Warriors practice: Stephen Curry scrimmaged, “questionable” for tomorrow; team needs to win but dealing with “all kinds of adversity”
Warriors practice: Stephen Curry scrimmaged, “questionable” for tomorrow; team needs to win but dealing with “all kinds of adversity”
Juan says it best: “very easy offense once you know it”
Here are notes & quotes from Warriors practice the day before the Chicago Bulls, with Steve Kerr, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damion Lee and Stephen Curry.
As I write this we are waiting for Steph, so what I’ll do is make those notes for subscribers only (real-time typed in on our Discord, email me at rich@letsgowarriors.com for more info but please be patient as it’s in beta mode and there’s an ongoing queue).
UPDATE 6:30PM (AVAILABILITY STARTED AT 5:00PM): GSW PR says they’ll have Steph tomorrow at morning shootaround instead since his treatment is running super-late and the beatwriters agreed to it.
Please visit our YouTube channel for much, much more, but the clickable one at the top of this article is Kerr describing the status of Curry and that Eric Paschall hurt his wrist in a workout.
UPDATE II 7:45PM: The second one is a question I asked Juan, who usually has his pulse on DubNation, obviously hailing from Oakland. There’s been a lot of talk on social media lately about a “need” to change the offense, that #KerrSystem doesn’t work. I couldn’t disagree more, but I get it. The impatience of fans is showing out yet again, when it’s just part of the process, which specifically means that teams do go in a slump, plus without Steph, plus with Steph’s return imminent. This is a two-maybe-more-game slump on defense, but I thought Sacramento was a throw-away game, as I wrote…
…and when I watch the games, my reaction is more, “Play better defense, stay in front, Nico! Don’t let him turn that corner on you, JP! Get there sooner, James! You’re literally better than that!” rather than, “Look at our offense, we need to run something better.” The team hasn’t had a problem scoring, really. They’re just taking the ball out of the net nearly every single time and always making one guy on the opposition look like a perennial All-Star. I don’t think that has anything to do with “0.5 basketball” or “ball movement”. In fact, I feel like it’s just another way for social media to stay mad at Steve. I get it, it’s “fun”, it’s outrage, but it’s also misinformation and I just really can’t stand that.
So, I got Juan to say it much better than I can:
KERR:
- Steph: practiced fully, list him as questionable, “Eric Paschall in pre practice workouts banged his wrist (did not practice).”
- Steph practiced? “We scrimmaged some just now and he’s getting some extra work in…discussion with Rick…we’ll see how it all goes.”
- beatwriters are tweeting: “I had a spinner thing (Rubik’s cube)”
- Paschall: “had an ice pack on it…I haven’t talked to Rick yet.”
- mood? “We came back from 24 down against a great team…people being sick…Steph…running into some hot teams…maybe I’m making excuses…I understand this team better than anybody…we’re gonna bounce back…defense.”
- turn up pace in practice? “You go over detail and you definitely get up and down a little bit…as a player you need to feel a scrimmage situation just to get your legs and your feel back…had a really good day’s work.”
- Bulls new faces: “haven’t had the time to watch their game last night against San Antonio…getting Vuc is a big deal…they will be formidable for sure.”
- urgent moment? “It does, we’ve had a few of these moments during the season…we need to win a game…our team has responded…really good opportunity down the stretch with 26 games left, we’re right in the thick of everything…lost four in a row, we’ve been without Steph…been hit in the mouth…we gotta respond.”
- why struggle defensively: “so much of defense is tied to your offense…the other team has to take the ball out of the net…Steph…confidence and swagger…we’ve had a lot of stuff, whether it’s injuries, Covid protocol…Loon vs Valanciunas…but nobody really cares…every team is dealing with all kinds of adversity…understand what’s next and that’s what today was about…improve our defense…playing at a higher level.”
- Steph re-eval: “we usually just use that expression just to keep you guys off my back…all I know is Steph practiced fully today and he’s questionable tomorrow.”
- MRI? “No.”
Warriors PR then says they’ll try to get Curry for us, which is why they are the best in the business (pivoting on the content of the immediate Q&A).
- Kerr sees that there might be one more question, then Slater: “I’m just glad you finally admitted the re-evaluation was fake!!” 😂
JUAN:
Juan asks for Kerith and it turns out he just wanted to congratulate her for all-female broadcast tomorrow.
- Steph presence: “Just based on his presence…who he is…there was a turnover in practice and he kinda got upset…super-excited to have him back whenever that is.”
- how feel with Steph? “You feel more confident…chances in winning a game…let’s just call a spade a spade…makes the game so much easier for everyone.”
- obligated to play at a higher level: “that’s a good question…always gonna try…there’s a standard they expect…especially a guy like Draymond he brings that intensity…Steph he out there hooping…get it with or get lost…they’re trying to get to a championship…I definitely want to meet them at that level…just come with it.”
- Bulls new player: “Vucevic, I’m not sure whom else, tbh I try not to follow too much of that stuff…Zach LaVine’s a great player…huge pickup for them…very physical, can stretch the floor.”
- mood? “Demoralizing (losses)…we should have won those games.learn from our past mistakes…different energy (with Steph)…everybody came I
- change offense? “it’s worked…what the hell do I know…five Finals in a row…it’s a high IQ offense…very easy offense to play once you learn it…I don’t wanna keep using that as an excuse…young guys…Steph and Dray…kinda just know it…S/O to DubNation but we’re the ones playing the games…”
DAMION:
- Bulls buzzer beater: “Steph was going crazy…Steph was the first option, Wiggs was the next option, Loon and I had that connection…”
- connection with Looney: “we’ve kind of had this connection just understanding where his spots are, where my spots are…pick and roll…got us our first win of the season. Thanks Kerith.”
- Steph practiced fully, impact: “just having a generational talent…so much gravity…not only on the court but in the locker room…you’re injured and you’re trying to motivate guys, it’s tough…out there being vocal…on the court would be huge…”
- urgent moment? “I guess you could say that but not necessarily putting the pressure on it…get back to the basics, and today was a good day…can’t rely on one guy…look themselves in the mirror…start closing games out or getting pissed off about getting blown out…start small trying to get back on the right track.”
- Steph acting skills: “Solid…not a better actor than me, but you know.”
- are you gonna be in commercial? “No, I just improv.”
- Steph old Burger King commercial: “I do recall seeing Seth in Juwanna Man.”
- ever do one? “One day, I got a lot of other things to focus on first.”
- what would you like to to endorse? “Invisalign…I can model some clothing…stay in the same realm…you got me, Kerith.”
- skin care? “Any black owned…I’m not afraid to support.”
- Draymond Subway: “if you look at the backstory, it’s dope, scrounging up change…when you’re a kid and you look up to all these brands…that’s like a dream come true and honestly doesn’t even feel like a partnerships. For me it was PlayStation…got to go to the PlayStation headquarters…like a kid in a candy store…meet people and them saying they’re a fan of me…I’m a fan of the company…the companies see how genuine that is.”
- NBA2K: “I haven’t played 2K in awhile. This year was the first year…finally had my tattoos and stuff…shot a wide open corner three and airballed…my guy…dunked it…that’s not me…I’m not Eurostepping and one hand dunking on someone.”
“Congrats, Kerith” (on all-female broadcast tomorrow).
- just give us a good game: “hey I’ll try my best…April showers bring May flowers.”
Ray reiterates he’ll try to get #steph next. Just want to add that he *knows* Steph always runs late, the media will wait for him this time, and that Steph will probably still do it. Best in the business, Double R! Again, the Steph part will be in a separate subscription-only article after this.
AS STATED ABOVE: GSW PR says they’ll have Steph tomorrow at morning shootaround instead since his treatment is running super-late and the beatwriters agreed to it.
/end