Warriors’ stretch run: Three questions Golden State must answer with 23
games before playoffs
Draymond Green’s health will determine how far the Warriors go this
season, but there are other questions entering the final 23 games
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 25: Golden State Warriors’ Klay
Thompson #11 ices his knees as he sits on the bench in the third quarter
of their NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Chase Center in
San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area
News Group)
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 25: Golden State Warriors’ Klay
Thompson #11 ices his knees as he sits on the bench in the third quarter
of their NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Chase Center in
San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area
News Group)
By EVAN WEBECK | ewebeck@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: February 22, 2022 at 6:05 a.m. | UPDATED: February 22, 2022
at 1:44 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/02/22/three-questions-the-warriors-have-to-answer-in-the-second-part-of-the-season/

The All-Star break no longer splits the NBA season in half so much as it
gives teams a breather for the stretch run. The Warriors, no doubt, were
in need of it. For a team with the second-best record in the NBA,
though, Golden State enters the final portion of the regular season in a
precarious position. They have a 1.5-game lead on the No. 2 playoff
seed, 23 games to play and must navigate the foreseeable future without
one of their most important players.

In the words of coach Steve Kerr, who will arrive in Portland for
practice Wednesday fresh off some time off in San Diego. “We’re right
there. Those last 20 games are when you feel like the stretch run is
happening.”

So, before it starts, let’s take a look at the big, looming question
facing the Warriors — and a couple auxiliary ones — over their final
stretch of games.

- When can the Warriors count on Draymond Green? (And can they win
without him?)

Not only is this the Warriors’ most pressing question — the only thing
that really, truly matters — but it is also the one without a clear
answer. The latest timeline Green threw out came on the Turner Sports
telecast of the All-Star Game Sunday night, saying that he hoped to be
back in three to four weeks. That would put Green on a mid- to
late-March timetable, leaving about a dozen regular season games, give
or take, to reintegrate him into the lineup. (Remember: We still haven’t
seen Green together with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson since 2019.)

“I’m not gonna rush back and try to get back out there before I feel
like I’m all the way, 100 percent right,” Green said at All-Star
weekend, embodying the same sentiment as the organization. The Warriors
are well aware that Green’s health will be a top determining factor in
their postseason fate — their championship chances are fried without
Green — so they are focused more on entering the playoffs at full
strength than fighting for seeding.

As for the impact of Green’s absence, it has been felt more acutely over
the Warriors’ last stretch of games entering the All-Star break, as
they’ve allowed 110 or more points in seven of eight games and posted a
defensive rating of 115.8, the ninth-worst in the NBA over that span.
The Warriors’ defensive rating is 3.5 points better with Green on the
floor, a stat made clear over the recent stretch of games which count as
Golden State’s worst defensively of the season.

Any playoff series against Denver and Nikola Jokic (currently the No. 6
seed) or Utah and its trio of bigs led by Rudy Gobert (currently No. 4)
look much tougher without Green, let alone a potential conference finals
matchup with No. 1 Phoenix. Even if it means losing homecourt advantage
in the semifinals by dropping to the No. 3 seed — the Warriors hold a
1.5 game lead on Memphis for No. 2 — they would prefer to be forced on
to the road than risk Green reinjuring himself and missing those games.

Green has missed the past 21 games with a lower back problem and,
according to his timeline, can be expected to miss another eight or so.
But there is hope that he could return for a key stretch of games
against Memphis (March 28), Phoenix (March 30) and Utah (April 2).

The Warriors are also closely monitoring the health of two other players
they hope will play roles in the playoff push: Andre Iguodala, sidelined
most recently by a tight back, and James Wiseman, in the final stages of
his rehab from a torn meniscus.

Wiseman and Iguodala have each been more active in portions of practice
open to the media and could return to the court before Green, though
neither should be expected to match Green’s unique impact.

- Who steps up down the stretch?

The preferred scenario for the Warriors, obviously, would be to win out
down the stretch, with or without Green. That’s not realistic, facing
one of the tougher schedules of Western Conference contenders.

However, the Warriors have proven they can win without their best
offensive facilitator and defensive air traffic controller.

During their first 13 games without Green, they went 9-4. Even in their
stretch of bad basketball over their past eight games, they’ve won half
of them.

And, to their benefit or detriment, a whole host of things have gone
wrong over the past few games. Fixing any one problem is likely the
difference between most of their wins and losses. From giving up second
chances on the offensive glass to back cuts and easy paths into the
paint, Kerr believes most of the Warriors’ issues stem from effort, not
personnel.

The Warriors believe the eventual returns of Green, Wiseman and Iguodala
will be the answer to their problems come the playoffs. But over the
final stretch of the regular season? They might be in need of a savior
to hold on to the No. 2 seed.

>RELATED ARTICLES
Will Steph Curry’s All-Star Game performance ignite his shooting for
Warriors’ stretch run?
Michigan coach Juwan Howard suspended 5 games for Wisconsin melee
Warriors reportedly miss out on buyout candidate Goran Dragic
Steph Curry wins NBA All-Star Game MVP with historic shooting performance
Warriors’ trio of Curry, Green and Wiggins make their mark on
All-Star weekend, even before tipoff

Who better than Steph Curry?

Curry practically willed the Warriors into the play-in round last
season, averaging 36.9 points over his final 24 games.

Even if he is no longer ice cold, Curry’s shooting from 3-point range
this season has been the least efficient of his career (37.9%). He’s due
to catch fire. Could his 16 All-Star Game 3-pointers — with a little
rest and relaxation incorporated in, too — be just what is needed to
ignite Curry to carry the Warriors over their final 23 games? The best
months of Curry’s career, statistically, have been April (28.2 ppg) and
May (36.8 ppg).

If not Curry, then maybe there is a player motivated to cement his spot
in the playoff rotation.

- What does the playoff rotation look like?

In the final game before the All-Star break, Kerr appeared to provide a
hint at how he plans to pare down playing time amongst his reserves. He
cut the rotation down to nine players, leaving out Juan
Toscano-Anderson, Damion Lee and Moses Moody.

But the minutes will have to trim for more players if the Warriors have
the roster they would like when they open the first round.

Another interesting adjustment Kerr made in the final game before the
break involved Curry and Klay Thompson. With Thompson nearing his full
capacity for playing time, the Warriors are still tinkering with his
usage, but they appear to like him carrying the second unit.

The two Splash Brothers started and ended the game together, but
throughout the rest of it subbed in and out for each other.

Officially, the Warriors’ 10-man playoff rotation could look something
like this. But there would rarely be a time with Curry or Thompson off
the floor. Remember, what matters to Kerr are particular pairings and
combinations, so the exact looks on the floor at any given time can be
pretty fluid.

First unit
-Steph Curry
-Klay Thompson
-Andrew Wiggins
-Draymond Green
-Kevon Looney

Second unit
-Gary Payton II
-Jordan Poole
-Andre Iguodala
-Jonathan Kuminga
-Otto Porter Jr.

So, who’s on the outside looking in? In this case, it’s Nemanja Bjelica
and James Wiseman.

Bjelica’s performance speaks for itself (his 3-pointer against the
Clippers was his first in more than a month) and Porter can easily pick
up his minutes while playing them more effectively, too.

Wiseman, however, hasn’t had a chance to prove himself. Once he is ready
for game action — and all indications are that time is not far off —
expect the Warriors to give him every chance to work his way into the
playoff rotation. The need for size is so glaring that even Wiseman
playing a refined role, 10 or 15 minutes a night, could provide immense
value to the Warriors.

--
Evan Webeck | Reporter
Evan Webeck covers high-school sports on the field and beyond — and a
little bit of everything else — for the Bay Area News Group. A Pacific
Northwest native and graduate of Arizona State, Evan has previously
worked for The Seattle Times, MLB.com and Sports Illustrated.

Allen wrote:
> Warriors’ stretch run: Three questions Golden State must answer with 23
> games before playoffs
> Draymond Green’s health will determine how far the Warriors go this
> season, but there are other questions entering the final 23 games
> >SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 25: Golden State Warriors’ Klay
> Thompson #11 ices his knees as he sits on the bench in the third quarter
> of their NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Chase Center in
> San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area
> News Group)
> >SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 25: Golden State Warriors’ Klay
> Thompson #11 ices his knees as he sits on the bench in the third quarter
> of their NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Chase Center in
> San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area
> News Group)
> By EVAN WEBECK | ewebeck@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
> PUBLISHED: February 22, 2022 at 6:05 a.m. | UPDATED: February 22, 2022
> at 1:44 p.m.
> https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/02/22/three-questions-the-warriors-have-to-answer-in-the-second-part-of-the-season/
>
>
>
> The All-Star break no longer splits the NBA season in half so much as it
> gives teams a breather for the stretch run. The Warriors, no doubt, were
> in need of it. For a team with the second-best record in the NBA,
> though, Golden State enters the final portion of the regular season in a
> precarious position. They have a 1.5-game lead on the No. 2 playoff
> seed, 23 games to play and must navigate the foreseeable future without
> one of their most important players.
>
> In the words of coach Steve Kerr, who will arrive in Portland for
> practice Wednesday fresh off some time off in San Diego. “We’re right
> there. Those last 20 games are when you feel like the stretch run is
> happening.”
>
>
> So, before it starts, let’s take a look at the big, looming question
> facing the Warriors — and a couple auxiliary ones — over their final
> stretch of games.
>
> - When can the Warriors count on Draymond Green? (And can they win
> without him?)
>
> Not only is this the Warriors’ most pressing question — the only thing
> that really, truly matters — but it is also the one without a clear
> answer. The latest timeline Green threw out came on the Turner Sports
> telecast of the All-Star Game Sunday night, saying that he hoped to be
> back in three to four weeks. That would put Green on a mid- to
> late-March timetable, leaving about a dozen regular season games, give
> or take, to reintegrate him into the lineup. (Remember: We still haven’t
> seen Green together with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson since 2019.)
>
> “I’m not gonna rush back and try to get back out there before I feel
> like I’m all the way, 100 percent right,” Green said at All-Star
> weekend, embodying the same sentiment as the organization. The Warriors
> are well aware that Green’s health will be a top determining factor in
> their postseason fate — their championship chances are fried without
> Green — so they are focused more on entering the playoffs at full
> strength than fighting for seeding.
>
> As for the impact of Green’s absence, it has been felt more acutely over
> the Warriors’ last stretch of games entering the All-Star break, as
> they’ve allowed 110 or more points in seven of eight games and posted a
> defensive rating of 115.8, the ninth-worst in the NBA over that span.
> The Warriors’ defensive rating is 3.5 points better with Green on the
> floor, a stat made clear over the recent stretch of games which count as
> Golden State’s worst defensively of the season.
>
> Any playoff series against Denver and Nikola Jokic (currently the No. 6
> seed) or Utah and its trio of bigs led by Rudy Gobert (currently No. 4)
> look much tougher without Green, let alone a potential conference finals
> matchup with No. 1 Phoenix. Even if it means losing homecourt advantage
> in the semifinals by dropping to the No. 3 seed — the Warriors hold a
> 1.5 game lead on Memphis for No. 2 — they would prefer to be forced on
> to the road than risk Green reinjuring himself and missing those games.
>
> Green has missed the past 21 games with a lower back problem and,
> according to his timeline, can be expected to miss another eight or so.
> But there is hope that he could return for a key stretch of games
> against Memphis (March 28), Phoenix (March 30) and Utah (April 2).
>
> The Warriors are also closely monitoring the health of two other players
> they hope will play roles in the playoff push: Andre Iguodala, sidelined
> most recently by a tight back, and James Wiseman, in the final stages of
> his rehab from a torn meniscus.
>
> Wiseman and Iguodala have each been more active in portions of practice
> open to the media and could return to the court before Green, though
> neither should be expected to match Green’s unique impact.
>
> - Who steps up down the stretch?
>
> The preferred scenario for the Warriors, obviously, would be to win out
> down the stretch, with or without Green. That’s not realistic, facing
> one of the tougher schedules of Western Conference contenders.
>
> However, the Warriors have proven they can win without their best
> offensive facilitator and defensive air traffic controller.
>
> During their first 13 games without Green, they went 9-4. Even in their
> stretch of bad basketball over their past eight games, they’ve won half
> of them.
>
> And, to their benefit or detriment, a whole host of things have gone
> wrong over the past few games. Fixing any one problem is likely the
> difference between most of their wins and losses. From giving up second
> chances on the offensive glass to back cuts and easy paths into the
> paint, Kerr believes most of the Warriors’ issues stem from effort, not
> personnel.
>
> The Warriors believe the eventual returns of Green, Wiseman and Iguodala
> will be the answer to their problems come the playoffs. But over the
> final stretch of the regular season? They might be in need of a savior
> to hold on to the No. 2 seed.
>
> >RELATED ARTICLES
>   Will Steph Curry’s All-Star Game performance ignite his shooting for
> Warriors’ stretch run?
>   Michigan coach Juwan Howard suspended 5 games for Wisconsin melee
>   Warriors reportedly miss out on buyout candidate Goran Dragic
>   Steph Curry wins NBA All-Star Game MVP with historic shooting
> performance
>   Warriors’ trio of Curry, Green and Wiggins make their mark on
> All-Star weekend, even before tipoff
>
> Who better than Steph Curry?
>
> Curry practically willed the Warriors into the play-in round last
> season, averaging 36.9 points over his final 24 games.
>
> Even if he is no longer ice cold, Curry’s shooting from 3-point range
> this season has been the least efficient of his career (37.9%). He’s due
> to catch fire. Could his 16 All-Star Game 3-pointers — with a little
> rest and relaxation incorporated in, too — be just what is needed to
> ignite Curry to carry the Warriors over their final 23 games? The best
> months of Curry’s career, statistically, have been April (28.2 ppg) and
> May (36.8 ppg).
>
> If not Curry, then maybe there is a player motivated to cement his spot
> in the playoff rotation.
>
> - What does the playoff rotation look like?
>
> In the final game before the All-Star break, Kerr appeared to provide a
> hint at how he plans to pare down playing time amongst his reserves. He
> cut the rotation down to nine players, leaving out Juan
> Toscano-Anderson, Damion Lee and Moses Moody.
>
> But the minutes will have to trim for more players if the Warriors have
> the roster they would like when they open the first round.
>
> Another interesting adjustment Kerr made in the final game before the
> break involved Curry and Klay Thompson. With Thompson nearing his full
> capacity for playing time, the Warriors are still tinkering with his
> usage, but they appear to like him carrying the second unit.
>
> The two Splash Brothers started and ended the game together, but
> throughout the rest of it subbed in and out for each other.
>
> Officially, the Warriors’ 10-man playoff rotation could look something
> like this. But there would rarely be a time with Curry or Thompson off
> the floor. Remember, what matters to Kerr are particular pairings and
> combinations, so the exact looks on the floor at any given time can be
> pretty fluid.
>
> First unit
> -Steph Curry
> -Klay Thompson
> -Andrew Wiggins
> -Draymond Green
> -Kevon Looney
>
> Second unit
> -Gary Payton II
> -Jordan Poole
> -Andre Iguodala
> -Jonathan Kuminga
> -Otto Porter Jr.
>

On 2/22/2022 9:09 PM, Robin Miller wrote:
> Allen wrote:
>> Warriors’ stretch run: Three questions Golden State must answer with
>> 23 games before playoffs
>> ...
>>
>> First unit
>> -Steph Curry
>> -Klay Thompson
>> -Andrew Wiggins
>> -Draymond Green
>> -Kevon Looney
>>
>> Second unit
>> -Gary Payton II
>> -Jordan Poole
>> -Andre Iguodala
>> -Jonathan Kuminga
>> -Otto Porter Jr.
>>
>
>
> So much depends on what the Warriors get from Green and Iguodala, and
> perhaps to a lesser extent Wiseman.
>
> --Robin

Yeah - this could go either way. If Green can't return at the defensive
level we're used to, I think we've seen that the Warriors aren't a top
level team. But if he can return at near his previous level, and if
Wiseman can figure out his role quickly, the Warriors could be quite a
formidable contender. Re Igoudala, I'm wondering if he's ever going to
be able to play regularly again. Or are the Warriors trying to give him
a long rest before the playoffs start? Geez, I can see the Warriors
struggling mightily like they are now and I can see them becoming one of
the leagues top teams.

Allen wrote:
> On 2/22/2022 9:09 PM, Robin Miller wrote:
>> Allen wrote:
>>> Warriors’ stretch run: Three questions Golden State must answer with
>>> 23 games before playoffs
>>> ...
>>>
>>> First unit
>>> -Steph Curry
>>> -Klay Thompson
>>> -Andrew Wiggins
>>> -Draymond Green
>>> -Kevon Looney
>>>
>>> Second unit
>>> -Gary Payton II
>>> -Jordan Poole
>>> -Andre Iguodala
>>> -Jonathan Kuminga
>>> -Otto Porter Jr.
>>>
>>
>>
>> So much depends on what the Warriors get from Green and Iguodala, and
>> perhaps to a lesser extent Wiseman.
>>
>> --Robin
>
>
> Yeah - this could go either way. If Green can't return at the defensive
> level we're used to, I think we've seen that the Warriors aren't a top
> level team. But if he can return at near his previous level, and if
> Wiseman can figure out his role quickly, the Warriors could be quite a
> formidable contender. Re Igoudala, I'm wondering if he's ever going to
> be able to play regularly again. Or are the Warriors trying to give him
> a long rest before the playoffs start? Geez, I can see the Warriors
> struggling mightily like they are now and I can see them becoming one of
> the leagues top teams.
>

It's strange, isn't it, the range of possibilities?

They looked so awesome during that 16-2 (or whatever it was) start. But
since then Green's been out and Steph's shooting touch has left him, and
Klay's return hasn't balanced that out.

And Iguodala is a complete question mark, both as to whether he'll be
available and what he'll be able to contribute if he is.

--Robin

--Robin

Robin Miller wrote:
> Allen wrote:
>> On 2/22/2022 9:09 PM, Robin Miller wrote:
>>> Allen wrote:
>>>> Warriors’ stretch run: Three questions Golden State must answer with
>>>> 23 games before playoffs
>>>> ...
>>>>
>>>> First unit
>>>> -Steph Curry
>>>> -Klay Thompson
>>>> -Andrew Wiggins
>>>> -Draymond Green
>>>> -Kevon Looney
>>>>
>>>> Second unit
>>>> -Gary Payton II
>>>> -Jordan Poole
>>>> -Andre Iguodala
>>>> -Jonathan Kuminga
>>>> -Otto Porter Jr.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> So much depends on what the Warriors get from Green and Iguodala, and
>>> perhaps to a lesser extent Wiseman.
>>>
>>> --Robin
>>
>>
>> Yeah - this could go either way. If Green can't return at the
>> defensive level we're used to, I think we've seen that the Warriors
>> aren't a top level team. But if he can return at near his previous
>> level, and if Wiseman can figure out his role quickly, the Warriors
>> could be quite a formidable contender. Re Igoudala, I'm wondering if
>> he's ever going to be able to play regularly again. Or are the
>> Warriors trying to give him a long rest before the playoffs start?
>> Geez, I can see the Warriors struggling mightily like they are now and
>> I can see them becoming one of the leagues top teams.
>>
>
>
> It's strange, isn't it, the range of possibilities?
>
> They looked so awesome during that 16-2 (or whatever it was) start. But
> since then Green's been out and Steph's shooting touch has left him, and
> Klay's return hasn't balanced that out.
>
> And Iguodala is a complete question mark, both as to whether he'll be
> available and what he'll be able to contribute if he is.
>
> --Robin
>
>
> --Robin
>

An update on Iguodala:

Anthony Slater @anthonyVslater

Andre Iguodala remains out for the Warriors exiting the All-Star break
tomorrow night in Portland. Draymond Green and James Wiseman also out.
Wiseman is on the road trip, Green isn’t.

9:36 PM · Feb 23, 2022·