Steve Kerr, Warriors players react to 110-105 win vs. Kings
Steve Kerr, Steph Curry, De'Anthony Melton, Charles Bassey, Draymond Green and Pat Spencer speak to reporters following Golden State's 110-105 win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night at Chase Center.
Steve Kerr, Warriors players react to 110-105 win vs. Kings originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Video Transcript
Let's go back inside.
Fitz and Buki have Steph Curry, his second game back after that 27-game absence.
Steph, what did it feel like?
Another clutch game.
It's game two back, but, you guys answered the bell and finished it down the stretch.
How you doing?
we're doing great.
I mean, it's obviously great to win.
no matter who we're playing, we're trying to build good habits.
We had a horrible third quarter turning the ball over, but great response on defense in the fourth.
Guys hitting big shots.
BP down the stretch, Seth down the stretch.
and we got enough stops, so just thankful to get the win and, and keep building.
You just mentioned your brother, Seth.
He had nine timely points.
You mentioned the big shot he hit down the stretch.
Got to play with him for the first time the other night.
He kept the jerseys from the other night.
Did you get to keep anything, like the game ball or something?
What'd you get to keep?
I got to keep the memories.
Hey, tell us about Charles Bassey tonight, it, with the double double because it was fun to watch him roll.
It was fun to watch him on the second chance points on the glass.
It's kind of a different toy for a big guy rolling there.
Yeah, no, our, our front court has been kinda impacted by so many injuries, and for him to come in last game, I told him it was like we've been playing the pick and roll for about 10 years.
the first possession I got in, he got a nice dunk.
It's, you can tell he has really good feel.
he, he plays, you know, really aggressive in the paint, and 14 and 12, you know, when we needed it, it was huge.
Steph, you said, you know how to manage your knee.
It's kind of the new normal.
It looks like you do have a lot of confidence in that knee.
You're getting double-teamed a bunch.
Guys are trying to bounce you around and getting physical with you, but you're handling and absorbing that physicality pretty well.
Yeah, the, the first game, you're always just riding adrenaline and the joy of just being back out there.
The second game's always a little, little harder just 'cause you have to turn it back around in 48 hours, but, you know, I'm, I'm getting my rhythm, and I'm just happy to be out here and, and compete and, and feel the juices of, you know, that, that 48 minutes, especially with two, two clutch games.
So, I'm happy to be back.
How about the moment when Moses Moody came out, and the way Dub Nation welcomed him back.
You were clapping yourself, but it was just great to see Moses just in general.
But I, I loved how the fans treated him in that moment.
Oh, for sure.
We got to see him, right, but he came in about, half an hour before the game.
It was our first time seeing him since the surgery.
and he always brightens the room.
You know, he, he's got that smile and that presence about him, so it was great to see him.
It was great for the fans to give him that, that love, which he deserves.
And, you know, we're obviously wishing him a speedy recovery, and, you know, I know he'll be, he'll be back strong.
But, it was just great to see him.
Steph, you had two four-point plays tonight.
Yeah.
Can you walk us through how you keep your concentration?
Obviously, your form is always pure.
Your leg, your legs can go all over the place, and it doesn't seem to matter.
How do you do that?
I mean, you have to obviously focus in on the rim.
You know, sometimes there can be contact and whatnot.
I do fall a lot, but those two were, you know, just timing, you know, confidence, let it go.
absorb the contact and have fun with it.
So I, I, I, I think that, you know, two is probably my, my record in a game.
I was trying to get one more, but, you know, next time.
All right.
We're gonna let you go with this.
There's never been a Hack-a-Curry that I've ever seen.
Not you, not Dell.
They intentionally fouled Seth, an 86% career free throw shooter.
You, you, you gotta, you gotta tease your brother about that.
I'll tease him for sure 'cause he shot 50% on that, uh- on that, in the, in those attempts, so the, I guess it worked out in their favor for But then he came back and validated with two more after that, so, you know, like we always have fun.
Competiti- I know we hate when we miss free throws, but I was glad to see him knock a couple down.
Hey, we appreciate you stopping, Steph.
Great to see you healthy.
Hack-a-Curry.
Yeah, sir.
It's a new thing.
Appreciate you.
Bring it on.
De'Anthony, that second quarter broke open for you.
You found every shot inside, outside.
What was you What were you feeling out there?
I was feeling confident.
I think that's the most important thing.
you know, coming out the first quarter, I just wanted to fix my game, and I feel like second quarter just come out being aggressive and be yourself.
Right now, you guys have the playing in front of you.
Every opportunity to go out on the court is an opportunity to get things right.
What do you think you learned about your team tonight, other than De'Anthony's popping right here?
That we gotta be resilient.
I mean, it's a tough road.
It ain't gonna be easy, and nobody really cares besides us, so we gotta go out there and just fight and just get ready for whatever's ahead of us.
I gotta know, what were you thinking on the second and one three that Steph and got?
He back.
He back.
I was just so excited to see that.
I ain't gonna lie.
He, he back.
Yeah.
All right, you guys.
A few more games to close out the regular season.
Any thoughts on what you wanna focus on personally and for the team?
just being more disciplined.
I think, you know, we could all be, just always be more disciplined.
Cut down on turnovers.
I think that's the biggest Achilles heel that we have, turnovers.
So we, we do that stuff, limit transition, I mean, we're gonna be in good shape.
Thank you for stopping.
Yeah, thank you.
Charles, thank you for stopping by.
Tonight, get the win, break a little bit of a streak, a losing streak, get the win, but you get to have an opportunity to feel yourself within this squad, this roster.
How has it been acclimating yourself to this team?
Oh, I mean, it's been great, man.
It's been, it's been a good three days.
last game was great.
Today went better, but, it's been great just meeting the guys, talking to, Steve and everything.
It's been, it's been a good It's been a good, it's been good.
The Warriors haven't had a high-flying, acrobatic big like you, being able to play above the rim, being able to dunk and stuff.
It's kind of fun to watch.
How has it been for you being able to be an outlet like that for the Warriors?
Do they try and encourage you to do so?
Yeah, man, I mean, that's, like I said, man, that's one of my talents.
That's why they brought me here.
But I mean, they just tell me just go out there and do what I do.
You know, do what got me here, so it's just, like I said, man, just dunking, blocking shots, running the floor.
So, you know, I'm just, just trying to do that every game.
You wanted some heads out there.
You, you-I needed to take some people's heads off, it was crazy.
Yeah, man, it's just, we're just trying to get a win, you know?
Yeah.
We know we're trying, well, we already know when the playing game, so like that, like Steve said in there right now, man, you know, we didn't, we didn't really have a good third quarter, you know?
Yeah.
We just came out of the fourth quarter and we had a good game.
So we're just preparing ourselves just, you know, for the fi- for the playing game.
Okay.
And what is it like, I mean, we, I know last game you talked a little bit about having Stephen out there, and it just opens up everything.
Yeah.
Your first play of the game, he gives you that assist, you're wide open.
Tonight, you get another opportunity.
Did it change?
What did, what did it feel like to have him out there again?
No, it was great, man.
It never changed me.
Like you said, Steph attracts a lot of players, man.
Like, it's, it, that's who he is.
It's, it's, that's gonna keep going on e- if he keeps playing.
So I mean, that's, that's who he is.
So we as a big, we just gotta get ready just to catch the ball and just finish up, find the extra outlet.
So it's been, it's been great playing with him, man.
It's been fun.
It's been really fun.
All right.
Last question from me.
The closing of the regular season, getting ready for the play-in, what are you focused on to be able to help this team?
just do what I do every night, just coming in, just giving the team great energy.
That's what they want from me every night, no matter how many minutes I play, and just going out there and just give everything I got, you know?
And just helping them win, and hopefully we'll win the playing game and get to the playoffs.
It's been fun to watch.
Thank you so much, Charles.
Yeah, thank you.
How nice was it to see Moses get that standing ovation from the, how nice was it to see Moses get that standing ovation from the crowd?
Yeah, it was great.
it was really fun to see Moses today.
He just got back in town from, LA, where he had the surgery and, all the guys were excited to see him, and then really, it was really fun to see the crowd give him that reaction, too.
Steve, Charles came off the bench and gave you guys some pretty good minutes tonight.
what has he meant for you in only two games so far?
He's been great.
he's a really impressive player, you know, just the presence in the paint and, ability to finish and score in there, and then, you know, he blocks shots, he rebounds, really active, good player.
Which, what, what do you think of, Steph's night tonight?
25 minutes again, how do you think he looked?
Well, it, I thought he looked, a little rusty.
I think, the, the second game back to me is always harder than the first when you're coming back.
The first one, you get that adrenaline, and, and I think the other night was, you know, it was, i- it w- it was such a high level game, and, tonight, I felt like there was a little bit of a letdown for the whole team.
We had 11 turnovers in the third quarter.
We just completely let our guard down.
And, and Steph was, you know, part of that with, with a couple of, poor decisions.
So, you know, part of h- of him getting back into the, the game and the flow of things is, just feeling, you know, multiple games and, and recognizing, you know, the decision-making is really gonna matter next week, you know, when we're in the play-in.
So, he knows he had a little bit of a, a ragged game t- handling the ball and, and, but he'll make the necessary adjustments and be better next game.
Steve, as you said last week, DeAnthony was kind of in a rut for five games there.
He obviously seemed to emerge tonight.
Yeah.
What sort of sparked that, and how vital is that?
You've, going back to the start of last year, those few games before he got hurt, have always said he fits nicely- Yeah next to Steph.
That's right.
Which, for the play-in, I imagine would be what you want.
Yeah.
Yeah, for sure.
I mean, I, I, I don't think it's any coincidence that, he's broken out here the last couple games.
you know, with Steph's return, there's so much more focus on Steph, and, that opens up the floor and, you know, this, this happens, to everybody during the season.
You just have a, you know, a rough patch.
it's like a slump in baseball.
and, it's a long season, but, you know, I, what I think with Melt is, I'll take the, the 45 games or whatever he played before this five-game stretch.
you trust, you trust your eyes and, I trust the, the, you know, the, the majority of the season that he's, he's had.
He's been really good, so it was just a little bit of a slump, that's all.
If I could ask a follow-up, how, how much does his skill set compliment Steph?
Yeah, it does, because he, he gets downhill, he gets to the rim, and, Steph obviously provides a lot of spacing, and so there's more openings on the floor.
And then defensively, you know, he's really versatile, and he can guard the best guy out there.
And, so Melt's been a great player for us all year.
Plan for Steph to play the front end of the back-to-back against the Lakers?
not sure yet.
We'll, we'll see.
And then how, was Kristaps close?
Do you expect him to go?
yeah, I don't think it's anything serious, so we'll, we'll know in the next day or two.
Yeah.
Steve, you mentioned the 11 turnovers in the third quarter.
The mistakes tonight, how quickly do you think that those can be corrected to build the right habits and have the right identity going into the play-in?
Yeah.
That's what was disappointing tonight.
We, we had a clean first half, five turnovers I think, and then, and then 11 in the third.
so we, we can't afford that kind of letdown against, you know, Portland or the Clippers or Phoenix or whoever we're gonna play.
And, and so the guys know that, you know?
We talked about it in the timeout, we talked about it after the game, so we gotta sharpen up, you know, these last three games.
With, with la- three games left, how do, how do you balance, like, preserving health and also finding rhythm in, in these next three games?
Well, we just pr- prioritize health.
the rhythm comes, after that.
So we'll do whatever we have to do to be healthy, and, we'll hope to find some rhythm from there.
I think you had Will initially in the starting lineup.
Did something happen with him?
Yeah.
I don't know exactly.
We, we were gonna start him, and then he was a late scratch.
I still don't know, what it, what it was.
I know he's kinda similar to, to DeAnthony, how, you know, he's slowed down a little bit as the season's gone on.
Is he somebody you think you can count on in, in, in the postseason?
Yeah.
Yeah, Will's, Will's got big game experience.
he's a, a really solid player.
you know, a young player, so there's ups and downs during the season, but I, I totally trust Will.Hi Steve, Oakley student media here.
Jai Finksman.
Pat Spencer saw 40 minutes today.
was that, like, part of the game plan going in or did that was that an adjustment?
that was because of, Will's injury.
when Will went out, that, opened up about 20 minutes or so that, that we were planning on playing him and, we basically, you know, Pat's like, he's a gamer.
We know we can play him 40 minutes and he loves it and, and he's healthy, no problems.
So, he just ate up those minutes that, that Will would've played.
All right, thank you.
Thank you.
One more.
Hi Steve.
So what do you want to see in the, in your team when, the final three or four games a- approaching the play-in?
Well, I'd like to see a, a full 48 minutes of sharper execution.
I liked our game against Houston a lot better, than the one tonight.
We were much, much sharper.
So we've gotta prepare for really high level defensive teams.
you know, we're either gonna play the Clippers or, or Portland.
and if we're able to win that one, you know, either Phoenix or, or, or the other one.
So all three are really high level defensive teams that force turnovers and, so if we're careless with the ball, we're in big trouble.
So these last three games we, we have to sharpen up and recognize, what it's gonna take.
Thank you.
How you feeling after playing 40, 41 minutes?
Pretty wiped.
first half was, was better.
Second half just lost my legs a little bit.
but ultimately just happy we came out with a win.
Steve kind of talked about there being a sort of low energy, kind of letdown.
what was sort of going on in the game there?
They would turn the ball over a handful of times.
just didn't get organized and spaced offensively.
I think we had 17 turnovers at some point in the third, it might've been, like, early in the fourth.
so we, we got it under control towards the end of the game.
That group that closed did a good job.
but just weren't locked in, committed to the game plan.
Took 16 field goal attempts tonight.
What do you think were some of the factors that led to you being a little bit more aggressive with the shot?
Yeah, I mean, played 40 minutes, and we're just a little bit banged up right now, so the ball was in my hands a bit more.
I won a handful of those back, a couple that weren't, weren't great.
but just felt like, you know, I, I had it going early and so I stayed aggressive.
I just couldn't buy one down the stretch.
Lost my legs a little bit.
I haven't played, haven't played 40 minutes in quite a while.
I know it's just been two games, but what do you make of the collective rhythm that you guys are developing with Steph back in the line-up?
Yeah, we're still finding it.
he's not gonna come off the bench in the playoffs and in the play-in.
it's more so about finding identity and, and getting healthy.
I mean, we've got Gee out, KP out, Will out, LJ out, we've got a handful of guys still out.
So, I think for us it's finding a collective identity on both ends of the floor and, and finding something we can commit to and then when we get fully healthy, be ready to roll.
Pat, had you guys seen Moses before that moment he turned up in the tunnel and, and how special was it to see the ovation and kind of the just- Yeah what that meant for everybody?
Super cool.
One of, one of the all time great teammates.
we saw him before, so we saw him down in the locker room prior to the game, so got a chance to catch up and, if you know Moses, he's, he's always in good spirits.
Pat, a 14 and 12 for Charles tonight.
Second game with you guys, double double.
What does that say about someone to already have that kind of production this quickly for you guys?
Yeah, you just see how hard he plays.
dude comes out and competes every single game and we're still finding the identity as a team, so for him to, to be able to come in and have an impact the way he has, pretty cool.
You know, that's what He spent time in the G League.
you know, I know he was a pretty high level recruit early on in his career, so to see a guy willing to just put his head down and, and keep working and keep competing, those are the guys you root for.
It's been a, kind of a tough stretch for D'Anthony until tonight.
How have you seen him handle that over the last few weeks, and how important is, I guess, what he did tonight to what you guys want to accomplish?
Yeah, he's a pro.
I mean, look, we all go through it.
you have stretches where you just feel like you can't buy one.
He's been a little bit banged up.
I think he's a guy who's got the ability to, to operate in space and when you put number 30 on the floor, there tends to be a little bit more space.
So, I think it, it's probably a little bit of a product of, of the guys he's been out there with and, and also just really getting healthy.
So, but we, we know what, what Melt can do.
You kind of just touched on it and we talked about it briefly in Atlanta about how much Melt's skill set seems to fit next to Steph's, like you said- Yeah the space and his ability to get in the lane.
How, how much of a complement- complementary weapon will that be in the play-in and potentially the playoff to have those two together?
Yeah, I mean, Melt, Melt can guard, one through four, can shoot the three ball.
I know he hasn't shot it as well as he's liked over this last stretch, but, fully confident shooter.
Doesn't His confidence doesn't waver, you know, when he's had a, a tough stretch and so that's what you look for.
He's been around for quite a while, and you know what you're getting with him.
frankly, we, we just wanna get everybody healthy.
Draymond, head coach Steve Kerr came in and talked about the fact that you guys will face much more disciplined defenses here in the near future, especially in the play-in game, and you guys need to be more disciplined.
D'Anthony Melton said the same thing after the game.
What was the breakdown with the discipline, and how do you guys kinda make sure that that's not the case next week?
I think it's just a matter of staying focused.
kind of putting together these have some time efforts and, you know, you lose your focus, it's the NBA, so I think it's just a matter of having a better focus.Draymond, Bassey gave you guys some big minutes tonight.
what have you seen from him through these two games?
Very, live body.
you know, he's r- really good shot blocker.
He rebounds the ball well.
lob threat, great finisher around the rim.
He's got really good hands.
I think that's the one thing that's kinda stood out most to me, is he's got really, really good hands.
So, I think, you know, he's getting more and more comfortable but, you know, he's been good these last couple games.
Have you seen much of him?
I mean, he only been here three days .
Have you seen much of him before?
Yeah, I've kinda watched him since he was at Western Kentucky.
You know, I try to keep up on all the He was a big-time recruit, you know, so, I've saw him for quite a while.
But, you know, throughout his journey, Spurs and Philly, recently Boston, you know, I've seen him, but I didn't realize his hands was that good.
Steve talked about the last game and about how much of a different vibe it is in the building when Steph Curry's here.
Just how much of a lift is it to have him back?
Pretty good.
yeah, it's, You know, he makes the game a lot easier for everybody.
What have these last two games felt like, and where do you feel- the biggest difference with him?
Is it just the spacing?
Is it the energy?
Is it- I would say more last game than this game.
This game was eh.
but last game, you know, you can just Things just kinda fit into their normal spots, you know?
the familiarity is kinda looked more like the team I'm accustomed to seeing.
the spacing is different, obviously.
He draws two and three people, so just having different reads to make, different things opening up because he's on the floor, I think, is probably the biggest difference.
And then also, the confidence level of our group, is probably the, the biggest difference.
How- You know, when he come on the court, you just think you can win, and that's, that's a different mindset than we've had over the last couple months.
How nice was it to see Moses get that standing ovation from the crowd?
Well-deserved.
unexpected, but it's just nice to see him.
A pleasant surprise, so it was great.
You been able to talk to him a little bit?
Yeah, for sure.
In terms of making the game easier for everyone, maybe specifically in terms of D'Anthony, how does Steph help him kinda unlock his game?
well, all of a sudden, you're not standing in front of the defense the whole play.
you know, the whole defense isn't loading up on you, and so you can catch, you can play off closeouts, you get more open looks.
and it's just not kinda the same weight to carry, you know?
So, I think it helps not only Mel, it helps everybody, but I think, you know, like I said, it just allows people to really do what they do.
Yesterday, Guy Santos was wearing a Defend for 10 shirt.
I think Raymond's wearing it now.
Oh, that's cool.
what, what would it mean for you to make the All-Defense team?
It'd mean a lot.
You know, I, think I'm a pretty good defender.
you want to be recognized for things you do well in this league, so it, it, it would mean a lot, you know?
Now, obviously, the, the group of guys that are at 10 All-Defense teams, it's a very short list, but a great list.
And so just to, to possibly be in a category, listed in a category with the likes of those names, was something that I never imagined.
And so anytime you can be next to those guys, you gotta be doing something well.
And, you know, I've put together a pretty decent career, but to get next, get, put my, submit my name next to that list of guys, would be extremely special.
What's up, Draymond?
my name's Colin.
I'm from, Santa Rosa Junior College.
I was just wondering, you guys had 17 turnovers tonight.
how do you expect to clean those up?
Well, I think it just goes back to the focus level.
You know, I think nine of them came in the third quarter, and we've kinda had this, this thing of being terrible in third quarters, you know?
So, I think we need to clean that up.
But, you know, all of a sudden, you drop that down to eight and you have three turnovers in the third quarter.
Four and you're at 11, 12 turnovers, which is incredible.
That'd lead the NBA, you know?
So, I think it's just about, coming out of the locker room with the focus level after the half that you come into the game with.
I know in the past you haven't loved just, you know, how stuck in the playing at times y'all have been in the last five years.
But this year, you're, you know, you're now locked into 10, but because of the playing, you know, you, you, you have a chance still to get into the playoffs.
I mean, how do you kinda view next week and the, you know, the- It's not exciting.
It's not.
but, you know, I'm a competitor, so going to the game, I'm gonna do all I can to win, but it's not that exciting.
Do you think you'll be excited next week when you have two do or die road games that, you know, they'll be on big stages?
Well, listen, you go on the road in a game that you need to win, I think, you know, as a competitor, you're gonna rise to the challenge, you know?
But I'm not going to sleep tomorrow night like, "Man, we got this play in next week.
Gotta get my rest."
Like, no, it ain't that exciting.
Draymond, to that point, do you think the playing is still good for the league as a whole?
Or would you rather it just went back to one to eight?
I think it worked initially.
and now, like, to have a team stuck in 10th, it ain't working.
So-We could have lost our last 15 games and been stuck in 10th and it ain't work .
Yeah .
You know, but it works for a little bit, but you know, you If you could be stuck in 10th and lose e- all the last 15 games of your season, and you could be stuck in 10th, it ain't working.
It is So yeah.
Um- That's more about tanking than the play-in than it is about the- Well, I think the play-in was made for teams to not tank.
Like, that's, I think that's the part that everyone forgets.
You know, like, the play-in came about to make teams, like, maybe through 12 or 13 keep going.
They ain't keep going.
They, they they kinda slowed down, and then they hit the brakes.
So, you know, I saw a team tonight foul Steph Curry with three minutes to go in the game for no reason, in the, in the penalty.
It ain't working , like.
So, but, you know, we wanna make the playoffs, so it's, it works, I guess.
Is there something that you've seen tanking-wise that you think would fix the much larger issue than the play-in?
I think, I get fined when I do wrong.
Just fine the hell out of people.
You know, we love taking money from players.
Keep fining the teams.
I've seen two fines, and we all know everybody tanking, but you've seen two fines.
You know?
If it was players, we'd snatch that money in a heartbeat.
Why isn't it the same?
Everybody love money.
Well, so, you know, the punishment for players is always, "Let's take the money."
Well, now it becomes time to punish teams, and all of a sudden nobody don't know what to do.
Why not?
We know exactly what to do when somebody get a technical foul or suspended for a game.
We know exactly what to do.
But all of a sudden, we got team issues, and we don't know what to do.
What happened to the, the whole take the money stuff?
You know?
Everybody else trying to reach a quota, too.
But when it comes to player discipline, wanna snatch the money as fast as we can.
Come to team discipline, and we see 12 teams tanking.
We've seen two fines.
If my math serves me correctly, that's, 10 that ain't been fined.
Just some quick math.
Could be wrong, so don't judge me if it's wrong.
But, you know, don't We don't keep that same energy when it comes to teams, when it comes to officials, when it comes to everybody but players, we don't keep that same energy.
But this a player's league.
Hey, D'Anthony.
what has Steph, these last two games, what has him coming back, what has that unlocked for you personally on the court, that pairing?
I mean, just more space.
you know, when he's out there, he gets to moving around and stuff like that.
He causes so much confusion for the other team, and, you know, some of the guys wanna stop him that, like, sometimes when he run in the paint, you can kinda leak out to, like, you know what I mean, the other side, and you can be wide open 'cause everybody wants to stop him, and I think that's the beauty of it.
Sometimes you get wide open looks, you know, when dealing with him.
How satisfying is a night like tonight after the last couple weeks for you?
Man, most definitely.
Yeah.
I just wanted to fi- figure out a way to get out this slump.
You know what I mean?
you know, haven't been playing my best set of basketball, but I, I knew the tide would eventually turn, and I think that's the most important thing, just staying confident with it, and I think my team has just tried to just, you know, instill that ultimate confidence in me just to stay, stay ready and just keep going, I think, and think that's what I did.
hey.
Manuel Ortega III from the Oak Leaf in Santa Rosa.
I just wanna know, how has this game built your confidence, just for the, last three games of the season?
Ultimately, how will this help you for the play-in?
It definitely helps.
I feel like it definitely helps, but at the same time, you know what I mean, it's another day.
It's another game.
So, just gotta wake up and just see what tomorrow holds, and, you know, just gotta keep grinding, keep working.
we got a long journey ahead still, and, you know, we got two important games to come up, so I think it's the biggest thing just to find rhythm and just, you know, keep that flowing and keep that going.
What sort of sparked tonight's game for you, do you think?
I mean, Steve said it's not coincidental that Steph's return and you sort of coming back to being yourself.
But, I mean, you're also out there quite a bit when he's not out there.
Yeah.
so what, what kinda got you back in your flow tonight?
I mean, some, some injuries, you know what I mean, kinda, kinda started to linger away.
You know what I mean?
That's the biggest thing, I think.
during that stretch, I was dealing with some stuff that, you know what I mean, was, was just lingering with me a little too long that I liked, and, and, you know, it kinda started to mess with my mental a little bit when it come to, you know, just feeling confident out there.
So, you know, my body's starting to recover better and, and I'm starting to feel a lot better than I did, so, you know, those type of things, matter.
But then, like I said before, with Steph just being out there, just, it just causes so much, you know, space and opportunity because, you know, he's getting either denied at half court or, you know, two people is running at him no matter what.You sort of covered it there, but your thumb was bothering you more than we saw probably?
Yeah, like it, it just, I mean, it hurt to, it hurt to catch the ball, it hurt to dribble sometimes, so I think that, that kinda, you know, affected me and, and, you know, kinda played with my mind a little bit.
And last thing, when we talked in Atlanta, you were, like, couldn't contain your excitement about Steph coming back.
now that he's back, how, how Beyond the spacing, beyond the sort of tactical- Yeah piece of it, how, how much has that changed the dynamic for you?
I mean, it's huge.
Just to have him on the floor, just to, you know, make reads and make calls, you know.
And especially for, you know, for Dre out there.
I mean, those two together, I mean, they so dynamic and, you know, they can cause so much offense that, you know, is needed.
And, you know, just for our team, I feel like it's just a joke.
when he's out there, when, you know, when those guys is out there together, it's just so much that can happen and just so much, you know, flow that we have with, with them two, and it's just, I, and I think it's, it's amazing.
Hi, De'Anthony.
Jai Fuchsman, Santa Rosa Junior College as well.
just touching on your injuries, as you were saying, it was kind of a long road for you to come back.
Going into this point in the season where the games are probably starting to wear now, how do you feel going into the play-in and, like, how encouraging is it to be able to get the minutes that you're getting now?
I've been feeling better.
I think, you know, some of the, like I said, some of the injuries are starting to go away.
they're starting to get better, and I think that's, you know, a testament to kinda how today went.
But, you know, at the same time, gotta just continue to recover, continue to do the right things for your body.
And, you know, whatever next day holds, it holds and just, you know, whatever my team needs to, me to do to win, that's all I'm tryna do.
One last one.
not so much these next three games, but obviously the play-in is what you guys are building toward.
How do you view that with Steph in the mix, and how much do you sort of relish playing next to him?
And it seems like, as we've talked about, your skill set complements his skill set.
Yeah.
I mean, after these, after these last three, I mean, the, the next, you know, next game is the biggest game of, of the season for us.
So we gotta go into that mindset that, you know, after these three, every, every game is important.
Every game is, you know, it's the most important thing out there for us.
So we gotta go with that same mentality of, you know, discipline, taking care of the ball, and just playing as a team.
And, you know, sometimes you gotta let your best players be your best players, and I think that's all we gotta do.
