Ruminations from from TJD Atoll. (First, TJD should play more.)
Started watching with the Showtime Lakers. Captain Hook, ballet-legs Worthy, grandmaster Magic…together were magic. Never knew how they did it just awed by the synergies. When Magic retired, so did I, until seeing a warriors game on tv I was struck by the skill, the movement, the synergies. They were playing amazing team basketball. As soon as they started winning, the other head coaches plus a bevy of coachlettes tried to figure out how to stop Curry…tear his clothes, pull down his pants, Box and one, triple team, quadruple team. Whatever works, do it. But the Warriors kept winning. ( Booo 2020).
In 2021 when Curry after winning the title dropped down on the floor and cried, the flash before my eyes was, ‘that’s the end’. Just as when I watched the plane fly into the first world trade center the flash before my eyes was ‘nothing will ever be the same again.’
Since then the league coaches and their coachettes, with a little help from analytics, the college pipelines, and some OOOGs, have evolved new strategies...more long, lean, athletic guys all with the three ball, who can manage screens and stick to their player like limpets. Plus Jokic. Working?
Recently instead of watching great team basketball, we are despairing at Draymond, or mourning Klay’s legs, and Draymond again, or watching Poole dribbling off his knee, his foot, then falling on his face. (Not that he wasn’t a good shooter, of course)…..and Draymond again, and again.
I miss Warriors basketball. I don’t care if they win so much is if they play Warriors basketball. Maybe that’s selfish, or not possible anymore. Don’t know. But nobody ever got fired for loving Warriors team basketball.
"An unofficial players meeting seemed to be taking place, enough for the Warriors to close the view of their weight room and practice court with a black curtain. But balls were bouncing. Weights were clanking. Music was playing. And a collection of players were huddled on the court. In the middle was Stephen Curry, his yellow hoodie easy to spot. Chris Paul was in it. Jonathan Kuminga. Gary Payton II, one of the few already fully dressed."
"In times like these for the Warriors, one of the best people to hear from is Kevon Looney, who keeps it realer than a hundred-dollar bill with the line across."
“I wouldn’t say I’m worried,” Looney said, pausing at his locker before pulling his shirt over his head. “Ahhh, I guess you can say worried a little bit because you can’t be losing games like this at home. I think we’ve got enough to be good but we‘ve got to figure it out.”
Listen as maddening as maybe blowing the one (or twice) chance of getting a franchise altering player was, man I can’t help but think how much of the rest of the league is full of young franchise leading talent. No team is a walk in the park any longer. I get that even in 2016 we had the Trust the Process Sixers almost beat us but that took a herculean effort by their part and a complete off night by ours to get to that point AND we still won. Sucks seeing us get old and slow collectively but the league is in a much better place today than even a decade ago.
When Steph was asked to come off the bench after injury, he did. When CP was asked to come off the bench, he did. These happen to be the only guys on our team who were ever MVP candidates. I think a coach can’t have sacred lineups. Everyone has to continually earn their place. Sure, a superstar can go through a bit of a shooting slump and there no need to bench him. But we appear to be bearing the point whether this year or the next when reducing the minutes, reducing the starting role for Klay and Wiggins should be considered *on the merits* Meaning that if someone wants to argue that even in a shooting slump Klay is a better overall bet than Moody, fine that’s a debate. But let’s not just think, and I hope Kerr doesn’t just think, of starting, and playing starter minutes as a birthright. Klay is not a Shooting Guard Emeritus. You know what would really amaze and impress me? If Wiggins or Klay went to Kerr and said “I’m liking what I’m seeing from Moody from Saric from Kuminga. How about if I come off the bench for a few games and we see how that goes?” I get it that these are alpha athletes who always think they are the best bet, but they are also good at sacrificing for the team, always have been. It won’t happen but it would sure reduce the pressure on Kerr to bench them
It I understand correctly, Dunleavy played a leading if not decisive role is the following: Drafting Podz, drafting TJD, shedding Poole and salary for CP, and acquiring Saric. Giving up on PBJ and Rollins went with that but probably wasn’t the main goal. That seems like actually a hell of a first transaction season, doesn’t it? Can I give that an A plus, given what resources be had to work with?
Here's one of my hypotheses: Teams and players have got much better at screen navigation over the last 10 years, and specifically around how to defend the Warriors famed split cuts... and complaints about moving screens have been been successful in getting them called.
Question for the collective - there have been a number of comments about how Podz can't play point guard. His assist numbers looked great in the preseason. What am I missing?
Every day on this site I learn a bit more about basketball and am very thankful for it.
After reading through several expert BBIQ commentary from posts here over the seasons, I would like to present my very simple and two cents summary of our defensive woes and see if it makes sense to you all
Teams seem to have figured out a simple but effective formula to beat the warriors defense. The basic ingredients are
1. A good to great dribble penetrator : e.g. shai, Mitchell, garland, booke, antman…
2. A decent threat near the rim: Cavs, OKC, Wolves, all have them
3. Average 3-pt shooter on the perimeter - and this does not need any great catch-and-shoot type player like Klay.
Let me explain why?
1. The dribble penetrator forces the defense to collapse. This leads to the ball being kicked out to the perimeter.
2. The perimeter player can take a virtually-uncontested shot with plenty of time to position feet and shoot and DOES NOT need to take the much harder Catch-and-shoot, i.e. one motion, shot.
3. Why do they have plenty of time to plonk their feet and shoot? Well because the dubs have players who cannot leave their collapsed position fast enough or with enough length, to disturb the shooter.
4. Consequently, even generally low % shooters are hitting 3’s at a % that we thought is normally reserved for Steph and Klay and that is going to kill the DUBS every time.
My counter to this would be (e.g. the zone versus on-ball defensive approaches)
1. Zone: Let the dribble penetrator take shots and not collapse the pocket so much and live with a 2 point shot instead of a 3-pt shot. I feel Kerr and the supporting coaches are badly coaching this aspect of the game since this could be easily addressed with in game analytics and quick adjustments - like DONT collapse the pocket.
2. On-ball: Some of the time, hound the dribble penetrator with on-ball defense like GP2 - unfortunately we cannot do it for 48 minutes with the construction of our squad.
3. Have extreme rim protection so the dribble penetrator is not comfortable - unfortunately we really don’t have this either - maybe Dray is the only one
Happy to learn more from the comments. Note that the Warrior offense does not work like this and so we rarely have this way to score!
I was traveling and mercifully missed all of the games from the last 2 weeks though I inflicted the highlights on myself. I went in to the season posting the obvious; if Steph is healthy for most of the season, the Warriors are a playoff team, if he isn't, they aren't. In the meantime, I would kind of like to see a CP3, Klay, Wiggins, JK, Looney starting lineup to see if they can get Klay and Wiggins back on track. I'd also like to see them bring Garuba up from the G-league to eat a few minutes at PF.
Post-game. No Steph, no Dray, no win vs Thunder. Good signs from Kuminga, Moody, CP3.
https://dubnationhq.com/p/the-one-millionth-article-about-klay hey is Klay having a hard time or something?
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/why-pacers-tyrese-haliburton-is-emerging-as-the-dark-horse-in-nbas-mvp-race/
Yeah, yeah we never would have used the #2 pick on him...However, he was the guy DubNation liked the most. Sigh
Ruminations from from TJD Atoll. (First, TJD should play more.)
Started watching with the Showtime Lakers. Captain Hook, ballet-legs Worthy, grandmaster Magic…together were magic. Never knew how they did it just awed by the synergies. When Magic retired, so did I, until seeing a warriors game on tv I was struck by the skill, the movement, the synergies. They were playing amazing team basketball. As soon as they started winning, the other head coaches plus a bevy of coachlettes tried to figure out how to stop Curry…tear his clothes, pull down his pants, Box and one, triple team, quadruple team. Whatever works, do it. But the Warriors kept winning. ( Booo 2020).
In 2021 when Curry after winning the title dropped down on the floor and cried, the flash before my eyes was, ‘that’s the end’. Just as when I watched the plane fly into the first world trade center the flash before my eyes was ‘nothing will ever be the same again.’
Since then the league coaches and their coachettes, with a little help from analytics, the college pipelines, and some OOOGs, have evolved new strategies...more long, lean, athletic guys all with the three ball, who can manage screens and stick to their player like limpets. Plus Jokic. Working?
Recently instead of watching great team basketball, we are despairing at Draymond, or mourning Klay’s legs, and Draymond again, or watching Poole dribbling off his knee, his foot, then falling on his face. (Not that he wasn’t a good shooter, of course)…..and Draymond again, and again.
I miss Warriors basketball. I don’t care if they win so much is if they play Warriors basketball. Maybe that’s selfish, or not possible anymore. Don’t know. But nobody ever got fired for loving Warriors team basketball.
Steph questionable for tomorrow: https://www.si.com/nba/warriors/news/steph-curry-receives-updated-injury-status-vs-thunder
(Apologies if I missed this already being posted)
From MT-II's piece in the athletic
"An unofficial players meeting seemed to be taking place, enough for the Warriors to close the view of their weight room and practice court with a black curtain. But balls were bouncing. Weights were clanking. Music was playing. And a collection of players were huddled on the court. In the middle was Stephen Curry, his yellow hoodie easy to spot. Chris Paul was in it. Jonathan Kuminga. Gary Payton II, one of the few already fully dressed."
"In times like these for the Warriors, one of the best people to hear from is Kevon Looney, who keeps it realer than a hundred-dollar bill with the line across."
“I wouldn’t say I’m worried,” Looney said, pausing at his locker before pulling his shirt over his head. “Ahhh, I guess you can say worried a little bit because you can’t be losing games like this at home. I think we’ve got enough to be good but we‘ve got to figure it out.”
Listen as maddening as maybe blowing the one (or twice) chance of getting a franchise altering player was, man I can’t help but think how much of the rest of the league is full of young franchise leading talent. No team is a walk in the park any longer. I get that even in 2016 we had the Trust the Process Sixers almost beat us but that took a herculean effort by their part and a complete off night by ours to get to that point AND we still won. Sucks seeing us get old and slow collectively but the league is in a much better place today than even a decade ago.
When Steph was asked to come off the bench after injury, he did. When CP was asked to come off the bench, he did. These happen to be the only guys on our team who were ever MVP candidates. I think a coach can’t have sacred lineups. Everyone has to continually earn their place. Sure, a superstar can go through a bit of a shooting slump and there no need to bench him. But we appear to be bearing the point whether this year or the next when reducing the minutes, reducing the starting role for Klay and Wiggins should be considered *on the merits* Meaning that if someone wants to argue that even in a shooting slump Klay is a better overall bet than Moody, fine that’s a debate. But let’s not just think, and I hope Kerr doesn’t just think, of starting, and playing starter minutes as a birthright. Klay is not a Shooting Guard Emeritus. You know what would really amaze and impress me? If Wiggins or Klay went to Kerr and said “I’m liking what I’m seeing from Moody from Saric from Kuminga. How about if I come off the bench for a few games and we see how that goes?” I get it that these are alpha athletes who always think they are the best bet, but they are also good at sacrificing for the team, always have been. It won’t happen but it would sure reduce the pressure on Kerr to bench them
It I understand correctly, Dunleavy played a leading if not decisive role is the following: Drafting Podz, drafting TJD, shedding Poole and salary for CP, and acquiring Saric. Giving up on PBJ and Rollins went with that but probably wasn’t the main goal. That seems like actually a hell of a first transaction season, doesn’t it? Can I give that an A plus, given what resources be had to work with?
Games to pay attention for tonight:
Spurs vs. Kings, Blazers vs. Lakers, Jazz vs. Suns, Clippers vs. Rockets
Here's one of my hypotheses: Teams and players have got much better at screen navigation over the last 10 years, and specifically around how to defend the Warriors famed split cuts... and complaints about moving screens have been been successful in getting them called.
https://twitter.com/MontePooleNBCS/status/1725617808200159660
Steph practiced today and is questionable for tomorrow. GP2 is OUT.
Question for the collective - there have been a number of comments about how Podz can't play point guard. His assist numbers looked great in the preseason. What am I missing?
Every day on this site I learn a bit more about basketball and am very thankful for it.
After reading through several expert BBIQ commentary from posts here over the seasons, I would like to present my very simple and two cents summary of our defensive woes and see if it makes sense to you all
Teams seem to have figured out a simple but effective formula to beat the warriors defense. The basic ingredients are
1. A good to great dribble penetrator : e.g. shai, Mitchell, garland, booke, antman…
2. A decent threat near the rim: Cavs, OKC, Wolves, all have them
3. Average 3-pt shooter on the perimeter - and this does not need any great catch-and-shoot type player like Klay.
Let me explain why?
1. The dribble penetrator forces the defense to collapse. This leads to the ball being kicked out to the perimeter.
2. The perimeter player can take a virtually-uncontested shot with plenty of time to position feet and shoot and DOES NOT need to take the much harder Catch-and-shoot, i.e. one motion, shot.
3. Why do they have plenty of time to plonk their feet and shoot? Well because the dubs have players who cannot leave their collapsed position fast enough or with enough length, to disturb the shooter.
4. Consequently, even generally low % shooters are hitting 3’s at a % that we thought is normally reserved for Steph and Klay and that is going to kill the DUBS every time.
My counter to this would be (e.g. the zone versus on-ball defensive approaches)
1. Zone: Let the dribble penetrator take shots and not collapse the pocket so much and live with a 2 point shot instead of a 3-pt shot. I feel Kerr and the supporting coaches are badly coaching this aspect of the game since this could be easily addressed with in game analytics and quick adjustments - like DONT collapse the pocket.
2. On-ball: Some of the time, hound the dribble penetrator with on-ball defense like GP2 - unfortunately we cannot do it for 48 minutes with the construction of our squad.
3. Have extreme rim protection so the dribble penetrator is not comfortable - unfortunately we really don’t have this either - maybe Dray is the only one
Happy to learn more from the comments. Note that the Warrior offense does not work like this and so we rarely have this way to score!
I was traveling and mercifully missed all of the games from the last 2 weeks though I inflicted the highlights on myself. I went in to the season posting the obvious; if Steph is healthy for most of the season, the Warriors are a playoff team, if he isn't, they aren't. In the meantime, I would kind of like to see a CP3, Klay, Wiggins, JK, Looney starting lineup to see if they can get Klay and Wiggins back on track. I'd also like to see them bring Garuba up from the G-league to eat a few minutes at PF.
From the "could be worse" file:
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal will miss at least three weeks before being re-evaluated for his lower back strain, the team announced Friday
https://theathletic.com/5071791/2023/11/17/suns-bradley-beal-back-injury?source=user-shared-article
OT: any chronic insomnia (or even better, former chronic insomnia) sufferers here? I'm trying to investigate solutions.