After all the offseason hype and buildup following the signing of Kevin Durant, the Golden State Warriors made their long-awaited debut against the Toronto Raptors last night in Vancouver, the former home of the Grizzlies. While the Dubs dropped the preseason opener by a final score of 97-93, and KD didn't exactly set the world on fire finishing with 9 points on 9 shots, there were some positives to take away.
Klay Thompson
It seemed like as soon as KD signed with the Dubs, Klay was the designated player chosen by the media to adapt his game to accommodate KD. Klay made it abundantly clear when asked that he "wasn't sacrificing sh*t" and that his game wasn't going to change. As we saw last night, he remained true to his word and came out aggressive, taking a team-high 13 shots, including going 4-11 from downtown. Truthfully, it was a little unfair to make it seem that Klay was the only Warrior who would have to adapt to KD. It's going to be a growing process, and definitely will not be seamless, but it bodes well for the Dubs to see that Klay won't be bashful and defer, à la Harrison Barnes.
Patrick McCaw
I damn near put him at the top of the list of takeaways from last night's loss. While UNLV is no longer the powerhouse it was in the days of Larry Johnson and Greg Anthony, every once in a while they'll still throw out a solid NBA player. When the Dubs acquired McCaw on draft night from the Milwaukee Bucks, I immediately did some research. I saw his highlight reel and was impressed by his defensive instincts. His timing is key in his ability to anticipate when to reach for the ball and when to leap into passing lanes. While I walked away impressed, I also tempered my expectations. It was one thing to do that in the Mountain West Conference which, I'm sorry, is not exactly a hotbed of talent, and quite another to do it against NBA-caliber players. He more than held his own in Summer League, and his 5 steals last night showed he can definitely be a rotation player for this team.
JaVale McGee
Say what you want about him being the star of "Shaqtin' a Fool", but the Dubs need JaVale McGee. With the losses of Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli, the Dubs have essentially zero rim protection. While Zaza Pachulia is a capable defender, he relies mainly on positioning and strength. McGee's athleticism and length are things that don't just grow on trees, and his value was on display after having 3 of the team's 7 blocks. Of course, he wouldn't be JaVale McGee without a "Shaqtin'" moment, which came when he air-balled a foul line jumper in the second half. If he continues to rebound and defend the way he can, I think the Dubs can live with a few of those and afford to keep McGee over Finals scapegoat Anderson Varejão, despite Varejão's guaranteed salary ($1.55M).
Klay Thompson
It seemed like as soon as KD signed with the Dubs, Klay was the designated player chosen by the media to adapt his game to accommodate KD. Klay made it abundantly clear when asked that he "wasn't sacrificing sh*t" and that his game wasn't going to change. As we saw last night, he remained true to his word and came out aggressive, taking a team-high 13 shots, including going 4-11 from downtown. Truthfully, it was a little unfair to make it seem that Klay was the only Warrior who would have to adapt to KD. It's going to be a growing process, and definitely will not be seamless, but it bodes well for the Dubs to see that Klay won't be bashful and defer, à la Harrison Barnes.
Patrick McCaw
I damn near put him at the top of the list of takeaways from last night's loss. While UNLV is no longer the powerhouse it was in the days of Larry Johnson and Greg Anthony, every once in a while they'll still throw out a solid NBA player. When the Dubs acquired McCaw on draft night from the Milwaukee Bucks, I immediately did some research. I saw his highlight reel and was impressed by his defensive instincts. His timing is key in his ability to anticipate when to reach for the ball and when to leap into passing lanes. While I walked away impressed, I also tempered my expectations. It was one thing to do that in the Mountain West Conference which, I'm sorry, is not exactly a hotbed of talent, and quite another to do it against NBA-caliber players. He more than held his own in Summer League, and his 5 steals last night showed he can definitely be a rotation player for this team.
JaVale McGee
Say what you want about him being the star of "Shaqtin' a Fool", but the Dubs need JaVale McGee. With the losses of Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli, the Dubs have essentially zero rim protection. While Zaza Pachulia is a capable defender, he relies mainly on positioning and strength. McGee's athleticism and length are things that don't just grow on trees, and his value was on display after having 3 of the team's 7 blocks. Of course, he wouldn't be JaVale McGee without a "Shaqtin'" moment, which came when he air-balled a foul line jumper in the second half. If he continues to rebound and defend the way he can, I think the Dubs can live with a few of those and afford to keep McGee over Finals scapegoat Anderson Varejão, despite Varejão's guaranteed salary ($1.55M).
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