171 Comments

I can't be the only one that wanted the Warriors to dump it to Kuminga on the block every single play in the fourth quarter. Literally nothing else was working.

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The JK G League thing is still going on 24 hours later. I can honestly understand the kid not being motivated to play there. He's a kid and probably feels he's too good for the G League. But he's not. That would mean there's no part of his game that needs polishing. His handle can get a lot better, as can his passing and shooting. There's a lot to work on. I get the sense that they feel they can get something from him this postseason, and for that he has to develop his overall game at a more rapid pace than usual. In all the times I've seen Steph speak about him it's like he's purposefully measured. As if he makes sure not to shower him with too much praise and stay on him. ''Yes you had a good game, so?? It's just one game". If it is that then I like the approach. He has to earn the approval all the time and he has what it takes to do that.

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I was really hoping they would both lose somehow. In general I prefer LA teams to always lose, but I’m ok with them occasionally beating the Jazz and Suns.

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Jazz took a lead in the 3rd quarter by scoring 32 points to the Lakers' 20 points. But the back-to-back legs caused them to falter down the stretch. They scored only 17 points to the Lakers' 29.

Say, doesn't that sound familiar? A team doing well in the 3rd quarter, only to fall in the 4th quarter?

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That was the worst basketball I've ever seen in my life

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Jazz miss a freethrow fown 5 40 seconds left westbrook takes it 1 on 5 and somehow gets an and 1 even though he should have just held the ball and let the time run out and lakers celebrate like it's the finals, this shit looks like the Truman show of the nba

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Russ will be Russ, and no ring shall rest on his finger

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He'd get an earful from Dray if he ever pulled that as a member of the Dubs

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Is anybody else watching the fourth quarter if the lakers jazz? Some if the worst basketball I've seen in my life, gobert cant even hold Stanley Johnson and the jazz cant score with lebron at center, it's almost as if the jazz are losing on purpose, how tf did this dude win dpoy? Or even be an all star?

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Jazz are on second night of btb

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Nah lol lakers are small, jazz are forcing Pnzr, lakers are switching everything and jazz have absolutely no clue what to do whatsoever, it's literally horrible, jazz got no shot whatsoever

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Are you watching? This is literally comical

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Dear Jonathan Kuminga. Please speed-watch and memorize all existing footage of Draymond Green playing basketball and do that for the next six weeks at least. Thanks, on behalf of petrified Warriors fans everywhere.

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Here, here! This should include screaming "And one!" after every rim run.

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Jan 18, 2022Liked by punk basketball

But C'mon!!!! The night Klay returns, Dray is out. I know, I was gone, I missed the thread. But C'mon????!!!! Can we get this whole team on the floor at the same time? For a week, maybe 2? We have the D(ray), come playoff time, Klay will be 90% Klay, I would like to see Stepha get her groove back, March of dimes and 3s works for me. So long as we have top 4 seeding, let's get JDub, JFK and Mood Ring as much play as possible. If the dynasty is going to continue, the young guns must be part of the story. History will not read: Steph, Klay, Dray, Looney, Iggy, D Lee, Poole, JTA, Ottomatic, Belly & GP2 win the title. That group will NOT win the title. The injection of youth into the historic core is what will put them over the top.

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Been away for awhile on business, what's up? Curry win MVP (Most Votes Prematurely) yet? Draymond DPOY (Didn't Play On Yo-Klay-Day)? Are the "Young Glove for Simmons" trade rumors heating up? Is Moses Moody the Wilt Chamberlain of the G League? Did JK break the top 20 ROY rankings? Did Steve Kerr drop some existential orange round thing thoughts in a post game presser? Like they say, a week without DubNHQ is like a week without orange round things.

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Jan 18, 2022Liked by punk basketball

It's ... an awkward time to bring up Draymond. Hushed tones in the family meeting.

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Lower disk injury occurred during extended minutes of DG Podcast.

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Sarcasm?

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Jan 18, 2022Liked by punk basketball

Yes sarcasm! I love the DG podcast. Whatever anyone thinks, the guy was made for media. But I've been sitting down at a computer for 5 days and I can't walk. So maybe I am projecting. lol

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I don't understand what you're saying. Are you saying he injured himself on air, or it was disclosed on air? I'm confused.

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Pretty much what my wife says to me most of the time. ;-)

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Post of the week. "Wait ... what?" is the story of my life! hahaha

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Jan 18, 2022·edited Jan 18, 2022

I think the joke was “he injured it while sitting doing a podcast”. The projection was funny, Phood. All the sitting from zoom school (teaching) got my back all fucked up - but I’m thinking Draymond can afford a better chair than me…

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doesn't matter. warriors need a good stretch without Draymond. they are a little over-reliant on him and need to step up in his absence. they will lose some, but it will make them better.

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Jan 18, 2022Liked by punk basketball

Now that the Warriors put a name to Draymond's issue, I looked it up. Obviously I'm not a doctor and what I found could be inapplicable.

https://mayfieldclinic.com/pe-hldisc.htm

Overview:

> A herniated disc occurs when the gel-like center of a disc ruptures through a weak area in the tough outer wall, similar to the filling being squeezed out of a jelly doughnut. Back or leg pain, numbness or tingling may result when the disc material touches or compresses a spinal nerve. Treatment with rest, pain medication, spinal injections, and physical therapy is the first step to recovery. Most people improve in 6 weeks and return to normal activity. If symptoms continue, surgery may be recommended.

Surgery:

> Microsurgical discectomy: The surgeon makes a 1–2 inch incision in the middle of your back. To reach the damaged disc, the spinal muscles are dissected and moved aside to expose the vertebra. A portion of the bone is removed to expose the nerve root and disc. The portion of the ruptured disc that touches your spinal nerve is carefully removed using special instruments. About 80–85% of patients successfully recover from a discectomy and are able to return to their normal job in approximately 6 weeks.

So if this is right (it may be wrong), it could be about 12 weeks reasonable worst case? April 15th or so? That might be right when the first round of the playoffs starts. You'd have to add a few weeks for his conditioning as well, so it might require winning a playoff round without him. Then again, maybe the start of the playoffs are delayed for the NBA to make up the postponed games?

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Jan 18, 2022Liked by Eric Apricot, punk basketball

I’m a spine surgeon. 75-80% of them get better with rest, therapy, steroids over 4-6 weeks.

If he has persistent calf symptoms chances are his herniated disc is at L5-S1. We can do that micro discectomy in less than 60 min and send the patient home same day, recover by 1 month for full game-speed activities. Endoscopic approach incision is less than 9mm, tube 18mm and open probably an inch long incision.

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that was some great info. what y'all are doing in your business is just insane/amazing. ;-))

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Good to have you aboard, Gbc

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This is possibly my favorite basketball fan post of all time. Thank your Mister Doctor!

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Gbc gonna make comments of the week for sure and it’s his/her/their? First ever post?!

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Jan 18, 2022Liked by punk basketball

Spine surgeons on DubNHQ? How low can we go? LOL Truth is, we know you're not a spine surgeon, because if you were, we wouldn't have been able to read the hand writing! ;-)

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Thank god someone who knows what they are talking about chimed in lol.

Yup, confirmed as a "Left L5-S1; Disc" like you said.

https://twitter.com/anthonyVslater/status/1483255025300230146

So then it does sound like "back for the start of the playoffs" is the reasonable worst case timeline? 6 weeks for non-surgical options, 4 weeks or so for surgery recovery, 2 weeks for conditioning?

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Jan 18, 2022Liked by Eric Apricot, punk basketball

Yes I think he’ll be back by playoffs no matter what happens. I just hope he gets the right care in a timely fashion.

Most people when they’re in pain from a herniated disc like that will decide surgery vs no-surgery within 3-4 weeks. Recovery should be relatively quick from this surgery. 4 weeks would be my guess especially if playoff positioning is at stake for the dubs.

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Sounds like 2w to re-evaluate if surgery is needed, then if surgery is needed, back on court ~early-March. If do surgery now, back in time for ASB to start.

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Is it confirmed to be herniated? I only see “disc issue”. Hope it’s off the more minor variety of “issue”…

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Jan 18, 2022Liked by Eric Apricot

Most likely a herniated disc that is compressing the nerve. I’m not a spine surgeon but I’ve managed neurosurgery practices for many years.

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Jan 18, 2022Liked by punk basketball

I don't know honestly, I just typed "Left L5-S1 Disc Issue" into Google and all of the results are about herniated discs which mention symptoms including leg pain. I would obviously not recommend this method for self-diagnosis lol, go to a doctor.

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Why don't we have sad emoticons on this website????

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😥

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Thank you! I think Dub Nation was particularly elated with Draymond this season in every way, deservedly so, and this just seems bloody unfair. :(

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Yeah, pulling extra hard for this to he a minor thing. He was balling out

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Well hopefully he's one of the people (and they said "most people" are in this group) who improve in 6 weeks and returns to normal activity (maybe add a week for conditioning). One of those weeks would be the All-Star break too.

Not sure how him being an NBA athlete affects this. World class physical therapy and training programs probably help. But perhaps taller people are more complicated or something? Again, definitely not a doctor lol.

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Hawks beat the Bucks 121-114 thanks to a 71-52 2nd half run by the Hawks.

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Unpredictable

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Weird even.

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An adjunct question…how much do you expect these young guys to grow framewise still? NB I am not talking about muscle mass.

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I was going to point out just how far ahead of the Lakers the Warriors are, as I have been known to do, but at this point it just feels like kicking a Westbrook when he's on the floor. To what extent does anyone buy the notion that the Lakers are barely bothering because they know they can be the 8th team and then in the playoffs suddenly turn it on, have LeBron go into LeBron mode, have AD back, win a few series? I don't know that I buy it, but if were to buy that theory about any team, these are the guys. Old but experienced and not about to go all out to get one more game at home in a playoff series. On the other hand, by most metrics and the eye test, they aren't ... very good.

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They won't be younger in April and May

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LeBron seems to be dialing down the importance of the regular season year by year as he ages, I just think that approach is going to bite him in the ass come playoff time like it did last season

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There is the issue of ‘Zionizing’ a young, very strong, talented, wildly athletic, healthy player adapting well to NBA ways. Then comes…let’s have him play more, let’s have more plays for him, let’s do this let’s do that. So these young bodies get more and more time on the court, more and more hits, etc. Meanwhile these guys are 19 years old and their bodies are still growing. For me, the Warriors threw Wiseman into a sink or swim situation, and his body couldn’t take it. I know Kuminga was already experiencing knee problems by Dec. 3. I hope they will be more careful and measured in their approach to Kuminga’s young body and mind.

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Wiseman was going up for a dunk, Kenyon Martin Jr blocked him, and when he was blocked he lost his balance and his left leg lifted up parallel to the floor. He landed awkwardly with his right leg more or less straight vertical, and the left leg still up, so the right leg took it all and buckled as he went down. Maybe he was indeed trying to be too acrobatic, as Yorick says, but I'm not convinced it had to do with his size or stage of physical development. That would be a bad landing for anyone. Zion is not a good comparison; Wiseman was in excellent shape, Zion was not. Wiseman's other injury was a wrist injury, obviously not related to size.

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It seemed like Wiseman was trying more and more acrobatic stuff when he got frustrated and I remember thinking “this might not end well”

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Jan 17, 2022Liked by punk basketball

Ummm… he’s playing sooo much less that other rookies. Where does this come from? Moody is playing 30MPG in the G League too… should we be worried about him? Players play through some form of injury every day. It happens. Just because a guy shows on the injury report a few times doesn’t mean he’s on track for a derailed career.

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Sea dubs play entirely different game. Moody flourishes at slower pace, less effective defense. Never mentioned derail or career ending.

Btw your reasoning sounds like you are a good debater.

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I mean, you brought up the Zion comp (who’s career is derailing actively) and Wise who people are worried about getting derailed from injury… then you talked about healthy concerns…

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Jan 17, 2022Liked by punk basketball

Heard, but Kuminga doesn’t have the weight and knock knees of Zion, nor the huge frame of Wiseman. Hopefully that helps a bit.

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For me it’s about the process.

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I like how the Dubs are designing plays for him to go down hill toward the basket. I’d like even more play calls where he curls off a screen and receives the ball with a head of steam heading toward the basket. Steve Kerr should watch videos of what the Pelicans drew up for Zion Williamson.

Not THAT Zion Williamson. (Insert fat joke).

This one: https://youtu.be/e0zGfWd-0ds

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Baby Zion? Is that a valid comparison? (Starts to hyperventilate...)

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My comment was about how nba hype and teams manage these young athletes.

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I hope .. not. The way Zion is now trending...

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I think they’re starting to figure out where Kuminga can be effective.

Some practice time will do wonders for team rhythm, I think

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OT: does it seems like Klay’s shot selection has changed a little? It seems like he is aiming to go different places than pre injury Klay when he is picking his spots

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He’s been really aggressive hunting shots. Needs to re-learn where are his spots.

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He just needs Dray.

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I feel like our team isn’t used to playing with klay so we aren’t rewarding his off ball movement with the extra pass. Wiggins missed klay a couple times last game, where an extra pass would of lead to a wide open klay. I imagine that creates a bigger sense of urgency for him to create his own shots

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