Kylen Mills, the host of the daily Locked On Warriors podcast, with your daily Locked On Warriors newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Warriors and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Warriors Triumph Without Curry: A Night to Remember!
Oct 29, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield (7) is introduced before the start of the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images|Cary Edmondson/Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Hello Warriors Fans,
What a game!
The Golden State Warriors showcased their depth and resilience in a thrilling victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, overcoming a 20-point deficit to win 124-106. Missing key players like Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and De’Anthony Melton, the Warriors relied on a collective team effort to secure the win.
The game began with a rocky start for the Warriors, scoring only 14 points in the first quarter. However, the team quickly turned things around, thanks in large part to the defensive intensity and offensive contributions from unexpected sources. Lindy Waters emerged as a pivotal figure, playing 31 minutes without a single turnover and contributing significantly on both ends of the court. His performance, alongside Buddy Hield’s explosive second-half shooting, was instrumental in the Warriors’ comeback.
Hield, who had a quiet first half, erupted in the second, hitting seven three-pointers and energizing the Chase Center crowd. His ability to score in bursts, reminiscent of Warriors legends, proved crucial in maintaining the team’s momentum. Meanwhile, the Warriors’ defense was relentless, forcing 23 turnovers from the Pelicans, 15 of which were steals, showcasing the team’s commitment to defensive excellence.
The Warriors’ strategy of spreading the floor and moving the ball effectively was evident throughout the game. Players like Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga also stepped up, contributing both offensively and defensively. The team’s ability to adapt and find scoring from various players highlights the depth that could be a significant advantage as the season progresses.
The team demonstrated that they can compete at a high level, even when missing key contributors. As they prepare for their next matchup, the Warriors will look to build on this momentum and continue their winning ways.
Catch the full episode now, and as always, thank you for your support. Let’s keep the momentum going!
San Antonio Spurs forward Rudy Gay (22) drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball (2) during the second half at the Smoothie King Center|Photo by Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
You forget how high he could get. You shouldn’t, because he was in the 2008 Dunk Contest, catching mid-air bounces off the side of the stanchion from teammate (Grizzlies) Kyle Lowry and swinging the ball under the backboard, switching it between left and right hand, and windmilling it in on the first try. He got up there in regular games too, peppering his play with one-handed tomahawk dunks, slams with two hands out, true and benevolent to the basket like he was giving communion. He made many a reverse layup, his body understanding what to do when it got airborne; he pogoed up to meet lobs and erratic passes from teammates to redirect the ball deftly and from above into the basket, usually landing and turning coolly to walk lightly down the floor, mouthguard dangling.
Rudy Gay announced his retirement yesterday, a surprise to me. The Warriors waved him at the end of September and though there was no chatter after that to where he might go, the athletes who quietly persist you come to believe will go on quietly persisting.
Growing up in Baltimore, Gay was an early phenom. On the local competitive circuit he came up against Carmelo Anthony — three years his senior — and Lowry as early as middle school. Gay was named an All-American and so closely contested for by UConn and the University of Maryland that once he declared for UConn, the NCAA adopted a new scheduling rule in the wake of Connecticut paying $25,000 to schedule a game against a Baltimore AAU team with some of Gay’s former teammates.
The fanfare followed Gay through two years of college and he admits he came into the league cocky (to be fair, Gay was third in NBA Rookie of the Year voting, after Brandon Roy and Andrea Bargnani, both who he outlasted). It was Damon Stoudamire, then with the Grizzlies, who told him to watch and learn. The alchemy of bravado in basketball is a tricky thing because on one hand it’s wholly necessary as a component for success, in a league full of similarly if not more gifted and talented people. On the other, much like winning a championship, timing is everything.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Roster Jonathan Kuminga came off the bench in last night’s win over New Orleans. Hear what he had to say about the switch. (Sports Illustrated)
Analysis NBA analyst Charles Barkley was caught on a hot mic trashing the team, saying “Golden State stinks.” Well, that’s not very nice. (Yahoo! Sports)
Fantasy Basketball Impact Of The Warriors Lineup Changes
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) drives past New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) in the second quarter at the Chase Center.
|Photo by Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The NBA action on Tuesday brought significant developments that could impact fantasy basketball strategies. Here’s a detailed look at the major lineup changes, injury updates, and standout performances.
Atlanta Hawks’ Injury Crisis
The Hawks are in a tough spot with a slew of injuries affecting their guard rotation. Bogdan Bogdanovic is out for at least four weeks due to hamstring surgery, while Vít Krejčí and Dyson Daniels are also sidelined with injuries. This leaves Trae Young as the primary guard, with De’Andre Hunter and Zaccharie Risachere potentially stepping into unfamiliar roles. Fantasy managers should consider dropping Bogdanovic unless they have an injured reserve spot.
Kyle Kuzma’s Groin Strain
Kyle Kuzma’s injury situation with the Washington Wizards is concerning. Initially thought to be minor, the groin strain could sideline him for several weeks. This opens up opportunities for players like Bilal Coulibaly and Corey Kispert to see increased minutes and production. Keep an eye on these players as potential pickups in your fantasy league.
Click the button below to get the fantasy impacts of the Jazz’s lineup shakeup and a new potential Warriors star.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Warriors podcasts.
Steph Curry Leaves Injured, Andrew Wiggins Balls Out In Golden State Warriors First Loss Of Season Andrew Wiggins did all he could to keep the Warriors winning ways alive, pouring in a game-high 29 points, but Steph Curry’s departure due to injury in the 4th quarter proved to be too much to overcome in a 112-104 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Cruise Control Again For Golden State Warriors, Demolishing The Jazz In Utah For 2-0 Start The Golden State Warriors picked up right where they left off in Portland, using depth and a massive 27-point spark from Buddy Hield to get the team going. Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Brandin Podziemski, and company all poured in contributions of their own as the Warriors racked up a 41-point road win.
Golden State Warriors Subs, Andrew Wiggins Shine In Dominant Win Over Portland Buddy Hield led the Warriors off the bench, and Andrew Wiggins caught fire after a slow start to help pull away from the Blazers early and cruise to a 35-point opening night win.
