Mike Brown’s cookie, Barbosa’s “wonderful spirit” + more from Kings-Warriors
[notes/quotes/video: DiVincenzo injury, 2nd unit D, Wiseman hook shot + PNR w/ Steph]
Whew, a lot of different topics and narratives from the Golden State Warriors’ home win against the Sacramento Kings yesterday. Never seen so much negativity on social media about the Warriors after a win lol. But if you comb through our YouTube channel comments, you’ll see that the positivity is still holding strong.
On that note, gotta start with Mike Brown and Leandro Barbosa stories from the pregame (and so we’ll keep the order chronological unlike last article’s departure). Podium notes/quotes/video below: Steve Kerr, Brown, Jordan Poole, James Wiseman, Andrew Wiggins and Stephen Curry.
STEVE PREGAME
DISCLAIMER: These are all just notes for my main workflow of YouTube videos, tweeted by beatwriters, as listed, or transcribed by me. I used to transcribe every interview but it became too tedious and not worth the investment for the small amount of views we got on the soundbites on YouTube. The links to the tweets are not available because sometimes I don’t use the full tweet and just having a ton of tweets on this website imo isn’t aesthetically pleasing and gets away from the main goal: transferring information (not so much entertainment) to the brains of DubNation asap.
• Steve Kerr pregame on Mike Brown complementing him.
• On the second unit: “I don’t think that group has looked bad,” also guys coming from different teams. (me)
• On the problems on defense last game: “That game will help us quite a bit…I expect we’ll be better. It’s still early…gotta set a tone defensively.” (me)
• Patrick Baldwin, Jr. is good to go. Kerr says he’s “hopeful” we see Baldwin on the floor making his NBA debut tonight. (me, Dalton Johnson)
• On Wiseman: “All of those things come with experience…great training camp. He’s really started to figure things out.” (me)
• On Leandro Barbosa: “LB has always been a great teammate…wonderful spirit, zest for life. When LB walks in the room, everybody smiles…living in a submarine with 60 people…he knows a lot of the current players in the league…I used to tell him…’LB, you’re like our 6th-best player right now (in 2019-21)…can you play for 5 or 6 straight games without being injured. Sustaining yourself in this league…if you just threw him out in a game the average fan would not notice the difference.” (me)
• On presenting Brown and Barbosa their rings: “both guys are special to me.” (me)
• On who on the coaching staff has helped made up for Brown: “We have a lot of continuity on the staff…moved up the ladder…Jama…Kenny…DeMarco is still playing a huge role on our defensive side of the ball.” (me)
• On comparing Brown’s situation: “He’s got a bigger job in terms of laying the foundation…his energy is infectious.” (me)
• On Jordan Poole’s struggles in first two games: “It’s a group that hasn’t played much together…there’s a couple things we can tweak…put Jordan in position…but I don’t worry about him…that’s why we gave him the contract we gave him. He’s a guy who deeply cares…it’s a long season, don’t worry about that.” (me)
• On balancing Draymond’s minutes: “I listen to Rick (Celebrini)…it’s day to day, it’s game to game…let’s not forget, Draymond missed half a year…for us to rush him back would be super-irresponsible…protect them from themselves.” (me)
• On Looney’s ramp-up, references Celebrini again. (me)
• On Brown the tactician: “He’s been studying the Xs and Os for a long, long time…sees the game like a chess board.” (me)
MIKE BROWN PREGAME
• Mike Brown pays tribute to GSW staff, mentions being in the league 31 years: “I gotta give a shout out to Chef Bert…I was excited to eat this cookie! (smiles)…I wanted you guys to watch me take my first bite…this right here is what I’ve been waiting for.” (me)
• On the cookie: “This is a 9-and-a-half…I drink 1% milk…minus the milk it’s a 9.5.” (me)
• On getting started this season: “I didn’t help them much against Portland down the stretch…I do feel we made steps forward as a staff…we need to trend up more than back.”
• On receiving the ring tonight: He’s got his family here, “Man, starting with Joe Lacob…Bob Myers…Steve Kerr…Draymond and Andre (mentioned those players first before the rest including Steph et al)…this is fantastic for me.” (me)
• On what smoothie he is drinking: “Banana and strawberry..,Bert adds the right amount of honey.” (me)
• On the weird feeling of being a visitor at Chase: “It is weird. This is first time I’ve ever come down the loading dock. I had no clue where the coaches offices were.” (me)
• On what relationship he’d like to have with Kerr going forward: “Hopefully right now it’s to kick his ass…I feel like I’m a 100% better coach because of that man (Kerr)…the stuff that can’t be measured…culture…preparation…you talk about just a good human being…we’ll have a friendship for the rest of our lives.” (me)
• On De’Aaron Fox and first SAC player ever to start off with b2b 30-point games: “You just keep putting him in those situations…he’s stronger and more athletic than what people give him credit for,” also saying he “jumped” Fox for a Paul George dunk, then next time Fox “took the hit in the chest…for me, that right there, was the play of the game…that shows growth…close defensively down the stretch…I know he can score…up there with Ja (Morant).” (me)
• On what he’s learned: “it’s bigger than that (Xs and Os and schemes)…I truly believe you wanna have a sustained winning culture…I’ve been (lucky) to work with two of the best (Popovich and Kerr)…connectivity with the group…off the frickin’ charts…Erik Spoelstra…nobody talks about the Heat Xs and Os…(it’s the) Heat culture.” (me)
• On Keegan Murray: “I’m not sure yet because I’m learning something new about him every day…when we first drafted him I thought he might be a power forward. By the end of Summer League, wooh…very very good two-way guy…guard a lot of positions.” (me)
• On bouncing back: “If there’s a pink elephant in the room, I’m just gonna address it…you have to incorporate more free throws in your routine.” (me)
PREGAME VIEWS
LIVESTREAM COMMENTARY
46:00 Warriors chemistry compared to other teams (avoid predictions!)
47:00 don't care about awards like Klay All-Star or All-Defensive (outrage, not entertainment)
1:00:00 Wiseman will play off Richaun Holmes
1:03:00 Steph didn't play entire Q1
1:11:00 Jordan Poole now shockingly 8-for-11 from FT line this season
1:12:30 friendly reminder why I don't do predictions: enjoy the process!
1:14:30 watch the game the way I do and you will have longevity in gratitude/enjoyment
1:17:00 Wiseman might start over Looney depending on matchups
1:18:30 if Wiseman finishes a game, that's okay too. Who cares who starts? JP/Wise PNR
1:33:30 WE'RE GETTING WIGGS AT A $10M DISCOUNT!
1:35:30 Wiggins high IQ in getting the ball back to an open Steph
1:36:00 If Steph hits 6 rings is he the GOAT over MJ?
2:06:00 Klay walking off the court before the timeout!
2:11:00 why JP said "my fault" to Draymond's turnover: JP retreated out of the paint
2:19:00 JP, Moody, JK, JaMychal, and Wiseman! Last possession of Q3
2:21:30 is our center rotation of Looney & Wiseman 2nd-best to Jokic-DAJ?
2:26:30 Wiseman does meditation! SportsIllustrated article by Howard Beck
2:33:00 starters should have more fresh legs this year
2:35:00 Klay was slow getting back
2:59:00 you can't say Klay has a bad attitude if he's pissed at himself
3:07:00 stop throwing our guys under the bus! This isn't Twitter
3:25:30 maybe Donte being injured will work itself out with bench rotation/issues
4:23:00 seems like Warriors will practice tomorrow on travel day (they need it!)
IN-GAME BEHIND-THE-SCENES
STEPH POSTGAME ON-COURT
STEVE POSTGAME
• Steve Kerr recap: “They did a good job getting back into the game, but we won. I'm looking at the positive…We played at times brilliantly. We couldn't sustain it. ... We let our guard down and they took advantage of it…They (Kings) did a good job getting back in the game but we won. So I’m looking at the positive…Give Mike (Brown) a lot of credit. They’re fighting and competing…We let our guard down but we’ll learn from that.” (CJ Holmes, Janie McCauley, 95.7 The Game)
• Donte DiVencenzo left with a hamstring injury. Warriors don't know severity of it. He will not travel to Phoenix for Tuesday night's game. They will re-evaluate after. Then 5 game road trip. (Anthony Slater, John Dickinson)
• On his bench players: “You’ve got a group of reserves out there, those guys should be dying to be on the floor and flying around and playing with huge energy. There was no juice, no life to that group and we're gonna have to find what we're looking for in terms of energy and leadership. It's not entirely fair to them, put all those guys together (without starters) but it's a tough league. Sink or swim.” (Kerith Burke)
JP POSTGAME
NOTE: There were not many tweets with quotes that summarized the interview, therefore the full transcription as provided by Warriors PR is below. Often times it is more tedious to read through entire transcriptions, therefore I usually prefer to put the content of tweets here instead.
ON HOW HE WOULD RATE THE CHEMISTRY OF THE RESERVES:
“Still trying to figure it out. What lineups and rotations fit the best. Yeah, it’s only the third game of the season, so it will take a little bit of time. We do a lot with our rotations early on in the season. Just trying to figure out what the best lineups and matchups are. Just trying to gain chemistry all around the board.”
ON IF HE FEELS HE’S THE FOCAL POINT OF THE SECOND UNIT:
“Somewhat just being the primary ballhandler. Trying to control the game a little bit, but also still making the right play. Later in that fourth, we had a younger lineup in there, so just finding ways to close the game if anything. I know we had a big lead, just trying to find ways to close the game, make the right decisions, and continue to play our offense. I think that’s something we will gain over the course of the season.”
ON IF HE FEELS THAT DEFENSES ARE NOW FOCUSING MORE ON HIM THIS SEASON:
“Most definitely. Even if you look at our season earlier last year, the second lineup that we had taken a little bit to get right, to get comfortable. It’s only our third game. It’s only our third game and we have new players. We are trying to get people acclimated and we have a lot of new guys. It just comes with time. Especially the type and style of basketball we play. Trying to get everybody into their roles, their positions, and what they're good at and put them in positions to be successful. I know I’ll be a focal point, but you still find ways to dominate the second unit or whenever I’m out there on the court.”
ON IF HE FEELS THAT THEY STILL NEED TO FIND AN IDENTITY ON DEFENSE OVER TIME:
“Everything does. Offensively, defensively, chemistry, rotations, and personnel. Everything. It’s only our third game, we’ll figure it out as we go. Our coaches put us in situations to be successful. Just try and win games early on and everything else will kind of take care of itself.”
ON THEIR SECOND QUARTER:
“It was really fun. Eighty-nine points in the first half is crazy.”
WISE POSTGAME
ON HIS SCORING AND REBOUNDING IN THE FIRST HALF:
“Just being patient and just playing within the system and not rushing the shot. If it’s a shot that’s open and it’s inside the paint I just shoot it.”
ON WORKING ON HIS HOOK SHOT AND FLOATERS IN THE LANE:
“I’ve been working on that a lot. Me and Decky (Dejan Milojević) been putting in a lot of work in the gym working on that and hook shots, even though I didn’t make it over Davion Mitchell, but I’m going to do better next time.”
ON HOW HARD THOSE SHOTS ARE TO HIT AS A YOUNG PLAYER:
“It’s not tough for me. I just use my touch because I work on it a lot in the lab, so I just take it into the game.”
ON HIS SYNERGY WITH JORDAN POOLE IN THE SECOND UNIT:
“I mean it’s going good right now. We just have to keep up the chemistry and we got 79 games left, so we just have to keep going.”
ON THEIR LAPSES IN THE SECOND HALF:
“In the second half, we just came out slow. In the first half, it was way better, we came out with a lot of energy, and in the second half the energy just kind of went down. I mean that happens in the game. It just happens, it’s the NBA.”
ON THEIR SECOND UNIT COHESION WITH THE INJURIES:
“It's getting better. The pace is getting there, the fluidity of the offense is getting there, the system. We still have a lot of mishaps and a lot of missed assignments, but it’s getting better, especially since preseason it’s way better.”
WIGGS POSTGAME
• Andrew Wiggins: “we’re all tied together.” (me)
• On if his quest and focus for All-Defensive Team hurts his chances for All-Star: “I’m trying to do both.” (me)
• On the lulls tonight: “We just gotta put it all together…have a good defensive game.” (me)
STEPH POSTGAME
• Steph Curry was asked if he thought he was done for the night and wouldn’t play the fourth quarter: “Yes (smiles).” (95.7 The Game)
• Curry says he did expect not to come back into the game, but “Get exposed a little bit to understand what it means to win…we kinda got lulled into a little bit of iso ball…perfect recipe for a comeback.” (95.7 The Game, me)
• On how to advise the young guys: “We can say, like, ‘In 2012 we went through this too’…we make it look easy at times and that’s built over a decade of work…to sustain that 48 minutes is a long time…you have to feel it…We could have the best 11-man rotation in the league…but you have to earn that and we’re gonna go through that process…It's part of the growth of young guys trying to understand how hard it is to win in this league.” (me, Dalton Johnson)
• On actions with Wiseman compared to his rookie year: “sacrificing his body to make good screens. I even like the (screens that are called fouls)…again, it’s just reps and reps and reps. Pick and roll can be lethal with him…he’s trying to do all the right things.” (me)
• Curry was asked if he’d like to get more two-man action with James Wiseman: “Ah, the age-old more pick and roll question. Let’s run pick and roll every possession and see what happens. Not really, though.” (Whitley Sandretto)
• On the ramp up of Draymond and Klay: “Knowing everybody’s gonna have an opportunity…Draymond has found that burst…Klay…gotten hot a couple runs…it’s frustrating for him, he’s trying to balance being a threat on the floor (with looking at the clock knowing he’s coming out soon).” (me)
• On if they can lean on the chemistry of last season: “there’s a lot of confidence in that (last season’s championship lineup)…you have to continue to focus on that through this early season process.” (me)
👍👍💛💙