[McKenwood]

Not exactly ISO, but trying to drive to the basket like in game 5 even though apparently Sacramento had made an adjustment and weren't giving up points in the paint so easily anymore.

Iso or hero ball whatever you want to call it the Warriors were playing it. If your ballhandler is getting blitzed as he crosses halfcourt you need to make the passes necessary for a dunk. This would have been a good game to unleash Kuminga who is one of the few Warriors who can attack the rim and make the other team pay.  Warriors only had 20 assists, half of them by Draymond.

Kerr also needs to sit guys that are not producing. Cesspoole and Klay (-28!) were not getting it done. Moody should have played more.

The contrast with the Lakers is stark. A first year head coach integrates a bunch of new players midseason (Hachimura, Russell, Vanderbilt) and turns around the season. By contrast Myers/Kerr are unwilling to get the players they need because they are not sure Kerr can integrate them into the Warriors system. Kuminga and Moody should be much bigger players in the rotation at this point but Kerr pushed for Payton to rejoin the team so he wouldn't have to play them. Kerr is great with veteran players but cannot get the younger players to produce.

Yes, Kerr does not know what he’s doing. He only has 9 rings as a player and coach.  He plays the veterans cause they make fewer mistakes.  And they are his best players.  They have a core that’s won 4 Championships.  That time is coming to an end.  


They will, in all likelihood, start transitioning next year. But he’s going to ride Curry, Green, Klay and Looney as long as he can. As he should.  They are, need I remind you, the defending Champs.  And frankly, they had no business winning it last year. 

Kuminga may  be a good player someday.  He is not right now.  An occasional spectacular dunk notwithstanding. 

As for Wiseman, to  whom you offhandedly refer with the Payton comment, you are kidding, right?  He was a liability everytime he was on the floor.  Again, someday he may be a good player. But he was a project.  And when you are playing for championships as opposed to rebuilding, you don’t have the luxury of playing  a project.  Myers made a mistake drafting him.  He doesn’t make many.

They got Payton back cause they wanted to improve their defense.  Something they needed to do.  Kuminga isn’t going to address that need. He gets lost defensively.

I stand by my comments. The Warriors are an older bunch that needs a strong second group to thrive as a team. Kerr wasn't able to develop that group with regression of Poole being at the forefront. Kuminga has the defensive skills to be a high-level defender. Kerr didn't acomplish that this season. Based solely on recent perfomance Moody and DiVencenzo should be getting much more in the way of minutes with Poole and Thompson sitting.

Instead of Payton they could have gotten Jared Vanderbilt (more favorable contract) or Saddiq Bey (part of the Wiseman merry go round) both contributors on playoff teams.

Kerr has not been adaptable when things don't go right. Contrast with Mike Brown in game 6 who used Lyles instead of Len and even sat Sabonis for extended stretches. Ironically Kerr's best coaching came when he didn't have Draymond or Payton in game 5 and he was forced to use Moody, Kuminga and the other bench players who match up better with Sacramento than Poole or Klay.

Of course Kerr has a great track record. And he is entitled to a lot of leeway. But I've seen this movie before (Shaw, Bochy) where the failure to adapt or continue with ways that worked five years ago leads you right off a cliff. If the W's decide to move on from Draymond and Kaly they probably need a new coach in order to develop the next generation.

Thompson sitting?    He’s their second best scoring option.  And while no longer a shut down defender, he’s not a defensive liability.  He’s a key cog on 4 championships.  He’s averaging over 20 a game in this series.  

As for picking up Vanderbilt or Bey, unless you are privy to negotiations, you have no idea what they tried to or what, given salary constraints, they could have done.

The analogy to Shaw is misplaced. The Warriors have not gone 15-67 the last few years.  Five years ago?  They won it last year.  

The Warriors will pivot when they have to.  Probably next year given contact issues with Klay and Draymond.

As for a “strong second group” - generally it’s an 8-9 man rotation come playoffs.  Curry, Dray, Klay, Looney, Wiggins, Poole, DD, Payton.  If you go 9, Moody.  Who’s given them some decent minutes. Offensively at least.  He’s not going deeper than that in this series unless he has to (foul trouble, injuries ). Nor should he.

As for game 5  Kuminga did not play.  Moody got 4 minutes. Klay had 26.  To be fair, you must have meant game 3.  Yes, no Draymond.  So, Kuminga gets some minutes.  But do you actually think Kerr is going to sit Green for Kuminga?

Few final comments. First, there was some development for Kuminga year. But he’s 20 and raw.  I suspect you will see him on the floor more next year. Benches get shorter in the playoffs.

As for Brown - he’s done a great job.  But he’s in a completely different position.  He’s got a young team that’s never been here before. Kerr has a core of veterans.  This is probably their last hurrah.  I didn’t and don’t expect them to get deep in the playoffs.  But if I’m Kerr, I’m riding with these guys.  If they crash and burn, so be it.  They’ve proved their mettle.  And they’ve earned the chance to finish this run. One way or the other.

Finally, on development of young players, that is an open question.  Poole drives ne nuts.  But he certainly improved dramatically from when he was a rookie - shuttling between Warriors and SC.  Kuminga and Moody were in ‘21 draft.  7 and 14. Takes time.  And the 14th pick is by no means a sure thing.  I think both Kuminga and Moody improved from their rookie years. Moving forward, as the team transitions, we will get a better picture of how Kerr and Co do developing young players.

And who knows, maybe Kuminga plays game 7 and makes a positive contribution.  If so, I’ll tip my hat….

Good catch Lex. I meant Game 3 when Kerr was short personnel he did an excellent job of integrating his bench players including Moody and Kuminga.

Thompson is still a high level player but it takes a lot out of him to play both ways. Last night was a good example where his effectiveness diminished as the game went on.

I realize this is Game 7 and the temptation is to ride or die with the players that have brought you to this point but I can see a need to substitute more liberally in order to have a shot in Q4 with your veterans. 43 hour turnaround. Probably a (big) advantage for the Kings.

And sure the Warriors won the title last year but what about the seasons since they lost the title in 2019 (where Kerr got outcoached by another first year coach Nick Nourse)?

[McKenwood]

Not exactly ISO, but trying to drive to the basket like in game 5 even though apparently Sacramento had made an adjustment and weren't giving up points in the paint so easily anymore.

Iso or hero ball whatever you want to call it the Warriors were playing it. If your ballhandler is getting blitzed as he crosses halfcourt you need to make the passes necessary for a dunk. This would have been a good game to unleash Kuminga who is one of the few Warriors who can attack the rim and make the other team pay.  Warriors only had 20 assists, half of them by Draymond.

Kerr also needs to sit guys that are not producing. Cesspoole and Klay (-28!) were not getting it done. Moody should have played more.

The contrast with the Lakers is stark. A first year head coach integrates a bunch of new players midseason (Hachimura, Russell, Vanderbilt) and turns around the season. By contrast Myers/Kerr are unwilling to get the players they need because they are not sure Kerr can integrate them into the Warriors system. Kuminga and Moody should be much bigger players in the rotation at this point but Kerr pushed for Payton to rejoin the team so he wouldn't have to play them. Kerr is great with veteran players but cannot get the younger players to produce.

Yes, Kerr does not know what he’s doing. He only has 9 rings as a player and coach.  He plays the veterans cause they make fewer mistakes.  And they are his best players.  They have a core that’s won 4 Championships.  That time is coming to an end.  


They will, in all likelihood, start transitioning next year. But he’s going to ride Curry, Green, Klay and Looney as long as he can. As he should.  They are, need I remind you, the defending Champs.  And frankly, they had no business winning it last year. 

Kuminga may  be a good player someday.  He is not right now.  An occasional spectacular dunk notwithstanding. 

As for Wiseman, to  whom you offhandedly refer with the Payton comment, you are kidding, right?  He was a liability everytime he was on the floor.  Again, someday he may be a good player. But he was a project.  And when you are playing for championships as opposed to rebuilding, you don’t have the luxury of playing  a project.  Myers made a mistake drafting him.  He doesn’t make many.

They got Payton back cause they wanted to improve their defense.  Something they needed to do.  Kuminga isn’t going to address that need. He gets lost defensively.

I stand by my comments. The Warriors are an older bunch that needs a strong second group to thrive as a team. Kerr wasn't able to develop that group with regression of Poole being at the forefront. Kuminga has the defensive skills to be a high-level defender. Kerr didn't acomplish that this season. Based solely on recent perfomance Moody and DiVencenzo should be getting much more in the way of minutes with Poole and Thompson sitting.

Instead of Payton they could have gotten Jared Vanderbilt (more favorable contract) or Saddiq Bey (part of the Wiseman merry go round) both contributors on playoff teams.

Kerr has not been adaptable when things don't go right. Contrast with Mike Brown in game 6 who used Lyles instead of Len and even sat Sabonis for extended stretches. Ironically Kerr's best coaching came when he didn't have Draymond or Payton in game 5 and he was forced to use Moody, Kuminga and the other bench players who match up better with Sacramento than Poole or Klay.

Of course Kerr has a great track record. And he is entitled to a lot of leeway. But I've seen this movie before (Shaw, Bochy) where the failure to adapt or continue with ways that worked five years ago leads you right off a cliff. If the W's decide to move on from Draymond and Kaly they probably need a new coach in order to develop the next generation.

Thompson sitting?    He’s their second best scoring option.  And while no longer a shut down defender, he’s not a defensive liability.  He’s a key cog on 4 championships.  He’s averaging over 20 a game in this series.  

As for picking up Vanderbilt or Bey, unless you are privy to negotiations, you have no idea what they tried to or what, given salary constraints, they could have done.

The analogy to Shaw is misplaced. The Warriors have not gone 15-67 the last few years.  Five years ago?  They won it last year.  

The Warriors will pivot when they have to.  Probably next year given contact issues with Klay and Draymond.

As for a “strong second group” - generally it’s an 8-9 man rotation come playoffs.  Curry, Dray, Klay, Looney, Wiggins, Poole, DD, Payton.  If you go 9, Moody.  Who’s given them some decent minutes. Offensively at least.  He’s not going deeper than that in this series unless he has to (foul trouble, injuries ). Nor should he.

As for game 5  Kuminga did not play.  Moody got 4 minutes. Klay had 26.  To be fair, you must have meant game 3.  Yes, no Draymond.  So, Kuminga gets some minutes.  But do you actually think Kerr is going to sit Green for Kuminga?

Few final comments. First, there was some development for Kuminga year. But he’s 20 and raw.  I suspect you will see him on the floor more next year. Benches get shorter in the playoffs.

As for Brown - he’s done a great job.  But he’s in a completely different position.  He’s got a young team that’s never been here before. Kerr has a core of veterans.  This is probably their last hurrah.  I didn’t and don’t expect them to get deep in the playoffs.  But if I’m Kerr, I’m riding with these guys.  If they crash and burn, so be it.  They’ve proved their mettle.  And they’ve earned the chance to finish this run. One way or the other.

Finally, on development of young players, that is an open question.  Poole drives ne nuts.  But he certainly improved dramatically from when he was a rookie - shuttling between Warriors and SC.  Kuminga and Moody were in ‘21 draft.  7 and 14. Takes time.  And the 14th pick is by no means a sure thing.  I think both Kuminga and Moody improved from their rookie years. Moving forward, as the team transitions, we will get a better picture of how Kerr and Co do developing young players.

And who knows, maybe Kuminga plays game 7 and makes a positive contribution.  If so, I’ll tip my hat….

Good catch Lex. I meant Game 3 when Kerr was short personnel he did an excellent job of integrating his bench players including Moody and Kuminga.

Thompson is still a high level player but it takes a lot out of him to play both ways. Last night was a good example where his effectiveness diminished as the game went on.

I realize this is Game 7 and the temptation is to ride or die with the players that have brought you to this point but I can see a need to substitute more liberally in order to have a shot in Q4 with your veterans. 43 hour turnaround. Probably a (big) advantage for the Kings.

And sure the Warriors won the title last year but what about the seasons since they lost the title in 2019 (where Kerr got outcoached by another first year coach Nick Nourse)?