Warriors camp takeaways: Kerr pleased by players’ conditioning initially appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
LAIE, Hawaii – Constructing blocks proceed to develop and be stacked upon each other at Warriors training camp on the BYU-Hawaii campus. Golden State scrimmaged Thursday, however didn’t go full courtroom throughout apply after doing so the day prior.
Coach Steve Kerr is “actually glad” with the conditioning and form that his group got here to camp in. Transition protection and offense is a key emphasis going into the 2024-25 NBA season after falling down the rankings final season and never taking part in their particular style of basketball. To Kerr, the Warriors’ play there was unacceptable in that regard the previous two seasons.
A Chris Paul-style of play in slowing the sport down and getting right into a set offense extra incessantly isn’t the product that might be seen on the ground this season.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from the third day of Warriors coaching camp, which featured feedback from Kerr, Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson.
Run, Run, Run
Velocity, tiring groups out and pushing the tempo is again for the Warriors. Throughout Wednesday’s scrimmage, Jonathan Kuminga sprinting down the ground and into the lane created an open 3-pointer for a teammate. That’s one instance that can make Kerr glad.
He additionally feels just like the Warriors have the suitable gamers on the proper ages to get again to being a monitor crew on the hardwood.
“With [Brandin Podziemski], [De’Anthony] Melton and our different guys dealing with the ball behind Steph [Curry], we really feel prefer it makes a whole lot of sense to play quick and we’ve got the suitable personnel to do it,” Kerr stated. “However the one manner it really works is that if we care for the ball and get good pictures, and that’s what we’re actually engaged on.”
The Warriors misplaced two future Corridor of Fame gamers over the offseason in Paul and Klay Thompson. They two are also on the tail-end of their careers at 39 and 34 years previous. Podziemski nonetheless is 21 and Melton is 26.
Newcomer Kyle Anderson, 31, can really feel the totally different in comparison with his earlier groups.
“Clearly you need to be in form to play quick,” the person nicknamed Slo Mo stated. “Day 1 was just a little robust. I’m going to talk for myself, however I feel the final two days I form of picked it up. It’s totally different being in form and basketball form.
“We’re flying up the courtroom, we’re getting again on protection in transition. You bought to get your legs beneath you.”
No Wiggins
Although Kerr continues to maintain his leaps sealed on the subject of the beginning lineup, all people is predicted to play in Saturday’s preseason opener in opposition to the Los Angeles Clippers. All people besides Andrew Wiggins.
Wiggins continues to be below the climate. He has been seen sporting a masks and getting pictures up on a facet hoop after practices.
As Kerr and his teaching workers insert new installations and seek for the suitable combos, he isn’t frightened about Wiggins’ missed time within the brief time period.
“It’s why he’s been right here,” Kerr stated. “He’s sporting his masks, he’s on the sidelines daily and he’s watching precisely what we’re doing. We’re mainly doing issues that he’s very accustomed to, however we’re placing terminology on them. We’re making an attempt to be extra purposeful, we’re making an attempt to place in some counters to issues that we’ve already run.
“It’s vital for him to be right here and watch all these items. I’m assured he’ll decide up on it.”
A GP2-Melton Pairing?
Together with turning into higher in transition, Kerr needs the Warriors’ id to get again to being a high defensive crew. A wholesome Gary Payton II will assist enormously. So can the addition of Melton, a 6-foot-2 guard who pestered the opposition with a 6-8 wingspan.
Kerr actually can see instances the place the 2 are on the courtroom collectively giving the opposite crew suits.
“Could possibly be a very good mixture within the backcourt placing strain on the ball, taking part in passing lanes,” Kerr stated. “They’ll each be within the rotation, given how they’ve seemed the primary few days.”
Earlier than Melton’s marketing campaign final season with the Philadelphia 76ers was lower brief to a again harm, he was averaging 11.8 factors per recreation. The previous two seasons, he has produced at 58.1 and 58.0 true-shooting share, and might be within the combine to be the Warriors’ beginning two guard.
“The ball strikes when he’s on the market,” Kerr stated. “He’s a combo guard, so he can deal with it or play off the ball. He’s a catch-and-shoot man. The sport simply flows with him on the market, and that’s significant. We will’t get stagnant, the ball can’t stick and what I’m seeing from De’Anthony is that he’s a connector. The ball will transfer when he’s on the market. If he’s open, he’ll let it fly and that’s what we would like.”
Buddy Buckets
The one concern Hield had Thursday was having to do his media time throughout Curry’s post-practice taking pictures. Hield has stated he wouldn’t have been drafted so excessive if it weren’t for Curry and he’s making an attempt to soak up every thing he can watching him as a fellow nice shooter.
Each apply so far, it’s been unimaginable to see the quite a few pictures Hield is getting up. He’s working with assistant coach Chris DeMarco, who has been a “huge brother” to him for years as his head coach on the Bahamas nationwide crew.
However for the way profitable Hield has been taking pictures the ball, he is likely to be making a slight change.
“He has a high-arching shot,” Hield stated of Curry. “They maintain speaking about how my shot is so flat. I’ve shot 40 p.c my complete profession. I’m engaged on retaining my shot greater, although. I would get a better share.”
Hield, who has shot over 40 p.c from deep 3 times in his profession and has a precise 40.0 3-point share additional defined: “If I get extra arc I might shoot at a better share. I feel that as you become older, you need to get higher. You possibly can’t overlook tips on how to shoot, however you’ll be able to at all times get higher. … After I shoot it greater, it goes in a lot prettier.”
Moody Placing In Time beyond regulation
For the second straight day, Moses Moody was the final participant on the courtroom placing up pictures. Kerr made it some extent to call Moody as a participant who stood out in scrimmages in the course of the Warriors’ second apply, and the place he suits in might be a storyline to look at.
“I like that he’s catching and taking pictures the ball shortly,” Kerr stated. “He’s a very good shooter. I’ve at all times felt like his No. 1 pitch – when you’re a pitcher and your No. 1 pitch is your fastball you need to determine what your fastball is and his must be his 3-point shot. It takes a while if you’re younger within the NBA to determine tips on how to get your shot off, how shortly, how a lot time you’ve gotten.
“It appears like he has a a lot better really feel for catch and shoot. He has the area to let it go. Arrange your recreation with that, after which when individuals reply then you’ll be able to assault. He’s been doing a very good job of that.”
With Wiggins out Saturday, search for Moody to be a participant to probably step up in his absence.
