Draymond off the bench, Kuminga starts, Iguodala update
[+more notes & quotes pregame Wizards]
Steve Kerr pregame transcript below, Washington Wizards head coach Wes Unseld, Jr. below that 👇 with video…
• Upcoming plan for Wiseman: “James is going to play in G League tomorrow night…and then nothing beyond that.”
• Draymond Steph Klay: “Draymond brings so much to the table. Our defense will improve immediately as well as our alertness, focus…hard to quantify how much that’s worth…may take a little bit of time to adapt to that…shouldn’t take too long.”
• Asking him to put in the brakes: “…minutes restriction, around twenty minutes or so…gets his feet wet…getting cobwebs off…”
• Wiggins playing? “No. Andrew is sick.”
• Starters: “Jordan and Jonathan will start…Draymond is not starting.”
• Draymond not starting: “We discussed it. Because of the minutes restriction, it’s hard. We found this with Klay. We found this with Otto. It’s really hard to start a guy on a minutes restriction and get him into some of the meaningful parts of the game. This is very temporary, probably just a couple of games…and then he’ll be back in the starting lineup…close the game, close the half…”
• Draymond understanding? “Yeah. We’re just have to be smart. He understands…build him back up…”
• Keep him with Steph? “Not necessarily…his flow…it’ll probably be a combination.”
• Steph Klay Poole segments? “It’s really hard to figure or what the rotation is going to be right now…Draymond…Otto…Gary and Andre’s impending return. We have so many guys…tricky to try to plan ahead…Dra day at a time…”
• Any number of games ideal for Andre before playoffs? “I don’t know…you want him to feel the game, get into a rhythm…probably more than five. It’s hard to put a figure on it. The tricky part is where Andre is in his career right now and what’s happened over the course of the season. He’s gotten banged up a couple of times…don’t wanna bring him back too early…that’s what the teasing staff is thinking about every day.”
WES UNSELD
• Warriors: “…unique challenge. The way they can stretch you out, shoot the three…drive and kicks…finding that next action. You can’t ever relax…”
• Question about Wizards being a quiet group: “…some is it might be the newer guys…”
• Kristaps Porzingis: “I want him to relax…”
• Don’t get discouraged when Warriors go on a run: “…it happens nightly…stay with the process.”
• Draymond Steph and Klay together: “…we’ve seen his impact…one through five, his ability to switch…hands-y…especially when he goes to the five…when they’re at their best they’re gonna be tough to beat…”
• Klay finding his rhythm: “Unfortunately yes. I’m happy for him…pleasure of coaching him his rookie year…hopefully has an off night tonight…”
• Assistant with Warriors: “…the energy…new building…bright that with them…fans…”
• Number One defense even without Draymond: “…second in steals, second in strips…details, those really add up…turn the ball over, we’re gonna fuel their break…”
• Porzingis size advantage: “…you don’t want to stagnate but pounding it in every possession…since the break, Number One in passes per game…”
• Warriors momentum: “…spurtability…. Get our defense set…”
• Porzingis on back to backs: “…the concern was too much too soon…Clear from here on out.”
• Same starters as in LA
• Secret to slow down Steph and Klay: “…these guys have seen every defense…consumed with the immediate action and once they give it up they’re even more dangerous…screens, flares…we have to have that mindset of nothing easy…”
👍👍💛💙