identity.
So how we feel about Poole getting limited minutes going forward. It's pretty clear he's going to be getting 20-24 minutes going forward.
I’d have to say these Memphis games have been some of my favorite to watch. Ja Morant is a special player. We needed a bit of Draymond tonight for sure. And the athleticism gap is a bit scary - the youth on Memphis are flying around the court, where as we looked a bit like we were playing old man basketball. But if Steph and Klay can find a rhythm, and Draymond is in there disrupting we can still take these guys. Although what’s up with Stephs airballs? That was weird.
Bucks have lost 4 out of their last 5 games (Pistons, Raptors, and Hornets X2). If the Pistons and the Raptors can beat the Bucks in Milwaukee, I think the Warriors can do the same.
The sky is not falling. Dubs scrappy against a tough Grizzlies team on the road without Dray. If Dubs stay healthy, they've got a great shot at 60 wins this regular season and, of course, another 16 in the playoffs. Eyes on the prize.
Blech, couple real bad turnovers in there, a few bad bounces, their role players were hot, ours weren’t… it’s a rivalry now to me. On to the next.
Is it true that Steve played 26 different lineups?
On ball Steph was getting that run going in 3rd, wish we would've kept that going the rest of the way. Got his shot going and then we went away from it. Wiggs got involved during that time as well. Need the balance between on ball and off ball especially without Draymond.
Bounce back next game, please!
Tough night here in the kingdom. One of our JP's worst games of the year, but he'll work hard and turn it around.
Depressing reading the comments below. Of course Poole is not Ja. He also wasn't drafted second. He was picked 28th. In his first year, he looked like he wasn't going to amount to anything, then he worked his ass off, and then turned into a pretty terrific player. Lots of room for growth still.
On top of that, we watched Q1-Q3 on Hulu. Then it started giving us ads. So we told it to start the recording from the beginning (in the hope of avoiding the ads), and it took us right to Kerr's presser and showed us the final score. TBH I wasn't that unhappy to miss Q4 when I saw the score.