Charlie Walter, 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.
Brandin Podziemski’s Shooting Struggles: Yips or Something Else?
Nov 18, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) passes the ball against LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) and center Mo Bamba (4) in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images|Kirby Lee/Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
What’s good Dubs fans? Charlie Walter here and on today’s Locked On Warriors I want to know what’s happened to Podz’ shot?
Known for his shooting prowess, Brandin Podziemski has been struggling to find his rhythm, hitting just 19% from beyond the arc this season. This unexpected dip in performance has sparked discussions about whether he’s experiencing the mask “yips” or just out of sync.
The Warriors’ shooting issues extend beyond Podziemski. The team boasts impressive three-point percentages, with Draymond Green leading at 46.7%, yet they falter at the free-throw line, shooting under 50% as a team in recent games. This inconsistency is a critical area for improvement if the Warriors aim to remain competitive in the Western Conference.
Draymond Green’s recent self-critique following a game against the Clippers highlights the team’s need for accountability and improvement. Despite hitting his threes and playing solid defense, Green acknowledged his six turnovers as unacceptable for a player of his caliber. His candidness serves as a reminder of the high standards the Warriors set for themselves.
Looking ahead, the Warriors face a schedule that offers both challenges and opportunities. Upcoming games against teams like the Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Pelicans provide a chance to regain momentum. However, the road ahead includes formidable opponents such as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns, making it crucial for the Warriors to capitalize on winnable games.
In the broader NBA landscape, the Western Conference remains highly competitive, with only a few games separating the top teams from those on the playoff bubble. The Warriors must continue to perform consistently to secure their place in the standings.
Solid banter on today’s show and hopefully we will be celebrating a Dubs win following their Wednesday matchup with Atlanta.
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Peace, Dubs, and Gott’s Cheeseburgers Charlie “Chuck” Walter- Host of Locked On Warriors
The streak had to end sometime. Even the 2015-2016 Warriors only (“only”) got to 24 wins to start their season. Ironically, they’d go on to lose the title to the Cavs that season.
That Cleveland lost to the Celtics, in TD Garden, without Isaac Okoro and with Darius Garland shooting 3-21 — well only the first half of that stings. If Garland made two more of those field goals the Cavs would’ve taken the game, and Okoro, out with an ankle sprain, will be back.
This game was a tester for the Cavs. Beyond a match against the defending champs and a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview, it was an opportunity to see how the team responded to pressure, unfavourable conditions and expectation. NBA basketball is about winning, we all know this refrain well, but that the Cavs scoring dried up in crucial stretches while the team also fell into bad habits of turning the ball over in momentum-leeching moments, and they still managed multiple runs to come back within two, speaks pretty well to this group’s ability to respond.
What makes the Celtics so good, and a bit like a dream-crushing machine, is their ability to capitalize on and invert what usually brings their opponents wins. In the Cavs case, it’s their speed. Not just pure speed without aim, but their ability to push the pace within their offensive possessions because not one player tends to move in isolation from anyone else. Their lightning quick passing, their flashing cuts and counter-cuts, it’s all predicated on ball movement capitalizing on intuitive communication. A sixth sense of understanding where their teammates are on the floor at any given moment.
Boston was able to jam that up. Not entirely upend it, but chase with pace of their own enough that Garland at times appeared to be the pursued and not the pursuer. Where Garland rushed an offensive possession, where he went in for a fastbreak ISO drive to wrest the pace of the game back into his team’s hands, he bungled it. He’d botch an easy layup and go careening past the baseline, having to expend more energy to get back down the floor in the transition already underway. And the more he botched it, the faster he went. The Celtics saw this and upped the pressure on him, taking advantage of forced turnovers by draining three after three and all but eliminating a huge component of what’s made the Cavs so formidable — their rebounding.
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
Analysis Steph Curry has openly addressed the Warriors’ significant free throw struggles, highlighting the team’s need for improvement in this critical area. (Golden State of Mind)
Analysis How the Cavaliers’ offseason plan has turned them into the top team in the league so far this year. (ESPN)
Milestone Russell Westbrook becomes the first player in NBA history to record 200 triple-doubles. (CBS Sports)
Must Read The NBA’s three-point revolution has gotten extreme, begging the question: How many is too many?(The Washington Post)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Can Dalton Knecht Keep Up This Run?
Nov 19, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht (4) react after scoring a three point basket against the Utah Jazz during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images|Gary A. Vasquez/Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Dalton Knecht has recently become a focal point in NBA fantasy discussions, thanks to his electrifying performances on the court. In a standout game, Knecht scored 37 points, including nine three-pointers, with an impressive 75% shooting accuracy. This remarkable display has fantasy managers buzzing, as Knecht’s shooting streak positions him as a valuable asset in leagues.
Knecht’s Shooting Streak: A Fantasy Goldmine
Over the past four games, Knecht has been on a tear, shooting 22 of 33 from beyond the arc, equating to a 67% success rate. Such efficiency is rare and highlights his potential as a sharpshooter. For fantasy managers, Knecht is a must-add player, especially given his current role in the Lakers’ starting lineup. However, while his shooting spree is impressive, it’s important to manage expectations, as maintaining such a high percentage is challenging over the long term.
Injury Updates and Their Impact on Fantasy Rosters
Knecht’s rise comes at a time when injuries are shaking up NBA rosters. Norman Powell’s hamstring injury, for instance, has left a gap in the Clippers’ lineup. With Powell likely sidelined for at least a week, players like Kris Dunn and Amir Coffey might see increased roles, offering potential value for fantasy managers seeking replacements.
Click the button below to get updates on Zach Edey’s ankle injury, and how Bradley Beal’s calf continues to cause problems for fantasy managers
Don’t let other episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Warriors podcasts.
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