Warriors practice(s) before Utah Jazz: Kerr, Looney, Bazemore, Nico Mannion Q&As

Draymond HOF?, COVID testing, Wiseman, Wanamaker

Here are notes & quotes from Warriors practice the day before the Utah Jazz from Chase Center, with Steve Kerr, Kevon Looney and Kent Bazemore. I’ve also attached Kerr and Nico Mannion from yesterday below that, as I only had time last night to post the epic Draymond Green Q&A.

Again, please check our YouTube channel (above preview for Utah is clickable) for the visuals and actual quotes, as the notes below can sometimes lack the full context, or be transcribed imperfectly, or contain typos.

KERR:

- healthy? “More a shootaround than a practice with the 1p start…big challenge with Utah with the best record in the league”

- Jazz: “well-oiled machine…continuity…Conley looks much more comfortable…shooting the ball extremely well.”

- mood, losing streak: “upbeat and feeling good, the last couple weeks have been tough…road trip was difficult…anxious to get back out there…a lot of basketball to be played…try to get some momentum back.”

- challenges of winning vs developing: “you have to live with mistakes because there’s gonna be bumps in the road…how mistakes do you let a guy play through?…figure out when to make a substitution…just a feel thing.”

- coaching vets vs youngsters: “last year we got a rate of that…a lot of patience a year ago, it’s been a fun season for me…great challenge when you know you have a chance because you’re healthy enough to win games…help guys enhance their careers…that’s what we sign up for (ups and downs)…learning how to bounce back from losing.”

- early tipoff: “it is what it is, the schedule tells you what time to play and everybody shows up.”

- Steph passing underrated? “Strengths is playing out of double teams and the Steph-Draymond connection…so potent…a lot of his best passes don’t even lead to assists, they lead to Draymond’s assists…so willing to get the ball out of his hands anytime people start doubling him.”

- Tony Parker, Pop short leash, Wiseman? “I was in San Antonio for Tony’s second season so I witnessed a lot of Pop getting on him…when you’re talking about James…that is just routine for any player in the league to learn how to be a professional…the way he handled the questions after that game…he diffused everything, so he and I have a great relationship…just a necessary step…really not that big of a deal…all good.”

- change lineups based on matchups? “The starting five has remained consistent after the Loon-James swap…I don’t think anything is set in stone…we will continue to adapt…second unit…could ultimately affect how we start the game too…i do like to establish consistency.”

- Nico: “really good pick and roll player…they (Poole) really built momentum in Orlando…they’re fresh off that momentum that they’ve built…Nico has improved his jump shot quite a bit.”

- beneficial last days? “Utah…top three in both offense and defense…they make more threes than anybody.”

- Jazz remind you of any team? “They have been doing this for a few years…even when we had our best teams…they’re really a good two-way team.”

- Draymond HOF right now? “I think Draymond’s a HOFer, I’m maybe not as mainstream as most people looking at stats. I think Ben Wallace is a HOF player…one of the great defensive players the league has ever seen…Draymond’s much more of a passer…point-forward…best way to measure Draymond is not with his stats, it’s how much he impacts winning…college basketball: two final fours…two gold medals.”

- all-female radio, WEM: “not only a symbol of what we’re promoting…highlight some really talented broadcasters…having been in the broadcasting business a long time…Ros and Kerith…Doris Burke…a lot of well-qualified women out there…at every level…remind everybody there’s a lot of incredibly talented women.”

- like most? “The fact we’ve become a good defensive team…hasn’t been good the last couple of games.”

- HOF vote? “I did foe a couple years…a lot of work.”

- who did you vote for? “(Never reveal)…nobody’s ever gonna know if I voted for Trump or Biden.”

LOONEY:

- playing with vets/stars vs youngsters: “winning isn’t easy…professionalism, working on your body…focus level…that attention to detail…being able to win games on the road.”

- going from winning: “definitely different, for the first couple years we didn’t lose a lot of games…last year was a lot of injuries…same type of roller coaster…kinda stressful for everybody (COVID, no fans)…challenge of playing with a bunch of new guys…we’re in the gym pretty much all day…going into those wars…closer as a team…we’re ready to show what we can do.”

- role change? “Not much…rebound, defend, being able to switch out on defense…being a starter, being able to set the tone on the defensive end…bringing the energy from the start, my role has changed a little bit but not much.”

- Draymond testing frustrations: “difficult to navigate, you never know what time practice is gonna be…gotta just roll with it because I’d rather be playing than not…a year ago we were shut down…annoyance but something we gotta go through.”

- Gobert: “he affects a lot of shots around the rim…pressure on the basket…screen and roll…lob threat, gotta keep him off the boards…I think we are gonna be prepared for.”

- set tone, keys: “starts with the big man, me and Draymond being vocal…rebound and get stops…Kelly, Steph, they’re able to cause havoc…a lot of pick and roll (from Utah)…something I take pride in (PNR coverage).”

BAZEMORE:

- what’s important: “experience…different league now…(NCAA) winning is a mentality…approaching the game…No Boys Allowed, the learning curve is a lot bigger than some people can see…learning how to become a pro…a winner…the small things that you continue to harp on.”

- small things: “understanding the first game after a break, the sense of urgency…especially on the road…we started the season on the road…playing a playoff team…understands the moment, they beat us to the punch…I was on a team that won 60 games…played with four All-Stars…how they approached practices…communication to kinda set yourself apart…not taught outside the NBA, the game has changed…small things been thrown to the wayside…setting (young guys) up for failure unless you’re a LeBron or Zion, once in a lifetime guys…tough league to play in…crazy perspective from being undrafted.”

- comparing ATL 60-wins to UTA? “same coaching tree…(Snyder/Bud)…those guys are letting it fly…each guy knows what he brings to the team…the encouragement is there…Tony Allen…you need players like that in the locker room…all those finite little small details.”

- COVID tests: “it’s overwhelming for sure but the league is just trying to protect their investment…life is just nuts regardless if you’re testing every day…wake up, take my ten minutes…you wake up and you go…rest when you can…life isn’t always gonna be like this…be nice to the people that’s giving the test…peculiar year, being in the bubble last season gave me a perspective.”

- visualizing joining GSW, now .500: “Kelly came in a little bit after me, Wiggs…played against Damion in college…ww have everything we need…getting everybody on the same page…trying to win…bottom line…fix all our weaknesses…small shift in goals and perspectives I think will turn it around for us.”

- team: “we had the length…lost all our bigs earlier in the year…when we were full strength we beat all the teams that we needed to beat…lean on your defense…it’s just part of the journey…it’s gonna be a paradigm shift here again…as long as I’m in the locker room.”

- Wanamaker: “two similar styles…we got beat by Butler (was supposed to play against him)…he understand his situation…now he’s here, he’s appreciative of the moment…understands the ins and outs…keeping that mind in that state…being ready…the last thing you wanna do is make it about the guy in front of you…not the kinda energy you wanna instill…take it on the chin…just lead the way, show these young guys, understand that he’s on his heels…iron sharpens iron.”

Warriors PR says Klay Thompson might do pregame after Kerr tomorrow (NBA rule says injured player has to speak once).

KERR FROM YESTERDAY:

- practice? “It was good…nice to have a couple days before Utah…needed to brush up on execution.”

- everyone practice? Yes

- scrimmage? “Controlled scrimmage…defensive drills…you go almost a week without doing anything…this year just one practice and a game…we’ll be prepared for Utah.”

- tape? “Overall lack of consistent competitiveness…effort that the other team can feel…they know they’re in for a game…inconsistency of the effort…easy night for the Clippers.”

- Shaq/Barkley tanking: “every day I think about our teams fortunes right now and a year or two from now…most of my focus goes towards trying to win the next game…developing players.”

- rotation? “We didn’t really get a great look at, based on not playing James the first three quarters…we’re gonna continue to see what they can do and give them a chance…what I just talked to with Chris (Haynes)…(win and develop).”

- how to balance? “Try to get a feel for each game and what it’s going to take to win that game…find spots where you can insert certain players…it’s not an easy position to be in…every season is very unique…good enough to be a playoff team.”

- if not blowout would James had not played? “Quite possibly, that was a decision that was gonna be made on the fly.”

- how far from Clippers? “About 32’points, I think, based on last night…championship contender and they played like it last night.”

- Utah? “Tomorrow will be a lighter practice…tomorrow will be more about preparation for the Jazz.”

- aggressive at trade deadline? “I did not have that conversation (with TNT), I was asked that question…about our roster, first of all that’s Bob’s job…I have no idea…there hasn’t been any talk at all in terms of anything that Bob has brought to me…you never know.”

- healthy? “We’re a .500 team right now, barely in the playoff race.”

- women’s empowerment: “I’m a girl dad and a boy dad…my daughter can do no wrong much to the chagrin of her brothers…women historically have been mistreated.”

- Wanamaker: “that’s my job, they’re never surprised about anything…I love Brad, I feel for him that he’s not gonna be in the rotation right now…same thing my coaches told me…when you stay ready and you stay conditioned both physically and mentally, the game has a way of coming back around…weather the storm…guys can make careers out of that…being a good teammate when I wasn’t in the rotation…doesn’t make it any easier…difficult role…but that’s the NBA, somethings gonna happen…Mulder.”

NICO FROM YESTERDAY:

- chemistry with Poole? “Some of the quick actions that we get to, I know where he likes the ball.”

- Poole a talker? “Not super loud…gets his point across.”

- recap: “first six minutes I wasn’t myself…playing a little bit too fast…need to slow down and just be myself so that’s what I tried to do in the fourth.”

- Wiseman: “we’ve played against each other, with each other…I saw him pretty much everywhere so I kinda know how we likes to play…great player and I’m excited to just learn his game even more.”

- make your make with PNR: “50% of what the NBA runs.”

- Steph competitive fire: “first time I’ve really seen him that animated…you can see that (competitiveness) by how much he wins…we had a talk in the locker room after the game (get that back next game).”

- Steph pregame/work: “Funny you asked that…left Bubble…1045a-11a…by the time I had gotten there Steph was the only one in here…weight room…only my third of fourth week with the team…I told him it’s really assuring seeing (him) one of the best point guards in the world, the game before a road trip…I couldn’t be in a better position, honestly.”

- health? “NBA flow…first six minute stint…got back to being myself in the Bubble.”

- what to learn? “Everything, I know that’s a corny answer…learning from my mistakes…there’s so much to learn about from the game…soak in as much as I can”

- examples? “Steph talked to me last night…just about some PNR stuff

- PNR detail? “Angle of attacking the big”

- Wiseman: “good that he manned up to it…everyone’s gonna have their moments.”

- Wanamaker: “Brad is a great dude, basketball aside he’s a great person…he’s still teaching me, there’s no bad blood…same way I was when I wasn’t getting minutes…excited…great person.”

- Kerr: “great mentor of the highest level of the highest level, he’s also just a great person…character is a big thing here…head of the snake in that aspect…after my first six minute stint…’not expecting miracles’…confidence…straight up.”

- Kerr: “I think if he the NBA was gonna be really strict, honestly it’s pretty laid back (because of Kerr).”

/end