83/82 L Sacramento Kings 123-126
84/82 L Sacramento Kings 106-114
85/82 W Sacramento Kings 114-97
Note: written an hour before game 85 last night, Warriors down 0-2. I knew the playoffs were different, but I had forgotten how different. The intensity, the physicality, the way that tiny moments have an outsized impact. It’s getting rough out there, in all the literal and metaphorical ways.
But first, let’s talk about the unbelievable return of Andrew Wiggins. When he came back from injury earlier in the year, it took him several weeks to get his game back. Physically and mentally, he looked out of it. This time around with two months off, Wiggins is locked in and physically, he is looking extremely strong. He’s bouncy, he’s present on offense and defense. He has the look of someone who has really wanted to be playing basketball.
All season we have heard about the Warriors’ ability to flip the switch and suddenly be playoff ready. We hear about this in spite of their year-long tendency to turn the ball over, to not get fouls, to not close games, to lose focus for periods of time and lose big leads. Last year, they were able to level up. This year? Time will tell.
My parents are in town and on nights when there are no Warriors games we’ve been watching Ted Lasso. In one of the earlier episodes of this season, (spoiler alert), Rebecca and the coaches are mad at Ted because he doesn’t seem to have the killer instinct, to want to win enough - even though from the very first episode of the series, Ted has said that he doesn’t concern himself with winning. When Rebecca spews her frustration to her friend, their response is “Let Ted Be Ted”. It’s a recurring theme of the episode - people are going to be who they are.
I’m thinking we have to let the Warriors be the Warriors. Let Steph throw loose passes and also drain impossible 3s. Let Klay shoot a few too many and hit one-legged jump shots and shake his head after every play. Let Looney efficiently get rebounds and box out while also walking as if every step is painful. Let Poole race to the basket with both his torso and his ankles at impossible angles and fall on the court at least seven times. Let Wiggins be the secret weapon in every offensive and defensive play.
That means let Draymond be Draymond. He is priceless and costly. He made the start of the season much harder and now he is making this series harder. (He’s also making his post-season contract negotiation much harder on himself but that’s a different story). While I wish Draymond would do many things differently, Steph always has his back. Steph knows more than I do, and he does not appear to put up with nonsense. If Steph wants him that’s all I need to know. Draymond’s role on the team is usually described as the facilitator but he is also the person who cleans up all the mistakes, making up for other people’s defensive weaknesses. Now the team has to make up for his.
If they are going to be successful, not just in a title defense, but in this series alone, someone is going to have to step up. Probably someones. Someone from the Poole, Wiggins, GPII, Kuminga group is going to have to level up into the star category, because we know that Klay, Curry, Draymond and Looney will be solid. At this point, let’s throw Moses Moody in the mix - the ultimate test of the player who is always ready. Can Moody come in for short stints, make a three, chase after rebounds and make life a little harder for the Kings? Of course he can. Maybe Moody will be the dragonslayer.
The Warriors have backed themselves into corners all year long. They have played in a lot of close games. They are mega prideful and super competitive. Let’s see what they can make of it.
Post-script (written after last night’s win): Well, well, well. Look at that. Building on the foundation of Curry (36 points, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover) and Looney (20 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 foul), multiple Someones came alive. Wiggins, falling right back into his position of quietly getting 20 points a game and handling the defense. Donte scrambling all over the court, making plays for others and closing the first quarter with this amazing shot.
And Moses Moody! Moody, who got few minutes this year in any game that meant something. Moody, who was passed over all season for both two way players. Moses Moody getting it done with 3s and rebounds, ending up with 13 points, the most off the bench. Welcome to the rotation!
And then in his post game interview, the perfect pull quote - “Humbly speaking, I’ve always been a winner.”
I’ve been a Moody fan since he got here. There are many stories of Moody after a game, putting up shots and running sprints at Chase Center at 1 am when everyone else has gone home, just like Jordan Poole did in his first years when he wasn’t on the floor much. If you want to go on a deep dive into Moses Moody (and you should!), Iguodala’s podcast with him is a good place to start.
I know it’s only one game and it’s at home and the series doesn’t start until you win a game on the road. But to win the game decisively without Dray or GPII is big. To hold the highest scoring team in the NBA under 100 points without two of your main defenders is huge. Doing it without Klay or Poole having a big scoring night is huge.
Timeout Books:
None!
My parents are in town and it’s a little anti-social to bust out a book during every timeout. But Dad and I have been playing cribbage during halftime. He is currently up 5-4 in our series.
As I talked about last time, while I’m writing this a song or songs sneak into my head. I put all of them into a playlist. Today’s song is, you guessed it, The Theme From Ted Lasso.
Get Well GPII. Go Dubs.