Tag: Draymond Green

Despite down record, the Warriors lead NBA in sharing the basketball

Even as the Warriors are racking up losses, Golden State is still sharing the basketball at a very high clip.

The days of Draymond Green running the Warriors fastbreak, with Stephen Curry leaking out and Kevin Durant trailing seem like ages ago, although the 2019 edition of Golden State is trying their best to mimic that type of ball movement.

The Warriors championship run was headlined by “the Splash Brothers” long-range shooting and the dominance of Durant, but Golden State, at its core, was a passing team. The four All-Star lineups whipped the ball around the court at a frenetic pace, overwhelming opposing teams at times.

While the 2019 club isn’t overwhelming anyone with a league-worst 5-22 record, the Warriors are leading the NBA in sharing the rock. The Warriors have registered the most passes made (331.9) and passes received (332.6) per game throughout the first quarter of the NBA season.

The effort is there when it comes to moving the basketball around the floor, but Golden State just isn’t finishing. The Warriors are only averaging 23.7 assists per game, which ranks 18th in the NBA. Before this year, the Warriors have led the NBA in assists per game since the 2014-15 season.

D’Angelo Russell (6.1) and Draymond Green (5.9) are the only Warriors creating dimes; after the All-Star pairing, their assists numbers fall off with Alec Burks, the next man up at 2.9 assists per game.

Even with Golden State dealing with injuries and talent drop off from last season, the team isn’t forcing shots. Kerr’s offense, led by Green and Russell, is still trying to move the ball at a high rate through their passing.

The Warriors still lack the three-point range that Curry and Klay Thompson brought to the offense. However, the fact Kerr can instill some resemblance of his former offense based on ball-movement with a completely different roster is a positive sign for the future.

Injury Report: Draymond Green out and Eric Paschall doubtful vs. Jazz

Draymond Green is getting a veteran day off while Eric Paschall is doubtful when the Warriors travel to Utah.

In a down season with the sights set on the future, the Golden State Warriors are being cautious with how they use a set of forwards. Draymond Green will be held out (rest), and rookie Eric Paschall is doubtful (hip) when the team travels to Utah Friday night.

Green’s missed eight games this season with a finger and sore heel injury, but his day off in Utah is being classified as a veteran rest day. With the Warriors season getting out of hand after only 26 games, it’s not a surprise Golden State is easing back their former Defensive Player of the Year’s workload. The Warriors are coming off an overtime loss where the Michigan State Spartan product registered a triple-double in 39 minutes of play.

Earlier in the season, Golden State coach Steve Kerr mentioned Green would continue to get veteran rest days throughout the year.

As Green is missing the game against Utah for load management, Golden State’s breakout rookie, Paschall, is dealing with a nagging sore hip. Paschall didn’t play in the fourth quarter or overtime of the Warriors 124-122 loss to the New York Knicks.

After having a monster rookie season, Paschall’s only tallied five-points in each of his last two games as he’s dealt with his sore hip. Paschall’s carried a heavy scoring load for Golden State through 26-games, a day-off could be beneficial for the second-round pick’s development in the long-run.

Without Green and Paschall on the floor, Kevon Looney could see an increase in minutes, while Serbian rookie Alen Smailagic could make his NBA debut after being recalled from the Warriors G League affiliate earlier this week.

D’Angelo Russell doesn’t worry about Warriors potentially trading him

Warriors guard D’Angelo Russell isn’t worrying about possibly being moved as trade season looms.

Golden State Warriors guard D’Angelo Russell is playing his fifth NBA season, and by now he’s hip to how teams handle their business.

That’s why with trade season looming, Russell isn’t fretting over the Warriors possibly moving him. Dec. 15 is when players who signed deals as free agents over the offseason are eligible to be traded. A restricted free agent over the offseason, Russell joined the Warriors via the sign-and-trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets.

In a story written by The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, Russell talked about how he isn’t worrying about the possibility of being traded.

“I just donā€™t care (about the buzz),ā€ Russell said. ā€œSimple as that. I just donā€™t care. “When you say max contract to come in and learn from these guys as much as you can as quick as you can ā€” because you donā€™t know when youā€™ll be gone, shipped out ā€” thatā€™s what Iā€™m doing. I canā€™t control that. I canā€™t control if Bob Myers is like, yo, letā€™s go get such and such for this and make this pick. Thatā€™s his job. I canā€™t control it or say anything about it, especially if Iā€™m a part of it. So I donā€™t waste energy worrying about it.”

With Russell’s max contract, he is signed for four years and $117 million. The Warriors could potentially trade him to not have a salary cap logjam. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are both on max deals for five years, and Draymond Green is on one for four years.

A first-time All-Star last season, Russell has proven to be a solid guard in a league filled with talent at the position. Last season, he averaged 21.1 points per game, a career-high at the time. He also shot 36.9% from the 3-point line and tallied 7.0 assists — both numbers remain career-highs.

This season his scoring has gone up slightly, as he’s scoring 22.0 points per game in 13 games. He has missed some time because of ankle and thumb injuries.

For Russell, it’s just going to be about continuing to show his skills. Whether the Warriors are interested in keeping him or not, his skill set could be useful in multiple places. He’s one of the best pick-and-roll guards in the league. According to NBA.com stats, Russell is scoring 8.8 points a game on plays where he’s the ball handler in the pick-and-roll.

As bad losses build, Draymond Green says Warriors ‘let go of the rope’

For the first time in a long time, the Golden State Warriors are playing like the team their record reflects.

No matter the injury, no matter the opponent, the 2019-20 Golden State Warriors have played a gritty brand of basketball. They’ve continually battled wire-to-wire against teams with more experience and more talent across the board.

Before taking off on their recent five-game road trip, Golden State was playing some of its best basketball of the season, making it even more impressive was the fact they only had eight-healthy players at times.

On the road trip, the Warriors were slated to play a handful of similarly struggling NBA teams, but instead of rising, Golden State stalled. The Warriors ended the road trip with a 1-4 record, salvaging their only win in the final game of the trip in Chicago.

The Warriors were able to steal a win at the end of the trip, while also getting back injured players like D’Angelo Russell, Kevon Looney, Draymond Green and Jacob Evans before facing the six-win, Memphis Grizzlies at home.

The Warriors had their healthiest lineup since the opening week of the NBA season against Memphis, while the Grizzlies have lost nine of their last 10 before heading to San Francisco. There was a sense that the Warriors could be on their way to consecutive wins for the first time all season.

Instead, the Warriors took a step back. The Grizzlies punched the Warriors in the face, controlling Chase Center from the minute the game started. The Warriors played sloppy, turning the ball over 16 times with little urgency.

Although he might be almost immune to losing, after dropping 20 games in 25 attempts, Draymond Green said the loss to Memphis was a disappointing one.

“It’s hard for us to have a disappointing loss at this point, but this was definitely one of them,” Green told reporters in San Francisco after losing to the Grizzlies. “We played pretty horrible the entire game and yet was in the game pretty much the entire game. It was definitely disappointing.”

Over the last five games, the Warriors played teams with a .344 winning percentage, and only won one game in that span. For the first time in a while, the Warriors are looking like the team their 5-20 record reflects.

“Charlotte and Atlanta, we kind of let go of the rope, then to bounce back in Chicagoā€”pull out a win there at the end of the road trip you expect to come home and try and build on that,” said Green. “We didn’t do that tonight.”

Steve Kerr echoed Green’s thoughts, calling the loss to Memphis, “discouraging” and “disappointing.”

The Warriors will have another chance at riding the ship, as the New York Knicks travel to town, freshly off the firing of their head coach, David Fizdale.

The Warriors and Knicks have combined for only nine wins and 39 losses to start the 2019 season. Still, on Wednesday night in Chase Center, one team will be forced to add another notch to their win column.

Ja Morant’s Grizzlies wreck Warriors chance at a win-streak, 110-102

The Golden State Warriors got a taste of why Ja Morant is considered a favorite to win Rookie of the Year.

After beating the Chicago Bulls in the final chapter of a five-game road trip, the Golden State Warriors had a chance to start their first winning streak in 2019 with the Memphis Grizzlies coming to town. The Grizzlies lost nine of their last 10 before heading to San Francisco, while the Warriors were getting healthy for the first time in 2019ā€” everything seemed to be lining up in Golden State’s favor.

The Grizzlies had a different planā€” to shoot the three-pointer, and the Warriors couldn’t stop them. The Grizzlies cashed 15 threes on a whopping 40 attempts from beyond the arc. Seven different Memphis players knocked down three-pointer’s, including both of the Grizzlies bigs, Jaren Jackson and Jonas Valanciunas.

The Warriors could never match the Grizzlies shooting effort, only shooting 38 percent from the field, but where Golden State got hurt was turning the basketball over. The Warriors couldn’t get out of their own way, ending the night with 17 turnovers.

Golden State tried to scrap back into the game, cutting the Grizzlies lead to single digits in the final minutes. However, a stellar fourth quarter by Ja Morant sealed the Memphis 110-102 win.

Battle for Rookie of the Year

The days of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph traveling to the Bay Area for a playoff matchup against Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are gone. Instead, the Grizzlies-Warriors matchup headlined a pair of rookies. Both Morant and Eric Paschall are Rookie of the Year contenders and went toe-to-toe Monday night.

Although there was hype, it was a one-person show with the Memphis rookie landing the knockout punch. Morant dropped 25 points with seven assists, while Paschall had a disappointing performance, only tallying five points and two rebounds.

Morant’s best moment of the night came on a flashy dribbling clinic that left Alec Burks looking in a different direction. Paschall will get another crack at Morant when the Warriors head to Memphis on January 12.

Jacob Evans Returns

After missing the past 21-games, second-year guard, Jacob Evans returned to the floor for Golden State, giving the Warriors their most substantial bench since the opening week of the season. Evans only totaled 11-minutes, adding two points, one rebound, and one assist. Evans will slowly be worked back into Steve Kerr’s rotation as he continues to get his feet under him in his sophomore NBA season.

Draymond Green Season High

Draymond Green tied his 2019 season-high in scoring with 16 points against the Memphis Grizzlies, a positive sign for the Warriors All-Star. Green was aggressive on the offensive side, which has turned into a rare occasion for the former Defensive Player of the Year. If the Warriors want to hang in games, while Curry and Thompson are out, they need Green to be active offensively.

With the 2019-20 season looking like a developmental year for Golden State, Green should push to work on his offensive game before next season when the Splash Brothers return healthy.

Eric Paschall’s NBA 2K rating rising after hot start to rookie season

Eric Paschall is quickly turning into a rookie of the year candidate, with that comes the attention of those who make the video game NBA 2K.

When the Golden State Warriors selected Eric Paschall with the 41st overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, nobody could’ve expected the season he would have in year one. The four-year Villanova product is quickly putting together a Rookie of the Year campaign almost two months into the NBA season.

Paschall is leading the Warriors in total points with 393 and second to All-Star D’Angelo Russell with 17.1 points per game. Paschall has led the Warriors in scoring on multiple occasions in the 2019 season, including a pair of 30-point nights.

Injuries have opened up an opportunity for Paschall, and he’s making the most of it. He’s currently second behind Glenn Robinson III in Warriors minutes played this season, and when he’s on the floor, Paschall has developed into one of Steve Kerr’s primary scoring options. His ability to continuously get to the basket and finish is reminiscent of a seasoned NBA veteran.

Paschall’s skill and numbers are suitable for the Warriors, yes. However, they also rank near the top in comparison to other rookies across the league. The Warriors rookie ranks first in total points and total rebounds (123) in the rookie ladder. Paschall only trails the 2019 second overall pick, Ja Morant (18.6), in rookie points per game this season.

Paschall’s rise from second-round pick to Rookie of the Year contender has caught the attention of the rating specialist’s with the video game, NBA 2K. The 6-foo-6 forward jumped from a 71 at the start of the season to currently an 80ā€” the fifth-highest rating on the Warriors roster.

Paschall’s 80 only trails a four-pack of established NBA All-Stars, Stephen Curry (95), Klay Thompson (89), D’Angelo Russell (87) and Draymond Green (83). Yes, you read that correctly, the Warriors rookie, Paschall, is only three points behind the former Defensive Player of the Year, Green.

The “Paschanimal’s” rating is continuing to rise, a month ago he was grouped with 2K’s “rising stars” and moved to a 77, after starting the year at 71.

Now, as a significant piece to the Warriors offense, Paschall will have more opportunities to build his Rookie of the Year campaign while continuing to level up his 2K rating.

NBA already worrying what Warriors will do with 2020 high lottery pick

According to NBC Sports NBA Insider, Tom Haberstroh, the NBA is worried about the potential of the 2020 Golden State Warriors after owning a high lottery pick.

Just a season ago, the Golden State Warriors were at the top of the NBA’s food chain. The franchise went on a dynasty run that shook the core of the NBAā€” three Larry O’Brien trophies, five-straight trips to the Finals, multiple MVPs, and the best regular-season the league has ever seen.

Now, in 2019, saying things are drastically different is an understatement. Kevin Durant is with the Brooklyn Nets, the “Splash Brothers” are dealing with extended injuries and the Warriors have the worst record in the NBA at 4-19. However, there is still hope the team can turn things around as quickly as next season.

In 2020, Golden State should have some salary-cap flexibility to bring in new talent, with things like a traded player exception, and the mid-level exception; while Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green and D’Angelo Russell are all still under contract for the future. All positive steps towards getting back on track, but where the team could strike gold is the 2020 NBA draft.

The Warriors’ measly 2019 record is setting up the team to own a top pick in the 2020 draft lottery. The Warriors’ potential after getting healthy and adding firepower in 2020 is worrying some around the NBA, according to NBC Sports NBA insider Tom Haberstroh.

“The people I talk to around the league are really worried that they are going to trade that first-round pick, the 2020 pickā€”because if they load up with an All-Star-type player with that pick, they are terrifiedā€”or if they land a Luka Doncic in the draft, they’re terrified. ” Haberstroh said when joining the Warriors-Hornets television broadcast on NBC Sports Bay Area. “So, that 2020 pick, adding to the group they have established here with Paschall stepping in right away, manā€”I think every team is going to try to do a gap year.”

A healthy and rested Splash Brother tandem, paired with Russell, Green, Paschall and either another All-Star talent or high lottery pick could poise the Warriors for a return back to dominance, a scary thought for the rest of the NBA.

Recapping Draymond Green’s emotional Michigan State jersey retirement

When Draymond Green’s No. 23 jersey was raised into the rafters, the Warriors All-Star got emotional in his old stomping grounds.

Although No. 11 Michigan State couldn’t fend off the No. 10 Duke Blue Devils 87-75, it was still a memorable night in East Lansing due to one former Spartan turned Golden State Warrior.

Draymond Green’s No. 23 Spartan jersey was raised into the rafters in Michigan State’s Breslin Center for retirement in front of a packed crowd.

The Saginaw, Michigan product led the Spartans to two Final Four appearances and three Big Ten regular-season championships. Green was a consensus first-team All-American, NABC Player of the Year and Big Ten Player of the Year, all in 2012. Now his white and green No. 23 jersey will be immortalized in the Michigan State arena forever.

Here are some of the highlights from Green’s memorable night in East Lansing:

DubNation in the building

Several members of the Golden State Warriors organization made the trip to East Lansing to support Green on his special night. Warriors owner. Joe Lacob, general manager, Bob Myers, and Steve Kerr were all in attendance. Other members like Zaza Pachulia, D’Angelo Russell, and Klay Thompson were in the building.

Green said the type of support his teammates and coaches showed was a reason why he wants to stay with Golden State forever.

“Not one person would have said they were wrong if they didn’t come here ā€” it’s my college jersey getting retired,” Green said in his jersey retirement press conference, viaĀ Noah Trister of the Associated Press. “They took the time out of their schedule to be here for me. Those are the things that make you say, ‘OK, I want to be there for the rest of my career.’ And I would do anything for that organization to help make that happen.”

Draymond showing emotion

The former Defensive Player of the Year is a passionate and fiery competitor on the basketball court; we rarely get to see the softer side of Green, the person. When handed the microphone to address the Michigan State crowd, Green became a bit emotional when talking about getting to live out his childhood dreams.

“As a kid from Saginaw, Michigan, my goal and dream was to play at Michigan State, it was never to get my jersey retired, and I lived that dream.” Green said during his halftime ceremony.

Respect from around the NBA

Green is a polarizing player across the NBA, but on the night of his jersey retirement, former stars from Michigan State reached out to congratulate the Warriors forward on the honor.

Jaren Jackson, Denzel Valentine and Miles Bridges all reached out to Green via a video compiled by “Uninterrupted.” Former Golden State “We Believe” star, Jason Richardson, also made an appearance to congratulate Green.

Steve Kerr is searching for rhythm and continuity in Warriors rotation

After dropping four straight games, Steve Kerr wants to find a rotation with some rhythm and continuity.

For a stretch in November, the Golden State Warriors were trotting out only eight healthy players, although it didn’t show in the standings, the thin lineup seemed to work. Head coach Steve Kerr was able to find a competitive rotation with only three players off his bench.

The Dubs weren’t racking up wins, but they battled against favored teams down to the wire night-in-and-night-out. Now, four games into the Warriors five-game road trip, Golden State is one of the healthiest it’s been all season. Draymond Green, D’Angelo Russell and Kevon Looney all have returned from injury stints and are back at Kerr’s disposalā€” good news, right? Not so fast.

In back-to-back games, both Looney and Russell have returned, but each contest the Warriors have been blown out by fellow struggling teams. Golden State looked like a different team, the effort and grit from the weeks prior now absent. The moral victories have turned into lackluster losses.

Kerr hasn’t been happy with his squad’s recent performance, and his struggles could be due to the arrival of familiar, yet new faces to his team’s rotation.

“Tonight we had a lot of guys which was good, but we didn’t have much continuity, we didn’t have much rhythm,” Kerr said to reporters after the 106-91 loss in Charlotte. “The upside of eight guys is everyone’s going to playā€”you know then you get everyone healthy, now guys are not going to getting as much playing timeā€”maybe you have to juggle positions around a little bit.”

The Warriors guard depth is still fairly slim, even with Russell. However, their frontcourt is logjammed with Green and Looney available. Instead of making the most out of eight players, Kerr’s now tasked deploying a healthy, yet unaccustomed lineup that can compete.

“We need to find whatever rotation allows us to compete at a high level and win a game, that’s the main thingā€”the last two games I was not happy at all with the energy and the execution on both ends,” said Kerr. “Our job as a staff is to find the combinations that give us that chance.”

Golden State only has one game left on its five-game road trip to salvage a victory before heading back to Chase Center. The 8-14 Chicago Bulls provide a good opportunity for Kerr to get a good look at what rotation could get his team back on track.

Draymond Green says Warriors helped increase NBA ratings

The Golden State Warriors’ dominance helped bring more people to watching NBA games.

With the Golden State Warriors having the worst record in the NBA, it’s a rough state of affairs for the franchise that’s won three titles in the past five seasons.

But aside from the Warriors’ situation, the NBA is in a bad spot, too. Ratings have been down to begin the season. Per John Ourand of Sports Business Journal, TNT’s and ESPN’s ratings are down 23% and 20%, respectively.

On Wednesday, Warriors forward Draymond Green was asked about what he thought was the reasoning for ratings being down. Green acknowledged he isn’t very knowledgeable on the situation, but he did say how the Warriors’ quality play over the past few seasons helped the league’s ratings.

“The Warriors definitely helped boost the ratings, and not so much right now,” Green said, per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “So I think that definitely plays a part in it.”

Steve Kerr added that Steph Curry being out with a hand injury is a potential factor for ratings being down. Per Eric Walden of the Salt Lake Tribune, Curry said in November he will need a second hand surgery in December. After the second surgery, he will be re-evaluated in three months.

“I’m not the expert on this stuff,” Kerr said, per Slater. “I don’t think it helps that Steph’s injured. I know he drives the ratings. But I’m not really sure.”

Golden State has been flexed out of two upcoming national TV games, per Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. The Warriors’ game Dec. 13 against the Utah Jazz won’t be on ESPN. The team’s Dec. 18 game against the Portland Trail Blazers also won’t be on ESPN.

The Warriors have been the most dominant team of the 2010s, and their extraordinary play helped bring more eyes to NBA games.

But with the Warriors being at the bottom of the standings this season, their lack of success likely is a factor for the decrease in ratings.

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