Draymond: “I'm a great (f-ing) passer, so I won't second-guess my pass. I'm just going to throw it when I know it's there”
[GSW-PHX videos/interviews/transcripts]
Steve Kerr when asked about Draymond Green’s five turnovers at Phoenix (he had eight in Portland):
He’s trying too hard right now. He’s such a competitor. He’s trying too hard to make plays and just needs to slow down a little bit. He found a real good rhythm tonight.Draymond Green when asked about
Green, when asked about why the turnovers keep popping up from the last two box scores:
I don’t know. If I had the answers, I’d change it.
When asked specifically about his five turnovers and Kerr saying he’s trying too hard:
I’m just gonna throw the pass when I know it’s there. Instead of second-guessing and making it, I’m a great fucking passer. So I’m just going to — if I see the pass there, I’m not second-guessing. I’m just gonna throw it. If I turn it over, I turn it over, but I’m a great passer, so I won’t second-guess my pass. I’m just going to throw it when I know it’s there.
I might go live some time this afternoon or evening to check each of those turnovers. Will it look like an issue of second-guessing or does it have something to do with pace?
Eons ago, one of our most loyal mainstay teams in the Oakland division of Dream League was called “Old And Slow”. The 30 points off 20 turnovers suffered by the Warriors last night reminded me a lot of Team Old And Slow. And this is me putting them in the bottom division in Dream League.
I wonder if Collin Gillespie is really that fast. He resembled a bigger, stronger, as-fast TJ McConnell out there, although they are both listed at 6’1”. Against Old And Slow, Gillespie might look like The Flash. I don’t recall him being as fast in the first matchup against the Suns back on November 4th at Chase Center. We’ll get a second look tomorrow.
If he’s whizzing by on your TV screen again, then that might be a pattern.
The Warriors are definitely setting more picks for one Wardell Stephen Curry in the back court.
It’s all relative.
Remember the stat I told you in the last article: OKC has exactly the same pace as last season at 99.9 to 100.0. Last year that was fifth in the league. This year it’s fifteenth.
The goalposts may have moved on Golden State since last April. To be fair, the playoffs do slow down. Perhaps something similar even happens after the All-Star Break, during the stretch runs when teams have to either get serious or start falling off the map.
There are thirteen more games until January 15th, when Jonathan Kuminga’s contract can be moved.
With seven-foot stars like Giannis Antetokuonmpo and Lauri Markkanen off the table, at least seemingly for this trade deadline, somebody like Trey Murphy — long and athletic who can catch fire from three as well as defend point-of-attack — seems more and more needed especially as his salary is within the same range as Kuminga’s.
That trade scenario would probably come down to the Draft picks. The conundrum there is if you use a pick on Murphy, that takes away a pick that you could use for Giannis, if he becomes available this summer (see the article to see what the marker is for his availability).
I’ll definitely also do a trade scenario and cap sheet analysis livestream before the next matchup against Phoenix in about a day and a half.
Problem is, the Dubs get more and more desperate at the negotiating table as blips on the radar screen evolve into patterns.
The other discussion that’s happening on our Watch Party livestreams is the thought that, like what happened with Klay Thompson, Draymond should come off the bench.
Overall, I think the turnover issue, at least for the team, has become a pattern and therefore, mentally, I’m just going to lower my expectations.
Transcripts of Steve, Draymond and Brandin Podziemski are below. There’s also a video of Steph as well as Dillon Brooks and Devin Booker postgame with transcripts in the Comments, on our YouTube channel:
00:00 Steve, what’d you think the biggest difference was in the second half?
00:07 STEVE KERR, POSTGAME GSW-PHX: We turned it over quite a bit. I thought we let our shoulders drop a little bit, energy, spirit, let ourselves feel sorry for ourselves a little bit when they made the run. And really proud of the guys, the way they fought and gave ourselves a chance. But we’ve just gotta be sharper. 20 turnovers for 30 points, so we’ve gotta be sharper with the ball. We’ve gotta be better with our body language and our energy.
00:37 12-of-42 from three point range. Did you like the looks that you guys--?
00:40 Yeah, we got good looks, so it was-- sometimes the ball doesn’t go in and that happens. I wasn’t concerned about that, but we got good looks, thought we played really hard, offensive rebounds, we were crashing. We got 15 of those, but a tough night shooting. And you can still win those games, right? Jimmy carried us. He hit the huge three down the stretch, but you have to take care of the ball. You have to execute and right now we’re just not doing that well enough.
01:13 31 points for Jimmy. It seemed like focal point right away...
01:16 yeah.
01:16 ...first quarter on. Just how-- what’d you think of the way you guys got him the ball and just spaced around him?
01:21 It was just Jimmy being demonstrative out there and this is vintage Jimmy, 8-for-9 from the line, 11-for-17, attacking, moving the ball at the right time. He was brilliant out there.
01:35 Did you make it a point before the game or did he say, I’ll take more offensively, is that talk--?
01:43 We had a couple film sessions the last two days and had a couple practices and we were able to just remind the guys of how we played down the stretch last year after we traded for Jimmy, how he controlled games. When he’s got the ball, we generally take care of it. We don’t turn it over when he’s got it. And so that was the main focus the last couple of days. Let’s just remember what our team is built on and how we need to play.
02:19 You talked about a lot about the closer games throughout the year. Is there something that you are seeing in these late games that are tight that you all aren’t doing that you need to do?
02:29 Not tonight. Tonight we executed really well. It’s hard to believe that the game was decided on that call, an airball that hits the side of the backboard and guys behind the bench told me that Moses got all ball. Everybody’s tangled up. That, to me, it better be a foul to decide the game on a play like that. So, disappointing that we didn’t get to go to overtime because I thought our guys executed and did a great job in the last few minutes of giving ourselves a chance.
03:02 What’d you see for Brandin tonight, especially--?
03:04 Phenomenal. Yeah, Brandin was great, just really aggressive offensively and decisive and penetrated, got the ball into the paint. He was really good.
03:17 Steve, did they give you an explanation on that last call?
03:20 On which call?
03:21 On the foul call at the end. Did they say--?
03:24 I don’t know. I didn’t-- yeah.
03:26 Jonathan obviously got a few more minutes tonight. What’d you see from him?
03:30 He was good. We wanted him to get out there and use his speed and athleticism, set screens dives. He had a good pass to Gui in the first half from the pocket and it’s good to see him back out there. As I said, he’s handled himself really well this last week and I wanted to reward that.
03:50 Just off night from Steph?
03:52 I’m sorry?
03:52 Just an off night from Steph?
03:53 Yeah, just an off night.
03:55 Draymond five turnovers tonight. Just where do you feel like he’s at offensively at this point in the season?
03:59 Yeah. He’s trying too hard right now. He’s such a competitor. He’s trying too hard to make plays and just needs to slow down a little bit. He found a real good rhythm tonight.
—
04:10 What do you think the, difference was?
04:13 BRANDIN PODZIEMSKI: Some games they go in, some games they don’t. Just try to play law of averages and tonight was the night that I made some shots.
04:19 What do you feel like flipped? And then you guys were up 14 early in the third quarter. What you feel like flipped after that?
04:24 A couple buckets, couple turnovers, couple missed shots. It all piles into it, so I think it’s usually what it is every single game for us, if that happens. Probably those things.
04:37 Steve mentioned you felt like when Phoenix made their run, you guys’ collective spirit dropped a little bit. Did you feel that way?
04:46 I honestly wasn’t paying attention to that. I was just trying to focus on the next play. If I was in there or not, try to make a winning play at that possession.
04:54 You guys are 5-10 now in those late games. Is there something that you’re seeing repeatedly in these tight games that is happening?
05:05 I would like to say yes because then it’d be an easy fix, but I think it’s a little bit different. I know last year we were really good in these situations and so I know the group is capable of it and I got belief in all 15 of us that we’re gonna figure it out.
05:21 You got some run tonight with the group that started at the end of last year. You, Moses, Jimmy, Draymond, Steph. Just what was it like being out there with that group? Do you feel the same chemistry that you feel you had last year?
05:32 Yeah, I mean, it was good. I don’t know how long we were out there together, but hopefully we impacted winning at a high level when we were out there together.
—
05:39 What do you make of the defensive effort that you guys had tonight? The second half gave you a sense of when you think the defense slipped?
05:48 DRAYMOND GREEN: Yeah, I thought our defense was good for most of the night, first half and second half, but the game never connected for us.
06:00 What do you think the biggest difference was in the second?
06:11 I don’t know. I dunno.
06:20 What stands out, looking at that box score?
06:25 A lot of things stand out.
06:31 Anything in particular?
06:42 Try 38% from the field, 28 from three, 20 turnovers, 30 points off turnovers. Yeah, a lot of things stand out. Rebounded the ball, also gave up a lot of offensive rebounds.
07:02 Why do you think the turnovers, specifically, keep popping up?
07:13 I don’t know. If I had the answers, I’d change it.
07:22 You had five turnovers tonight. Steve mentioned you might be trying too hard. Where do you feel like your offensive game is at right now?
07:29 I’m just gonna throw the pass when I know it’s there. Instead of second guessing and making it, I’m a great fucking passer. So I’m just going to-- if I see the pass there, I’m not second guessing. I’m just gonna throw it. If I turn it over, I turn it over, but I’m a great passer, so I won’t second guess my pass. I’m just going to throw it when I know it’s there.
07:47 Have you been second guessing?
07:49 Sometimes, but I’m just gonna pass the ball.
🫶💙💛