The injury is just a colossal bummer. Heartbreaking. No way around it. I can’t remember Steph ever having a muscle injury like this. For most players, though, they seem to be week- or weeks-long recoveries. Hoping for a better outcome, obviously, but even if he does come back, we’re going to be holding our breath every time he moves.
Still, this was a great, gutsy heart-of-a-champion win—and necessary, if we were going to salvage any real chance going forward—so I’m going to try to stay positive.
> There was some talk after the last game about whether the veneration of Buddy Hield was quite justified. Fair enough, but isn’t this part of what makes the playoffs special? You do something great, even once, and it counts forever. Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, JaVale McGee, Mo Speights… all legends to me.
There’s also the genuine possibility that we’re watching Buddy find something that wasn’t there before. Athletically, he’s fully formed at thirty-two. But as an overall competitor? Maybe not.
Part of what made it work with Hield during the season was the ease with which Steve could pull him on nights where he didn’t have it. But that also meant he didn’t get as many chances to shoot his way out of slumps. (Incidentally, I think this—secondary to wounded pride—was probably part of what made Klay so resistant to a reduced role.) But now, as the team leans on him more, Buddy is showing a perseverance and durability of confidence that I admire. He was a game high +22 again tonight.
> Favorite play of the game: Buddy giving the ball up on the wing and curling through the lane for a vintage Steph relocation 3 in the opposite corner.
> Wolves missed a ton of good looks, but we also defended incredibly well. Seems like they wanted to turn Ant into a driver, and I think that’s smart. He’s incredibly dynamic, but unless the whistle is really tight, he won’t be at his most efficient that way. It also forces him to make more difficult decisions as a passer.
> Speaking of Ant, he wanted more foul calls on those drives, but he’s got the same problem as Steph: he gets punished for actually trying to complete his layups instead of flopping around for contact. I’m glad last night wasn’t a FT fest, but I do respect this aspect of his game.
> Those consecutive first-half threes by Draymond, just after Steph went out, were huge. Call them flukey if you want, but in a moment where everyone’s heart must have been in their stomachs, he gave the team belief.
> Quinten Post was somehow a +14 in six minutes (while recording one rebound and no other counting stats). By my math, that means if he had played the whole game we would have won by 112. What is Kerr doing???
> Steph is surely going to sit Game 2. If they come away optimistic about his timetable, there might be a temptation to punt the game and get some rest for Jimmy and Draymond, too. More likely, though, you’re going to be a home underdog next week, so you can’t really be satisfied with getting this one. Gotta scrap now for everything, and hope you survive until he can get back.
So rough, because I feel like this was going to be a huge Steph series.
They are already going all the way down the bench. Punting would be putting in TJD and that might not be bad in this series. Gobert isn’t the craftiest of players.
Yeah, you’re right. That's the wrong way to put it. I was thinking more along the lines of the way they’ve sometimes approached road Game 5s, but ‘punting’ is not the word for that… Anyway, I think we’re all expecting pretty maximal urgency in every game from here.
Okay I looked into our salary cap situation for next year. With the new 10% bump for the salary cap. It puts the first apron at 195.9 million or something.
Teams that do sign and trades are hard capped at that first apron, so would need to stay under the first apron of 195.9 mil. For 2025-2026 We’re already at like 171 million before resigning JK, GP2, Looney, and filling out the rest of roster spots with min contracts.
So doesn’t look like a JK sign n trade makes much sense if we do it for Cam Johnson he has an annual contract value of $21 million. That puts us at 193 mill already without resigning GP2 and Looney.
I think for us to truly compete in our Last Ride Era we’d need to go beyond the first apron or second apron. With that said a Sign and Trade with JK doesn’t really make much sense since we only really have a 2 year or so window beyond this year to compete.
What we can do is match any offer he gets since he’s a Restricted Free Agent. Once we do that we won’t be able to trade him until after December 15 or something based on free agent resigning rules. Andrew Wiggins also can’t be traded back to us until a year has passed since he was trading away from us. Assuming JK gets something like 15-25 million annually for his new contract we can trade him and consolidate some more pieces including draft pick if needed for Andrew Wiggins during the next trade deadline. If we go this route we can resign GP2, Looney, use a tax player MLE, and fill our roster with min contracts and that new 2025 second round pick. This would put us in between the first and second apron.
Or we keep JK if he blossoms quickly. From what I’ve read up about the new Apron rules it quite hard to make changes to your roster if you’re at the first or second apron. It’s what they intended. Feel free correct me if I’m wrong. I’d also wouldn’t mind getting Cam Johnson if Wiggins doesn’t work out.
I'm probably mis-reading your comment (and possibly the CBA), but I think only the receiving team is hard capped in a sign-and-trade. This does limit who we can trade JK to, although teams have a lot ways to clear space.
I think we can trade for Wiggs at any time because he wasn't released by Miami after the trade.
Edit: Ithink we can sign-and-trade JK and take no salary back (BKN has #19, 26, and 27; CHA has #33 and #34, so maybe one of those?) if the other team can absorb the cost. We would either get a trade exception, or could get a player worth half of the new contract AAV if we wanted.
hmm interesting, from what i read it seemed either team that participates in a sign and trade are hard capped under the first apron. So i read otherwise on this.
The Wiggins part was hard to find on google.
So not saying you’re wrong I just read something differently than you.
Say you are correct, I don’t think a player worth half a trade exception really puts us over the edge if we look at teams at the second apron like Boston who are stacked. Id try to find a way to use JK’s full AAV to trade for a useful role player. I’m in win now mode so I don’t want any draft picks unless it’s a lottery pick and even then those players can takes year if at all to become effective.
Thanks for your take. Ill do further research to fill in any gaps i have on the matter.
Once we signed Butler, going beyond the first apron was pretty much a given, I think. My guess is that our real goal is to stay below the second apron for the next couple of years (~$207 mil next year) and compete.
After that, I wouldn't be surprised if we drop below the cap (depending on future trades of course). Kuminga's not going to get the big contract he wants. Podz might get a big one, but so far, he's basically third banana on any lineup.
Yeah with the way the CBA is the way to get into the second apron is through resigning our own players. With Steph peak playing years shrinking annually I wouldn’t be surprised if we went all in (get close to or above second apron) for a few years before Steph retires.
Podz and Post have a decent shot of a significant contract in the future but remains to be seen.
Yeah I think the plan would likely be to match Kuminga offers and resign Looney/GP2 and getting a MLE player/vet mins.
After which we play Kuminga until Dec 15, and see how he performs after some summer development. If he makes the jump great, if not then we trade him Dec 15. Currently my main targets would be Cam Johnson or Jusuf Nurkic.
The offense is gonna need to work out some non-Steph-minutes woes again, which is worrisome. But what a satisfying win! The streak of road wins in playoff series continues.
It’s because Moody’s offensive game is so limited. He’s a pure catch and shoot player who can’t generate his own shot off movements or off the dribble (he’s slow to accelerate).
He’s easy to guard in a playoff setting. Currently, NOT a 16 game player.
I think part of what is disappointing is that he doesn't seem to be contributing in other ways. In the past. MM has contributed in all kinds of ways. He seems to be in a funk right now. Hope he gets out soon. They could use him.
Has he really contributed in other ways? He’s not a good passer, rebounder, ball handler, decision maker.
He’s smartly limited the impact of his passing/decision making/ball handling by minimizing his time on-ball. It doesn’t matter that he’s not a good rebounder since he’s a SF. It hasn’t mattered that he can’t independently generate points because Curry/Butler/Podz/Hield have been carrying the load. He’s been a role player and that’s fine but it’s not working out right now.
He has contributed as a defender, but he’s continued doing that even now. He’s gotta change things up to cause an impact.
Steph should know better than to F with a hamstring... and yet, he tried to play through it, and looked like he tweaked it once or twice, and then still kept cutting on it!
Wow, the last minute of the Cavs-Pacers game was insane. Mitchell 2 FTs (119-112 Cavs) -> Siakam misses two FTs, but Nesmith gets a putback dunk -> Mitchell off. foul -> Allen blocks Hali's shot, but the ball goes out of bounds and back to the Pacers -> Siakam layup -> Pacers steal the inbounds -> Hali gets fouled on the way to the rim and makes the 1st FT -> Hali misses 2nd FT, but gets his own rebound -> Hali stepback three for the win (120-119 Pacers)
Pat Spencer - I think he ensured the game/momentum stayed in our favor with his 5-6 minutes in the 3rd - huge contribution
GP2- he hit some clutch shots - did not think his defense was great and he had the boneheaded foul on antman - but still overall good
- Of course, Dray, Buddy and Jimmy were all amazing - would love JB to take more of those near-the-basket shots instead of kicking it out to, especially moody or podz!
The need major improvement category:
Podz - good on defense but his offense has been MIA. I dont expect him to ever be a reliable enough scorer sadly and maybe he has 1 in 5-10 good scoring games. To me his shot is just not that of a pure shooter and will likely never be a reliable option!
Moody - damn - he is playing himself out of even garbage time minutes at this rate.
JK - He did some good things but also some not so good plays - overall I think he earned some more minutes
Post - did not take a single shot in his 5-6 minutes!!!!
The young guys all seem to have gotten reluctant to pull the trigger out there. JK is (unfortunately) more willing to pull from 3 when I wish he'd get to the rim and dunk.
I was thinking Podz was developing a better shot as the season went on, having my doubts now, maybe recency bias b/c I want him to put something in the damn basket. Still have some hope .
New thread up!
If I told you that one of the Warriors had on the wrong shorts and got the team a delay of game penalty, would these be fair odds?
Buddy Hield -5000
The team somehow traded for Klay Thompson before the game +10000
The Field +10000
Only Nutty Buddy would do that.
The injury is just a colossal bummer. Heartbreaking. No way around it. I can’t remember Steph ever having a muscle injury like this. For most players, though, they seem to be week- or weeks-long recoveries. Hoping for a better outcome, obviously, but even if he does come back, we’re going to be holding our breath every time he moves.
Still, this was a great, gutsy heart-of-a-champion win—and necessary, if we were going to salvage any real chance going forward—so I’m going to try to stay positive.
> There was some talk after the last game about whether the veneration of Buddy Hield was quite justified. Fair enough, but isn’t this part of what makes the playoffs special? You do something great, even once, and it counts forever. Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, JaVale McGee, Mo Speights… all legends to me.
There’s also the genuine possibility that we’re watching Buddy find something that wasn’t there before. Athletically, he’s fully formed at thirty-two. But as an overall competitor? Maybe not.
Part of what made it work with Hield during the season was the ease with which Steve could pull him on nights where he didn’t have it. But that also meant he didn’t get as many chances to shoot his way out of slumps. (Incidentally, I think this—secondary to wounded pride—was probably part of what made Klay so resistant to a reduced role.) But now, as the team leans on him more, Buddy is showing a perseverance and durability of confidence that I admire. He was a game high +22 again tonight.
> Favorite play of the game: Buddy giving the ball up on the wing and curling through the lane for a vintage Steph relocation 3 in the opposite corner.
> Wolves missed a ton of good looks, but we also defended incredibly well. Seems like they wanted to turn Ant into a driver, and I think that’s smart. He’s incredibly dynamic, but unless the whistle is really tight, he won’t be at his most efficient that way. It also forces him to make more difficult decisions as a passer.
> Speaking of Ant, he wanted more foul calls on those drives, but he’s got the same problem as Steph: he gets punished for actually trying to complete his layups instead of flopping around for contact. I’m glad last night wasn’t a FT fest, but I do respect this aspect of his game.
> Those consecutive first-half threes by Draymond, just after Steph went out, were huge. Call them flukey if you want, but in a moment where everyone’s heart must have been in their stomachs, he gave the team belief.
> Quinten Post was somehow a +14 in six minutes (while recording one rebound and no other counting stats). By my math, that means if he had played the whole game we would have won by 112. What is Kerr doing???
> Steph is surely going to sit Game 2. If they come away optimistic about his timetable, there might be a temptation to punt the game and get some rest for Jimmy and Draymond, too. More likely, though, you’re going to be a home underdog next week, so you can’t really be satisfied with getting this one. Gotta scrap now for everything, and hope you survive until he can get back.
So rough, because I feel like this was going to be a huge Steph series.
They are already going all the way down the bench. Punting would be putting in TJD and that might not be bad in this series. Gobert isn’t the craftiest of players.
Good notes, except I can’t see GSW punting away any game. Maaaybe if they go down 30 on the road again.
Yeah, you’re right. That's the wrong way to put it. I was thinking more along the lines of the way they’ve sometimes approached road Game 5s, but ‘punting’ is not the word for that… Anyway, I think we’re all expecting pretty maximal urgency in every game from here.
Agree about the Draymond threes. That was like a bolt out of the blue saying that they could still compete.
Okay I looked into our salary cap situation for next year. With the new 10% bump for the salary cap. It puts the first apron at 195.9 million or something.
Teams that do sign and trades are hard capped at that first apron, so would need to stay under the first apron of 195.9 mil. For 2025-2026 We’re already at like 171 million before resigning JK, GP2, Looney, and filling out the rest of roster spots with min contracts.
So doesn’t look like a JK sign n trade makes much sense if we do it for Cam Johnson he has an annual contract value of $21 million. That puts us at 193 mill already without resigning GP2 and Looney.
I think for us to truly compete in our Last Ride Era we’d need to go beyond the first apron or second apron. With that said a Sign and Trade with JK doesn’t really make much sense since we only really have a 2 year or so window beyond this year to compete.
What we can do is match any offer he gets since he’s a Restricted Free Agent. Once we do that we won’t be able to trade him until after December 15 or something based on free agent resigning rules. Andrew Wiggins also can’t be traded back to us until a year has passed since he was trading away from us. Assuming JK gets something like 15-25 million annually for his new contract we can trade him and consolidate some more pieces including draft pick if needed for Andrew Wiggins during the next trade deadline. If we go this route we can resign GP2, Looney, use a tax player MLE, and fill our roster with min contracts and that new 2025 second round pick. This would put us in between the first and second apron.
Or we keep JK if he blossoms quickly. From what I’ve read up about the new Apron rules it quite hard to make changes to your roster if you’re at the first or second apron. It’s what they intended. Feel free correct me if I’m wrong. I’d also wouldn’t mind getting Cam Johnson if Wiggins doesn’t work out.
I'm probably mis-reading your comment (and possibly the CBA), but I think only the receiving team is hard capped in a sign-and-trade. This does limit who we can trade JK to, although teams have a lot ways to clear space.
I think we can trade for Wiggs at any time because he wasn't released by Miami after the trade.
Edit: Ithink we can sign-and-trade JK and take no salary back (BKN has #19, 26, and 27; CHA has #33 and #34, so maybe one of those?) if the other team can absorb the cost. We would either get a trade exception, or could get a player worth half of the new contract AAV if we wanted.
hmm interesting, from what i read it seemed either team that participates in a sign and trade are hard capped under the first apron. So i read otherwise on this.
The Wiggins part was hard to find on google.
So not saying you’re wrong I just read something differently than you.
Say you are correct, I don’t think a player worth half a trade exception really puts us over the edge if we look at teams at the second apron like Boston who are stacked. Id try to find a way to use JK’s full AAV to trade for a useful role player. I’m in win now mode so I don’t want any draft picks unless it’s a lottery pick and even then those players can takes year if at all to become effective.
Thanks for your take. Ill do further research to fill in any gaps i have on the matter.
Once we signed Butler, going beyond the first apron was pretty much a given, I think. My guess is that our real goal is to stay below the second apron for the next couple of years (~$207 mil next year) and compete.
After that, I wouldn't be surprised if we drop below the cap (depending on future trades of course). Kuminga's not going to get the big contract he wants. Podz might get a big one, but so far, he's basically third banana on any lineup.
Yeah with the way the CBA is the way to get into the second apron is through resigning our own players. With Steph peak playing years shrinking annually I wouldn’t be surprised if we went all in (get close to or above second apron) for a few years before Steph retires.
Podz and Post have a decent shot of a significant contract in the future but remains to be seen.
Yeah I think the plan would likely be to match Kuminga offers and resign Looney/GP2 and getting a MLE player/vet mins.
After which we play Kuminga until Dec 15, and see how he performs after some summer development. If he makes the jump great, if not then we trade him Dec 15. Currently my main targets would be Cam Johnson or Jusuf Nurkic.
Nurkic?? Draymond might punch another teammate
You had me for a second lol
The offense is gonna need to work out some non-Steph-minutes woes again, which is worrisome. But what a satisfying win! The streak of road wins in playoff series continues.
Moses is 0/9 from the field & 0/4 from 3 in the last 2 games. We're gonna need better, and we're gonna need him to be able to stay on the floor.
If anyone knows their way out of the barren lands it's Moses
Yeah, but he just looks so passive out there, and a bit shellshocked...
It’s because Moody’s offensive game is so limited. He’s a pure catch and shoot player who can’t generate his own shot off movements or off the dribble (he’s slow to accelerate).
He’s easy to guard in a playoff setting. Currently, NOT a 16 game player.
I think part of what is disappointing is that he doesn't seem to be contributing in other ways. In the past. MM has contributed in all kinds of ways. He seems to be in a funk right now. Hope he gets out soon. They could use him.
Has he really contributed in other ways? He’s not a good passer, rebounder, ball handler, decision maker.
He’s smartly limited the impact of his passing/decision making/ball handling by minimizing his time on-ball. It doesn’t matter that he’s not a good rebounder since he’s a SF. It hasn’t mattered that he can’t independently generate points because Curry/Butler/Podz/Hield have been carrying the load. He’s been a role player and that’s fine but it’s not working out right now.
He has contributed as a defender, but he’s continued doing that even now. He’s gotta change things up to cause an impact.
I would be too, after going through the Houston Rockets. I still believe in him.
Steph should know better than to F with a hamstring... and yet, he tried to play through it, and looked like he tweaked it once or twice, and then still kept cutting on it!
I didn't like that either. Let's hope he didn't make it worse.
I have to watch Steph Curry rehab back into a Playoff series again... Heal up soon Batman #DefendTheBatCave
Outrebounded the vaunted Wolves by 10. It's almost like we may have been a better regular season rebounding team or something...
Buddy and Jimmy's joint post-game conference is hilarious. Love the bond between these guys and how easy they are while ragging on each other
edit: starts at about 42:10 https://youtu.be/zuQms0n8nG4
Paraphrasing this exchange…
Jimmy: I don’t know if he’s a “two-way” player but Buddy’s been playing well lately
Buddy: I’m nice 🤣
"I respect Buddard so much..." 😂
Buddy, "We had to make sure Jimmy found his "Joy", because he somehow "lost his joy".
Jimmy, "Do you even know what " " s are called"
Buddy, "Two fingers?!"
These two are so dynamite together
The Clash Brothers?
The Bash Buddies?
Here’s just the interview with them
https://youtu.be/Z6f7vRP_q7g?si=jtOLOVhal9scq-JX
Thanks!
Bballbreakdown: Celtics And Thunder: How NOT To Win A Playoff Game | 2025 NBA Western Conference Game 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvraAMnWCkI
This video is 20 mins long.
The Celtics are kinda soft for a defending champ
They had a hella easy run to the Finals, and then got to play against Luka's sorry butt.
Who’s their closer? If it’s Tatum, I don’t fear them. I got Indiana coming out the East
Jaylen Brown is there closer but he’s playing injured.
you mean the team leading 2-0? that's a surprisingly early take :)
They were in the east finals last year, and they look hungrier than any other east team
Wow, the last minute of the Cavs-Pacers game was insane. Mitchell 2 FTs (119-112 Cavs) -> Siakam misses two FTs, but Nesmith gets a putback dunk -> Mitchell off. foul -> Allen blocks Hali's shot, but the ball goes out of bounds and back to the Pacers -> Siakam layup -> Pacers steal the inbounds -> Hali gets fouled on the way to the rim and makes the 1st FT -> Hali misses 2nd FT, but gets his own rebound -> Hali stepback three for the win (120-119 Pacers)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5azTdfzb58c
The Mitchell foul at the end, ugh! Just let ‘im shoot the 2, bro.
Man, I don't know why -- and more importantly, I don't know how -- but I think they pull this off. Get to the next round, I mean. I feel so sure.
Oh my God the best post game interview ever -- Jimmy and Buddy together. Hilarious and real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6f7vRP_q7g
I'm dying. It's so good.
MAJOR shout outs to:
Loondawg - spectacular minutes in the 4th
Pat Spencer - I think he ensured the game/momentum stayed in our favor with his 5-6 minutes in the 3rd - huge contribution
GP2- he hit some clutch shots - did not think his defense was great and he had the boneheaded foul on antman - but still overall good
- Of course, Dray, Buddy and Jimmy were all amazing - would love JB to take more of those near-the-basket shots instead of kicking it out to, especially moody or podz!
The need major improvement category:
Podz - good on defense but his offense has been MIA. I dont expect him to ever be a reliable enough scorer sadly and maybe he has 1 in 5-10 good scoring games. To me his shot is just not that of a pure shooter and will likely never be a reliable option!
Moody - damn - he is playing himself out of even garbage time minutes at this rate.
JK - He did some good things but also some not so good plays - overall I think he earned some more minutes
Post - did not take a single shot in his 5-6 minutes!!!!
The young guys all seem to have gotten reluctant to pull the trigger out there. JK is (unfortunately) more willing to pull from 3 when I wish he'd get to the rim and dunk.
I was thinking Podz was developing a better shot as the season went on, having my doubts now, maybe recency bias b/c I want him to put something in the damn basket. Still have some hope .
Wow waiting for the report on Steph is agony. Nice win though nice win though nice win though.
i heard they are listing him as day to day - heard on the 957 the game post-game show!