Every Warriors fan knows how Steph gets mauled shooting on a nightly basis, but last nights game against Portland was egregious. I watched every jump shot from both teams from last night to point out how ridiculously ignorant referees are of how Steph is defended. Threaded below.
First possession of the game, Steph uses the Kevon Looney screen to get freed at the break. Dennis Smith Jr. is able to mostly wiggle around it but catches Steph on the wrist. You can see him pull his arm back, the classic sign of guilt. No call.
Take your pick: Little clearly gets Steph on the wrist while also taking up a good chunk of his landing space. Directly in front of the ref. No call
Again, directly in Steph's landing space and catching him right on the wrist. No call.
It's not just Warriors fan tunnel vision. This was called a foul on Normal Powell when he didn't even touch Damion Lee. Good thing the ref was able to see this from so far away.
The weird leg splay by Powell confuses the landing space, but Wiggins slaps him right on the wrist. It's a clear foul, and they call it.
This was one of the more egregious ones in real-time. Covington hardly bothers to control his closeout and blitzes right through Steph's chest while he hits the three. The first time Steph actually says anything to the refs all night. He's just used to it.
On the very next possession, Steph is called for the foul on landing space here despite Little throwing his legs out and how clearly Steph is planted in front of the three-point line. He’s confused about it, to say the least. Three free throws going the other way.
Nas Little had to leave the game because he stepped directly on Steph’s foot trying to contest this one. It might be an offensive foul for Steph extending his leg, but Little isn’t controlling his upper/lower body either, as you can see with the arm contact as the shot leaves
Steph gets called for the arm check on Ben McLemore’s runner, and it’s the right call. The back ref makes the call. Take note of him for the next play.
This is on the very next possession, directly in front of the same referee, with the same two players. McLemore clearly catches Steph on the left elbow while he’s taking and making the three. Same exact call to make, only it happens *directly* in front of his eyes. Didn’t see it.
Again it’s McLemore getting a clean hand foul on a made three at the break, directly in front of the same referee. But it’s Otto Porter Jr. shooting the three, and because his name isn't Wardell, that means it’s a foul. Make it make sense.
These shots are tough to call when Steph is lunging forward and giving up his right to a clean landing space. Still, Normal Powell just elbows him in the side for good measure. Nada. By my final count, I had Steph getting fouled on 5/12 contested threes last night. 0 FTA.
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It's time for a mega-thread of Kevon Looney's statue-building 4/20/9 performance against the Kings to deliver the win on...4/20. Let's dive into it.
First and foremost is the rebounding. He needed to do it all by himself for GSW to get a rebounding edge, and did just that. Watch how he gets positioned and coiled with Sabonis boxing him out, preparing to spring for the board at the exact right moment.
Look at the effort to save this end-of-shotclock heave. Without even having good position or any help, he uses his determination and long reach to fight for the rebound over three Kings all by himself
Let's talk about James Wiseman's 30-point performance against Brooklyn. The third-year center posted a career-high 30 points, showing off a lot of his strengths alongside his weaknesses. Time to take a closer look at the tape:
Wiseman is assertive about wanting the ball in the post, and it's even more of a weapon against a small-ball team like Brooklyn. When almost every player defending you is a physical mismatch, get position and make decisive moves to the basket.
It requires some craft to pick the right times to flash open in the post. After Jordan Poole runs the baseline cut, expecting an Anthony Lamb exit screen, Wise flashes to the middle with deep position on Royce O'Neale, then turns and slams off the catch.
Gonna thread some Emoni Bates clips here in anticipation of more #words
Wanted to qualify all of this by saying this entire Memphis offense is a mess, so starting with a clip that shows some of that. No movement, cutters, screens, everyone staring at the ball.
Emoni is pretty good at using his height on defense when in the lane. Denies any lane for a good shot or entry pass and forces the player into a tough hook shot off the glass
I get why people saw the Kevin Durant in Emoni Bates through his high school/youth circuit days. For a 6’9” wing this is some impressive control of his momentum to slow himself into a controlled shot.
Posting some Franz clips that stood out against the Dubs because he rocks and everyone should know about him.
Using the WCJ screen, Franz gets leverage on Wiggins and puts him in hip jail. That allows him to wait for WCJ to recover and seal off the paint, then he goes up for two
Great way to manipulate Jordan Poole's tag from the far side. When Franz drives, Wendell Carter dives, and that forces the tag on WCJ from Poole so that Draymond isn't 1v2 in the paint. Franz reads it all the way, firing the ball to the far corner for the open three
Another example of Franz's size, handle and patience getting him a layup. Switched on Jordan Poole, he already has the size mismatch, and WCJ vacates the paint along with Kevon Looney. Once Loon is out, Franz spins away from him and Draymond to go up strong over Poole for two
Throwing out some clips from the Dubs' blowout against the Orlando Magic last night, as we got a big dose of the whole roster.
With Kevon coming to screen Cole Anthony's left, Mo Bamba follows him, and Steph spins in the opposite direction to get the open three. Nasty stuff
Jordan Poole's start/stop ability is just incredible. With Gary Harris not anticipating the Draymond screen, there's no chance for Orlando to stop this bucket
Great slow-mo shot of Jordan Poole using the eye/head fake to get Gary Harris up in the air before dropping the pass off to Gary Payton II
Now, time to recap Jon Kuminga's game against Charlotte last night.
He's brought in as a defender with 9 seconds in the 1st but stays in beginning the 2nd. The Dubs have done a great job rotating from the weakside to deny entry passes. Great job to break it up without fouling
I've said Kuminga ghosts screens too often, and he's rewarded when using his body. Sets a great screen on the fake handoff before diving into open space, and Iggy finds him. Rozier gets a strip on the way up, but the ball finds Steph, and then Jon. Waits out Plumlee for the layup
Kuminga has been excellent at leaking down the floor off of shot contests and loose plays. Here he closes out on Rozier who is looking for his own shot (and not McDaniels) all the way. Steph has his head up looking for the runner and rewards Kuminga, who flushes it down with two