Game 3 W 104-93
Game 4 W 109-106
Game 5 L 116-131
Warriors up 3-2 over Houston Rockets (first to 4 wins advances to the 2nd round)
Let’s remember that it was only a few months ago when it seemed unlikely that the Warriors would even make the play-in much less the playoffs. They are a far better team than they were a few months ago, mostly due to Jimmy Butler’s profound influence on the team and the luck that no one is out injured right now - even though many of them are nursing significant injuries. Let’s remember that because the playoffs are designed to make a person think that every single moment of every single game is either the best or the worst thing to ever happen.
Playoff games I have to watch more than once because there’s a part of me that can’t believe what I saw. The part that is the fan takes over and I’m watching in suspended disbelief.
Did you see that?
Can you believe it when?
And then when they?
I know!
I lose all my adjectives, most of my verbs and every proper noun. Because how do you suddenly get better like that? Get tougher? Get stronger? Get faster? Get injured and carry on?
The playoffs are a different beast entirely. Going from the regular season to the playoffs can be a shock. It is way more physical. There have been scuffles just short of fights in every series I’ve watched - Dubs/Houston, Knicks/Pistons, Magic/Celtics, Clippers/Nuggets. Playing a series of games against each other creates friction even if there was none before.
The games are lower scoring. There are endless fouls not called. And somehow there are also endless fouls called. A ridiculous amount of long official reviews. There are grudges held and grudges created. It’s won by defense and rebounding. This can make for close games but not often a pretty game. All the free flow of a typical Warriors game is absent. These games are won by who is willing to dive on the floor, to go for a rebound and are often won by role players sinking shots - maybe not in the final moments, but throughout the game to keep them in it.
Game 3: The GPII/Steph game (Jimmy Butler III is out injured)
The thing about Steph is that it’s impossible to write about him. There is nothing I could write that could even attempt to reach the level of greatness that he is at, the level of his ability to take over a game, not only with his shooting but with his mind. It’s a Jedi mind trick. Everyone knows that when Steph has a certain look in his eye that he is unstoppable whether he is draining shots or not, although the inevitable conclusion of that look in his eye is that he will drain shots. (Jump to 1:30 to see the assists to GPII and the 3 over Jalen Green)
He has this down to a science. So much so that he makes it look like art. With the high arc and quick release of his ball, with the shoulder shimmy after, the way he runs back on defense before the ball enters the cylinder. But this version of Steph does more than that. This version of Steph blocked shots, had steals, and propelled his teammates to new heights - namely Gary Payton II who was the unexpected star of the show with back cuts and 3s and defensive stops.
In Game 3, Steph played over 40 minutes, the first time he’s done that since the 2023 Sacramento playoff series. You can bet Curry wanted to prove that he can do it. That even though he is running around the court more than anyone else, that he can be just as fresh in the 4th quarter as he is in the 1st. That Coach Kerr gives him rest time but that he doesn’t need rest time. He gets these chances rarely and he made the most of it.
Game 4: The Buddy/Butler Game
Because the Rockets double team Steph, other Warriors are wide open and should get easy looks. That has been true the whole series but the problem has been that they have not been making the easy 3s. Finally Podz and Buddy stepped up to the plate, sinking 3s like we haven’t seen in a while. But Buddy gets the standout notice because of his defense. Buddy is mocked on defense by his teammates and targeted by other teams. But in this game, he held up just enough that others didn’t have to come help him out which made a huge difference over time. He had steals, he had stops. I’ve seen a similar situation build for two seasons with Poole on the Wizards - he also has a reputation for being bad on defense and like Hield his reputation does not match his actual ability. When a player known for being bad on D becomes good enough on defense, that can throw the other team. Their game plan is to drive at Buddy and even though that’s not working as well as they think it should, they continue to do it, thinking that eventually the law of averages will work out. Except sometimes, the player has gotten better and the scouting report hasn’t caught up.
Hield (and Podz) keep sinking threes to keep the Warriors in the game and Butler takes over in the 4th quarter with his ability to draw fouls and sink free throws. Exactly the quality that the Warriors did not have. Butler ends up with 14 points in the 4th quarter.
I can’t let this game go without the defensive stop by Draymond Green in the near final possession, followed by Butler’s rebound. A shout out to Draymond Green who is the definition of locked in. His scoring stats are low and he is behind every good defensive thing and a whole lot of offensive things. He is hustling everywhere (he just won the Hustle Award from the NBA). He is often playing center against guys who are half a foot taller and many pounds heavier and he stands them down. I can’t remember the last time he’s shown up as “slightly out of control, might get ejected” Draymond. That persona feels very distant.
Back to Buddy - he is a streaky shooter and as a fan, this is deeply frustrating, especially when he often gets a lot of playing time. His team, however, is resolute - they love Buddy, not only for what he does on the floor but even more for what he does off the floor. He keeps the vibes right. Recently the big three - Dray, Curry and Butler - used their post game press conferences to talk about how important Buddy is for the team. Draymond saying that fans and media don’t see practices, don’t see the locker room, don’t see the plane - Buddy is a huge part of all of that. And then there’s Butler’s relationship with Buddy - Butler constantly teases Buddy in a way that might be seen as serious if you don’t follow the relationship closely. Butler goes out of his way to mock Buddy publicly - telling him to shut up, to stop bothering him, to go away, to stop dribbling. Making instagram posts where he thanks the entire team and adds “excluding Buddy”.
But here’s who Buddy is. On the plane to Houston, Hield is wearing a “Excluding Buddy” tshirt - he’s in on the joke and ok with the joke. He is also clearly enjoying his time on the Warriors.
I have a theory about these two. 10 of the Warriors 15 roster spots are players who have only played for the Warriors. The Warriors were just voted by the players (again) as the best organization in the NBA. These 10 players only sort of know how good they have it. But Buddy and Jimmy who are both on their 5th team, know that it isn’t always like this. And not that the Warriors organization is perfect because it isn’t. Buddy has hinted in a few interviews that in most organizations it’s more like showing up to work and you don’t know your teammates. There’s not as much “play” in playing basketball. Jimmy has repeatedly said that he’s found his joy again and talked about the support he’s gotten here, whether through teammates, the training staff or helping him get settled in the Bay. They know they are sitting on a good foundation with the Warriors. They tease and joke with each other because it’s a little bit of “these other guys don’t know what it can be like with other teams”.
I’ve now read a fair share of basketball memoirs from current players and it always astounds me when they say that they can go a whole year without having a conversation with their teammates. That for the most part, players don’t talk to each other, or at least that’s not the norm. And it’s not that the Warriors are hanging out with each other - that seems fairly rare. But they do know each other well enough to tease each other and that’s an important stage of friendship.
Game 5 The Moody/ Pat Spencer Game
Oh, Game 5. As you watch any playoff game, you will hear the announcer say that basketball is a game of runs. You also hear the closeout game is the hardest game to win. The other team has nothing to lose. And in Game 5, the other team dominated. The Warriors stunk from the start. Or rather, the Warriors starters stunk up the place. Everyone looked flat. Quentin Post looked lost. The scorching hot shooting of Hield or Podz was gone. Steph got the ball stolen from him repeatedly. It was bad enough that Steve Kerr pulled all the starters early in the 3rd quarter when they were down by 30ish.
And then something interesting happened. Kerr didn’t just pull the starters, he pulled most of the reserves as well, keeping only Moses Moody and filling the rest with players who were regulars on their G League team - the Santa Cruz Warriors for part or most of this year. Led by Moses Moody and Pat Spencer, this team brought it back to 20. To 15. To 11, prompting the question - do we put the starters back in? Pat Spencer is a dog and a really good point guard. He’s not big but he’s not afraid of driving to the basket. And he’s not afraid to stand up to anyone. He got ejected from this game for head butting Sengun which was probably a good thing for the team - to see the fight of the reserves and the particular fight of Pat Spencer. (Also, it was inevitable that someone was going to get ejected in this series and it’s best that it’s Spencer over someone else). The Rockets were forced to put their starters back in - and still the G League players stayed even with the starters. It was a point of light in an entirely grey day. And it was useful to get Moses Moody’s shot going again. But otherwise this entire trip to Houston was a massive waste of time.
The Warriors have a habit of playing with their food. It’s a leftover from the good old days when they always had a higher gear and they always could shift into it. That doesn’t exist anymore. The Rockets are capable of totally shutting down Curry - they have done it several times now and yes there is Playoff Jimmy but that is also an inconsistent proposition right now.
Still, Dray, Steph and Jimmy are all don’t poke the bear players and it’s hard to beat don’t poke the bear players. Each one lives off being discounted. Off someone saying they aren’t living up to their reputation. Perhaps the best thing that could have happened to the Warriors was Draymond NOT getting DPOY. He’s out to prove everybody wrong. Steph has heard everything about how great Amen Thompson is and how he will stop Steph. Sometimes Amen can. Enough of the time? Absolutely not. And then there’s Jimmy. Another petty king in the best sense of those words. There was that free throw with him and Dillon Brooks jawing at each other - with smiles - but with smiles that were substituting for swords.
Jimmy after that was a different man. Still injured. Sometimes openly laboring. And determined to put Dillon Brooks in his place. The younger team poked the bear - younger players often make that mistake. Veterans will make you pay. Here’s hoping the final payment comes tonight.
Good Luck to the WNBA Rooks
The WNBA training camp has started. Rookies do not make the team really often. Last year 13 rookies made the roster - 10 from the first round and 3 from the second round. The odds are not in your favor. That said UConn’s own Kaitlyn Chen has been drafted by the Golden State Valkyries and I’m hoping that she makes the team.
The Timeout Books (the books I read during commercials and halftimes)
A Game At A Time Spotify Playlist (the songs that run through my head while writing this)