Postgame Roundup: See what the Warriors had to say following their win against the Trail Blazers on Thursday night.
The Golden State Warriors began the second half of the season with a big 132-95 win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night. Both teams started off at a blistering pace, but a 26-6 Warriors run in the second quarter blew the game open for the Dubs and they never looked back. Here’s some of the highlights from the Warriors postgame pressers:
Steve Kerr on his team’s dominant performance
The Warriors were firing on all cylinders for this game. Strength in Numbers was in full effect as Golden State had eight players finish with double digit scoring. But make no mistake, at the center of it all was Stephen Curry who displayed complete control of the game as he orchestrated the offense to a stat line of 18 points, 14 assists and 5 rebounds in 27 minutes of play. Head coach Steve Kerr had plenty to be happy about following the game so here’s what he had to say.
Kerr on the team’s effort:
Steve Kerr: “Just a good all-around effort… Really good win for us.”
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) February 25, 2022
Kerr on Curry’s performance:
Kerr after Dubs’ win over Portland: “Steph was brilliant tonight” pic.twitter.com/8VeT4Ij3my
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 25, 2022
Kerr on Otto Porter Jr.’s veteran savvy:
“Otto’s just so smart… he flashed to the middle & found JK on the baseline. Otto is just always in the right place making the right play.”
-Steve Kerr on Otto Porter Jr finding Kuminga for a dunk. He emphasized that OPJ was a great addition to the team. @kron4news #DubNation
— Kylen Mills (@KylenMills) February 25, 2022
Jonathan Kuminga’s impressive performance
Kuminga continues to show why he was deserving of the 7th overall pick in the draft, and now he is doing it consistently as a mainstay in the rotation. The Warriors’ rookie finished third on the team in scoring with 17 points as well as 8 boards and 2 blocks in 27 minutes. The most impressive part of his stat line was his 10-of-12 shooting from the free-throw line. Converting free throws at this rate on high volume would be a game changer for the Warriors as Kuminga’s strength and aggressiveness at the rim allows him to consistently get to the line.
Here’s what Kuminga has to say about his role on the team:
Kuminga has a great response as to why he doesn’t need to take many shots on offense pic.twitter.com/8YjJJJ0htG
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 25, 2022
Here’s what Kerr had to say about what Kuminga brings to the roster:
Steve Kerr on Kuminga’s ability to get to the line: “One of the reasons Bob (Myers) drafted him was because of that athleticism and that power. It’s something we haven’t really had a lot of on our roster … it’s added a different dimension to our team.”
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) February 25, 2022
Here’s Thompson talking about Kuminga’s athleticism:
Klay on JK: “Jon is one of the best athletes I’ve ever seen at his age” pic.twitter.com/yaCcdoJc4U
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 25, 2022
James Wiseman Update
The Warriors’ lack of center depth has been an issue in recent games, but thankfully, it wasn’t one tonight. Last year’s rookie center, James Wiseman, is making progress in his return to the team as he has been cleared for contact scrimmages.
Here’s Curry talking about what he sees from Wiseman during scrimmages:
Stephen Curry on James Wiseman:
“He’s a beast when you look at him on the floor, especially with the rest of our team… He can do some amazing things. It’s just a matter of him getting comfortable and getting those reps. So thats a good step in terms of his come back.”
— Mark Haynes (@markhaynesnba) February 25, 2022
Here’s Curry’s full quote on Wiseman:
Steph likes what he’s seen from James Wiseman: “He’s a beast” pic.twitter.com/oNiW2VwuKT
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 25, 2022
Quote of the Night
The quote of the night belongs to Steve Kerr who takes a moment to appreciate the great season that the Warriors are having:
“I’m lucky to coach this group and I’m really enjoying the season,” Steve Kerr on this season’s Warriors team
— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) February 25, 2022
Despite a few frustrating losses, it’s always nice to take a step back after wins like this one and appreciate how good this team has been this season.
Recap
The Warriors’ dominant win against the Blazers ends their two-game losing streak and improves their record to 43-17. They remain in second place in the West with 2.5 games ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies and 6.5 games behind the Phoenix Suns. Golden State will now head back home for a matchup against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.