Warriors 3 Things: What we learned in the Dubs’ win over the Kings
Golden State Warriors: Gary Payton II and assistant coach Kenny Atkinson
show why they're on the team
>Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) guards Sacramento Kings
guard Davion Mitchell (15) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball
game in Sacramento, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)
>Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) guards Sacramento Kings
guard Davion Mitchell (15) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball
game in Sacramento, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)
By DIETER KURTENBACH | dkurtenbach@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News
Group
PUBLISHED: October 25, 2021 at 5:30 a.m. | UPDATED: October 25, 2021 at
7:35 a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/10/25/warriors-3-things-what-we-learned-in-the-dubs-win-over-the-kings/

When the Warriors released Avery Bradley before the start of the season,
it wasn’t without controversy.

As first reported by Marcus Thompson, Steph Curry and Draymond Green
both wanted to keep the veteran guard to be the team’s 15th player.

Their thought — and it’s a logical one — is that having a bulldog
on-ball defender is a good thing to have on your bench.

The Warriors couldn’t agree more.

That’s why they released Bradley and signed Gary Payton II.

Payton played a little over 17 minutes Sunday in Golden State’s 119-107
win — his longest run of the young campaign — and delivered on
everything the Warriors could have ever wanted from the final spot on
their roster.

Not only was Payton a dogged defender, but he was also an offensive
weapon, scoring 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting with two 3-pointers.

Payton effectively played the role of Andre Iguodala, who missed
Sunday’s game with a hip injury, and while he’s shorter and far less
experienced, he looked the part.

We can’t pretend as if luxury tax implications weren’t part of the move
away from Bradley and towards Payton — the Warriors are paying $6
million a season for a player that’s making $2 million and Payton’s the
kind of player the Warriors might be able to be cute with over the
course of the season, shaving a million or two off the overall cost.

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Or maybe that’s all over after Sunday and that performance.

Either way, there’s no doubt that Golden State made the right move in
going with Payton over Bradley. While the now-Laker is a good player, he
doesn’t bring the energy or two-way ability that Payton possesses.

That’s a guy who has a role on this — or any other — team.

- Rooting for the enemy

(Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)

It’s so great to see Harrison Barnes thriving. One of the great guys in
the league and a tireless worker, Barnes’ abilities never seemed to
catch up to the hype of being a top recruit and the No. 7 overall pick.

Now, he’s made a ton of money — more than $150 million — and has a ring
to his name. He’s not hurting.

But at 29 years old, it seems as if Barnes is breaking out — going from
a really solid player to perhaps something more in Sacramento.

Barnes is averaging 28 points per game in the Kings’ first three games
this year, dropping 24 in 36 minutes on 7-of-13 shooting and 5-of-10
from beyond the arc.

The UNC product is so smooth on both sides of the court right now —
inside and outside, too. There’s newfound confidence to his game that I
didn’t see in Sacramento last year (I try to watch a couple of Kings
games every week).

Because of this, I don’t think he’s going to be in Sacramento much
longer — there are going to be title-contending teams that really want
him as a 3-and-D wing.

--
Matt George
@MattGeorgeSAC
I'm working with Utah Jazz radio tonight, and they just said that
Harrison Barnes is the missing piece on a championship team. They expect
him to have a ton of suitors at the deadline.
7:57 PM · Oct 22, 2021
48 23 Share this Tweet
--

Might the Warriors be one of those teams? The likelihood is slim. Other
teams will probably present better offers. But given that wings win
titles and Wiggins doesn’t look anything like a title-winning wing, a
2015 title team reunion would hardly be out of place.

- Bench Mob

>(Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

The Warriors revamped their coaching staff this past year, and it’s hard
not to notice during games.

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Golden State
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Perhaps it was just the Northern California rivalry, but seeing Steve
Kerr, assistant Mike Brown, and newcomer to the bench Kenny Atkinson
were noticeably communicative on the sidelines, calling for defensive
intensity, offensive movement, and what I can only presume is for the
Warriors’ hands to go up, as they were consistently testing the limits
of their deodorants.

I don’t think there’s a singular right way to coach. Sitting on the
sideline and not doing much can work, too. But with this team, which is
equal parts veteran and youth, I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all to
have an animated coaching staff. When they’re into it, it’s hard for
this Warriors team to not be into it.

And if this Warriors’ team is engaged, they’re going to be an
exceptionally difficult team to beat.

Allen wrote:

> Warriors 3 Things: What we learned in the Dubs’ win over the Kings

> By DIETER KURTENBACH | dkurtenbach@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News
> Group
> PUBLISHED: October 25, 2021 at 5:30 a.m. | UPDATED: October 25, 2021 at
> 7:35 a.m.
> https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/10/25/warriors-3-things-what-we-learned-in-the-dubs-win-over-the-kings/
>
>
>
> When the Warriors released Avery Bradley before the start of the season,
> it wasn’t without controversy.
>
> As first reported by Marcus Thompson, Steph Curry and Draymond Green
> both wanted to keep the veteran guard to be the team’s 15th player.
>
> Their thought — and it’s a logical one — is that having a bulldog
> on-ball defender is a good thing to have on your bench.
>
> The Warriors couldn’t agree more.
>
> That’s why they released Bradley and signed Gary Payton II.
>
> Payton played a little over 17 minutes Sunday in Golden State’s 119-107
> win — his longest run of the young campaign — and delivered on
> everything the Warriors could have ever wanted from the final spot on
> their roster.
>
> Not only was Payton a dogged defender, but he was also an offensive
> weapon, scoring 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting with two 3-pointers.
>
> Payton effectively played the role of Andre Iguodala, who missed
> Sunday’s game with a hip injury, and while he’s shorter and far less
> experienced, he looked the part.
>
> We can’t pretend as if luxury tax implications weren’t part of the move
> away from Bradley and towards Payton — the Warriors are paying $6
> million a season for a player that’s making $2 million and Payton’s the
> kind of player the Warriors might be able to be cute with over the
> course of the season, shaving a million or two off the overall cost.

> Or maybe that’s all over after Sunday and that performance.
>
> Either way, there’s no doubt that Golden State made the right move in
> going with Payton over Bradley. While the now-Laker is a good player, he
> doesn’t bring the energy or two-way ability that Payton possesses.
>
> That’s a guy who has a role on this — or any other — team.

>
> - Rooting for the enemy
> >
> It’s so great to see Harrison Barnes thriving. One of the great guys in
> the league and a tireless worker, Barnes’ abilities never seemed to
> catch up to the hype of being a top recruit and the No. 7 overall pick.
>
> Now, he’s made a ton of money — more than $150 million — and has a ring
> to his name. He’s not hurting.
>
> But at 29 years old, it seems as if Barnes is breaking out — going from
> a really solid player to perhaps something more in Sacramento.
>
> Barnes is averaging 28 points per game in the Kings’ first three games
> this year, dropping 24 in 36 minutes on 7-of-13 shooting and 5-of-10
> from beyond the arc.
>
> The UNC product is so smooth on both sides of the court right now —
> inside and outside, too. There’s newfound confidence to his game that I
> didn’t see in Sacramento last year (I try to watch a couple of Kings
> games every week).
>
> Because of this, I don’t think he’s going to be in Sacramento much
> longer — there are going to be title-contending teams that really want
> him as a 3-and-D wing.
>
> Might the Warriors be one of those teams? The likelihood is slim. Other
> teams will probably present better offers. But given that wings win
> titles and Wiggins doesn’t look anything like a title-winning wing, a
> 2015 title team reunion would hardly be out of place.
>

> - Bench Mob
>
> The Warriors revamped their coaching staff this past year, and it’s hard
> not to notice during games.
>
> Perhaps it was just the Northern California rivalry, but seeing Steve
> Kerr, assistant Mike Brown, and newcomer to the bench Kenny Atkinson
> were noticeably communicative on the sidelines, calling for defensive
> intensity, offensive movement, and what I can only presume is for the
> Warriors’ hands to go up, as they were consistently testing the limits
> of their deodorants.
>
> I don’t think there’s a singular right way to coach. Sitting on the
> sideline and not doing much can work, too. But with this team, which is
> equal parts veteran and youth, I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all to
> have an animated coaching staff. When they’re into it, it’s hard for
> this Warriors team to not be into it.
>
> And if this Warriors’ team is engaged, they’re going to be an
> exceptionally difficult team to beat.

This is a good article.

--Robin