As promised in the previous post (one for the Utah game coming up today, too), I perused the postgame transcripts and really didn’t find anything interesting because a lot of it was the “he-said-she-said” between Draymond Green and Jusuf Nurkic. A lot of fans tend to love that stuff, but because those topics don’t really yield a lot of information as opposed to entertainment, I tend to skip past those, even if it’s Green’s podcast.
But I will say this: Nurkic’s postgame verbal attack on Draymond, as well as yesterday’s follow-up on Xitter, isn’t going to bode well for him or the Suns. Dray even quote-tweeted Nurk as a marketing opportunity for the podcast episode in question — ahh, the power of the podcast (#TheNewMedia).
While compiling the behind-the-scenes video for PHX-GSW here…
…I came upon the realization that a good number of buckets were scored against Nurkic. I don’t really have the analytics acumen to go look that up — at least not in time for my hurried post of this — but just the eye test from the video above suggests that not only can we hunt Nurkic (several times) on high pick-and-rolls with Stephen Curry, but also Dray can expose Jusuf on the fake dribble-handoffs.
Incidentally, and I hate to brag — actually, that’s my new thing, I’m going to brag more because I’m starting to think it’s the diametric opposite of complaining, which happens to be the scourge of modern-day thumb-typist-on-social-media society — but I believe I was the first journalist to uncover the acronym “DHO”, back on December 27, 2018:
And so I think despite the one-point eeker where Curry had to go “GOAT” status for the win, the Warriors actually found something: physically and mentally, Nurkic is toast. Despite the buzzer-beater, I no longer fear the Phoenix Suns. If Frank Vogel wants to continue to play Nurkic, Steve Kerr will find a way to expose him. Of course, the scoring of their Big Three remains the core issue in any matchup with them.
And if Vogel intends to go small, we will find a way for Green to expose Kevin Durant at the five. Incidentally, Vogel actually talked about Nurkic stepping up against Sacramento after they’d gone small (unfortunately for the Kings, they don’t have a Draymond). They narrowly beat SAC, but there’s a lot of footage out there for the Dubs to find ways to poke holes in the Suns.
Of course, the basketball gods might be frowning on my arrogance, as I speak. But I remain confident in the matchups if GSW goes into a play-in or playoff series vs. PHX.
Speaking of the fake DHO, here’s an Instagram Reel I did to celebrate that, as Draymond was specifically asked about it while on the podium and — as the title of this article suggests — we must discuss some of his unintentional comedy from that Phoenix game. First of all, the celebration after duping Nurkic into “nothing defender” status (see transcript below):
Here’s the embedded version, in case you loathe going to Zuck’s platform; it’s also inside the embedded PHX-GSW BTS video above:
Seems like the poll in the IG post above is heavily weighted to the basketball move, but the celly was pretty enjoyable.
Even more enjoyable than that? Draymond jumping up and down, urging Steve to challenge the foul call on Andrew Wiggins with 0.7 seconds left — a play which we revealed on the livestream was a clever armpit hook by Devin Booker. But Kerr gave a funny rebuttal on the spot to Draymond’s insistence that he use a challenge; he didn’t have any challenges, to which Green hilariously nodded his head, instantly calming down:
Also, Wiggins can be seen saying something to the effect of not having any challenges, but you wonder if anybody heard him and his deep, quiet voice.
Speaking of that foul call, guess who called it and fell for the Booker hook trick? Eighth-year ref — quite young by NBA standards, as most NBA Finals refs have 20 or more years of experience, btw — Jacyn Goble. And, boy, did he miss a lot of calls that night. Here’s all the ones I noticed, which gets back to my theory of why Adam Silver’s refs are now like the Keystone Cops (full game notes at the bottom, per usual):
1m22 Q2 Dray post no and1, 2x Goble missed something in front of him
0m45 Q2 BP hockey check from Book not called (Goble again)
0m18 Q2 Steph gets held no call (right in front of Goble)
8m35 Q3 Book hand on Steph’s back as he drives right in front of Goble no call
8m09 Q3 Dray and1 not called, Goble again! calls a T
7m40 Q3 Steph and-one 3 Goble again!
7m00 Q3 Goble no call Wiggs fouled on drive
3m54 Q3 Goble again no hook on Book, Les foul
3m31 Q3 Goble again: hook on JK
0m00 Q4 Goble calls a foul on Wiggs, Steph says don’t worry
2:27:45 looks like Book has an armpit hold on Wiggs, Doris thinks it’s a foul, doesn’t see the armpit hold
2:29:15 Steph says to Goble it’s an armpit hold
That’s ten 50-50 calls that didn’t go the Warriors way, all right in front of Goble. I don’t even usually nitpick refs like this. It just so happened that calls I thought could have been could were not, and all by the nearest ref, over and over and over again.
And then two nights later, yep, it’s Jacyn Goble who’s involved in the late call on the close-out in Houston by New York’s Jalen Brunson, later found in the L2M to be an incorrect call which has now led the Knicks to file a protest of the game.
All I can say is, the basketball gods outweighed the incompetence of Goble and then punished him by exposing him with the Brunson call. There is absolutely no way Goble will be picked as a playoff ref now, thank goodness. There would be too much heat on Silver if his head of referees did that. Whew!
And I’m really glad to see that the basketball gods finally rewarded our squad with a cut-throat win. I’m glad those of you who didn’t let go of the rope, didn’t let go of the rope. If you play the game and respect it the right way — Curry with his reduction of TTBTTOT turnovers (pronounced “tee-bee-tots”, stands for Throw The Ball To The Other Team), Klay Thompson with his acceptance of a smaller role and not chucking up threes early in the shot clock anymore, and Dray obviously with his mental health component from the suspension — you start to win games. You start to overcome bullies and even bumbling Keystone Cop refs as you try to turn this Season of Humility around.
No transcription available — DURANT on Steph Curry: “greatest ever at his position, top 5 player of all-time”; GP2; BEAL; VOGEL
How nice was it to get one like this? you guys have had so many this year where that has flipped the other direction.
STEVE KERR POSTGAME PHX-GSW:
“Yeah, we were due. We’re due for one of these types of games to go our way. But the guys earned it, it didn’t just happen. Steph made an incredible shot. Brandin made a fantastic pass on that play, reading Bradley Beal, jumping the passing lane and he got it past him and defensively, we battled the whole game. These days, you hold somebody to 112 — it sounds crazy — but it’s the modern NBA, with those shooting percentages. Yeah, we’ll take it. So, the defensive improvement these last couple of weeks is going to help us close out games like this, on that last sequence.”
What did you think of, I guess, the foul call? Did you know at the time you had one (foul) to give?
“Yeah, we knew we had one to give, but yeah, we didn’t want to foul. We’ve had our share of difficulties down the stretch in those situations. So it was really just be aggressive. We had Gary on the ball trying to disrupt the pass. I thought it was a tough call when I saw the replay, didn’t really look like a foul. I thought, Devin hooked Wiggs to start with, but in the end, probably a no-call. But the fact that we had one to give, obviously, saved us.”
You guys are trending in the right direction defensively, but where did you see GP’s impact the most?
“His defense, just his speed and on ball pressure. We had him on Kevin (Durant) quite a bit. He just, as soon as he got in the game, he got the fast break dunk and I guess it was out of a pick and roll, like immediately, and then knocked down a three and you just feel his presence out there and that’s why he’s such a fan favorite because he’s electric. Just as soon as he gets in the game, you just feel how impactful he is and it’s great to have Gary back.”
Draymond 15-7-9 in his matchup with Nurk. Just what kind of energy did he give you guys tonight along with the production?
“Draymond was amazing. He’s been amazing ever since he came back, just everything, the ball movement, the rebounding, the scoring tonight with the floor spread. He got to the rim several times, made some big, big baskets for us. But it’s the leadership and the belief and the competitive desire that makes Draymond special. And so he was brilliant tonight.”
Before the game you were talking about how you don’t want Draymond to be a ‘goody two shoes’. You want him to have the fire, toe the line. Was this what we saw from Draymond tonight, just kind of that line that you want to see him toe, if he’s getting into it with Nurkic, he’s yelling in KD’s face, he does get a T, but he kind of keeps it somewhat?
“Yeah, we need him to be competitive, Draymond. If he’s passive, we might as well not play him, right? Everything with him is about his force and his energy and his competitiveness. And so it makes him unique, makes him the great player that he is. We do want him to walk the line, but we just don’t want him to be passive at all. So a technical, I’m fine with. A flagrant foul, it’s fine. But he’s got to stop right there, and that’s what he did tonight.”
Steve, to Kendra’s point, late in the game, and you had all the emotion with Draymond and Nurk, but Nurk seemed like he hit Draymond pretty good late, you’re almost waiting for a reaction, he doesn’t react. The next three plays, he’s got two layups at the rim, an oop to Kuminga, and then defending KD at the end. Just, are those moments for you still, do you hold your breath a little bit to hope that he doesn’t go the other direction, and how big was that?
“Not really, to be honest with you, because we’ve been together 10 years, and I’ve watched him, for the vast majority of that time, do exactly what he did tonight. Obviously, this past year, he’s had several incidents where he crossed the line. But that month off, that suspension was, more than anything — Draymond felt vulnerable. He knew that his career was on the line or is on the line. A really smart guy, he’s a very smart guy. So he understands, he’s got to be the guy he’s been for the last nine years, not the one he’s been the last year. And I see him doing that.”
Hey, Coach. Tonight, both Brandin Podziemski and Lester Quinones had some takes where they were able to beat their defender to the basket, weren’t able to close the shot. How do you, as a coach, in developing their game, evaluate those type of takes and let them know the time that they took it or is it, ‘You just missed a shot. It’s fine’?
“Yeah, we watch tape with these guys every day. And one of the reasons Lester is in our rotation is because of his speed and athleticism and ability to get past people and knock down difficult shots. And so he’s been playing really well, but he’s a very young player and he’s still growing and still learning. So, all part of the process. We’ll watch all of his minutes with him. He will see the plays where he maybe should have done something different. But the only way to learn is to go through it. And this is his time to go through it.”
Did you see Beal jump in the passing lane? And was the way that pass kind of veered, was that purposeful?
BRANDIN PODZIEMSKI: “However I could get the ball to Steph. Booker kind of played off me. It was just like in center field. So I kind of had a clean vision of where Steph was going to be. But Draymond actually screened Beal and Beal got through it. So he kind of shot the gap and I kind of — I should have asked the ref before if I could throw it in the backcourt. So I didn’t know, so I just tried to … from like half court that little window. I had to get on the ball and we made it happen.”
Did you know when you let it go? Did you think it was accurate or did you think it would be tough if you look at the replay?
“I don’t know. I just tried to get it to him, no matter how long it took. I was only throwing the ball to him and let him do what he does.”
How difficult of a shot can you imagine that is, kind of like the lefty stab and turn around?
“It’s a very difficult — only a shot that a regular person probably would catch and take a dribble or something like that. But the confidence he plays with is on a different level than anybody else.”
Just the way the defense has been trending since Draymond has come back has been going up. But how much does Gary’s return also change the energy?
“Yeah, adds another piece to the puzzle, another guy that guards, both individually and as a team defender. And tonight we just were trying to get into Book (Devin Booker) and KD (Kevin Durant) and Bradley Beal and really make them feel us. Because if you let him play like a workout, they’re going to shoot 70 percent every game. And for the most part we did. We were able to rotate bodies, between me, Gary, and Les, off the bench, to guard those guys. And over time it wore them down. Credit to them though, at the end they made a push and made some tough shots.”
Brandin, it seemed like, especially tonight, you were really, really trying to push the pace even after makes. Is that something you’re looking to do?
“When I come in for Klay, I try to just get the ball and let Andrew (Wiggins) and Jonathan (Kuminga) play in open space. That’s where they’re best at. So anytime I can get it out the rim on a make, off a miss — after the Indiana game, I looked back at our film and kind of watched how TJ McConnell did the same thing for them. And me and TJ are different players, but it was something that I could replicate. And seeing that, just seeing how good Jonathan and Andrew are in open space, was definitely a point for me to get them the ball early and let them go to work.”
How difficult was that? Not just the last shot but just catch, turn, everything that went into the last shot, knowing the play we’re going to run?
STEPHEN CURRY POSTGAME GSW-PHX: “You just try to get to open space however you can. It’s just talking to BP. Like Draymond set a good screen and KD and Brad switched. Brad kind of tried to lunge for the steal. BP made put enough on it, so it kind of took two hops that I could figure out where the ball was coming, where the defense was and how to turn into it. And at that point it’s just muscle memory. Just shoot it and you live with it and thankfully it worked out and obviously on the other end you want to celebrate right then, but the way our season’s gone and 0. 7 seconds felt like an eternity. Thankfully we had a foul to give. Draymond made a great play. Wiggs made a great play too, didn’t think it was a foul but Draymond on the second try, so glad to get the win.”
High Steph and congratulations. 13 for 13 and happy dragon’s New Year’s. I want to ask this question for Chinese fan. Do you have any plans for China this summer? And do you want to say anything to Chinese fan about New Year’s or anything?
“I was born in the year of the dragon, so it’s a cool year for that celebration. But I’m coming in September, so yeah. Excited.”
What kind of lift did Draymond give you guys tonight?
“He’s given us a lift every game he’s been back. He connects our defense, but you saw what he did. You can talk about his defense every game but all he did offensively tonight, especially in the fourth quarter. A lot of the JK, the keep — he had two of them, actually. And one of them we’re running around all crazy and he did some nice ball handling and got to the glass. So he was a threat on offense as well. And he gave us great energy in the sense of that competitive spirit that you need to win a game like tonight to meet the moment. And I know everybody’s going to talk about what Nurk (Jusuf Nurkic) has said or how idiotic that was, but just the fact that Draymond knows how to walk the line that he needs to walk. This is probably the best game that you’ve seen where he can be loud and fiery and competitive and draw back and forth. But we’re playing basketball and if you didn’t see that tonight then he ain’t watching the game.”
Following up on Draymond’s energy and stuff, when he is able to find that line and engage in the trash talk and that competitive nature, do you see it, kind of feel his own personal game as well on offense and defense, not just you, guys around him?
“Yeah just that’s his identity. That’s who is, the basketball player. It’d be like me not shooting threes, like I said, part of who you are. So I know he has been in a delicate situation. He’s trying to figure that out and not let it spill over because we can’t have that. And he knows that I can’t afford to let it get out of control. But it fuels him because he lives for those moments where it’s just how we win this game and I’m coming at you and you’ve got to go through me and you’ve seen that in the best of moments for sure. So we want to encourage him to keep doing that.”
It’s enough getting Gary back. What does that give you guys that you were previously lacking when he was injured?
“First and foremost it’s a point-of-attack defender that, I don’t care what type of offensive player you are, you have to worry about where he is. He’s great on the ball. And it’s another wing defender that we could have. He’s pretty versatile. And then you saw right away his energy in the pocket on pick and rolls cutting off the back rotations on offense, hit a big three. It’s just timely plays that you need. And no matter how many minutes out there, he’s out there. He makes his presence felt. And like I said, just somebody if you’re trying to score on us, you gotta know where GP is and he’s gonna make it tough on you. So it was great to have that boost for tonight especially with three guys on that side that are amazing one-on-one scorers and you’ve got to have guys that love those challenges.”
You didn’t seem to like what Nurkic had to say about Draymond. What about it?
“Well, it’s easy to say now as you throw stones across the way. We have no idea what you’re talking about, especially when you’re kind of on the wrong side of it tonight. So you could tell when somebody is in your head, when you go out of your way to celebrate and he did that little ‘too small’ thing and smacked the floor. Funny how the refs didn’t see that one. And then Draymond comes back at him. So all the talk, Draymond was in his head. Plain and simple. So like I said, for Draymond to be able to, knowing what happened last time we played him, give him all the credit. Everybody talks about how much everyone needed to change, to figure it out and what he was doing during the suspension. All that. Tonight was exactly the playbook of how you play basketball at a high level so I loved it.”
Steph, to that point and with your relationship with Draymond and the lows you had this year and everything you guys have been through, is there a different kind of satisfaction and joy when you see him walk the line? You see the impact he has on the game. You see him maintaining who he is… You get the win. Is this in terms of the way the last couple months have gone and to see it start coming on the up like this, does that feel pretty good?
“For sure. And it’s mostly him living up to his word. The conversations we had. You know how he felt when he was out and how he felt in those moments where he knew what he needed to do, at the end of the day. We just need him available. You’ve seen the difference in our team when he’s out there on a consistent basis and he’s playing feeling like himself. So we’re a different team without him and with him and he knew and still knows what he needs to do consistently to put himself in the best shape mentally and physically to go out there and play basketball and be the Draymond Green that has helped us win championships, and I’m going to keep encouraging him to do that because you see the results and it’s fun to watch.”
This is the first time you have seen him since what happened in that last game. Maybe just maybe take me through how that went tonight.
JUSUF NURKIC, POSTGAME PHX-GSW: “it’s sad. He didn’t learn anything, man. It’s just a matter of time. You’re going to knock somebody else again. So take everything back, what I said. You don’t deserve a chance. So that’s it for me.”
When you say that, what do you feel like he was doing tonight that told you that, that nothing has changed?
“His antics. Try to hit people. The stuff he shouldn’t do. But I don’t care. At the end of the day, they try to play that way, but no one worry about them. They got a win tonight. We’ll see what happens to them in a few games, in a month or so. Don’t worry about it. Don’t say anything.”
Lastly, just to matchup in terms of them going small, how do you feel like you fared in that?
“When we have a new teammate in, new players in, trying to implement, just play the right way. Missed a lot of shots that we can make and usually make. Felt like we didn’t defend the team who played the last few weeks, whatever. But it’s just one game, man. The next page, we have two more before break and a couple days before the games. And just regroup, watch some film, practice, and go from there. It’s NBA. Another game soon. That’s all I got.”
Sorry to keep bringing up Nurkic, but he said after the game that he felt that your antics tonight proves that you didn’t learn anything. I’m just wondering if you had any response to that.
DRAYMOND GREEN: “I thought I was pretty great tonight, honestly. so I thought, he tried to get in my head and it didn’t work. If he want me to walk around quiet like him, I’m never going to do that. Quiet guys don’t win. So yeah, I thought I was pretty great tonight. So yeah, he can keep riding the same horse that he rode in on, he can ride his ass on out here on the same horse. It ain’t working. Sorry, Adam (Silver). I didn’t mean to curse. That just slipped out. Oh my God. Sorry.”
What have you learned since your suspension?
“That when I’m in the game, we are a very good basketball team. Incredible. And people are starting to see that, so that’s what I’ve learned.”
The last time you guys played the Suns is when you had the incident with Jusuf, and tonight you guys are going back and forth, ‘too small’ celebrations, all that stuff. Is that just kind of the fire that you like, and when you’re in the midst of it, does it ever kind of come into your mind of, ‘Okay Draymond, take it up to here,’ and then we leave it at that line?
“Nah, because I didn’t take it anywhere. They called a foul on the post-up and he started talking. Never backing down from that. I like that type of action.”
What did you think of the ‘too small’ celebration, that you seemed to get him back?
“You can’t get bullied a couple plays later if you want to do that. You can’t be a nothing defender if you’re going to do that. So, you’re going to do all of that. That man will probably outweigh me by 70 pounds. And you get put in the ring. Gotta be more careful.”
Dray, I do wonder, were you in a different headspace at all because it was Nurk and just that connection to the game prior? And when he’s testing you like that, pretty obviously just trying to get under your skin, you’ve got the moment when you get the offensive foul and you’re pointing at your head. Are you saying you’re going to think this thing through and then later, it seems like he checks you and then hits you?
“Oh no, I was saying he was a dummy, when I was pointing to my head. I wasn’t necessarily saying anything — Appreciate the clarification. Yeah, I was keeping my head. I was saying, ‘You can’t start talking and charging into me. Not smart, right?”
And then late, it did seem like he hit you. You don’t retaliate. You get two layups at the rim. You find Kuminga for the oop. In terms of composure, do you just know right then, like, you can do whatever you want, but I’m gonna try to win this game?
“He was hitting me a lot today. You should go back and watch the film. Just, like, key in on him and look at him. It was a lot of little cheap shots, but I knew his goal was to get me out of the game. No one wants to see me in the game. That makes the game a lot tougher. It’d take a pretty good ish talker to get me to do that. That’s just too obvious, you know. So, it’s okay. It was a fun game.”
How important is it for you guys to get one like this? You’ve played well lately, but you’ve had so many this season that you’ve lost.
“It’s very important. Steph has hit several shots like that down the stretch this year, and we haven’t been able to close it out on the defensive end. So it was very important for us to get those stops down the stretch and make sure we close the game out. And also coming back off the road, we built some momentum on the road. So you want to make sure you come back and take care of the ones at home that you can’t.”
Were you fearful with that foul situation late?
“I wasn’t fearful at all. I knew I made contact; even the Wiggins — Oh well, that’s — I knew we had a foul to give there. So I wasn’t worried about the foul at all when they called it on Wiggs, I knew we only had two team fouls. So I thought it was actually the smartest play you could make.”
Defensively, you guys have been sort of trending up since you came back, but what kind of energy does Gary bring that changes things?
“A lot of energy. G’s has some of the quickest hands in the league. Gets a ton of deflections. The ball pressure that he brings is absolutely amazing. You can put G on the other team’s best player and he’s going to make it tough on them. And as a defender, that’s all you hope for, to make guys take tough shots and you live with the results. But it’s also good to have G offensively as well. G does a lot of things offensively that no one necessarily gives him credit for. And he just knows how to find the right spot. So, G was real big for us in that.”
Real quick follow-up, team-wide. This is six out of seven defense coming in tonight. Since the start of the month, was fourth in the league and another good night tonight. Are you starting to see the direction of what it could be?
“Absolutely. We’re doing a really good job of playing great team defense and flying around. And then we’re also doing a pretty good job of rebounding the basketball. And that’s the key for us. You can get all the stops you want, or force all the misses you want, but if you’re not able to get the rebound, it makes it a lot tougher. And for us, we also understand that if we are able to rebound, then we get off to the races. And it’s hard for teams to keep up with the speed that we have out there on the floor. So, it’s a concerted effort, from every guy that steps on the floor, to make sure that we’re defending, and making it tougher on the other team to score and then also making sure that they feel us.”
Draymond, what do you like about what you’re seeing on this sheet?
“Out-rebounded a team that’s supposed to have a bunch more size than us, 52 to 41. You hold that team to 45% from the field and 31% from three. That’s a team with three of the best scorers in the NBA. And to do that defensively, I thought was absolutely incredible. The points off turnovers were pretty much a wash, if we can control that, that’s always a key for us. Second-chance points, 21 to 13. Thought that was a big thing. It just shows that the energy that we brought to the game was there. And it was a fun game to play in. Everybody who came in stepped up to the challenge. And that was key to why we were able to pull out the win. I thought we missed a lot of shots that we could still make, some open looks, some bunnies that we missed. And so, it was a good effort by us tonight.”
Hey, Draymond, you had that three-pointer early. Couple finishes through Nurk. That fake DHO at the end when you went between your legs.
“That was nice. That was smooth right there, boy.”
You did what you do as a playmaker. Just how comfortable are you feeling offensively, individually right now?
“I’m confident. And it’s important. My teammates have the utmost confidence right now on the offensive end. My coaching staff, Kenny’s like, ‘Draymond, keep shooting threes, keep shooting threes.’ I’m like, ‘All right, I got you.’ But I’m never gonna just chuck a bunch of threes. It’s just not who I am, but I feel like I’m in a good groove, finding my rhythm and our team is finding a good rhythm. So it’s coming together for us at the right time. We got, what, three more games before the All-Star break? It’s important that we make sure we roll into the All-Star break so we can roll out at All-Star break. You don’t want to stumble in and come out trying to gain momentum. We have some good momentum right now. We need to make sure we keep that going.”
0:00 refs: Marc Davis (28th season), Jacyn Goble (8th), Ray Acosta (7th)
4:50 tipoff
11m40 Q1 Klay knocks ball from KD
11m32 Q1 Wiggins great catch inside
11m25 Q1 Klay burned baseline KD dunk
10m40 Q1 Marc Davis bails out Jacyn Goble on the push, incredible Magic Johnson pass by Dray
10m21 Q1 Wiggs post up spin vs Beal
10m00 Q1 Klay another knock out vs Nurkic, JK to Klay in trans
9m26 Q1 JK inside vs KD good finish
8m51 Q1 Dray corner 3 via Wiggs downhill
8m38 Q1 great D by Wiggs vs Book
8m27 Q1 Dray heat check up top rolls out
8m05 Q1 Dray layup reverse P&R
7m53 Q1 Klay vs DBook deflect, moved feet
7m30 Q1 Klay TTBTTOTT so ugly
12:00 poll on if Klay has “antics”
7m05 Q1 ATO
6m52 Q1 JK good D on Nurk, 94ft Dray assist
6m29 Q1 Grayson 3 in trans (Steph guarding Book)
6m00 Q1 Nurk with the arm swipe, Klay knocks, tech on Dray BS
5m58 Q1 Nurk charge
5m49 Q1 KD talks to GSW bench, GP2 roll dunk via P&R Steph
5m43 Q1 KD turnover, good D Wiggs
5m05 Q1 Steph wanted to blow roof off vs KD, miss fade J tough shot
4m38 Q1 BP mini-hook spin
4m08 Q1 GP2 right wing 3 via BP good DHO to Steph and more!!!!!
3m56 Q1 Loon great help on D Book, tov
3m49 Q1 Loon roll, fouled by Nurk
3m25 Q1 Les good D on Book
3m18 Q1 Book with the “p-word” playground call vs BP
3m00 Q1 BP tov
2m45 Q1 Steph draws four PHX, Les ends up with screen, Steph catch 3
1m31 Q1 JK fade, Loon oreb but loses ball
1m00 Q1 Klay Loon JK tic tac toe (Loon tap in)
0m53 Q1 Eubanks dunk base, Klay bad body language
0m30 Q1 Les late pass to JK, should’ve shot the runner with shotclock running down
0m08 Q1 Wiggs smothers EG into walk
0m05 Q1 BP extra pass to Wiggs corner 3 no good
11m42 Q2 Dario no man’s land, took too long after beating Beal post
11m18 Q2 JK should’ve just flied over Beal, foul not called
11m14 Q2 BP draws a charge
10m55 Q2 JK a lot of contact vs Royce, turned corner but no call
10m35 Q2 Klay pull up 3 over Eubanks
9m45 Q2 Klay nice try close
9m41 Q2 JK skywalker fouled by Beal
9m35 Q2 JK good post vs Royce, BP good pass, but make the FTs
9m12 Q2 JK finally cashes in on 94ft Euro!!
9m00 Q2 JK explosion!!!!! MJ-like
8m46 Q2 KD airball, good pressure Klay
8m21 Q2 Bol Bol scores and1 in a Warriors home game, eerie, same gait/shape as Manute
8m00 Q2 Dray oreb, reload Steph corner 3!!!
7m40 Q2 Dario taps ball out of KD, GP2 dunk
7m08 Q2 GP2 alley oop BP via Steph inverted screen
6m43 Q2 Steph careless tov
6m00 Q2 Wiggs great D on KD brick, Steph picked again
52:45 they always score off old guys tovs (Steph 2x, Klay)
3m40 Q2 Wiggs bad take foul
3m15 Q2 Steph to JK 94ft
3m00 Q2 BP half close out vs Okogie 28% 3PP
2m40 Q2 BP oreb wow
2m23 Q2 Dray another precision pass to Wiggs
1m58 Q2 Dray another great assist to lob Wiggs!!!
1m22 Q2 Dray post no and1, 2x Goble missed something in front of him
0m55 Q2 Wiggs corner 3 via Steph
0m45 Q2 BP hockey check from Book not called (Goble again)
0m18 Q2 Steph gets held no call (right in front of Goble)
1:04:00 JK HALFTIME ON-COURT AUDIO
1:05:00 analyzing the hockey check by Book on BP and the hold by Okogie
1:05:45 my solution is to hire a guy to watch which refs are screwing up
1:08:00 my
12m00 Q3 Klay bad catch
10m22 Q3 Dray bad screen on Klay flare 3
9m32 Q3 Wiggs unconfident attempt at rim after missed open 3
9m20 Q3 Steph 3 hits front rim good with JK there
9m05 Q3 Wiggs good D vs KD
8m35 Q3 Book hand on Steph’s back as he drives right in front of Goble no call
8m55 Q3 Klay shanks an open 3
8m09 Q3 Dray and1 not called, Goble again! calls a T
7m40 Q3 Steph and 1 3 Goble again!
7m21 Q3 Steph bad tov
7m05 Q3 Nurk too small vs Dray taunt
7m00 Q3 Goble no call Wiggs fouled on drive
6m23 Q3 Dray vs Nurk too small back
6m10 Q3 GP good close on Book
5m19 Q3 BP 3 via GP
4m40 Q3 BP a little too anxious to TJD
4m03 Q3 Steph showman 3 over KD, replay shows foul on KD
3m54 Q3 Goble again no hook on Book, Les foul
3m31 Q3 Goble again: hook on JK
3m26 Q3 JK tells bench he’s ok
2m53 Q3 Klay missed 3, Book outraces him yikes
2m20 Q3 Steve wanted a flop on Grayson, TJD bad screen
1m47 Q3 JK draws chin foul too much arm swinging by Royce
HERE
1m30 Q3 BP draws charge on Book
1m15 Q3 Klay unathletic lost ball vs Eubanks — in men’s league we used to sub ourselves out
0m53 Q3 Klay misses a 3 off balance, TJD could’ve dunked putback, Les 3
0m08 Q3 Klay can’t bend down to reach another one
0m05 Q3 JK breaks up alley to Beal to Eubanks
10m15 Q4 hero 3 shot buzz
10m00 Q4 Draio good close on EG
9m50 Q4 BP alley to GP reverse
9m36 Q4 BP reverse layup 94ft via GP reb and BP good D on KD pull
1:55:30 @Nikhil Les should take Klay’s mins — But Klay is in the Lester rotation and it’s a good balance. Klay SHOULD be with the faster squad. I still think Klay should start, and if we’re down in the clutch
8m58 Q4 Les nice drive but missed
8m31 Q4 KD on Les back on drive no call
7m52 Q4 BP ball slips out of hands, Les needs to flop on the Eubanks screen
7m30 Q4 ATO alley JK
6m56 Q4 Dray bad pass lob to JK
6m47 Q4 Dray good close over Beal 3 miss
5m45 Q4 Wiggs good close vs Book, JK good tap out
5m28 Q4 Wiggs putback dunk
5m08 Q4 JK good close KD corner
4m49 Q4 BP corner 3 buzz vs Nurk
4m18 Q4 JK fade no good, only get one of those, kid!
4m10 Q4 Book no call Euro vs BP good hands up
3m41 Q4 Dray falls
3m31 Q4 Dray alley JK via P&R Steph
3m13 Q4 Wiggs great D again: Beal then Grayson
3m07 Q4 JK good close KD again
2m52 Q4 Dray fakes Nurk for a layup
2:14:00 analyzing the no-call Book vs BP from 4m10 — wuss confirmation
2m30 Q4 Dray layup via P&R
2m16 Q4 Book vs JK POA argh
1m36 Q4 Book vs JK again
1m00 Q4 Steph layup vs Grayson and KD (Goble no call)
2:19:00 analyzing the non-call Steph vs Grayson, look like forearm to the body
0m35 Q4 JK misses 2x at rim vs KD
0m22 Q4 Dray loses tip, just wasn’t ready
0m10 Q4 good D Beal misses 3
0m03 Q4 BP incredible pass, catch to Steph 3, leaning down to get away from KD — BASKETBALL GODS
0m01 Q4 Nicole Lacob doesn’t stand up???
0m00 Q4 Goble calls a foul on Wiggs, Steph says don’t worry
2:27:45 looks like Book has an armpit hold on Wiggs, Doris thinks it’s a foul, doesn’t see the armpit hold
2:29:15 Steph says to Goble it’s an armpit hold
0m01 Q4 wanted to go to Beal, good D JK, Dray saves day vs JK
2:32:00 STEPH ON-COURT AUDIO
2:37:00 final tally for not seeing the Booker armpit hold:
Do the refs screw this up
Yes, of course, it’s Adam’s crew (68%)
No, amazingly (bball gods) (31%)
Poll complete: 79 votes
2:37:30 no confidence in Adam’s keystone cops! Article: https://www.letsgowarriors.com/p/referee-theory-head-scratching-refs-kuminga
2:46:45 Kelvin Russell: “together this team has at least another run or 2” — the reason why I say one, is just that I see Steph Klay and Dray all just looking older and meanwhile the NBA is getting faster UNLESS JK become HIM by developing a killer outside shot (Kawhi style) or we end up trading for a star that would probably have to involve CP and Wiggs contract along with some star becoming magically available: https://www.letsgowarriors.com/p/wiggins-trade-rumors-cp3-third-timeline-pj-kat
2:55:45 not even even the Spurs had to go through had to go through this kind of NBA
2:56:30 STEVE POSTGAME FOYER AUDIO
3:00:00 the refs are NOT on the same team which is why you get coin flips landing ten heads in a row, they don’t know how to make the balance between too many foul calls and not enough
3:03:45 JK POSTGAME FOYER AUDIO
3:07:00 on why Wiggs wasn’t traded and shouldn’t be thought of as possible to be traded near the deadline (maybe at the beginning of January as a salary cap issue)
3:15:00 fyi Slater had the best write-up on why Wiggs had no off-season and struggled out of the gate
3:16:45 PHX is currently the 6th seed at 9 games over .500, although last year we were the 6th seed at just 4 games over
3:19:30 GP2 POSTGAME AUDIO
3:24:15 on filling the 14th spot and Spears mysteriously deleting his tweet: https://www.letsgowarriors.com/p/cory-joseph-tax-savings-free-agent-trade-more
3:29:00 on Dallas looking “scary” with Gafford: we’ll see. I have no idea. Hard to predict. Basketball is hard, so this time it helps our view. Example: when O’Neal comes in for the Suns, it’s at the expense of Okogie.
3:32:00 on us having the strongest schedule in the first half of the season, now it’s 2nd (MEM first): http://powerrankingsguru.com/nba/strength-of-schedule.php#google_vignette
3:33:45 DRAY POSTGAME AUDIO
3:38:45 Nurkic postgame wuss: https://x.com/DuaneRankin/status/1756542934378492182?s=20 “Doesn’t deserve another chance” — Nicole says to look at the replies from their own fans and that’s why you don’t succumb to always only looking at the ClutchPoints version
3:45:00 BP PODIUM AUDIO
👍👍💛💙