I’m back at home and remote for today’s youngsters test, with all the main vets out for the Golden State Warriors second of a back-to-back at the Toronto Raptors. Notes & quotes in the Comments, best ordered Chronological.
Pregame Zoom video splice with Steve Kerr and Nick Nurse:
Postgame video, see Comments for Notes & Quotes for more:
Jama: “I really respect him…go over film…work me out…good personable guy, polite but at the same time has some dog in him…good guy to have in my corner.”
Scottie Barnes, rookie class: “Yeah, that’s my old job when I was at TNT…idk much about the rest of the guys until we play them…Barnes…played really well tonight.”
Klay raising the ceiling: “Well, he’s Klay Thompson…two-way player…automatically get better…get his footing…not gonna be easy but he’s been working his butt off…it’s gonna be soon but we will become a better team the instant he walks in the floor.”
JK threes: “…going to need to make some shots…to be able to build an offensive game…figuring out ‘what am I…what’s my game’…you have to be able to knock down perimeter shots…I want him shooting open threes but I want him to recognize when to shoot/dribble/pass…only way to figure that out is a lot of reps…(SCW and GSW) all part of the plan.”
Nick Nurse: “…he’s just a very creative coach…not afraid to throw crazy schemes out there, everybody knows about the box and one in the Finals. But we learned from that…we all sort of steal from each other…they way they search for deflections…identity and style…clearly comes from Nick.”
Toronto: “we’ve missed it the last two years…electricity, there’s a love for the game here. It reminds me a lot of the Bay Area…Oracle and whatever bank is sponsoring this arena now (laughs)…handful of arenas that feel that way…always remember the national anthem before Game 1 and all the fans standing…devastating series for us…Klay…Kevin…poor Klay is still recovering from that…but that was pretty incredible time here in this building and the Raptors were great and deserved the championship.”
COVID question: “I’m gonna stay out of that because I will probably misspeak…been really tough, Jordan Poole…we’ve got guys banged up…protect our team going forward…Steph will rest, the other guys will get a couple days to recover from their injuries…”
Jama: “been amazing, just a wonderful addition…work ethic, charisma, energy…such a good track record with player development…veteran core…mentor these younger guys who are really gifted…he really organizes our daily schedule, he’s kinda my chief of staff…”
Kuminga 26-piece: Warriors-Raptors interviews live thread (pregame + postgame)
Protocols: “it’s not the first time it’s happened…we know how to deal with adversity…”
Weird vibe: “…I’ve been playing in a lot of empty gyms in the past two years so it wasn’t too bad.”
Jama: “I really respect him…go over film…work me out…good personable guy, polite but at the same time has some dog in him…good guy to have in my corner.”
Scottie: “I dunked on somebody almost jumping in my arms (example in HS of when Scottie rooted for his teammates)”
More Scottie: “…he was an NBA player in high school…”
Barnes: “…that’s my dog…”
Helping JK: “…if what you have to say benefits me I’m all ears.”
Rookie JK: “…new world…having someone with you makes it a lot better”
JK:…”all the pieces to be a really good player…blueprint…”
37 in G League: “…knowing I have that in my back pocket…skill…”
Recap: “confidence…trust in me…”
*** NEXT UP: MOODY ***
Guidance: “Like I said I’m a sponge. It don’t matter if somebody likes Moody tells me something…just learn from there.”
What do you observe: “How people are moving…be yourself…”
Good situation: “It’s a great situation…there’s days I don’t play…it’s a long season…I’m learning every single day.”
Patience: “trust the process…be a sponge…”
Rookie: “…be a sponge…”
Drive vs shoot: “…always staying consistent…if he gives me a lot of space (take the three or) attack the rim…”
Threes: “…(opponents know you’re gonna) drive…working on that (corner shot)…”
Recap: “…had to play hard to get my minutes…just go out there and play hard.”
*** NEXT UP: JK ***
How excited to go home: “Very excited”
Nine guys: “…do what we do…”
Reaction to rest: “…a lot of young guys…play together…in and out…”
JK progression: “…his games in the G League helped tremendously…Ignite helped him…more reps…know where his shots are gonna be…”
JK greatness? “…elite two-way player…he’s super young…”
Recap: “We just started slow. In the second half made them feel us a little more…picked it up a little late…”
JK: “…only way to get better in this league is to get better and get reps…Jeff…Jonathan…”
JK: “…learn on nights like this…together, bring our energy, bring our effort. It was a weird vibe (half fans)…”
*** NEXT UP: GP ***
Scottie Barnes, rookie class: “Yeah, that’s my old job when I was at TNT…idk much about the rest of the guys until we play them…Barnes…played really well tonight.”
Klay raising the ceiling: “Well, he’s Klay Thompson…two-way player…automatically get better…get his footing…not gonna be easy but he’s been working his butt off…it’s gonna be soon but we will become a better team the instant he walks in the floor.”
Road trip: “Big success to go 3-2…two b2bs…proud of the guys…bounce back really quickly with a game Monday night…”
Moody: “…got a good feel…feel the athleticism…get the reps, figure out his own spots…having this kind of action on tape…they’ll learn a lot.”
JK threes: “…going to need to make some shots…to be able to build an offensive game…figuring out ‘what am I…what’s my game’…you have to be able to knock down perimeter shots…I want him shooting open threes but I want him to recognize when to shoot/dribble/pass…only way to figure that out is a lot of reps…(SCW and GSW) all part of the plan.”
JK: “Good to see him get some threes…gonna need more than one rebound…high his ceiling is…all in one night…”
Zoom started late: “…first half we were on our heels…”
*** KERR POSTGAME ***
*** THREAD TO BE CONTINUED AT POSTGAME ***
Nick Nurse: “…he’s just a very creative coach…not afraid to throw crazy schemes out there, everybody knows about the box and one in the Finals. But we learned from that…we all sort of steal from each other…they way they search for deflections…identity and style…clearly comes from Nick.”
50% capacity: “…sad to hear that but understandable…gonna support the NBA…”
Toronto: “we’ve missed it the last two years…electricity, there’s a love for the game here. It reminds me a lot of the Bay Area…Oracle and whatever bank is sponsoring this arena now (laughs)…handful of arenas that feel that way…always remember the national anthem before Game 1 and all the fans standing…devastating series for us…Klay…Kevin…poor Klay is still recovering from that…but that was pretty incredible time here in this building and the Raptors were great and deserved the championship.”
Testing okay? “Yes”
Last-minute decision: “…we weren’t sure how many people were going to pass the test so there was a lot left up in the air.”
COVID question: “I’m gonna stay out of that because I will probably misspeak…been really tough, Jordan Poole…we’ve got guys banged up…protect our team going forward…Steph will rest, the other guys will get a couple days to recover from their injuries…”
Jama: “been amazing, just a wonderful addition…work ethic, charisma, energy…such a good track record with player development…veteran core…mentor these younger guys who are really gifted…he really organizes our daily schedule, he’s kinda my chief of staff…”
Scheduling: “part of the NBA…just so happens that this surge occurred (now)…hopefully see things settled down…”
Protocols: “…the whole league now is in a precarious spot…all that stuff we factored in (with all the guys resting)”
Anything in particular for JK: “No…reps”
Youngsters: “…they’re gonna get tested and it’s gonna be good for them.”