I’m both cautiously and irrationally optimistic about tonight’s game. I want a win and if not that, looking like they’re figuring it out would be an encouraging loss.
I want a Podz/Hield/Moody/Butler/Green starting lineup but I kind of suspect TJD will start instead of Moody.
JK definitely plays all the non Butler minutes. Would like to see some Post minutes with Draymond on the bench. I assume Spencer will play the non-Podz minutes.
I think you can only play GP2 or Looney if 3 of Podz/Hield/Moody/Post are all out there for shooting (assuming Podz, Post and Moody can still kind of shoot, which is desperately needed).
To pull off one of these next two games, gonna need either some big time shooting luck or a coaching masterclass or both.
I think it was interesting to watch how Jimmy played with TJD and with Kuminga, and how he spoke about it after the game. While Kerr has emphasized that Jimmy and Kuminga don't play well together, as has been elaborated; Jimmy said that he feels he can play with anyone and help them be better. And there was some discusssion by JK of the play where he was in the corner against Gobert and Jimmy instead of crowding him or saving him, shouted, "Go," and Kuminga took Gobert to the hole. Similarly, JB also can run pick and roll with TJD. Of course, that threat is more lethal when it's Steph and stretches the defense more and often two guys go to Steph so that TJD has room do dive. But I think these glimpses offer hope.
The problem I see with Kuminga and TJD is that when they’ve had bigger roles, the team has won less. Possibly correlation rather than causation, but when you look at the fact that both players have similar problems with team defense, you don’t have to squint too hard to see it. There are plenty of role players in the league who could be stars on bad teams. In the playoffs, we can’t afford to test that situation. Granted we don’t have much choice thanks to injuries, but I believe that if we move away from what brung us here to focus on bigger roles for JK and TJD, we’ll lose the series.
What are the alternatives though? Right now jk is shooting better than Moody, Wiggins not here anymore. I'm good with playing Post/Looney some to see who works best. If the options are Gui/Knox then we're praying Jimmy/Podz/Buddy can combine for something like 70pts. Whichever way we go just getting 1 win seems unlikely
I think the top three things what brung us is pretty much Steph, Mr. Curry, and #30, so we definitely don't have much choice in shifting how we do things and who does them.
But more to the point: Do you think we'd have any rings in the past two decades without Steph? Academic question of course. I'd say with KD and the players we had then, we stood a strong chance. But not before or after. Young and health Klay, Draymond, KD, Iguodala, and other pieces you'd have without paying Steph: that team would be able to ...?
Well sure, and we also would not have had those rings without Klay and probably not without Draymond. Steph is the superhero but even he could never win by himself. Nobody can. This season he clearly needed JB.
"Here's a kid who's basically a basketball graffiti artist..” this makes a lot of sense - JK polarizes us fans just like graffity does some communities!
Great thoughts Daniel. However it should be more likely others - post and moody have been unplayable but we have seen them flourish especially moody as a 2 way player. Podz. We need them today to have a chance. And Kuminga
Losing Steph has exposed the Warriors lack of actual shooters which is unusual for them. They have Buddy and they have ... Buddy. Unless the other guys figure out what the did with their shot. I could see playing Kuminga and TJD a lot as long as one of Butler or Green is one the court with them as the Warriors are also pretty much forced into using a point forward.
Which exposes the potentially fatal flaw of depending so heavily on ONE FRIKKIN PLAYER. I don’t care if that player is Jesus himself, it’s an absurd risk.
Tell me how Minny will perform without Ant, or Denver without Jokic. It’s a feature to depend on a top 5 NBA talent. There is no team in the history of the NBA immune to this… except maybe the Death Star Warriors
There is no backup plan for any of these teams… if SGA goes down, they’re done. Same for the Warriors. Only the Death Star Warriors could possibly have won a championship without their best player. It’s the exception that proves the rule: you cannot win a championship without your best player being healthy (enough). It’s not something you can backup plan.
I agree that you can't play them together. I think you need lineups like Podz, Hield, Butler, JK, Post or Podz, Hield, Moody, Green, TJD when Butler and Green are not on the floor together. I'd also guess there is no alternative to Spencer getting some minutes as they can't run Podz out there for 48 but maybe you can get away with Hield, Moody, Butler, Green, Post for a few minutes with either Butler or Green as the primary ball handler.
nice scene setting for game 3. “Thursday wasn't a loss. It was a question mark dressed up as a box score.” it must have brought a smile to your face when that popped on to the page!
I’m both cautiously and irrationally optimistic about tonight’s game. I want a win and if not that, looking like they’re figuring it out would be an encouraging loss.
Daniel, another great piece, read at 3am In Chicago. Question assumptions. I love freethinking and freethinkers when the questions are paramount.
I want a Podz/Hield/Moody/Butler/Green starting lineup but I kind of suspect TJD will start instead of Moody.
JK definitely plays all the non Butler minutes. Would like to see some Post minutes with Draymond on the bench. I assume Spencer will play the non-Podz minutes.
I think you can only play GP2 or Looney if 3 of Podz/Hield/Moody/Post are all out there for shooting (assuming Podz, Post and Moody can still kind of shoot, which is desperately needed).
To pull off one of these next two games, gonna need either some big time shooting luck or a coaching masterclass or both.
I think it was interesting to watch how Jimmy played with TJD and with Kuminga, and how he spoke about it after the game. While Kerr has emphasized that Jimmy and Kuminga don't play well together, as has been elaborated; Jimmy said that he feels he can play with anyone and help them be better. And there was some discusssion by JK of the play where he was in the corner against Gobert and Jimmy instead of crowding him or saving him, shouted, "Go," and Kuminga took Gobert to the hole. Similarly, JB also can run pick and roll with TJD. Of course, that threat is more lethal when it's Steph and stretches the defense more and often two guys go to Steph so that TJD has room do dive. But I think these glimpses offer hope.
The problem I see with Kuminga and TJD is that when they’ve had bigger roles, the team has won less. Possibly correlation rather than causation, but when you look at the fact that both players have similar problems with team defense, you don’t have to squint too hard to see it. There are plenty of role players in the league who could be stars on bad teams. In the playoffs, we can’t afford to test that situation. Granted we don’t have much choice thanks to injuries, but I believe that if we move away from what brung us here to focus on bigger roles for JK and TJD, we’ll lose the series.
What are the alternatives though? Right now jk is shooting better than Moody, Wiggins not here anymore. I'm good with playing Post/Looney some to see who works best. If the options are Gui/Knox then we're praying Jimmy/Podz/Buddy can combine for something like 70pts. Whichever way we go just getting 1 win seems unlikely
I think the top three things what brung us is pretty much Steph, Mr. Curry, and #30, so we definitely don't have much choice in shifting how we do things and who does them.
What brung us was #30 plus Mr. Butler, with a solid dose of Draymond. We were just meh until JB3 came over.
But more to the point: Do you think we'd have any rings in the past two decades without Steph? Academic question of course. I'd say with KD and the players we had then, we stood a strong chance. But not before or after. Young and health Klay, Draymond, KD, Iguodala, and other pieces you'd have without paying Steph: that team would be able to ...?
Well sure, and we also would not have had those rings without Klay and probably not without Draymond. Steph is the superhero but even he could never win by himself. Nobody can. This season he clearly needed JB.
Another great piece @DH
"Here's a kid who's basically a basketball graffiti artist..” this makes a lot of sense - JK polarizes us fans just like graffity does some communities!
Great thoughts Daniel. However it should be more likely others - post and moody have been unplayable but we have seen them flourish especially moody as a 2 way player. Podz. We need them today to have a chance. And Kuminga
Losing Steph has exposed the Warriors lack of actual shooters which is unusual for them. They have Buddy and they have ... Buddy. Unless the other guys figure out what the did with their shot. I could see playing Kuminga and TJD a lot as long as one of Butler or Green is one the court with them as the Warriors are also pretty much forced into using a point forward.
Which exposes the potentially fatal flaw of depending so heavily on ONE FRIKKIN PLAYER. I don’t care if that player is Jesus himself, it’s an absurd risk.
Tell me how Minny will perform without Ant, or Denver without Jokic. It’s a feature to depend on a top 5 NBA talent. There is no team in the history of the NBA immune to this… except maybe the Death Star Warriors
I want the Death Star Warriors back!!
I hear you. What I’m saying is, please prepare for the backup plan before you need it, Warriors.
There is no backup plan for any of these teams… if SGA goes down, they’re done. Same for the Warriors. Only the Death Star Warriors could possibly have won a championship without their best player. It’s the exception that proves the rule: you cannot win a championship without your best player being healthy (enough). It’s not something you can backup plan.
It’s hard to play Tjd and Kuminga together without shooting. Podz and Hield both need to be hot and playing, at minimum
I agree that you can't play them together. I think you need lineups like Podz, Hield, Butler, JK, Post or Podz, Hield, Moody, Green, TJD when Butler and Green are not on the floor together. I'd also guess there is no alternative to Spencer getting some minutes as they can't run Podz out there for 48 but maybe you can get away with Hield, Moody, Butler, Green, Post for a few minutes with either Butler or Green as the primary ball handler.
You know Podz is talking to Kerr right now saying, “I’m good to go 48 tonight, coach. Piece a cake.”
nice scene setting for game 3. “Thursday wasn't a loss. It was a question mark dressed up as a box score.” it must have brought a smile to your face when that popped on to the page!
Thank you!