Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors kicked off their season with a dub. While pre-season games don’t actually affect rankings. A win helps build positive energy around a roster. Especially when the win was against the LA Lakers who eliminated them in the playoffs last year.
The Golden State Line-up, mainly consisting of aging superstars, truly shone through. However, even the young players show their resilience in-game, resulting in a victory margin of almost twenty points. Despite that, the 20-year-old Warriors rookie got some stern advice from head coach Steve Kerr.
20YO rookie gets a stern warning from Steve Kerr
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The Dubs picked Brandin Podziemski 19th overall in this year’s NBA Draft. The 6’5 guard had an impressive showing against the Lakers. With 11 points, 4 assists, and 6 rebounds, the rookie was on point. However, in the 4th quarter, the Warriors did something unusual. They challenged a foul call with only 11 minutes of playtime left while Los Angeles was still at a 14-point deficit.
In the post-game Press conference, Coach Kerr is asked exactly that. “I was working with Brandon Podziemski on that, so he told me he didn’t touch him. I said, ‘Alright, I’m gonna challenge the play, but if you touched him, then you’ve got to know we can’t do this anymore”, said Warriors Head Coach. He further added, “If you (Podziemski) have to tell me the truth, and it was somewhere in between because he didn’t touch him up here. But he fouled him down below, so we’re okay now. But I wanted to help him understand, ‘Don’t tell me you didn’t touch him if you actually did.”
The pre-season showing also marks the first game of Chris Paul as a Warrior. After years of being a fierce opponent to the Dubs Dynasty, he finally had Chase Center cheering for him.
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Stephen Curry and Chris Paul played together for the first time
Chris Paul kick-started the Warriors’ scoring by sinking a seamless mid-range jumper from the baseline, securing two points. He showcased his exceptional mid-range prowess as he notched his debut basket while sporting the Warriors’ uniform, even shooting over the 6’9 Forward Jarred Vanderbilt.
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Following the bucket, CP3 promptly exhibited his stellar playmaking abilities by orchestrating a breakaway play for Curry. He delivered the ball to the Warriors legend, and Steph successfully made a three-pointer from a considerable distance. Dub nation was exhilarated to witness their fresh superstar pair collaborating on the court.
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