The post Warriors' Brandin Podziemski responds to Steve Kerr's challenge with near flawless performance vs. Grizzlies appeared first on ClutchPoints .
SAN FRANCISCO– The first three games of the season were rough for third-year guard Brandin Podziemski , especially with some of the pressure on his shoulders. Entering the Memphis Grizzlies matchup with only three total assists and multiple off-nights on offense, his head coach, Steve Kerr, admitted his guard was struggling .
"He's not at his best right now," Kerr said before the game. "I think he's pressing a little bit. Brandin always wants to be great, and sometimes he needs to relax and be good, and that's when he becomes great."
It didn't take long for Podziemski to take Kerr's words right to heart as he lasered in a triple on the very first possession of the game. From there, Podziemski remained cool and collected, helping the Golden State Warriors to a comfortable 131-118 win over the Grizzlies with 23 points, four rebounds, six assists, on 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. The main takeaway from the Warriors' 19th overall pick in 2023's bounce-back performance was how naturally the flow of the offense came to him.
After the game, Steph Curry talked about what was different about Podziemski's game compared to the first three games.
"Just keeping the game simple. Certain defenses have given us and the team problems, all those switch five type of teams and stuff like that, where there are no clear driving lanes," Curry explained. "Those types of games, there are moments like tonight where you have to just keep the game simple. If you have a shot, cool, shoot it, have confidence. If not, get off of it quick, it's going to come back to you… Those are the ways you make the game easy for yourself."
Podziemski kept things straightforward, and it paid off.
Alongside Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody also stepped up to guide the Dubs to a win. The trio combined for 68 points on 10-of-16 from beyond the arc. Their offensive output allowed the Warriors to play Curry just under 30 minutes, as well as Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green , only 31 minutes. This was especially important given the fact that this was the front end of a back-to-back.
After the game, Kerr talked about watching the young core step up, especially in the context of the complicated beginnings of their respective careers .
"It's exciting," Kerr said. "We've seen it in spurts, probably haven't seen all those guys in the 20s [points-wise]. I'm guessing it's the first time that's happened. It's huge, but it's a reminder that these young guys are putting in the work and getting better every year. We always say progress isn't linear necessarily. But when you think about all the ups and downs all three of those guys have had the last couple of years… It's impressive they've stayed with it and continued to fight. Now they're playing at a really high level together. It's really exciting."
With each guy stepping into a franchise as accomplished as the Warriors, it was hard for them to find their role next to players in the prime of their careers in win-now mode. They didn't have the runway to develop like other young NBA players; they weren't playing on lottery-bound teams in meaningless games, they were competing for minutes and playing time. The "two timelines" plan has been largely described as a failure, as none of the young guys have turned into clear-cut successors to the Dubs' dynasty.
However, those same first-rounders are finding ways to meaningfully contribute this season. They may not be household names, but they are essential to the Warriors' success through 82 games.
Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The Warriors will need more of Podziemski's play moving forward. There are bound to be nights when the Warriors rest Curry. Nights like these, where he's playing within the flow of the game and letting the offense come to him, show just how efficient he can be when everything is humming. Nights like these make you feel comfortable letting the young guys take the car keys.
After the game, Kerr gave his kudos to Podziemski's play.
"Well it helped that he knocked down the first shot of the game," Kerr said. "But he just looked like the guy like we saw all training camp and all last year, or the second half of last year, once he got it going. Yeah, it's a great night for Brandin. He and Moses (Moody) knocking down 10 threes combined. That was impressive and fun to watch. We feel like we've got a lot of weapons, a lot of depth."
The Warriors will look to build off the win with an in-division matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers . After that, they'll hit the Midwest with road games against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Indiana Pacers .
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