Preseason 2: GSW @ Los Angeles Lakers. Plus Dario Saric interview. Plus open thread.

Praying for no injuries

Inspirational verse from Dario Saric’s post-camp interview on 2023-10-11:

Coach Ron and Decky

Dario, what's it been like working with Decky [Coach Dejan Milojevic] and Ron Adams during practices?

It's been great. Obviously, Decky, coming from the similar culture [Decky is Serbian, Saric is Croatian], similar background, back from Europe. So his advice is every day just helping me a lot to be better. where I try to improve my game step by step. Nothing is going to happen over one night.

Ron and I have known each other since I was a kid, 13 or 14 years old. We were in the same camp in Barcelona, so we have a history together. It's been a pleasure.

Obviously, they know a lot, and working with them is just an opportunity for me to improve my game.

Has working with him and having that background made you feel more comfortable, maybe more at ease?

Yes, he knows what I was doing when I was a kid, how is the mindset of the guys coming from Europe, from that part of Europe. The mindset of the people who grew up here, so it's a different kind of mindset. He knows how to talk, he knows what I've been through, so it's getting easier to get along about the things we do on the court.

High IQ and speed of the motion offense

I think on day one, Steph said that he noticed when working and playing with the kids, with you that you could run a DHO [dribble handoff] and you didn't have to communicate it, you just knew to run it. Do you feel like instinctually you have the sort of right instincts to play with everyone? Do you feel like the chemistry is already there?

I think yes, obviously you know it's just beginning but … I think like all guys have a high IQ and sometimes it's just naturally you know the ball is going their way, you need to do that thing, especially if you have like a shooter like Steph you know you try to find a place and you know you have the moves for him to get him open. So you're going to do everything on the court in that moment to get the Steph open. So kind of like having that in my mindset helps me to fit with the team. Obviously, you know, I have like my strength. I'm going to try to prove and try to find the space for me too.

But this is a high level IQ team and which is like most important thing: we play fast. You know what I mean? Like it's just ball is going so fast. The moves, the actions, the cuts is like needs to be violent. So I think what we're doing right now. I think the whole team is going to have trouble to guard it. You know, obviously, when it's the time to play five on five, when it's the time to slow down, get the ball to Steph, to Chris, to play their own game, to play the pick and roll, we're going to do it. But I think the motion-wise and how we move and how we play, like team basketball is going to be big for us this season. I think what we're showing right now, I think we're doing pretty much good. So still a lot of things to improve. And I think when we play together more, it's going to be easier for us. We're going to improve more that particular-- like team games, sharing the ball, set the screen, DHOs, you know, kind of just play on the fly, let's say like that.

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GAME DETAILS

WHEN: 2023-10-13 7:00 PM Pacific
WHO: Golden State Warriors @ Los Angeles Lakers
WATCH: ESPN2

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