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I don't want to dunk on JTA but #SEVEN for iconic reasons.

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Im prolly going with JTA, cause he’s a local hero…

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Coach Nick of BBallBreakdown breaks down what’s wrong with the Warriors’ defense https://youtu.be/iQjOAhVtpb0

Big portion on Draymond’s bad defense, plus Klay and Poole’s defense and offense.

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> Big portion on Draymond’s bad defense

I don't buy this. The past few seasons have shown me that Draymond's "bad defense" comes when he is playing with teammates he can't trust. When he is playing with teammates he can trust like last season, he and the defense are dominant. Or this season with the starters who have a 103.7 defensive rating in 123 minutes. Give him the tools, and he will build you a top 5 defense.

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Nov 11, 2022·edited Nov 11, 2022

This literally the strongest I've ever agreed with one of your posts. I agree with every single word and the overall meaning even more!

It's impossible for Dray to always make good decisions when he doesn't know what decisions his teammates will make.

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It's been laughable how many times Dray has to fly across the court because Poole or Kuminga are utterly lost and leave a shooter open

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Yup, Drays superstar skill is help defense. Without properly calibrated trust, he’s going to overhelp, underhelp, and overthink.

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Another way to see it is that if the people he's playing with don't know where to be and don't get to their coverage on time, it's going to look like he's overhelping, underhelping, and overthinking.

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RemovedNov 11, 2022·edited Nov 11, 2022
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Klay is not in game shape yet… he’ll come around in a month or so, I hope. I also just realized that the starting 5 has played 123 total minutes together over 9 games. The vast majority of their minutes together have been at the beginning of the game or at the beginning of the 2nd half, when they have fresher legs.

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Nov 10, 2022·edited Nov 10, 2022Liked by Eric Apricot

Though you may have voted I’m not ya,

If you wanted my vote then I got ya,

Both made me grin,

But #SEVEN should win,

‘Cause I jumped up and yelled out ”Focaccia!”

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Between Juan and A WIggs is tough

But I’ve seen finally enough

He soars up to heaven

So I vote for SEVEN

Cause Juan’s still a gem in the rough

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The olive oil must flow.

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Nov 10, 2022Liked by Eric Apricot

I'm going to start using "Focaccia" like I did with "what the fork?"

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#SEVEN That was absolutely vicious! Done with serious attitude, Wiggs lands looking like, "Okay, who's next? Any of you suckers want to try to stop me? Come on!" Luka's wipeout is sweet sauce too.

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#SEVEN

What everyone else said.

My two favorite dunks of last year were this one and Wiggins posterization of KAT.

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I'm going to throw in the Wiggins' dunk on Brandon Clarke in the GPII injury game. That was much needed.

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Wiggins over Doncic just because. No, actually because the petty train really picked up steam from this point with its only real stop the Celtics game 1 4thQ.

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#SEVEN JTA gets the pass and dunks in rhythm, seems almost surprised at himself. Wiggs drives it from the top with malice aforethought and hammers Luka who acts exactly like the wilting flower that Wigg's sunburst has made him. Loved re-watching that!

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Nov 10, 2022·edited Nov 10, 2022

Blue eyes, brown eyes, and psychology experiments gone wrong.

Most know of the famous experiment conducted by an elementary school teacher who was trying to teach her children about discrimination. She divided the class up according to eye color, then changed classroom rules, allotting favorable treatment to one group and more strict rules to the other. In short order, she created discriminatory behavior in what had heretofore been a happy classroom. I am getting the sense that there is a little bit of this going on with the Dubs. I am not suggesting that Bob Meyers got it in his evil head to conduct the NBA version of this famous experiment for shits and giggles. But circumstances, media, story-lines, a fist and coaching decisions may have conspired to create an environment with acrimonious psychological side-effects.

Exhibit A. The "2 Time Line Narrative" has been front and center for 2 years. Should the Warriors trade all the young guys (sacrifice the kids) so that Steph can win (because what's good for the core is more important). Within this narrative, regardless of what side you choose, is the statement: Steph and the core have more value than you kids. From a basketball standpoint, sure. But as one of the youth, your "value", relative to the core, has been challenged since the day you arrived.

Exhibit B. The Punch. I'm over it. Looks like most people are over it. But it happened. And Dray punched more than Jordan. He punched all the kids. And he missed a couple of practices for it. Forget all the extenuating circumstances, boil it down and Dray punched the kids and he didn't get punished for it. When different values are attached to players, there are different treatments, there are different privileges and different consequences. And it doesn't go unnoticed by those who don't have the same "perceived value".

Exhibit C. Since training camp, Kerr has pitted the veterans against the youth in scrimmages and, as one would expect, the vets have had their way with the youth. What happens at school when the teacher picks teams, puts all the best players on one side, and leaves it like that, such that the lessor team is repeatedly embarrassed, crushed, put in their place? These scrimmage rotations that have spilled into the regular season have only reinforced the idea that there is a group within the Warriors team that has less value.

Strength in Numbers? I guess it depends what number you are wearing.

There have been split locker rooms for years. That isn't anything new in sports. It's probably more the norm. But it is something new on a Warriors team that has touted itself as selfless, humble, & egalitarian, and for good reason. What I believe is this. 1. The 2 time line narrative has always been under the surface, and how can a young kid even begin to find equal footing with basketball royalty? 2. The punch removed the veil. It exposed what was always felt to some degree under the surface was tangible and had real life consequences (or lack thereof). The punch was a confirmation of inequality. 3. The inequality of rotations, favoring one group over another, reinforced and perpetuated the idea that some are made different than others, and worse, that the authority in this matter (Kerr, Meyers & Company) both legitimized and would defend the current inequity.

Of course, you can say, "Hey, it's basketball, the kids gotta earn their minutes." But there is more to winning than how your players are playing on the floor. Everyone is going to talk a good game, but I feel like the Dubs are in the middle of a bad psychological experiment and the teacher needs to bring an end to it. The team is divided. Don't watch the game, watch the bench. And the teacher, Kerr, needs to bring this experiment to an end, and quick. And there is a tangible way to do it. Stop segregating the rotations. You can't have 2 time lines in one season. It's one season, one ball, 5 players on the court at a time for 48 minutes, one game at a time. You can't bring a team together by keeping it apart.

Unite the team and the wins will follow.

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> And Dray punched more than Jordan. He punched all the kids.

He only punched Poole.

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You are right...but I think Beli knew that and was disagreeing with it.

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The Blue Eyes, Brown Eyes experiment continued the next day, when the teacher flipped colors and now discriminated in favor of the previously oppressed group.

Do with that what you will.

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That's a false analogy. More apt analogy would be a class of high school students and middle school students. If somebody wants to play on the team, they gotta earn the minutes no matter what grade a kid is in. And what is wrong with that if your goal is to win championship this year.

On Warriors Huddle, Krysten Peak talked about how Wise and JK were a wrecking ball when they were high school. They were the top dog. They aren't in that situation anymore and pout when they treated as such. Moody on there hand was the second fiddle. So he doesn't pout.

Play with force and concentration in whatever minutes you get - that is what these kids need to do. Play with in the system.

Ray Ratto had a good point. The problem is not two timeline. Problem is that FO drafted gifted kids who are extremely green - practically going from high school basketball to NBA on a championship team. We would have been better off drafting players with some college experience.

Now let's talk about what you are calling as discrimination.

- Poole is getting sufficient minutes but has been crappy. But he will continue getting minutes because earned that last year

- JMG is DNP because he is not performing. So 'earn your minutes' applies to all

- Kerr doesn't play Loon at times even Loon is playing good. But he stays ready knowing that that is what team needs.

- JW got sustained minutes for 9 games but he was negative all around and contributed to losses. If we were 7-4 instead of 4-7, he would have continued getting minutes irrespective of his performance.

In regards to veterans vs young in practice, he talked about it. He wants the second unit to feel what it will in a actual NBA. So may be the problem is lineups. Play Steph more with 2nd unit. That compromises wins. to certain extent and OGs want to win now.

Finally 'two timelone' nomenclature is not Bob's making. That's media.

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I don't agree with some parts of what you wrote. This isn't about inequality, and I doubt it's about a divided team, although none of us can know that either way. Since when is life equal? It's not, never was, probably never will be. Young players who have the talent and the fire in their belly to succeed will fight for it. Someday those "kids" who refuse to fail will be the stars. Our young players should be motivated to show today's core that they have the stuff to get there. They have to battle for it. It won't be given to them and it shouldn't be. Such is life.

That said, I DO agree about not segregating the rotations. It seems like Kerr is starting to mix them more after the road trip but we'll see. I agree they should be mixed, not because it's about a divided team — I am unconvinced of that — but because I think the young players will perform better with members of the core who totally understand what they're doing and can direct the young fellas, as we have seen Steph and Draymond doing of late.

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I agree with your disagreement for the basic fact that I am speaking of something rather subtle. And it's not really speculating when we are talking about human emotions, especially for those that are younger. I'm 58, I don't give a rat's A. But the world seems really big when you are 21 (and I have 2 of them) and events happen and have deeper meaning. Kerr might be segregating rotations, but do the younger guys think, "do they (the core) even want to play with us?" When given the opportunity in NOP, they played with gusto. I just get a "vibe" from the young guys that the expectations are too high, the royalty is out of our league, the leash is too short, the scrutiny is overwhelming and the only way to flush out those frustrations is on the court with the vets. People say they shouldn't go back to the G League. They are already in the G League. The NOP game was a G League game. The rotations they are being put into are G League rotations. They are outsiders and any minute they could get traded for not performing in a game they aren't given a chance to play in. Again, I am trying to approach this from the viewpoint of a 21 year old playing with legends. And I think Kerr, though meaning well and taking the correct "Basketball" approach, isn't helping.

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It's interesting because in the interviews, the young guys have said that the OGs are trying to help them. It looks like they are, and the OGs say the right things. But who knows what's really going on? We're just guessing. And you're right, the emotions flow when you're 21 in a way that us oldsters can only recall when we really try. I am no mind reader. It could be not so much resentment as nerves.

I will add — and this is a "way to go!" for the young guys — they were playing the Pelicans' A team for most of that game, so that was no G League game. You don't play Zion, CJ, Valanciunas, Ingram, and Nance Jr. in the G League, and all of those guys played a lot of minutes, especially CJ and Ingram. Our "kids" did a good job making it close, and maybe by later this season they would win a game like that, especially when JP settles down (which he will).

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Definitely feels like the young guys are in a much more differential mode and "not wanting to make mistakes" when The Core are around. Somebody needs to help them to play freely.

You know, I still remember when Sleepy would post TS% for all the rookies last year with Kuminga/Moody on top of that list. These guys can play. Forget all this BS talk about how they suck and are way behind their peers and this year's new hot things (Banchero, Sharpe, etc.)... just gotta get them to go play.

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Like most young guys in a sophmore slump, I think Kuminga/Moody's struggles are mainly due to teams having a full year to scout their limitations. Kuminga can't shoot, has a mediocre handle, zero vision, and is an extreme ball watcher on d. Moody has little to not shot creation/playmaking and presses too high for onball d.

These things are all areas that they can improve, but if it tanks the entire season (and potentially more) while you have Steph playing out of his mind, is it really worth waiting? With Poole we had the luxury of a Steph-less tank year to let him develop, but that is (knock on wood) not the case right now for the new crop.

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I know there are some Star Wars fans here. All I gotta say is that Episode 10 of Andor was easily among the very best television I've ever seen. Not a kids show. Just good storytelling on every level- especially the acting and writing.

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Rogue One and Andor are the only good things since the Original Trilogy.

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Yes. Took my comment right out of my head!

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Rogue One is not very good at all, just seems better next to the turd that is 7-9 and everything since

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The “original” trilogy also has its limitations in story telling, writing, character depth, etc

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Mando and Grogu would like a word.

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You mean Rogue On and Ando

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Loving it!

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Andor is slower and more character-driven than your typical Star Wars fare, but absolutely worth the effort. As Glue says, it's not just great Star Wars or great sci-fi, it's great television.

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I credit Tony Gilroy a ton for attracting so much incredible talent.

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Make Tony Gilroy the Feige of the SWCU

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Noam Chomsky has found his heir and (he?) comments at dnhq!

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Foucault has found his successor(s) and they comment at dnhq.

I’m certainly a less sophisticated reader of both “thinkers” (than you and dayvan), I simply found most of their ideas a refreshing critique of capitalism and western “powers”.

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RemovedNov 11, 2022·edited Nov 11, 2022
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#SEVEN

NOT the one with the head in the box though

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Nov 10, 2022Liked by Eric Apricot

#SEVEN

Hey EA, congrats on the orange checkmark! Did you pay $8 for that thing?

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author

No I spent my $8 on Steve Kerr’s verified twitter account

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Im actually enjoying Free For All Twitter right now and all the newly verified Fake Woj accounts being retweeted 😂

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If Elon ends up taking down Twitter single-handedly, I'll have to admit that it's a pretty great accomplishment even if unintentional.

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Elon = Nero? It's so close to a great anagram...

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#SEVEN

Iconic dunk that kept getting better with every replay after the challenge.

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OT, looking at SCW vs GSW schedules, there's a couple opportunities coming up (11/18, 11/25 & 11/26), then SCW is in California for all of December. Currently, the Sea Dubs are on the road, so hard for the kids to do any day trips.

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All due respect to JTA though. Our Guy Juanito absolutely gets credit for going in against a) a skyscraper Center with b) legit shot-blocking chops - the runway for takeoff will never be clearer for an in-game dunk, but JaVale absolutely had a chance at it. Soaring; graceful; forceful; Decisive; Contested; this dunk is LEGIT. This play and this play alone punched Juan's ticket to the slam dunk contest. It was awesome, and it must have felt absolutely amazing - they should have intentionally fouled after that and called time just so Juan and the crowd could marinate in the afterglow of what just happened. It was only the 1st quarter of a regular season game in December - but while both teams had been beasting up to that point, the Suns were the WC champs and on an 18-game(!) winning streak (including vs the Dubs days earlier), while the Warriors' record was being dismissed as a mirage, so this was not a Nothing game. This was arguably a 'They're Back' moment that forced the league to wonder 'oh sh*t are the Dubs for real again?' Per the box score that might have been the best game of Juan's life.

Props to JaVale for making the attempt - a lot of guys wouldn't have had the professional integrity to jump in the line of fire like that. Conversely, (assuming he wasn't Actually mauled in the face by Andrew's spirit animal) shame on Luka for faking like he took a forearm shiver to the nose - where did he pick that nonsense up?

https://twitter.com/dmn_mavericks/status/1522772089803051008?s=20&t=wtT0W-tCjSkDluiCST2KGA

Ooh, right; of course.

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