Category: Warriors

Steve Kerr was concerned D’Angelo Russell’s thumb injury was worse

Steve Kerr’s reaction to the Warrior losing another former All-Star is actually a bit positive.

[jwplayer KH1SqyKp-z6KDnl0B]

When D’Angelo Russell was taken back to the Chase Center locker room Friday night, it almost seemed like a fuzzy dream—a nightmare for Warriors fans.

The bad dream turned to reality when the Warriors announced the swingman would miss the next two weeks with a right thumb sprain.

Count that: Now, seven of Golden State’s 16 man roster are dealing with injuries, but the severity of the former Brooklyn All-Star’s sprained thumb came as a sigh of relief for Coach Steve Kerr.

“I was concerned it was worse,” he told reporters in New Orleans Saturday night. “A couple of weeks we can handle, if this had been something more severe we would’ve been in trouble.”

Kerr said the Warriors are going to just have to “deal with it,” while Russell is out, but he’s glad it’s not worse.

Before the Russell injury, Coach Kerr’s pantry was already empty. Add Russell to the list behind Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson as players the coach is trying to replace—mark that as four All-Stars, a couple of MVPs and a scoring champion. This is new territory for the Warriors coach that’s captained championship rosters filled with talent.

He’s now in charge of getting the most out of a roster with only nine healthy players that include several rookies and players on two-way contracts.

Kerr seems to be moving on from the Russell injury and focusing on the start of the Dubs’ road trip.

“We got four games on the road—we got to figure out a way to hold down the fort,” said Kerr.

The Dub’s play nine of their next 11 away from Chase Center and a good chunk of those games will be without their leading scorer, Russell. Golden State will find out what they have in players like Ky Bowman, Jordan Poole, and Alec Burks.

Reinforcements could be on the way soon for injury riddled Warriors

The Warriors season has been headlined by injury, but the good news is that help could be on the way.

[jwplayer KH1SqyKp-z6KDnl0B]

The one piece of consistency in the Golden State Warriors’ start to the 2019-20 season has been injuries.

Starting with Klay Thompson to Stephen Curry, and quickly trickling down from top to bottom of the team’s youthful roster.

Luckily for the Warriors, some hopeful reinforcements could be on the way—Friday the team announced center Kevon Looney (nerve condition), guard Jacob Evans (adductor) and rookie Alen Smailagic (ankle) will be reevaluated by team doctors Wednesday.

Even with help coming, the injuries haven’t slowed down, as D’Angelo Russell is the most recent Warrior to hit the injury report. The guard suffered a right-thumb sprain during Friday night’s Boston Celtics game. The one-time Ohio State Buckeye will miss the next two weeks and won’t travel with the team while they’re on road.

Seven of the Warriors’ 16-man roster is now dealing with injuries with Russell down, Steve Kerr will somehow have to craft a lineup with only nine healthy players.

On the positive side, each of the three players set to be reevaluated add intrigue to the young roster. Looney’s only played 10 minutes this season after signing a three-year, $15 million contract this offseason. When he returns, he will immediately provide defensive stability to the frontline that’s struggled with Willie Cauley-Stein, Marquese Chriss and Omari Spellman.

Evans III had high expectations after being drafted in the first round of 2018. The second-year man was expected to handle the ball more as a point guard behind Russell and Curry. Evans has played solid in three games this season after averaging six points and 1.7 rebounds per game in his rookie season out of Cincinnati.

Perhaps the most exciting recovery for the young Warriors is Smailagic, the 39th pick in 2019 draft. Warriors fans haven’t seen much from him, but there’s still a lot of buzz around the Serbian native. The rookie’s debut should provide some enthusiasm for Warriors fans in what looks like a lost season.

While the team is in Dallas during their four-game road swing, timetables should be updated for the three players on the mend. If any of the three can return soon, it’ll provide a ray of light to a roster that’s currently decimated with injuries.

Steve Kerr raves about new ‘excellent’ defensive-minded starting unit

The Warriors nearly scored a major upset over the NBA-leading Boston Celtics thanks in part to a new starting lineup on Friday night.

[jwplayer KH1SqyKp-z6KDnl0B]

While it wasn’t a win the Golden State Warriors, Steve Kerr likes what he saw from the team in Friday night’s 105-100 loss to the Boston Celtics.

In particular, the level of effort from a team riddled with injuries to critical players—now including All-Star guard D’Angelo Russell, who exited the game in the third quarter with a sprained thumb after logging 12 points and seven assists—was promising.

The home crowd was engaged as a result, with the game within a possession or two for much of the contest.

“Warriors fans have always appreciated high-energy, hustle, toughness and competition,” said Kerr (via Let’sGoWarriors). “You could feel it in the building tonight. Our fans really enjoyed watching our guys compete and that’s important.”

“We want people to come into this building and be excited about our team and it’s been a rough start, but I think if we can compete that way and play that way we are going to win some games and our fans will enjoy what we are doing,” the coach offered, alluding to the difficulty of putting posteriors in the seats of the team’s new arena with so many marquee players riding pine while recuperating.

Kerr tinkered with the lineup in the hopes of finding some traction after dropping the previous five games, going with a more defensively-oriented approach. Rookie standout, Eric Paschall entered the lineup to play next to Draymond Green.

“We just wanted to take a different look,” explained the coach. Struggling rookie, Jordan Poole, who started the previous eight games was sent to the bench as a result.

“We had lost five games in a row and we wanted just to see Eric [Paschall] and Draymond [Green] play together. We like the physicality that brought to our defense and so we had a more physical front line with both Eric and Draymond and Willie [Cauley-Stein].”

“We give up a little something in spacing, but we pick up something defensively and we get a look at,” he continued, noting a shift away from the offensive onslaught the team has depended on so long in the absence of effective shooters.

A move to rely more on defense to keep the team close against superior scoring teams (Golden State currently is in 17th place for points scored per game in the league) nearly paid off against the league-leading Celtics, and should provide dividends against lesser opponents.

“I thought the defense was excellent, we didn’t turn the ball over for the first nine minutes or so and we executed offensively”, noted Kerr. “The game is so connected, when we were taking care of the ball our defense was great.”

“As soon as we started turning it over the defense struggled and it’s no coincidence,” he explained, referring to the Dubs issues finding their defensive footing when reacting to the team’s many second-half turnovers, including a few key late ones.

“It’s hard to guard a fast-break when you’re just not in position, so the turnovers shifted the tide of the game but I was really proud of the way the guys fought back and took the lead, and the hung in there and we had a chance.”

“We just couldn’t get it done,” he added.

On to the next one.

Steve Kerr after Celtics loss: ‘We’re headed in the right direction’

The six-game losing streak is the longest of the Steve Kerr era, but he was positive after a tough game with the league’s best team.

[jwplayer KH1SqyKp-z6KDnl0B]

The Golden State Warriors battled the Boston Celtics wire-to-wire in one of their closest games of the young season, but in the end, Boston’s win streak grew to 10 while the Dubs losing streak was extended.

The six-game losing streak is one of the longest of the Steve Kerr era, but he shared some positivity about the future after a tough game with the league’s best team.

“It’s going to happen,” said Kerr. “I feel like we’re headed in the right direction.”

Friday night’s tilt was one of Golden State’s most competitive games of the season and it showed. The Warriors started the game on a tear, jumping out to a 32-23 lead in the first quarter that set the tone for the game. The Celtics punched back, cutting into the Dub’s lead in the second and third quarters, but the Warriors didn’t wither even with their leading scorer D’Angelo Russell out with a hand injury.

After the tough loss, Kerr believes no one in the organization is satisfied with losing and that’s why they’ll figure this thing out.

“It’s tough, losing stinks, you know? Everybody here is competitive, from Eric Housen to Joe Lacob — You don’t get into this business if you’re not competitive— So nobody is happy,” said Kerr. “We’ve got a great group and we’re competing together— and it’s going to get better.”

Leading up to tonight the Warriors haven’t been necessarily competitive over the past couple of games. Before the Celtics loss, Golden State dropped games to the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz by 26 points and 14 points, respectively.

The fact the Warriors kept things close and had a chance to win late against one of the NBA’s best teams is a positive step for a team that’s dealing with a bevy of injuries.

A Warriors 2020 NBA championship could win one bettor $1 million

No matter how ugly things get, one gambler still thinks the Dubs have a chance to take down the 2020 NBA championship.

Saying the Warriors season isn’t going as planned is an understatement, as they currently sit with the league’s worst record at 2-10. They’re on their worst losing streak since 2013 and many fans are already looking forward to next season.

No matter how ugly things get, one gambler still thinks the Dubs have a chance to take down the 2020 NBA championship.

Darren Rovell of The Action Network tweeted that a bettor put $1,000 on the Warriors to win the NBA title at odds of 1,000 to 1. As a result, a Warriors title run would net this gambler a cool million big ones, for those counting at home.

This bet could maybe be taken seriously if it was made over the offseason when Golden State came in at +1000 on the betMGM board, as 10-1 was good enough for the sixth-best odds in the NBA at the time. The Warriors odds then fell off a cliff after Stephen Curry’s hand injury sidelined him for a significant chunk of the season.

For the Warriors to start the year off with the sixth-best odds was a change of pace, they’ve usually been a massive favorite since winning their first title of the Curry and Kerr era in 2015. Just last season the Warriors opened up as an overwhelming favorite at +120, meaning that their winning the title would have actually paid less than even money (a $120 bet would have yielded winnings of just $100 in that instance).

It’s going to take a miracle for Golden State to enter themselves back into championship consideration, but if they can rally behind D’Angelo Russell, Draymond Green and Eric Paschall, one confident bettor will make a lot of money.

Three players for the Warriors to watch with James Wiseman ineligible

The 2020 NBA Draft’s top prospect, James Wiseman has been ruled ineligible. With Wiseman out here are some college names Warriors fans need to pay attention too when it comes to draft season

The Memphis Tigers have declared James Wiseman ineligible after the superstar freshman dropped his lawsuit against the NCAA.

Wiseman and the school will apply for reinstatement, but for now, they will sit the big man during games. Wiseman is still eligible to practice with the Tigers in the meantime.

Wiseman was the number one ranked prospect heading into the start of the college basketball season, and the freshman is widely projected to be the number one pick in the 2020 NBA draft. In his first three college games, he averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and three blocks per game.

That’s important for the Golden State Warriors because this year, the draft is especially vital. The Warriors are on a five-game losing streak and hold the NBA’s worst record at 2-10. According to tankathon.com, Golden State has a 14% chance to land the number one pick, which is tied for the highest percentage in the league.

The Warriors desperately need a young playmaker to add to the core, and Wiseman could be the guy. Wiseman’s ineligibility probably won’t have much of an effect on his draft stock, but it’s unfortunate because it’ll be hard to get familiar with his game.

By the time June’s draft rolls around, Wiseman will probably still see his name at the top of many boards, but while he sits, what players should Warriors fans be watching?

Jaden McDaniels, Forward, Washington

There are many guards atop the 2020 draft board, but the Warriors focus could be on the front line. Outside of Wiseman, Washington’s Jaden McDaniels is another big man to follow.

McDaniels is a lengthy player that stands at 6-foot-10 with an 8-foot-11 reach. For his size, he can play all over the court. He can slash and create for others while showcasing a decent jumper. The Washington native isn’t close to being refined as he might have the biggest upside of any player in the draft.

McDaniels could play power forward to start his career with the potential to slide in at the three after some development.

Kahil Whitney, Forward, Kentucky

Every time you flip on NBA League Pass, there’s a former Kentucky Wildcat taking over a game. Wildcats are spread out across the NBA, but the Warriors haven’t drafted a player from Big Blue Nation since 1957.

That could change in 2020.

Kentucky’s Khalil Whitney is an athletic freak that would fit right in with Draymond Green’s lob-ability. The Wildcat is 6-foot-7 and shredded. His strength and athleticism project him to have an immediate impact on the defensive side of the floor.

Matthew Hurt, Forward, Duke

Matthew Hurt is the type of stretch four that Warriors fans have dreamt about since the arrival of the “Splash Brothers.”

Hurt has a quick trigger and a beautiful jumper for a player that stands at 6-foot-9. Hurt can get buckets all over the floor with his veteran-like scoring ability. He’s slender, but has a long frame that could cause problems on the defensive side of the ball.

Hurt is a player to keep an eye on if the Dubs slip out of the top-10 in the draft.

The season has just begun, but it already appears as if it’s going to be long and tedious. Already, the Warriors are thinking about this June’s draft, and these three players are among those that should be at the top of their board.

D’Angelo Russell is on a hot streak entering showdown with Lakers

After being drafted by the Lakers in 2015, D’Angelo Russell will face the team that drafted him for the first time as a Warrior.

In 2015, The Los Angeles Lakers selected D’Angelo Russell with the second overall pick in the NBA Draft. Russell had a widely publicized up-and-down career with the club.

As a Laker, Russell averaged 14.3 points per game and four assists per game, shooting 40.8 percent from the floor and 35.1 percent from three.

Two years after being drafted, the Lakers traded Russell and Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Brook Lopez and the rights to Kyle Kuzma. Russell’s exit was fueled by former Laker president of basketball operations, Magic Johnson. Johnson said Russell wasn’t a “leader” after his Snapchat incident with Nick Young.

Now, in 2019, Russell is suiting up as one of the leaders of the Golden State Warriors against the team that drafted him for the first time.

Since leaving Los Angeles, Russell has faced the Lakers four times in his career, currently averaging 18.8 points per game against them.

Russell’s best night versus the Lakers came in December of 2018, where he scored 22 points and added 13 assists. Russell knocked down four triples in the game. He’ll look to add to those numbers as he’s currently on a hot streak. In the last four games, the young guard is averaging 36.2 points per game and seven assists over that span.

Earlier on Wednesday, it was reported that Anthony Davis would miss the contest. The superstar has been battling shoulder and rib soreness and was given the night off considering the Lakers will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back.

Without a doubt, Russell would like to score a win over his first time, especially as he suits up against them for the first time as a division rival.

After 11 games, it’s obvious Jordan Poole still has a long way to go

Rookie Jordan Poole hasn’t exactly been lighting it up over the Warriors’ first 11 games of the season.

After injuries and departures in free agency changed the 2019-20 outlook for the Warriors, the focus shifted to getting younger. The need for youth and lack of depth put them in a unique position where they needed young players that could contribute immediately.

For the first time in years, the NBA draft became important.

When Golden State was on the clock in the first round they selected guard Jordan Poole from the University of Michigan, a pick that came as somewhat of a surprise to many. Draft experts pegged Poole as a second-round pick.

Regardless of his pre-draft evaluation, when Poole’s name was called, he became a figurehead to the Warriors’ future.

With more injuries to start the season, Poole was thrust into a featured role in Steve Kerr’s offense and thus far, it hasn’t been pretty. The Warriors have struggled to start the season and Poole is in the middle of all of it.

Poole’s best trait is his shooting, but he hasn’t found any rhythm in the NBA game. Poole is shooting 28.4 percent from the field and 28.8 percent from beyond the arc. Poole has launched double-digit field goals in seven of 11 games this season, and during the Warriors’ recent four-game skid, Poole has shot 4-for-19 from three.

It goes beyond the numbers: Poole often looks lost on the court and his shot selection has been a problem.

On the season, he had converted just 33 of his 116 field goal attempts.

The rookie looks like he could use a stint in the G League to reset, but the Warriors are so thin across their roster they need Poole to continue to play minutes.

Poole’s confidence might be his best skill at the moment. If he’s benched or sent to the G League at any point, his confidence could be compromised. That’s something Steve Kerr will need to consider.

Right now, the best option for him and the Warriors is to keep shooting. Beyond Poole, the Warriors don’t have many options, especially with Damion Lee out for at least the next two weeks with a right hand fracture.

The Warriors are in a development year. Poole is still only 20 years old. No matter how bad he’s been, the Warriors’ best option is to ride out this slump with him.

It’s going to take time for the rookie to develop and time is something the Warriors can afford. Poole’s development should become a top priority for the Warriors going forward, and his work with Kerr, Mike Brown and Ron Adams will be something to watch as the season progresses.

“He’s gotta be a step quicker, and that will all come,” Kerr said of Poole to reporters last week. “He’s going through the normal trials and tribulations of a rookie, but we’re throwing him into the fire because of all the injuries.”

Even still, Kerr acknowledged that, perhaps due to his confidence, the rookie hasn’t exactly been taking high percentage shots.

“He’s taken some tough shots, I’m not gonna get on him too much about the shots, I want guys to feel confident,” he said.

The reality of the situation is that this is an evaluation year for Poole. If he can use his rookie year to establish himself as a scorer off the bench for next season, that’s a win for the Warriors.

But through 11 games, it’s obvious that he’s got a long way to go.

Stephen Curry delivered (and then some) from his 2009 ‘Promise’ tweet

With Stephen Curry at the center of it, the Warriors established a dynasty. He fulfilled his promise to the Bay Area.

Nov. 11, 2019 marked the anniversary of one of the most memorable tweets in NBA Twitter history. A 21-year-old Stephen Curry tweeted a declaration to Golden State Warriors fans that will live on forever.

Saying Curry delivered on his 2009 promise would be an understatement. We know about the championships and MVPs, but since that November day in 2009 the list of accomplishments Curry and the Warriors have checked off feels like something out of a movie:

  • 3 NBA titles (The Warriors hadn’t won an NBA championship since 1975.)
  • 5 consecutive NBA Finals appearances (The Warriors hadn’t made the playoffs since 2007.)

Curry’s personal achievements since the tweet are just as impressive:

  • Regular-season record: 461-231 (.666 win percentage)
  • Postseason record: 77-35 (.668)
  • Total points: 16,341
  • Point per game: 23.6
  • 3-pointers made: 2487
  • 3-point percentage: 43.5
  • Free-throw percentage: 90.6
  • Field-goal percentage: 47.6
  • Assists per game: 6.6
  • Rebounds per game: 4.5
  • NBA All-Star Game appearances: 6
  • All-NBA Teams: 6
  • MVPs (2015, 2016): 2 (Warriors hadn’t had an MVP since 1960.)
  • NBA scoring championship (2016): 1
  • NBA steals leader (2016): 1
  • 50-40-90 club (2016): 1

Yesterday, Curry spoke to the media and called the tweet, “Best tweet ever.”

It’s safe to say the many Warriors fans agree.

What Curry and the Warriors have been able to accomplish on paper has been nothing short of amazing, but the change of culture within Golden State Warriors basketball might be the most important thing Curry has “figured out.”

Going back to 2009 when Curry tweeted, the Warriors were a bottom dweller in the NBA. The Warriors finished the 2009 season with 26 wins. They went on to have two more losing seasons before going on one of the most dominant runs of basketball in NBA history.

The Warriors solidified themselves as a power in the league: hanging banners, building a new arena and attracting some of the league’s biggest free agents.

Ten years since the tweet, the Warriors are in a similar position they were in 2009.

Don’t expect any promises, but Curry is still in Golden State, and again, the Dubs hope to figure things out.