Warriors vs Timberwolves - Game 1

[Upperclass]

He will probably be out until a game 7. The issue would be.. in what role do you play him in that game 7

[AirP.]

Curry looks like he won't be reevaluated until after game 4. GS needs to win 1 of the next 3 games. The earliest he comes back is game 5 (next Wednesday). This also lets Butler know he's the main guy now for the next 3 games. I'm also expecting some routine Kuminga time with Butler not on the court.

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[wco81]

I don't see Jimmy being a volume scorer and shot creator.

Not unless he can go to the line 10-15 times a game

Sometimes he looks good on those midrange pull-ups, other times, it looks rough. I don't see the playoffs Jimmy from a few years ago.

Hope I'm wrong.

[AirP.]

I don't see Jimmy being a volume scorer and shot creator.

Not unless he can go to the line 10-15 times a game

Sometimes he looks good on those midrange pull-ups, other times, it looks rough. I don't see the playoffs Jimmy from a few years ago.

Hope I'm wrong.

He's still limping some so he's not completely healed from that round 1 fall where he missed 1 1/2 games so he's somewhat limited with his movement, the question now is can he be less limited in the near future or possibly mask the issue with medicine like he has in the past to play less limited. I would think he wouldn't go to the medical options until game 4 or 5. Game 4 GS "could" be down 2-1, this would give him another 5-6 days before having to go with the medical option.

Even with Butler out 1 1/2 games last series, he put up 3 25+ point games in the 5 1/2 games he played last round. The recent years where he's not scored well in the playoffs with Miami were because he got injured with players going under his legs causing ankle and knee issues, this current injury is more manageable but hope for no random f***ed up play with someone taking out his legs.

[Jester_]

hammy is a bitch. Harden probably lost a championship shot thanks to that. Booker came back in the same series but wasn't the same. Klay came back as well but... we saw what happened when he did that

we're gonna need some Jimmy heroics

[AirP.]

hammy is a bitch. Harden probably lost a championship shot thanks to that. Booker came back in the same series but wasn't the same. Klay came back as well but... we saw what happened when he did that

we're gonna need some Jimmy heroics

For some context of Butler's role so far in Golden State as the 2nd option and the last 2 playoffs Butler played in Miami as the top option.

Per Game
Golden State (2nd option)
24-25 13.3 FGA, 18.6 ppg, 6.7 reb, 5.3 ast (7 games)

Miami (1st option)
21-22 19.3 FGA, 27.4 ppg, 7.4 reb, 4.6 ast (17 games)
22-23 20.1 FGA, 26.9 ppg, 6.5 reb, 5.9 ast (22 games)

[wco81]

hammy is a bitch. Harden probably lost a championship shot thanks to that. Booker came back in the same series but wasn't the same. Klay came back as well but... we saw what happened when he did that

we're gonna need some Jimmy heroics

For some context of Butler's role so far in Golden State as the 2nd option and the last 2 playoffs Butler played in Miami as the top option.

Per Game
Golden State (2nd option)
24-25 13.3 FGA, 18.6 ppg, 6.7 reb, 5.3 ast (7 games)

Miami (1st option)
21-22 19.3 FGA, 27.4 ppg, 7.4 reb, 4.6 ast (17 games)
22-23 20.1 FGA, 26.9 ppg, 6.5 reb, 5.9 ast (22 games)

Jimmy is younger than Steph and when he gathers, he shows plenty of bounce.

But I remember is playoffs runs when he was scoring 40 a couple of times in a series and he would just be able to beat his man, either going downhill along the right side of the lane or pulling up with fade away jumper from 8 feet or less.

Just not seeing that enough. Maybe he's trying to facilitate too much but more and more, commentators are saying he should have shot it instead of passing with less than 5 seconds left and his teammate couldn't get up a good shot.

Not seeing the multiple pump fakes and then exploiting when the defender leaves his feet.

Even some times when he was matched up against FVV or Conley, he wasn't forcing the issue.

During the season, he would attack when switched out on centers but he hasn't done that as much in the Houston series or in this last game. He could turn the corners on them but might not be able to get off a clean shot so maybe look to draw foul against slower big men.

[AirP.]

hammy is a bitch. Harden probably lost a championship shot thanks to that. Booker came back in the same series but wasn't the same. Klay came back as well but... we saw what happened when he did that

we're gonna need some Jimmy heroics

For some context of Butler's role so far in Golden State as the 2nd option and the last 2 playoffs Butler played in Miami as the top option.

Per Game
Golden State (2nd option)
24-25 13.3 FGA, 18.6 ppg, 6.7 reb, 5.3 ast (7 games)

Miami (1st option)
21-22 19.3 FGA, 27.4 ppg, 7.4 reb, 4.6 ast (17 games)
22-23 20.1 FGA, 26.9 ppg, 6.5 reb, 5.9 ast (22 games)

Jimmy is younger than Steph and when he gathers, he shows plenty of bounce.

But I remember is playoffs runs when he was scoring 40 a couple of times in a series and he would just be able to beat his man, either going downhill along the right side of the lane or pulling up with fade away jumper from 8 feet or less.

Just not seeing that enough. Maybe he's trying to facilitate too much but more and more, commentators are saying he should have shot it instead of passing with less than 5 seconds left and his teammate couldn't get up a good shot.

Not seeing the multiple pump fakes and then exploiting when the defender leaves his feet.

Even some times when he was matched up against FVV or Conley, he wasn't forcing the issue.

During the season, he would attack when switched out on centers but he hasn't done that as much in the Houston series or in this last game. He could turn the corners on them but might not be able to get off a clean shot so maybe look to draw foul against slower big men.

He's in facilitator mode, when he's in scoring mode it's a completely different game from him. I believe he has to be in the right mindset to go into scoring mode, you can usually tell because he seems to feed off of talking **** to the other team to keep himself going. Sometimes if someone talks **** to him it'll get him going which you got to see when he and Brooks started talking ****.

[WarriorGM]

The team could use one of the guys going on a Jeremy Lin Linsanity kind of run right about now. Thing is, is the team open to it?

[Twinkie defense]

Winning game one on the road was found money. If they can manage to win game two (I am not counting on it) that will be friggen hilarious for the Wolves.

Kerr has not run a lot of Curryless lineups out there this season! It will be a mad scientist lineup. Wonder which way he goes, and how well it works. Seems like you want some shooting so maybe you bring Post back in?

[ILOVEIT]

I posted this on general game thread....

Wolves are a collection of low NBA IQ ISO players. Ant, Randle....THOSE are the guys leading the team?

Given that, I think Wolves continue to let down a bit in game 2 BECAUSE Curry won't be playing. It's a massive trap game for them.

The loss of Curry will keep the Warriors desperate. I would not be shocked if, given a decent shooting performance from Buddy and/or Podz and a little bit from Kuminga, Warriors win game two as well.

[Upperclass]

Wolves arent low IQ.

Ant can play, Conley is very experienced, McDaniels game knowledge is solid and Naz Reid knows how to play. Their issue is their coach cant or doesnt make in-game adjustments and the lane is clogged with Rudy. Both obviously work in the Warriors favor, also particularly when they go small because their bigs arent fast. The Dubs can double Rudy and cause turnovers and Ant then drives into a crowded paint. The Wolves will likely be up 2-1 however while Jimmy rests in game.

[HiRez]

The team could use one of the guys going on a Jeremy Lin Linsanity kind of run right about now. Thing is, is the team open to it?

That's kind of what Hield has been doing. But now they need another one. For some dumbass reason the Wolves were still letting Hield get shots off when he was really the only one who was a deep threat (Draymond excluded). He's likely to get more coverage in game 2 so someone else has to step up. For outside shooting Podz and Post seem the most likely, maybe Moody or Santos. But I have no idea what version of those guys we're going to get night to night, it's terrifying because they've all been dreadful at times lately even though we know all of them are capable of getting hot and knocking down 3s. They don't even need to go nuts but they can't be going like 1-7 and turning the ball over, that's murder. If 2 of those guys score like 10 points and take care of the ball and play defense, we have a chance.

I figure while Steph is out the games are going to have to be defensive, low-scoring battles. And everyone has to chip in. But let's say they can win with 100 points.

Jimmy needs to score even more (probably half from the freethrow line), let's say 24 for him.
Hield 18
Podz 14

That's 56 points, we're more than half way there.

Post 10
Kuminga 8
Draymond 6
GP2 6
Moody 6
Spencer 4
Santos 2
Loon 2

= 100

None of that looks unreasonable to me. What we can't afford are defensive lapses, turnovers, and of course all of the guys going completely cold.

[wco81]

Podz had a 26-point game vs. Houston.

he just needs to get to about 14 points, make the open looks

[Samurai]

Podz had a 26-point game vs. Houston.

he just needs to get to about 14 points, make the open looks

First he has to shoot those open looks, then hope he makes it. So far he seems afraid to shoot, like the team is going to yell at him if he misses. Maybe that's a function of having the GOAT shooter on the floor with you, but without Curry both Podz and Jimmy need to take a more assertive scorer's mentality. Having a facilitator-first mindset doesn't work so well if you are passing to shooters like JK, Moody, Dray and Looney....or pretty much anybody in the current rotation outside of Buddy.

[510TWSS]

Win at least 1 of the next 3 games. Get to game 5 tied up and hopefully Steph returning? Lfg

[WarriorGM]

The team could use one of the guys going on a Jeremy Lin Linsanity kind of run right about now. Thing is, is the team open to it?

That's kind of what Hield has been doing. But now they need another one. For some dumbass reason the Wolves were still letting Hield get shots off when he was really the only one who was a deep threat (Draymond excluded). He's likely to get more coverage in game 2 so someone else has to step up. For outside shooting Podz and Post seem the most likely, maybe Moody or Santos. But I have no idea what version of those guys we're going to get night to night, it's terrifying because they've all been dreadful at times lately even though we know all of them are capable of getting hot and knocking down 3s. They don't even need to go nuts but they can't be going like 1-7 and turning the ball over, that's murder. If 2 of those guys score like 10 points and take care of the ball and play defense, we have a chance.

I figure while Steph is out the games are going to have to be defensive, low-scoring battles. And everyone has to chip in. But let's say they can win with 100 points.

Jimmy needs to score even more (probably half from the freethrow line), let's say 24 for him.
Hield 18
Podz 14

That's 56 points, we're more than half way there.

Post 10
Kuminga 8
Draymond 6
GP2 6
Moody 6
Spencer 4
Santos 2
Loon 2

= 100

None of that looks unreasonable to me. What we can't afford are defensive lapses, turnovers, and of course all of the guys going completely cold.

None of that looks unreasonable but I don't think that's the best approach precisely because it falls into what I think is too rigid a role assignment. How did you get that scoring order? Expecting Jimmy and Hield to score is fine but you can already expect they will be facing heavier coverage with Steph out and Jimmy isn't at 100% which is part of why we're having this conversation. Putting too much of a load on Podz for me doesn't make that much sense. If he wants to shoot it great but if he's tentative I wouldn't force it. Same with Moody.

Fact is they're young. To me it makes little sense expecting them to step up and fill the hole more than the other guys. This is the kind of situation where experience—even just life experience in general—is particularly valuable. If there is someone on the team who wants to take charge and isn't scared of the moment, I would loosen the reins slightly more for him in this situation. We've seen Draymond score 30+ in a finals elimination game and 18 in just this last game.

All the guys on the team are talented. In any other league many of them could be expected to drop 30 on the regular. In the NBA maybe they cannot do it sustainably at good efficiency and that's why they aren't stars—but over a couple of games?—it should be possible moreso because the opposing team hasn't had time to adapt.