“We’re winning because of the growth of Jonathan Kuminga,” said Draymond Green to Chris Mullin in the postgame on-court interview on local TV, although that one started off on the wrong foot when Green called out Bonta Hill for criticism during the suspension (see transcripts below) — one of our audience members pointed to segments entitled “The most wasted season of Draymond’s career”, “Are we sure the Warriors NEED Draymond to come back”, and “What is Draymond Green doing?” as some of the receipts.
And to further summarize Kuminga’s growth over the course of the season, Chris Paul added that it was “probably a little frustrating for (JK) earlier in the season because he had a bunch of us vets sort of on him all the time.”
Here’s Stephen Curry on that process:
It just helps when you have a consistent run where you can put the words and the lessons you’re learning into action and go through some of the reps, on a nightly basis. It’s on JK to be open to that coaching. He knows it’s coming from a good place. He knows it’s trying to help him get better. And then, he has to go implement it. So, I like that relationship, that chemistry, and knowing that it’s working.
And Kuminga’s (indirect) response:
There is obviously time I struggle, but nobody let me down. They’re always just pushing me every other day to be great. And obviously, I’m a sponge. Just gotta listen and just go out there and just do it, the little things that they want me to do
Added Steve Kerr:
I love the fact that he’s attacking the rim … 12-for-19, took one three, he should live in the paint. He’s so powerful and explosive. He’s done a great job this last six weeks or so as he’s elevated his game and kind of broken through. He’s done a great job of attacking the rim and really keeping his focus on scoring in the paint.
And let’s not forget the defensive side of things. An aspect we can all clearly remember from earlier this season: the reaching, the fouls. Said Kerr, “One of the best things that Jonathan is doing is defending without fouling.”
Finally, the recognition by Kuminga himself that the Splash Brothers already had enough, well, splash and that the team needed him to do to complement that:
Obviously it’s going to come down to a moment where I need to take a three. But there is no real need to take it when I already know I can do different things. It’s not shooting threes… just putting pressure on the rim every other day, every time. People are gonna foul me or I’ll score easy, and I just give us more energy. If we need threes, we got different shooters that any time they make 3’s, they bring a lot of energy. Obviously I gotta be somebody who do different things than just shooting 3’s.
Videos and transcripts below, plus some quotes from Moses Moody provided by Anthony Slater of The Athletic, presumably from the locker room at Madison Square Garden.
More later from New York in a separate post after I gather all the behind-the-scenes footage both from Washington and NYC, which includes Curry dropping by a youth basketball camp in East Harlem the day before, JK doing something similar at the NBPA offices, and Steph’s Gentleman’s Cut bourbon brand event at Zero Bond…
VIDEOS & TRANSCRIPTS FROM GSW-NYK
0:00 BONTA HILL: …Let’s talk about MSG. What is it like?
DRAYMOND GREEN ON-COURT TV POSTGAME GSW-NYK: “I’m shocked you talking to me the way you was talking about me when I got suspended. I am very shocked you’re talking to me… Yeah. Go ahead though. Yeah, go ahead.”
0:27 Hey, tell me about playing at MSG. You guys go there once a year. There’s a lot of Warrior fans out there. Describe the energy out there at MSG.
“It’s always a fun game.”
0:37 FESTUS EZELI: Day Day, what’s going on man? You out there in New York? You guys are 12-3 the last 15 games. Defense has gone from the 20’s to now top 7. What’s been different about the team so far on the defensive end?
“We’re just playing very hard. Guys are connected, helping each other on the defensive end is working for us.”
1:00 CHRIS MULLIN: Draymond, you talk about connectivity. I want to talk about Jonathan Kuminga, his maturity, shot selection and one play in particular in the first half. It just sticks out in my mind. Steph was relocating. You directed Jonathan to go set a screen. Seems like he’s starting to really pick up both offensively and defensively, playing at a better pace. Seems more comfortable out there.
“He is. JK is a star. He’ll be an all star in this league for a long time. He’s playing confident. He’s playing with force on both ends of the floor. And that’s what he’s going to be great at. He’s not going to be a guy who can just give it to you on the offensive end. He’s going to be able to hold his own on the defensive end and shut guys down. Even more so than just holding his own, so it’s been great to see his growth. A lot of people are talking about me coming back in the lineup and that’s why we’re winning. We’re winning because of the growth of Jonathan Kuminga.
1:48 How about now the second unit with Chris Paul leading the way, Klay Thompson joining that. You guys get off to a good start. That second unit has really dominated, with Steph and Chris Paul leading that second unit.
“Klay’s been great. Klay embraced that second unit role and then obviously getting CP out there, settles everything down and gets everybody’s great looks. And I’ll tell you something that CP, even more so than Klay, that CP being back is going to do. We’ll get Dario back playing at a high level. Him and CP have such a great connection. And with CP being out there, he’ll start back getting Dario looks. Dario will get his confidence back in those looks and he’ll be knocking them down. So it’s going to make that second unit even better. And then, obviously, Trayce being on the rim. The rim presence that he is, rebounding the ball, blocking shots, lob threat. It’s been incredible for that group and for us.
BONTA: All right, 12-3 in the last 15. Seven straight road wins. Keep up the great work there on the road. We’ll see you tomorrow night in Toronto. Draymond Green here … He doesn’t like me right now. He doesn’t like the way I’m talking on the … But hey, we gotta keep it a buck here when it comes to suspensions or whatnot. But overall, Draymond Green is playing some good basketball on the court.
FESTUS: It reminds me of the interview that Richard Sherman did after the Super Bowl. Anyway, the Warriors, this was a very physical game.
3:06 What did you think of Moody tonight?
STEPHEN CURRY POSTGAME GSW-NYK: “He was huge. The first thing coach mentioned when he came in the locker room after the game, obviously without Wiggs in that starting rotation, you have to have somebody to come in with a defensive mindset. And with that assignment, how well, Jalen’s been playing all year. You’re not gonna – he might still get his numbers, but you make him work and that helps us on both sides of the floor. So those are the little things that a guy like Moses can do to help change a game and take advantage of the opportunity that he has, with Wiggs out.
3:50 You much better do you feel about the youth movement?
“They’re showing it like we came in the season with an idea of what our team was going to look like. And then, with Draymond out for a minute and CP out for four weeks, everybody’s had an opportunity to kind of show what they can do, understanding how we play and understanding the little nuances that our system and our way, our style can be a fun way to play. And we’ve obviously made adjustments and obviously you said JK and the way that he’s been featured and putting the ball in his hands, allowing him to make plays. You need guys to step up and be consistent, and that’s what they’ve been doing. So, I obviously feel very confident in our ability to win any game on any given night. We just have to keep stacking these good performances together. Doesn’t mean you’re going to win every game, but the identity, that’s what I always say. Are we forming an identity? And we are.”
4:06 How beneficial has it been for JK to have Draymond back and mentoring …?
“He’s had him ever since he’s gotten here. It just helps when you have a consistent run where you can put the words and the lessons you’re learning into action and go through some of the reps, on a nightly basis. It’s on JK to be open to that coaching. He knows it’s coming from a good place. He knows it’s trying to help him get better. And then, he has to go implement it. So, I like that relationship, that chemistry, and knowing that it’s working.”
5:58 How much do you enjoy playing here (at MSG)?
“It’s always fun. Like, this is a special place. I always talk about the basketball history that’s happened here. I’ve had some good nights here, two years ago was special. So there’s just a different energy every time you come into the city into the building. It really, honestly, helped us that 20-4 start, just because we were kind of buzzing and flying around and you want to take advantage of our one night that we come out here.
6:33 [inaudible, a question about his threes:]
“I always do. Whether they go in or not, you live with it, but you just take shots that you’re confident taking. It is nice to, especially on the road, like it helps to kind of get off to a hot start like that, but every night I’m hoping that that’s the way it starts, whether it does or not.
6:57 On Donte DiVincenzo and the recent article where he credited Steph for his improved shot:
“I only played with him for one year, but really got to know him well. He was a great friend, great teammate. He is a true professional and the way he approaches everything. Honestly, I didn’t know the influence on his shot and what he picked up the year that we were playing together. It was cool to kind of hear his perspective on what he did learn and take away and how he’s been utilizing it this year. He’s shooting the ball like crazy. So that’s been fun to watch and see. He did call me about his free agency decision and whatnot. And I said before, having a trust with somebody who values your opinion and you hopefully can give them confidence on a decision like that, where you sign up to play for four years like that. It’s a big deal, so I definitely appreciate the relationship there.”
8:08 Steph, Caitlin Clark announced that she’s decided to enter the WNBA Draft … after this last season in school. Obviously, you’ve drawn a lot of comparisons, or she’s drawn a lot of comparisons to you. She has her own NIL deal right now, she’s with a shoe company (Nike). Do you have any plans to pitch her on Under Armour?
“Oh, absolutely… I’ll make sure she hears it from me first. But it’s a match made in heaven if you ask me.”
8:31 It didn’t hurt you guys the other night when you had a tough start to the game. But tonight it seemed like the ball was going early in the first minute. Did that have something to do with the 22-5 or whatever (score) it was, that the confidence these guys felt? Like, okay, we got the normal Steph back right now?
“Like I said, it’s always – I mean, even the Washington game, I shot three or four of the same type of shots. They just didn’t go in. But it’s about the aggressiveness of taking what the defense gives you. We had the ball moving pretty hot the first six minutes and we were getting stops too. So for us to be a good road team, you have to have that punch, some nights I get the energy going, and every night is different, but it didn’t hurt that, in the Garden, I had a good vibe and a good flow going and it’s nice to make some shots.”
9:27 Do you plan to play tomorrow in Toronto?
“Oh yeah, I’m going to get a good night’s sleep, too. I don’t want to be tired.”
0:00 All right, Jonathan. Great game for you. You guys got off to a 14-0 start to this game. What was working so well for you guys early on?
JONATHAN KUMINGA ON-COURT RADIO POSTGAME GSW-NYK: “Man, just the motor. It was a goal we said. Just come out there strong, play fast, play physical, execute everything, and I think everything went well.”
0:17 Well, you yourself, you had a great game with 25 points and 8 rebounds. What was the mindset for you tonight?
“Man, my mindset was just coming out here again to win and obviously just playing here. This is actually my first time just being on the floor, and playing as much as I wish I could. So obviously it’s just a mindset. I just went out there and just give it all I got.”
0:45 Yeah, how’d you like playing in Madison Square Garden?
“It’s a blessing come true, man. Can’t believe it.”
0:50 Awesome to hear. And Jonathan, we’ll get you out of here on this because you gotta back to back tomorrow. We fly tonight to Toronto, and so you guys have been so good on back to backs this year, front end and back ends. What’s gonna be the key to recovering for tomorrow’s game?
“The keys are usually just everybody coming in and give it all you got. And that’s gonna help everybody to just rest and just play at their best.”
1:57 What got Moses Moody and yourself going tonight?
JK POSTGAME PODIUM GSW-NYK: “I’m just really happy to see him actually, being back in thelineup and being able to play and, obviously, without him today, I feel like we wouldn’t win without Moses, with the way he was playing defense and just being active on offense and defense. Things that got me going, obviously, spoke to Draymond, as always, one of the guys was motivating me every other day, and obviously, just being here, I always dreamed to play here, since I was a little kid, and I think that was my biggest motivation.”
2:30 What helped you?
“It’s obviously just growth, man. As I’ve been around the game for a little bit now and just learning from all my vets, and gaining confidence from the coaching staff, obviously, just helping me to just grow as a player and as a person.”
2:57 Your three-point attempts are down, as you’ve only taken one or two per game on this trip…
“I always got this mindset where, taking threes, I feel like it’s going to take a lot of the things that I do good. Obviously it’s going to come down to a moment where I need to take a three. But there is no real need to take it when I already know I can do different things. It’s not shooting threes.”
3:28 On taking a little time to cut down on threes:
“Obviously, just putting pressure on the rim every other day, every time. People are gonna foul me or I’ll score easy, and I just give us more energy. If we need threes, we got different shooters that any time they make 3’s, they bring a lot of energy. Obviously I gotta be somebody who do different things than just shooting 3’s.”
3:59 Draymond said you’re a large part of the reason why you guys are winning…
“It’s not just him saying that, it’s obviously just the confidence coming from my coaches, my teammates. Obviously Draymond is the one that really going out there and just putting all out. But obviously, just behind the scenes, just having my teammates having my back, coaches. There is obviously time I struggle, but nobody let me down. They’re always just pushing me every other day to be great. And obviously, I’m a sponge. Just gotta listen and just go out there and just do it, the little things that they want me to do.”
4:51 You guys have won now, I think 10 out of 12. How does it feel as you’re going into March versus where you did going into February about the team?
“Winning obviously feels great. And as much as you win, it helps guys to just keep winning. It actually feels great, just us being in a position to allow us to win games. And obviously we’re gonna stay motivated every game we win.”
5:20 On Moses Moody:
CHRIS PAUL: “Yeah, Moses did a great job. Also the bigs; Draymond always does a great job, but just because when you guard Jalen, it’s hard to guard him one on one, takes team defense. But Moses, it was a block that he got on Jalen. That rarely happens because Jalen does such a great job of creating space. It’s tough guarding him for a full game, but guys did a great job.”
6:02 What kind of growth did you see in Jonathan when you helping the sidelines when you were out JK and how has it been these last couple games?
“JK is so talented because he works, he works on his game all the time and it’s probably a little frustrating for him earlier in the season because he had a bunch of us vets sort of on him all the time, but I think it’s one of those things where you just see all the things he’s capable of and to see him putting it together, at this time of the year, it’s been really dope.”
6:33 How have you felt since coming back?
“I feel good, feel good. It’s nothing like getting out there playing, especially with our team. We got so many different ways that we are able to play with our team. And I think the spirit is right and we just gotta keep playing the right way.”
6:59 What has Trayce done for the team?
“Does a lot for the team. The pressure that he puts on the rim. There’s things that he does at times when he runs the court and guys know he’s a live threat and that may get a guy an open shot. You know what I mean? But Trayce, Coach is hard on him sometimes about just running the court, running hard. And I think Trayce has the ability to not only do that, but change shots. And like I said, he’s been a great addition to our team.”
7:26 What do you think about BP (Brandin Podziemski) going from DNPs to starting?
“Well, I think we had a lot of guys have DNPs. I think Coach said that we play 11 guys some nights, which is hard to do, especially in this league. But BP, he’s a guy that stays ready. If you look at the stat sheet, sometimes you don’t see really what he did. He leads the league in charges, which is crazy for a rookie, so he plays hard, he rebounds and he’s been great for us.”
7:58 They’ve had a couple guys go down now, the Knicks, and when you’ve been on teams and the injuries start to pile up a little bit and everyone says, next man up. How hard is that? Do the spirits sag or do guys always believe that?
“It is, it’s hard. But when you got guys, somebody like Jalen who’s leading the team, where guys know how he brings it night in and night out, just like Josh Hart and even DiVincenzo and those guys. But when you’re missing somebody like Julius (Randle), that’s a big piece of your team, so you just try to hold the fort down and try to get those guys back when you can.”
8:37 Chris, you mentioned BP’s charges. How important is that when you guys downsize and you have Draymond at the 5 … how important is that to you?
“It’s really important. And I don’t think people pay enough attention to how much Draymond is down there fighting, you know what I mean? I really look at that because being an undersized five, he was out there with Jokic and all these different guys. But it’s a lot of things that Draymond does that don’t show up on the stat sheet when he fighting those guys. And he just tipped the ball out. So somebody else gets it on the stat sheet. I think the other person gets the rebound, so we always talking about it. So we gotta get back in there and help him.”
0:00 On the Warriors’ defense:
STEVE KERR POSTGAME GSW-NYK: “ Making it as difficult as possible, without fouling, forcing him into some tough shots. But that was a key. But I thought our whole team really defended at a high level tonight.”
0:12 Did you like Moses in that particular matchup … kind of a crafty, bigger guard?
“Yeah, yeah. We wanted to put that kind of size on Jalen. You really don’t want to have a smaller defender on him just because he’s so strong and he can kind of bully you in the paint. So Moses did a good job using his length and his size just to try to stay in front of him, in between him and the basket and he did a great job of that.”
0:46 Two in a row on the road, what’s kind of been the key factor you’ve seen through those?
“Well, I just think we’re playing with some confidence. I know we’ve lost some home games during that stretch, but we’re playing with confidence. We’re playing better defense. Obviously tonight the Knicks, they’re going through it right now from an injury standpoint. So we caught them on a night when they had to play their guys a lot of minutes. And that’s never easy. But I just think that we’re playing confidently right now. We got off to a great start and that set a really good tone for the game.”
1:25 What have you liked about the way Jonathan has played?
“I love the fact that he’s attacking the rim … 12-for-19, took one three, he should live in the paint. He’s so powerful and explosive. He’s done a great job this last six weeks or so as he’s elevated his game and kind of broken through. He’s done a great job of attacking the rim and really keeping his focus on scoring in the paint.”
1:53 What have you seen from him on the defensive end?
“It seems like he’s making strides on that end. Yeah, yeah. Had a great play, early in the game, when he was in the paint on a tricky play where they got the ball in the pocket. He blocked Hartenstein’s pass. It might have been a shot, or maybe it was a pass, but he kind of poked it away. We got transition out of it. One of the best things that Jonathan is doing is defending without fouling. He’s doing a much better job of that now than he was earlier in the season, and he’s really putting it together. It’s fun to watch.”
2:30 What do you attribute the quick start for tonight?
“Yeah, the start was great. It was, what, 14-0 and they were playing uphill the rest of the way. We knew they would make their runs. They’re a tough team, tough minded. And we’re on the road. And they made a couple runs. They cut it to five or six a couple times. But I was pleased with the way we responded.”
2:54 I guess more meaningful is that you’re having these type of road wins, but you’re doing it with, starting your two recent lottery picks, Moody, JK and also Podziemski, those guys having these big moments.
“Yeah, that is not lost on me. We’re interested in winning every game, but also in trying to fortify our future as a franchise. And this is Moses and JK’s third year. They’re really playing well and coming into their own. And this is kind of how it works in this league. Brandin’s probably an outlier, frankly, to come in as a rookie and to start and to play as well as he has, but it’s really fun to see the young guys playing at a high level. And then, just the chemistry within the group. The veterans supporting those guys, mentoring them. It’s coming together and it’s fun to watch.”
3:56 TOM THIBODEAU: “It’s hard. So, they got out in transition, got easy buckets, and then we had to fight out of the big hole, which we ended up doing. But the first five or six minutes obviously weren’t our best. But after that, I thought we did a pretty good job.”
4:16 You guys ended up around 37 percent for the night…?
“Ah, they’re very good defensively, so you give them credit. But I thought we started slow. Like, once we got some easy buckets, that helped us. It opened up the floor. I thought we missed some good looks. And we got to make shots right now. We have to make high volume threes. And we didn’t do that. But we were way behind rebounding wise initially, and then we ended up out-rebounding him. I thought the rebounding effort was good. I thought for the most part, the turnovers were good. We didn’t make shots the way we would have liked. But as long as we’re taking the shots that we know that are our shots, you can live with that. But the start of the game was slow. But after that, we fought.”
5:14 On Alec Burks:
“Yeah, but I mentioned this earlier. He has. But if you look at his net rating, and again tonight, I probably should have played him more minutes tonight. Because again, he’s a plus when he’s on the floor. Good things are happening. So just keep working.”
5:37 on Isaiah Hartenstein:
“Well, we didn’t make shots tonight, so that was a problem. They were sagging off them, so, there’s things that we can do, in terms of dribble handoff type stuff, because if you’re sagging the quick dribble handoff is going to create an open shot in the pocket for you. So that’s what we have to lock into more of. I thought the times that we did that when we played out of the pocket, we created good shots for each other, and that’s what we have to continue to do. One advantage that we have is that the rebounding component was when you’re playing big, that’s what you get. That’s where your advantage is the offensive rebounding, but we have to force defense to collapse.”
6:22 On what they can do better versus the collapse:
“It’s read and react. So again, if you’re sagging off, you can’t both sag and be up on a dribble handle. So if you’re sagging off, if you make a quick decision that the person is gonna be way down and a shooter is gonna get a wide open shot off that. So we’ve gotten Donte a lot of threes that way. We can do more because our bigs are very good at playing out of the pocket as well.”
6:55 With Alec, you said his net rating has been good since you got him?
“Yeah, the last three games.”
What is he doing that maybe is not showing up?
“Well, the one thing it does give you spacing because people know that he can shoot. And then he’s very good in a pick and roll game. And so it gives you a second pick and roll player on the floor. So sometimes, we all tend to measure what a guy shoots. But there’s other things that he’s bringing and just being on the floor to create space. Sometimes that’s what you need is the space. And when you get that now, Jalen can drive to the basket or Deuce (Miles McBride) can drive to the basket. So that’s why we liked him. We know he’s gonna shoot threes; he’s at a pretty high clip. And so if you, sometimes, if you tend to look at it in a game or two, you’re not gonna get the true picture. And we just talked about that. Like, Curry just went through a stretch where he wasn’t making, but he’s arguably the best shooter ever. And it’s just part of the game. So you deal with missed shots. As long as you’re working on your shots, you live with that.”
8:18 Is that kind of same thing with Bogdanovic?
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, the same. Like, the thing is, that’s where you’re missing a second primary scorer. A guy like Julius (Randle) is going to command two on the ball. So that creates easy opportunities for others, but we’re more than capable, just trust the pass. Like I said, like after the first quarter, we ended up being down 12. And then after that, it was pretty good.”
8:45 On Josh Hart:
“I’m always talking to him. So he’s humble. He’s handled it. Well, obviously, we’re short handed right now, so that’s what’s required. But he’s. He’s humble. got 18 rebounds, seven assists. And he’s a great defender… Well it’s also matchup, so they’re downsizing and then that group actually got into a pretty good rhythm with Jericho (Sims), gave us really good minutes as well. We were real small, but Deuce is with that group. But they were rebounding. And that’s the one thing about Josh, is that when you downsize, he gives you that rebounding component. And that’s one of the things when you look at Golden State, Draymond at the center. Most times when you downsize, you lose your defense and your rebounding. And obviously Golden State, that doesn’t happen with Draymond. That’s what makes him unique. And same thing with Josh.
When you put him at the four, initially, everyone was worried about the rebounding. Rebounding has been terrific all season long.”
10:15 What did you say to Jalen?
“Like, just, they’re loaded up pretty good on him, so just keep trusting the game and shoot your shots. That’s what I want him to do. He can’t shoot enough. Open, let it go. He’s gonna be open a split second, probably be a little more aggressive in transition because that’s when the floor is spaced a little bit more for him. But I thought he was very good.”
10:44 There was a time when [inaudible] couldn’t buy a three…what have you seen from him?
“Yeah, he’s put in a lot of work and like I say, it’s all our guys. I see what you do before practice, then in practice, then after practice. And as long as you’re working on your shots, if you’re open, I want you to let it go.”
0:00 What are you wanting from Moses during this thing where he’s obviously going to get more time?
STEVE KERR PREGAME GSW-NYK: “Just defending with energy and without fouling and then on the offensive end, shooting when he’s open, moving it when he’s not. Pretty simple, really.”
0:21 Obviously the Knicks down a lot of bodies. Do you still treat them as the same team that won 16 out of 19?
“Yeah, you just game plan for the team that you’ve seen. This past week, we watched the most recent games and see who they’re playing and how they’re playing and that kind of stuff. Obviously, they’ve been crushed by injuries. They were playing better than anybody a month or so ago. But it’s all part of it. We all kind of go through stuff during the season and they’re obviously going through it, but we know. Even though we don’t see them often, we know Jalen Brunson really well. We know Josh Hart really well from both guys being in the West. They’re a tough team. I know them well from coaching them this past summer. And I know how competitive they are, how tough they are. And Tom (Thibodeau)’s teams are always, gritty and defensive-minded. And so we know that we gotta play well to win tonight.
1:24 Does what you see from Jalen Brunson surprise you?
“No, no, because this has been happening for the last few years. We saw Jalen in the West finals with Dallas two years ago, and he was such a crucial part of their team. And then obviously he went to another level last year here with the Knicks. But yeah, he’s a great player, great leader. Wonderful guy to coach and to get to know and tough to guard. He’s just, he’s very clever and strong and a really great player.”
2:06 Steph was scoreless in the first half of the last game… what did you see was the difference in the first and second halves of the last game, was it the defense that they were playing?
“No, he just looked out of rhythm in the first half. And it’s not like he really got it going in the second. He made a few shots, but we know he can be much better, but it’s just part of the 82. There’s just games where shots don’t go in and spells where maybe you’re not in quite as good a rhythm, but one of his strong suits is that he’s perfectly capable of dealing with some bad games and bouncing back.”
2:51 Does MSG get the juices flowing for a player, particularly Curry?
“This building gets juices going for every player and coach. It’s just special coming in here. I look forward to it every year. It’s a great crowd, great environment, and they got a really good team and it’s going to be fun tonight.”
3:15 Coach, everything you’ve gone through this year, how have you been able to keep them together? This has been one of your biggest coaching challenges.
“Well, we have a great group of guys and throughout the season, all the challenges, our guys have been committed to each other and to the team and that’s a coach’s biggest job, really, is to constantly remind guys what we’re here for and and how difficult it’s going to be, individually and collectively. And what I love about this team is that we’ve had a lot of adversity and there’s never been any wavering, from the group in terms of the commitment to each other and to winning. And it’s starting to come together for us, and I’ve really enjoyed coaching this team.”
4:08 It’s early with this new second unit, but Chris back and Klay and Gary, how do you sort of see those pieces coming together?
“Yeah, Chris and Klay, the luxury of bringing those guys off the bench is, that’s pretty impressive, two Hall of Famers and guys who fit very well together. They’ve played well together all year, whether they’ve come off the bench or started. And then we’ve got other guys too. Dario’s been really good for us this year. Trayce is coming along. So we’ve got a lot of options and the strength of our team, honestly, all year has been our depth. We’ve got a lot of good players, we just don’t necessarily have clarity from one night to the next, about who we’re going to close games with and that sort of thing, but we’ve got a really good group of starters who have kind of found their footing and a really good bench group, so that’s a pretty good combination to have.”
5:12 On Donte DiVincenzo:
“Yeah, he’s having a monster year. We loved having him last year, played so well for us. I was really happy for him, with the off season sign with the Knicks. That was kind of the plan, was for him to sign for a year and then go back into free agency. And we were hoping we’d be able to help his standing in the market, and that’s exactly what happened. So it was really fun coaching him and I’m happy for him and his success now.”
5:48 So Monty Williams was here a couple days ago, with the Pistons, talking about some stories he had with Thibs, and he said he’s kind of underappreciated as the head coach in this league. Do you feel a similar way? Do you have any stories?
“I haven’t coached with Tom, but we’ve gotten to know each other over the years. And I’ve always admired him and respected his coaching ability. He’s always done a great job. His teams are prepared and they compete. And there’s no doubt, Thibs has been one of the best coaches in the league the last 15 years. So, yeah, there’s a healthy respect for Tom across the league.”
6:27 I just want to ask, the summer that you had with Jalen and just coaching against him, he’s always been so efficient … obviously Steph is smaller in stature as well, but up until recently Jalen wasn’t the shooter that he is now. You mentioned the cleverness, kind of the craftiness, what do you make of his footwork in regards to having two?
“Yeah, he’s great in the paint. He’s great at the elbow areas, great footwork. You can see the Villanova influence with him. Jay Wright is a great coach, great fundamentals coach. When you watched Villanova play, during Jay’s time, there was always a sense that they were gonna take care of the ball, keep their feet on the ground, make the fundamental play. It’s one of the strengths of their teams. And Jalen embodies that. And then when you have a guy who’s that strong, all that footwork is even more lethal because now you get a reverse pivot and he can withstand any blow, and run through people and get to the rim or get a shot off, using that strength. So he’s, yeah, he’s really tough.”
7:46 A couple of Wiggins questions. Would you categorize this as an excused absence?
“Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. This is a personal issue that he’s dealing with and we expect him back, but yeah, it’s probably – we’re gonna – it’ll remain private.”
Are you the one in contact with him?
“Rick (Celebrini). Rick has been in touch with him, I have too, but yeah, like I said, we expect him back.”
Sooner, like, is it?
“Not sure, not sure, yeah.”
8:17 Steve, since Draymond Green has returend, what’s been the difference?
“He’s just perfectly finding the line, walking the line. We didn’t want him to come back passive. We still wanted him to yell at the refs, just didn’t want him to get kicked out. He’s one of the great competitors in the game and so he has to play with fire and energy and passion and he’s doing that but he’s just walking the line beautifully . He understands the position he’s in, knows the spotlights on him. He’s a guy who impacts winning at the highest level, he always has and he knows we need him badly and he’s done a fantastic job since he’s been back of playing hard, playing well and walking that line.”
QUOTES FROM MOODY VIA SLATER
https://theathletic.com/5309141/2024/03/01/moses-moody-jonathan-kuminga-warriors-knicks/
“I feel like my length kind of limits the midrange game,” Moody said. “Being able to contest those midrange shots while having my body weight somewhere else — my weight in one place and my arm in another.”
—
“It’s real life,” Moody said. “Different things happen. You gotta be able to keep your head, control your emotions. All my friends are in that space where they’re leaving college, trying to figure out life. Everybody’s going through different adversities. Who am I to think I should have an easy road to whatever I want? It’s just kind of how it goes.”
0:00 I am completely guessing that Wiggins could come back vs Raptors tomorrow (Toronto is his hometown)
1:20 tipoff!
12m00 Q1 handoffs lead to Steph curl JK 3
11m45 Q1 Mo steal but blocked by DDV then Steph blocked
10m40 Q1 Dray great D on Brunson mid-perimeter
10m20 Q1 Steph looks at feet 3
9m55 Q1 Kuminga euro step lefty banker on fb outlet by Dray
7:00 refs: James Capers (19th season), Karl Lane (13th), Ray Acosta (7th)
9m35 Q1 JK blocks Hartenstein, Steph 3 via BP in trans
8m58 Q1 DDV airball vs Steph
8m05 Q1 JK inside out dribble another banker downhill
7m29 Q1 Steph held by IH no call but JB tov as well
7m05 Q1 JK blows layup (3rd one by the team) after Dray good D again
6m38 Q1 DDV blows by Klay
6m19 Q1 Steph got a reload oreb to Klay 3 corner (good crash by GP)
5m53 Q1 GP 4th missed layup 94ft
5m24 Q1 Moody good oreb tap but Klay misses 2
5m00 Q1 Dray close out then pass to Mo and1 makes up for missed layups
17:15 Parth: Moody is making steve’s job tougher… No idea how Steve will figure out ratation once wiggs back with moody playing like that… Good Problem though — I’m at the point where if Mo asks for a trade in the summer, I’m cool with it. It should be the exact opposite, Kerr should be praised not criticized for this (Gui Santos, Lester Quinones off the bench is like no worries)
4m27 Q1 Steph turns corner on Donte and fly by
3m56 Q1 CP3 or GP2 leaves Brunson (or Bojan corner), JB 3
3m07 Q1 CP3 drives base, dishes to Klay (miss), always looking out for shooters
2m48 Q1 JK in for Mo? No Saric!
2m25 Q1 JK late to Hart close out, team stuck on right side
2m11 Q1 JK decisive base fade spin
1m31 Q1 Loon fake DHO drive good
1m00 Q1 Podziemski beautiful entry to JK (goaltend Bojan)
0m41 Q1 CP3 deflect, then hits 3 in trans
12m00 Q2 Saric in rotation — was this changed?
11m45 Q2 Klay bucket cut past TJD and Burks
11m01 Q2 TJD good help Bojan vs Saric
9m41 Q2 CP3 splash grandpa! TJD lefty pass
37:00 analyzing the two defensive breakdowns from earlier — Klay POA getting picked on
9m00 Q2 Bojan blows by Dario, jump ball, missed layup — maybe Saric playing bad will let us keep him?
8m07 Q2 BP steal and kick to Klay 3 pump, after TJD bad pass to Klay
6m49 Q2 Mo and1 past Wiggs, only thing he can’t do that Wiggs can is the D and post ups, but we have JK to do that (for next year)
6m12 Q2 Kerr yells at Acosta, uses European pray protest to James Capers
5m24 Q2 JK make up non-call vs Brunson
4m36 Q2 CP3 steps on line 5v4 as Donte went down
4m28 Q2 JK too small taunt on replay vs JB
3m57 Q2 Steph misses mid-J 5v4
2m32 Q2 JK blocked on fade but sticks with it
2m14 Q2 Dray tells JK something on a dead ball
1m53 Q2 Steph TTBTTOT, after the layup says Klay gotta meet the pass, Klay was like, Dray is wide open!
1m39 Q2 Dray bad pass on ATO again, Hart good timing tho
1m20 Q2 Steph side step hero 3 good
1m02 Q2 JK good reach in steal
1:11:45 looking at the Hart foul on JK, why not let the basket count when no dribble, principle: erasing Steph 3s by fouling someone else
1:13:30 Dario is 2 for his last 13 on 3s
11m50 Q3 DDV messed up vs Dray
11m32 Q3 Dray drop pass to Steph
11m03 Q3 JK past IH again
10m45 Q3 JB ghost and1, did Nicole call it?
10m32 Q3 BP tap out vs Hart dreb
10m10 Q3 Dray behind back pass at buzz no good
9m45 Q3 BP entry to JK fouled
9m12 Q3 JK blocks JB
8m58 Q3 JK leaps then TD pass to Steph 3
8m35 Q3 BP great close on DDV airball
7m37 Q3 Mo to JK dunk base
7m07 Q3 Dray to JK bad pass says my bad
6m48 Q3 Dray drops on IH then takes charge
6m43 Q3 Dray tells JK my bad and says he should done alley-oop, DEAN: it’s like he’s editing the reel in his head
1:30:15 Dean: DPOYMOND is one of the best accounts out there
HALFTIME
6m30 Q3 Steph hashmark pose
6m19 Q3 JB waltzes past Klay
5m22 Q3 Dray to Mo miss 3 but Steph made the pick improvised
5m09 Q3 Klay and Steph hanging head after JB 3
3m50 Q3 CP strip, Steph vs DDV no call
3m15 Q3 CP to Loon double-fist
2m27 Q3 pick flare ATO for Klay 3
1m52 Q3 Klay good box out vs DDV
1m40 Q3 JK doubled, TTBTTOT
1m35 Q3 Dray gives advice to JK on the FT, still had his dribble alive?
1m14 Q3 Loon sets two picks in a row, JK putback
0m31 Q3 Klay doesn’t box out DDV
0m07 Q3 JK vs Hart but fouled
0m08 Q3 great play call side inbound Klay Loon CP3 BP
0m01 Q3 CP physical on Brunson at buzzer
12m00 Q4 CP TJD alley P&R
10m39 Q4 CP elbow J via P&R Dario
1:53:00 DDV is shooting 41.6% 3PP
10m22 Q4 Klay ticky-tack screen foul Hart
9m43 Q4 Klay behind the back bad tov to McBride
8m44 Q4 Klay good D on attack, Dario bad pass Klay
8m29 Q4 Hart too easy past BP
8m15 Q4 CP to TJD alley P&R
6m21 Q4 fake DHO BP to Dray fouled
5m54 Q4 JK and1 after Mo block on JB
5m24 Q4 BP and1, Dray and Steph celebrate
5m04 Q4 Steph deflect to BP steal
4m33 Q4 DDV fouls Steph no call, crazy play
4m16 Q4 Mo absorbs a hook from JB
4m00 Q4 Steph loses ball, nobody ran back
3m41 Q4 JK and1 saves the day
3m18 Q4 CP falls asleep
3m06 Q4 Steph 3 corner via Dray and CP3 pick
2m47 Q4 Dray everywhere on D
1m05 Q4 Steph pick for wide open Dray — it’s these types of plays that make me think we can contend — best off-ball player Dean’s ever seen
1m00 Q4 JK athletic steal
0m34 Q4 Mo push shot after JK dribble out, Mo great TD pass
0m18 Q4 Klay uses Gui as post for stretching
2:21:45 DRAYMOND POSTGAME AUDIO ON-COURT: “We’ll get Dario playing back at a high level…get his confidence back on his looks and he’ll be knocking them down…Trayce being on the rim” — Tobi: the way dray speaks with so much precision and confidence. Love it!
2:25:00 Kelvin Russell: I think putting Klay on 2nd was a great cause u needed more scoring and give Klay a chance to be a focal point — especially vs other teams’ 2nd units
2:26:45 on Moody: he could still start next year at the 2, BP moves to the 2nd unit with CP gone (maybe)
2:28:00 no need to spend attention/energy on negativity on Wiggs, I still see him as the starter next year
2:30 :30 “where you give your attention is where you give your energy” — from Oppenheimer: “mostly empty space, groupings of tiny energy waves bound together,” that it is only “forces of attraction strong enough to convince us matter is solid”
2:41:30 Kayne Chan-Li: “klay is a rhythm player. and he’s more likely to get rhythm off the bench — Klay said he can study the game more from the bench rather than the nerves of starting
2:43:00 Gamer: offensively moody drove to the paint too — always in attack mode
2:44:00 Jimbo: I feel like we don’t win without Moses Moody — the one on JB was key
2:49:30 REPEATING THE DRAY CALL OUT OF BONTA
2:57:00 ENTIRE KERR POSTGAME AUDIO
3:08:45 JK POSTGAME AUDIO
3:17:30 TrixFaChaz: Warriors looking more and more dialed in as a unit as the games go by , i love the gang rebounding as well continue to get better warriors
3:26:15 more on Moody maybe starting next year
3:32:00 JK POSTGAME ON-COURT RADIO
3:35:00 STEPH POSTGAME AUDIO
3:41:15 congrats Caitlin Clark as one of the questions to Steph was if Under Armour was pitch her
3:45:15 on Steph stopping in mid-sentence on whether he’s talked to Clark: https://www.letsgowarriors.com/p/brooklyn-new-dubnation-hotspot-steph-curry (do a find on Caitlin)
3:51:00 CP3 POSTGAME AUDIO
4:00:00 per Fred Katz&Anthony Slater, “I used to think feet squared, shoulders squared, release and everything had to be aligned and everything,” DiVincenzo said. “And I get he’s almost an anomaly.But what’s so much different is as long as his shoulders are good, he doesn’t care about anything else.” via Ruckus Lee
4:11:45 picking some unsung plays
4:27:00 Steph for Clutch Player! (-370)
4:30:30 Klay efficient 16 pts
4:32:00 JK did the too small vs Brunson, was that something? probably was a charge, Dean also says he wouldn’t do the too small on someone smaller
4:40:00 ENTIRE THIBS POSTGAME VIDEO
4:48:00 standings watch
4:58:30 will Jama have another plan for Steph/GSW? JK?
5:03:00 Pick unsung play of the game
Steph inverted screen on Dray (38%)
BP steal to Klay pump fake 3 (30%)
Moody TD pass to JK, back to Mo (23%)
CP-Saric P&R to elbow jumper (7%)
Poll complete: 13 votes
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