But after 102 minutes, he has grabbed just nine rebounds (only one more than rookie guard Brandin Podziemski had in this game alone), is shooting just 15-for-32 on twos, 2-for-11 on threes, and 7-for-12 on free throws, has committed more than three times as many fouls as stonks, and has more than twice as many turnovers as assists. ![]() The season is mighty young, and the Warriors are certainly expressing plenty of public faith in Wiggins. The blowout spared us of any conversations about Wiggins and the closing lineup, but it certainly didn’t put him in a position where we’ll expect him to be there for the next close game. There were definitely some good signs for Wiggins in this game, but on the whole it was a continuation of what has been a very difficult start to the season for the 2022 All-Star. Andrew WigginsĢ0 minutes, 9 points, 3 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 2 fouls, 4-for-8 shooting, 1-for-2 threes, 0-2 free throws, 50.7% TS, +10 Post-game bonus: Led the team in plus/minus. The frontcourt depth means the Dubs may not have to overwork Looney as much as they did the last two years, which could mean he’ll be even more energized on game days. ![]() It was also Looney’s best offensive game of the season, as he started to find his rhythm moving the ball, rolling to the right spot, and setting screens. He made life miserable for Jonas Valančiūnas, who needed 11 shots (and a pair of free throws) to collect his 11 points, and finished with just six rebounds after being eighth in the Association in boards per game a year ago. This was the epitome of the Looney experience, which is to say it was quietly excellent. Kevon LooneyĢ5 minutes, 8 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 3-for-5 shooting, 2-for-2 free throws, 68.0% TS, +19 Post-game bonus: Led the team in assists. He’s still shaking the rust off, but he’s getting close. Oh, and he also played awesome defense on Zion Williamson. Dray has very clearly made his conditioning and effort a huge priority, and since he’s not in a contract year, that can only tell us one thing: he thinks the Warriors have a great shot this year. That may be frustrating, but it’s also vital data for us. During the team’s 15-win season in 2019-20, Green admitted that he didn’t take the games or his conditioning as seriously as usual, because he knew they wouldn’t be very competitive. If you pay close attention to the Dubs, you’ve probably noticed a strong correlation between Green’s effort and the team’s prospects. That it was a road back-to-back, that Green is a 33 year old with a decent number of recent injuries, and that he missed all of training camp only makes it more impressive.Īnd that’s before you remember that it was an ankle injury, so it’s not like he was able to run during all those practices he was missing.īut Green being in good shape is meaningful beyond him being available for this game. In this era of load management, it’s nearly unheard of for a player to return from a lengthy absence and jump straight into a back-to-back. My biggest takeaway from Green’s game is that I’m incredibly impressed with his conditioning. ![]() Draymond GreenĢ2 minutes, 6 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 3-for-8 shooting, 0-for-2 threes, 37.5% TS, +6 Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a measure of scoring efficiency that accounts for threes and free throws. As always, players are graded based on my expectations for them, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player. It’s time to sit at the desk and grade the players, and there won’t be much red pen for this one. It was a performance made all the more impressive by the fact that Klay Thompson and Jonathan Kuminga didn’t play, though that was offset by the fact that Brandon Ingram and Trey Murphy III were out for NOLA. The Golden State Warriors, who did not have a single three-game road winning streak all of last season, and who did not win their third road game of the year until December 18, walloped the previously-unbeaten New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night 130-102, giving them three straight road wins to open the year, and a mighty impressive back-to-back.
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