Post game thread: Warriors go on big runs, but Hawks have final laugh
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Post game thread: Warriors go on big runs, but Hawks have final laugh
Deep Looney thoughts. The Dray/Looney split has finally arrived, and its about time. My argument for the split was for defensive reasons. I have always believed one of those guys should be on the floor at all times because they are our 2 best interior defenders. Slater made the observation that once Steph is back, the Dubs may start Green/Looney if they are up against one of the dominant big men. I think that's a mistake, but here is why.
The main reason for starting Loon w/Green vs the Big Guys is to save Green from the early game wear and tear guarding the 5. Looney fairs no better than anyone else in the league trying to guard the dominant bigs, that's why they are dominant. All he is doing in this case is clocking in at the 5 to take the first 6 minutes of punishment handed out by the opponent's 5.
But what is Looney's true superpower? What made him a legend around these parts? Harden. Looney's real post season value is in his uncanny ability to lock up or deter perimeter scorers. Anyone can collect fouls and get dunked on by KAT. But not everyone can gap wings the way Looney does.
I would start a game with JK, OPJ or Beli at the 5, doesn't really matter which. The last thing you want is Loon picking up 2 early fouls in the first 5 minutes of a game. I want to INVITE the opposing team to start the game going inside and often. I want KAT, Jokic, Ayton too expend energy right out of the gate. I want the opponent thinking they can feast inside on 2s. Let them. So, Beli goes to the bench with 2 fouls at the 5 minute mark and KAT has 8 points in the paint. That's a good thing.
In order to get through these Bigs, with our limited (small) lineup, we have to throw everything at them. You don't start the game with Dray at the 5. You sacrifice some pawns first. Then you bring in Looney, then you close with Green. As the game goes on, the Big tires and you put increasingly better defenders on him.
Just my opinion. When Loon/Green share the floor, their best defense has Green in the middle and Loon gapping wings. And we need that late in games and without our guys being in foul trouble. The 5th slot in the starting lineup is fodder. They are the heroic soldiers about to get posterized for the sake of the team.
Keeping Looney out of the starting lineup isn't a demotion. It's self preservation. Its a necessity if the Dubs are going to win a protracted war against a bevy of bigs.
“Draymond’s performance will improve dramatically as he gets his legs underneath him here the next couple weeks. I’m not worried about that."
-Steve Kerr
We saw it last season as he recovered from COVID too, I remember people were calling him washed up in the beginning of that season too. He hasn't looked like himself yet since coming back and Klay's had a rough go of it as well. But I'm betting on Draymond and Klay to figure it out. 5 straight trips to the Finals, never had a series without a road playoff win, 24 straight wins to start the season, 73-9. You can't accomplish these things without being legendary competitors and I trust them to figure it out if their bodies allow for it.
Not a fan of the tenor of some of the conversation surrounding the mentalities of Dray or Klay recently, feel like they've earned a lot more patience from (some of) the fanbase than they are getting. But whatever, as long as it's basketball-related then it's fair game regardless of how I feel about it.