It’s A Splash Bros Reunion! Are You Kuminga To The Poole Party? Warriors 2022 Season Thread
- Thread starter Don Homer
- Start date
The dream is looking like a reality.
Once Klay comes back....
hes a wizards guy, where Otto used to play. I can honestly say that dude's not a troll. actually one of the better posters on this site
I know who he is, he be in THL in the politricks threads
It sounds like Kerr is putting all his chips in on the vets, small ball and trying to win; he's had enough of that bullshyt over the last two seasons. It begs the question though, where does it leave all the young guys on the team, because there's too many of them and not enough adequate time to develop them.
Yeah, that def seems like the plan if last night was any indicator. Wiseman will get minutes because of his size and it will be up to him to not lose those minutes while he's on the floor. JK/Moody will probably see time in Santa Cruz which will be good for them especially if they use the time productively (IE Poole).
What did you think of Bradley?
He hasn't been the same for a few years now. Injuries have taken their toll.
I don't expect him to last the entire season, but as long as he can provide defensive energy and some consistency on offense, he'll come in useful.
resistanze
Pro
So why is this moron opening his mouth now after saying 'none of your business' when previously asked about why he wasn't vaccinated?
Too much of a coward to say his 'beliefs' last week, too much of a coward to take a pay cut out for his 'beliefs', but now spouting nonsense after he's vaxxed
Hopefully he stays hot because he’ll have that green light early on
From the Athletic:
Five observations: Jordan Poole scores 30, Warriors win preseason opener in Portland
Five observations: Jordan Poole scores 30, Warriors win preseason opener in Portland
1. Jordan Poole emergence
Jordan Poole had just knocked down his fifth and sixth 3s of the preseason opener early in the third quarter. He glided back to the other end and picked up Norman Powell, his defensive assignment, in a half-hearted stance. Powell ran him up to the wing and then back cut for an easy layup, leaving Poole in his dust.
It happened directly in front of Steve Kerr, who stood up and called a frustrated timeout and then grabbed Poole for a 45-second conversation with the entire coaching staff.
“He gave up a couple back cuts for layups and made a couple mistakes in rotation,” Kerr said. “That’s his next step in becoming a great player.”
“I’ve told him to stay on me about the little things,” Poole said. “We have a mutual agreement.”
Poole’s defensive maturity is a massive on-court storyline this upcoming season for the Warriors because the offensive boost he gives this team has become impossible to overstate or ignore. It was on full display in the Warriors’ preseason win over the Blazers.
Poole played 22 minutes. He scored 30 points. He hit seven 3s. He had five assists. On a floor that included Steph Curry, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum rounding into regular-season shape, a sharp and hungry Poole hit the night’s deepest shots and took over the game for extended stretches.
“They’re not even signs anymore,” Kerr said. “He’s just confident. and he’s earned that. This is what he’s looked like all camp. He’s not hesitating. He’s getting to the rim. He’s playing with an unbelievable confidence.”
That’s really been the buzz all summer behind the scenes. Just about everyone is predicting a breakout season for Poole, and Kerr doesn’t seem to be slowing the train. He started him at shooting guard in Klay Thompson’s place and has mentioned multiple times the lineup numbers that tell him that Poole and Curry were the team’s best two-man combination a season ago.
Kerr appears ready to unleash Poole for 25 to 30 minutes per game, before and after Thompson’s return. A big offensive season is on the horizon for Poole. But his defensive growth will determine the type of trust Kerr has in Poole during the season’s crucial moments.
“He’s one of our best players,” Kerr said. “What we have to determine is how he holds up defensively with the different lineups. But when you have a guy that explosive, you have to get him on the floor as much as possible. …We know him and Steph play well together. If they can hold up defensively, they’re going to be out there a lot.”
Click here for Poole’s full scoring highlights. His seven 3s included four from way behind the line. Kerr said he’s given Poole the green light to uncork them from anywhere.
2. Chasing wins
Avery Bradley and Nemanja Bjelica were the first two reserves Kerr’s used on Monday night. Soon after, Otto Porter Jr. and Andre Iguodala entered the game. Later in the first half, Damion Lee and Juan Toscano-Anderson entered the mix.
Nowhere to be seen: Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. Neither of the lottery rookies entered the game until late in the third quarter. It’s only one preseason game, but the rotational priorities are clear. Kerr is going with veterans over unproven youth. Neither Kuminga nor Moody will be handed regular rotation minutes right away, and James Wiseman will have to earn his role upon return.
“Yeah,” Kerr said. “Jonathan and Moses are so young and they have a bunch of guys ahead of them that have been in this league and know what they’re doing. They’ve got to earn their time. We’ll see how it all plays out.”
Then Kerr couldn’t help himself, referencing a quote that had the fanbase (and even some in the organization) a bit bothered when he said it a season ago.
“We’re chasing wins this year,” Kerr said.
3. Avery Bradley and the vacant 15th spot
It wasn’t a particularly impressive opening act for Avery Bradley. He was wide open and missed five 3s in his first stint on the court, part of a 1-of-6 night from deep. He had a reverse layup swatted at the rim when it looked like he had a clear runway. At 30, after a couple of down seasons, there are limitations to his offensive game.
But the defensive usefulness is still there. Bradley can irritate scorers for stretches. He’s helpful against teams like the Blazers, who have Powell, Lillard and McCollum. He can check in and give Curry and Poole a break and bother Lillard for a bit, like he once did with Curry.
That’s the similar theoretical role that Gary Payton II would’ve played, but this league is all about timing. Payton had a hernia issue several weeks ago that has left him only limited for camp. He still isn’t practicing fully and likely won’t be able to get back in time for a preseason game, leaving him on the outside looking in on the 15th-spot competition.
That leaves the more veteran Bradley with a clear path, if — and this remains a biiiiiig if — ownership green lights the tax-bill bump that comes with carrying a 15th player.
Kerr clearly values Bradley. He was in the first wave of substitutions on Monday night and received regular minutes with the starters. Curry is also a fan and is making it pretty clear that Bradley, slotted into a rotation role, is a whole lot more important to him than the organization saving some tax money.
“I’ve always called him a bulldog,” Curry said. “Everyone always asks who is the toughest defenders you’ve had, he’s the first guy who comes to mind.”
4. Stat of the night
The Warriors attempted 69 3-pointers in the preseason opener. They’ve never, in franchise history, taken more than 54 in a game.
“I haven’t said one word to the group about how many 3s we’re trying to take,” Kerr said. “This is not anything I’ve done analytically. We just have a roster with a lot of floor spacing. We’re just moving the ball and getting a lot of good looks.”
Draymond Green said it “didn’t even feel” like they jacked up 69, which is one off the NBA regular-season record. Don’t expect that many on a regular basis, but it’s clear this team — adding Porter and Bjelica, who were both impressive in their debuts, to the Curry, Poole, Thompson trio — will get up more 3s than any in franchise history.
“We’re going to get up a ton,” Kerr said.
5. Wiggins explains his stance
Andrew Wiggins was the story of the week. After some public hesitancy about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, he finally got the Johnson & Johnson shot on Friday, which will make him eligible for all Warriors home games this season.
Wiggins had some shivers and aches on Saturday, missing practice, but is no longer feeling any side effects from the vaccine. He was back at practice on Sunday and in the lineup for the preseason opener on Monday. Afterward, he explained his vaccine hesitancy at much greater length than he had before.
I’m not going to dive too deep into it. You can watch the clips below, if interested. His hesitancy stems from an allergic reaction he had to medicine a couple of years ago. But from a basketball perspective, the storyline is over. He’s vaccinated and eligible for the season and said he doesn’t harbor any ill will toward the organization for how this process played out.
“Not toward the organization,” Wiggins said. “They didn’t make the rules. But I guess to do certain stuff, to work, all that, I guess, you don’t own your body. If you want to work in society today, then they make the rules on what goes in your body.”
Jordan Poole had just knocked down his fifth and sixth 3s of the preseason opener early in the third quarter. He glided back to the other end and picked up Norman Powell, his defensive assignment, in a half-hearted stance. Powell ran him up to the wing and then back cut for an easy layup, leaving Poole in his dust.
It happened directly in front of Steve Kerr, who stood up and called a frustrated timeout and then grabbed Poole for a 45-second conversation with the entire coaching staff.
“He gave up a couple back cuts for layups and made a couple mistakes in rotation,” Kerr said. “That’s his next step in becoming a great player.”
“I’ve told him to stay on me about the little things,” Poole said. “We have a mutual agreement.”
Poole’s defensive maturity is a massive on-court storyline this upcoming season for the Warriors because the offensive boost he gives this team has become impossible to overstate or ignore. It was on full display in the Warriors’ preseason win over the Blazers.
Poole played 22 minutes. He scored 30 points. He hit seven 3s. He had five assists. On a floor that included Steph Curry, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum rounding into regular-season shape, a sharp and hungry Poole hit the night’s deepest shots and took over the game for extended stretches.
“They’re not even signs anymore,” Kerr said. “He’s just confident. and he’s earned that. This is what he’s looked like all camp. He’s not hesitating. He’s getting to the rim. He’s playing with an unbelievable confidence.”
That’s really been the buzz all summer behind the scenes. Just about everyone is predicting a breakout season for Poole, and Kerr doesn’t seem to be slowing the train. He started him at shooting guard in Klay Thompson’s place and has mentioned multiple times the lineup numbers that tell him that Poole and Curry were the team’s best two-man combination a season ago.
Kerr appears ready to unleash Poole for 25 to 30 minutes per game, before and after Thompson’s return. A big offensive season is on the horizon for Poole. But his defensive growth will determine the type of trust Kerr has in Poole during the season’s crucial moments.
“He’s one of our best players,” Kerr said. “What we have to determine is how he holds up defensively with the different lineups. But when you have a guy that explosive, you have to get him on the floor as much as possible. …We know him and Steph play well together. If they can hold up defensively, they’re going to be out there a lot.”
Click here for Poole’s full scoring highlights. His seven 3s included four from way behind the line. Kerr said he’s given Poole the green light to uncork them from anywhere.
2. Chasing wins
Avery Bradley and Nemanja Bjelica were the first two reserves Kerr’s used on Monday night. Soon after, Otto Porter Jr. and Andre Iguodala entered the game. Later in the first half, Damion Lee and Juan Toscano-Anderson entered the mix.
Nowhere to be seen: Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. Neither of the lottery rookies entered the game until late in the third quarter. It’s only one preseason game, but the rotational priorities are clear. Kerr is going with veterans over unproven youth. Neither Kuminga nor Moody will be handed regular rotation minutes right away, and James Wiseman will have to earn his role upon return.
“Yeah,” Kerr said. “Jonathan and Moses are so young and they have a bunch of guys ahead of them that have been in this league and know what they’re doing. They’ve got to earn their time. We’ll see how it all plays out.”
Then Kerr couldn’t help himself, referencing a quote that had the fanbase (and even some in the organization) a bit bothered when he said it a season ago.
“We’re chasing wins this year,” Kerr said.
3. Avery Bradley and the vacant 15th spot
It wasn’t a particularly impressive opening act for Avery Bradley. He was wide open and missed five 3s in his first stint on the court, part of a 1-of-6 night from deep. He had a reverse layup swatted at the rim when it looked like he had a clear runway. At 30, after a couple of down seasons, there are limitations to his offensive game.
But the defensive usefulness is still there. Bradley can irritate scorers for stretches. He’s helpful against teams like the Blazers, who have Powell, Lillard and McCollum. He can check in and give Curry and Poole a break and bother Lillard for a bit, like he once did with Curry.
That’s the similar theoretical role that Gary Payton II would’ve played, but this league is all about timing. Payton had a hernia issue several weeks ago that has left him only limited for camp. He still isn’t practicing fully and likely won’t be able to get back in time for a preseason game, leaving him on the outside looking in on the 15th-spot competition.
That leaves the more veteran Bradley with a clear path, if — and this remains a biiiiiig if — ownership green lights the tax-bill bump that comes with carrying a 15th player.
Kerr clearly values Bradley. He was in the first wave of substitutions on Monday night and received regular minutes with the starters. Curry is also a fan and is making it pretty clear that Bradley, slotted into a rotation role, is a whole lot more important to him than the organization saving some tax money.
“I’ve always called him a bulldog,” Curry said. “Everyone always asks who is the toughest defenders you’ve had, he’s the first guy who comes to mind.”
4. Stat of the night
The Warriors attempted 69 3-pointers in the preseason opener. They’ve never, in franchise history, taken more than 54 in a game.
“I haven’t said one word to the group about how many 3s we’re trying to take,” Kerr said. “This is not anything I’ve done analytically. We just have a roster with a lot of floor spacing. We’re just moving the ball and getting a lot of good looks.”
Draymond Green said it “didn’t even feel” like they jacked up 69, which is one off the NBA regular-season record. Don’t expect that many on a regular basis, but it’s clear this team — adding Porter and Bjelica, who were both impressive in their debuts, to the Curry, Poole, Thompson trio — will get up more 3s than any in franchise history.
“We’re going to get up a ton,” Kerr said.
5. Wiggins explains his stance
Andrew Wiggins was the story of the week. After some public hesitancy about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, he finally got the Johnson & Johnson shot on Friday, which will make him eligible for all Warriors home games this season.
Wiggins had some shivers and aches on Saturday, missing practice, but is no longer feeling any side effects from the vaccine. He was back at practice on Sunday and in the lineup for the preseason opener on Monday. Afterward, he explained his vaccine hesitancy at much greater length than he had before.
I’m not going to dive too deep into it. You can watch the clips below, if interested. His hesitancy stems from an allergic reaction he had to medicine a couple of years ago. But from a basketball perspective, the storyline is over. He’s vaccinated and eligible for the season and said he doesn’t harbor any ill will toward the organization for how this process played out.
“Not toward the organization,” Wiggins said. “They didn’t make the rules. But I guess to do certain stuff, to work, all that, I guess, you don’t own your body. If you want to work in society today, then they make the rules on what goes in your body.”