Question from MT: How does it impact you that there isn't a consistent place to go when they're taking you off the ball and you're not going? Is it any different than if you had like somebody next to you who is an automatic 30 or that it could be this guy, this guy, this guy that night? Does that impact you at all that it's kind of based on how you guys are playing and who's got it going?
Steph's full answer: That's the challenge of this team because we've had inconsistencies on that front and like, I'm never going to shy away from my responsibility when it comes to playing well every night. I didn't play well tonight, didn't play a smart enough basketball game that could counter some of that pressure and try to make it easy on guys around me.
Our challenge for this team is to understand how we play offense and how we create shots, everybody be aggressive and ready. It's hard because in the starting lineup, you don't know if you're going to get 8 shots or 15 shots or 20 every once in a while. But being ready, being aggressive, not playing on your heels, for us that's when we're at our best. We haven't always done it, so that's why we have been inconsistent, why our record is what it is, but the top end of how we play and when it's clicking, it's still a potent offense. It's just got to be a solid chemistry between everybody and when it's not, it looks like it did tonight.
Interesting indication from Steph last night that there’s still not an actual offensive hierarchy in the starting lineup. They’ve never really played with one with the exception of Steph being at the obvious top and it’s been that way on purpose because motion offense dictates that he player who takes the shot at the end is the one who has the best look with their ball movement dictating who and what that look is, which changes offensive possession to offensive possession. That said, it’s seemed just based on the change in style of play in the starting lineup, with the addition of more iso into it, over the last several weeks that they had made a pivot to a a more deliberate, set offensive hierarchy. But apparently not.
15 comments
It’s almost like this is a coaching problem.
This was a flow issue. I think this has a lot to do with JK forcing things.
Indiana definitely did their homework on the uptick of pick and roll with TJD out there.
If anything, subbing Steph out in the first was a questionable move considering his hot start.
It was an interesting answer for sure. He knows all the offense runs through him and if he’s not having it then it’s an issue. JK is having a hard time to score in this lineup and he’s also lost when teams scout him in advance. Wiggins needs to be reminded to get aggressive. No one is counting on Podz or Dray offensively, they can score but they’re basically non offensive threats. They just go out there every night and try to get Steph the ball, when he’s not aggressive or can’t make shots – it usually doesn’t work well.
“Everyone on the team is at least 3 out of 5 – short, old, slow, unathletic and inexperienced. Besides that, we’re poorly coached. Otherwise, everything is great!”
Sounds like he’s talking about JK
It’s true though, JK took way too many shots last night. Idk if it was to get himself going or what not, or whether he was trying to be too aggressive, but it didn’t work and he probably lost us the game. Meanwhile, Steph and Klay was hot.
JK needs to recognise when teams gameplan for him more, and generate higher quality shots for the offense. Pass it to Steph if it isn’t there. It’s funny because this is the same thing we were berating Klay about.
Unless Steph is at best offensively, he is a significant liability on defense these days. More often than not, he is either ball-watching, over-helping, or out of position, which allowing opposing teams to seize any leads we establish. The same issue is with Podz.
Seems like he is playing injured, he clearly regressed on how many times he drives to the basket(he hardly does anymore).
GP2 is playing too casually as if at a YMCA with many defensive lapses, turn overs etc.
Dray aged like 10 years playing center for the last handful of games.
If steph can’t bring his A game better mail it in
I read it as “we don’t know if Kerr is going to bench us if we are on fire or if Kerr is going to bench us after a single mistake”
I’m wondering if it’s worth the risks and drawbacks of making Klay a starter again. He’s been so much better on the bench but Steph being the only scorer during his minutes just isn’t working. Defenses just throw their entire gameplan at Steph. Steph is old. This ain’t 2021. He can’t single handedly do it by himself anymore. The spacing Steph and Klay get off each other might just be worth it, even if Klay isn’t a very good starter anymore.
It’s actually pretty obvious from last few months that podz and kuminga were not passing Steph the ball even when he’s open in some instances. They are holding on the ball for too long. Even second units , we are not really passing to Klay when he is hot. CP3 helps a lot tho, without him our balls pretty much won’t move anymore..
Steph should always have the ball and be number 1 in the pecking order. You don’t see anyone trying to have the ball out of brons hands. They would be on the trading block.
This is what you get when Steph is the only guy who can create his own shot.
The team is obviously out of balance, and simply hasn’t figured out the recent issues. They do lack an obvious #2 with the decline of Klay and the spotty presence of JK. It’s always someone different stepping up, which can be a little frustrating for guys having bad nights. The system seems to be lacking.
i’m seeing kuminga getting a huge chunk of blame or some thinking he isn’t the solution now or even going forward for the warriors after yesterday’s game
shows you how reactive this fan base is with some players not only here but seeing it on social media outlets too and how fast many will turn on their own even when for the most part they’re playing well
kuminga certainly was bad friday night but it was his first “bad game” in nearly 3 weeks, ever since the celtics game but lets be real every one was bad that game for the warriors
in his previous 8 games kuminga averaged 22.4 pts on 56/53/84 splits
he shot 50% or better in 6 of those 8 games and didn’t have a FG % worse than 45%, scored 20+ pts in 6 of the 8 games, and had a positive +/- in 6 of the 8 games to
not even mentioning that for the last 2 months from when around draymond returned kuminga legit has been a #2 scoring option for this warriors team on a team that has gone 19-12
with kumminga has averaging 20.6 pts on 56/41/79 splits in his last 31 games before last night
all 21 years old struggle from time to time as they continue to develop
It was infuriating when Steph didn’t touch the ball in back-to-back possessions in the final minutes. Believe the results were a wild Klay runner and a contested Kuminga “hook shot.” 0 points.
This is a transition period. The passing of the torch.