The Golden State Warriors finally made it dramatic. After back-to-back blowout wins to kick off their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets, the Dubs found themselves on the streets in an intense back-and-forth battle.
And what came out the other end was perhaps the most satisfying game of the season: a tough 118-113 win that saw the Warriors knock on the door of a sweep. Even against a compromised Nuggets team, winning away, in the playoffs and against a desperate team is an impressive feat and there’s a lot of optimism around the Dubs right now, as it should be.
So let’s rank the players and weight them according to our expectations for each one.
Note: The league average true shooting percentage (TS) this season was 56.6%.
Draymond Green
35 mins, 6 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers, 5 fouls, 2-on-6 shoots, 1-on-3 3-pointers, 1-on-4 free throws, 38, 7% TS, +4
Do everything Draymond. That was the topic. He’s been critical of his defense but I don’t think anyone else in the world will be at that end of the pitch, especially after he made the game of the game.
Steve Kerr compared him to Dennis Rodman and Ben Wallace before pointing out that Dray also had 10 assists.
And sure, he didn’t shoot well, but that doesn’t matter because he made a three.
The Warriors are 16-1 this season as Draymond makes a three
— Brady Thumper (@BradyKlopferNBA) April 22, 2022
He’s such a special player. I’m constantly at a loss for words when it comes to describing the things he can do on the pitch. We’ve never seen anyone like him.
Grade: A-
Post-Game Bonus: Led the team in assists.
Andrew Wiggins
29 minutes, 9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 3-on-6 shooting, 2-on-4 three-pointers, 1-on-2 free throws, 65.4% TS , -4
I can’t really criticize Wiggins’ performance because after the game Green started talking about how the people criticizing Wiggins don’t know how to watch basketball.
A little criticism is still appropriate. Wiggins was too content to just stand around and do nothing on offense when there were plenty of lanes to pounce on. He didn’t actually do much on offense, as a playmaker, as a screener, or as an off-ball mover. And his defense was so-so.
But he made huge game after game, with an offensive rebound that felt like he was turning the game and a massive three-pointer in the closing moments. And he again led the team in the rebound.
Grade B
Post-Game Bonus: Led the team in rebounds.
Kevin Looney
9 minutes, 0 points, 1 rebound, 4 fouls, -2
Looney was absolutely eaten alive by Nikola Jokić in the few minutes he was on the court. That’s no shame. Most of the people were eaten alive by Jokić.
But there is no hiding either.
Assuming the Warriors move forward, Looney is likely to play a bigger role in the next series.
Class: C
Clay Thompson
37 mins, 26 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 10-on-18 shooting, 6-on-13 threes, 72.2% TS, +3
I could watch Klay shoot all day. All damn day.
He seems so happy not only to be back on the pitch but to be able to share those great moments with his teammates and play like KLAY once again.
It can be the first option, the second option or the third option. It does not matter. What matters is that he puts his heart and soul into every game, beating up the opponent and making the big shots night after night.
Grade: A-
Jordan Poole
34 mins, 27 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls, 9 on 13 shooting, 3 on 5 trebles, 6 on 9 free throws, 79.6% TS, +4
I’m officially at a loss for words for this guy.
22-year-old Jordan Poole’s first three playoff games: 86 points, 14 assists, 66.7% FG, 59.1% 3FG, 83.9% shot on goal
— Brady Thumper (@BradyKlopferNBA) April 22, 2022
The Warriors’ offense didn’t miss a beat from the goals, even though Steph Curry started on the bench. Poole was there with the big beasts to get them going. And he was there with the big shots to finish things off. And he was with the big animals all the time.
He was full of finesse and magic, with a good dose of showmanship and a strong sense of the moment.
It’s perfectly clear that the Warriors stars see him as one of them. They like him as such. You respect him as such. And perhaps most importantly, they trust him as such.
Rating: A+
Post-Game Bonus: Tied for the team lead in points.
Nemanja Bjelica
12 mins, 2 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 block, 2 fouls, 0v2 shooting, 2v2 free throws, 34.7% TS, +1
This was definitely Bjelica’s least impactful game of the series and it will be interesting to see how he recovers in Game 4. The Warriors gave him a good run against Jokić instead of just waiting to pair him with DeMarcus Cousins.
He hasn’t done anything bad, just left nothing at all.
Grade: C+
Andre Iguodala
16 mins, 4 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 1-on-1 shooting, 2-on-3 free throws, 86.2% TS, -8
Just when you think Iguodala is having a little lackluster play, he bursts through your TV and fiercely rams the ball through the rim in classic Iguodala style.
It looked like it needed to shake off a bit of rust, but hopefully that shook it off. The warriors will need it.
Grade B
Post-Game Bonus: Worst plus/minus in the team.
Otto Porter Jr.
22 mins, 6 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 3-on-7 shooting, 0-on-3 three-pointers, 42.9% TS, +16
Porter continues to struggle with his shot this series, but he’s done pretty much everything else in this game. His length and switchability are such an advantage and it seems perfectly clear he’ll be a pivotal player throughout the postseason.
Grade: B+
Post-Game Bonus: Led the team in plus/minus.
Stephen Curry
31 mins, 27 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 turnovers, 3 fouls, 9-on-17 shooting, 3-on-9 three-pointers, 6-on-8 free throws, 65.8% TS, +3
Curry is looking about as good as he’s been looking all season, so I’d say we can officially shut the door if we’re worried about his foot. He’s in total control when he’s on the court, manipulating defense, playing with defenders, pulling up from anywhere and getting to the edge for smart finishes.
Most importantly, Curry eclipsed 30 minutes in that game. He’s probably ready to get back into the starting XI.
Class: A
Post-Game Bonus: Tied for the team lead in points.
Gary Payton II
14 mins, 11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 fouls, 4-on-4 shooting, 3-on-3 threes, 137.5% TS, +10
If you want a master class on how to positively impact a game in just 14 minutes of action, go back and watch every second that GPII was on court.
Rating: A+
Thursday’s DNPs: Jonathan Kuminga, Damion Lee, Moses Moody, Juan Toscano-Anderson
Inactive on Thursday: James Wiseman