Warriors notes: Bjelica using past experience in guarding Nikola Jokic;
Iguodala injury update
Nemanja Bjelica might have an edge on Nikola Jokic that most other
players don’t have.
>Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) shoots over Warriors forward
Nemanja Bjelica (8) in the first half during Game Two of the Western
Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Chase Center on April 18, 2022,
in San Francisco. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
>Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) shoots over Warriors forward
Nemanja Bjelica (8) in the first half during Game Two of the Western
Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Chase Center on April 18, 2022,
in San Francisco. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
By MADELINE KENNEY | mkenney@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: April 20, 2022 at 3:01 p.m. | UPDATED: April 20, 2022 at 3:44
p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/04/20/warriors-notebook-bjelica-using-past-experience-to-help-plan-for-nikola-jokic/

SAN FRANCISCO – Nemanja Bjelica believes his past experience playing
alongside Nikola Jokic might give him a slight edge in the first-round
series against the Denver Nuggets.

Bjelica and Jokic joined forces in 2019 to represent their homeland at
the FIBA World Cup, where Serbia finished in fifth place.

Guarding Jokic is no easy task. But Bjelica said that time together has
helped him with his preparations, though it’s still incredibly difficult
to devise a plan to limit a player like Jokic, who can impact the game
in so many ways.

“He’s MVP of the league, the best big guy in the league,” Bjelica said
Wednesday after practice. “We know what he’s capable of and like I said,
we didn’t do anything yet. We just won two games at home and the next
game [Thursday] is important for us.”

The game plan against Jokic is to make his life as difficult as
possible. Draymond Green has relentlessly pestered Jokic in the first
two games and that’ll likely continue going forward. But when Green
needs a break, other players like Bjelica have filled in and tried to
lock down the 6-foot-11 center.

“We’re just trying to make him play tougher, to lose a lot of energy,”
Bjelica said.

Bjelica played well in his first two games, providing a defensive
presence off the bench as he helped keep Jokic in check.

In two games, he’s averaged nine points and 2.5 rebounds himself over
15.5 minutes per game.

Coach Steve Kerr gave the Warriors’ own Serbian big a rave review for
his postseason performances.

“He’s been great, he’s so skilled,” Kerr said. Bjelica “is a really
important player for us schematically and he’s also a team favorite…
He’s been really good these first two games, it’s been fun watching him
play.”

- Veteran rights

Stephen Curry said he’ll “never” give up the role of shooting the
technical free throws despite his apprentice Jordan Poole narrowly
edging him out for the league’s best free throw percentage in the
regular season.

“Even [if] I miss ten in a row, you’ll see me right there,” Curry said
Monday night. “… It’s going to take a lot more than one free throw champ
to get me off that line for the techs.”

Curry, a career 90.8% free throw shooter, shot 92.3% from the charity
stripe this season. Meanwhile, Poole converted on 92.5% of his free
throw attempts.

Curry also missed two technical shots in Monday’s Game 2 win.

Kerr doesn’t care who of the two takes the shots and plans to stay out
of the debate.

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“The coach has no say,” Kerr said Wednesday. “When you have multiple
great foul shooters sometimes it’s who gets there first. But yeah, they
got to work it out themselves.”

- Iguodala update

Andre Iguodala has been upgraded to probable for Game 3 Thursday in
Denver, Kerr said.

The 38-year-old missed Game 2 Monday after experiencing neck spasms
following shootaround. He practiced Wednesday at Chase Center and
“looked good,” according to Bjelica.

“He’s feeling a lot better,” Kerr added. “So we’re hopeful he’ll play.”

Iguodala recorded four assists and two rebounds in under 14 minutes in
Game 1 of the series.

--
Madeline Kenney | Warriors reporter