Brandin Podziemski impresses in win vs. Lakers – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

The NBA preseason serves as a platform not only for winning but also for fostering cohesion and building chemistry through experimentation.

Upon reviewing the footage of their 129-125 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena, the Golden State Warriors will derive numerous valuable insights.

Unlike the previous preseason opener where Coach Steve Kerr maintained strict separation between starters and reserves, he took some liberties with the rotation this time, occasionally pairing second-unit players with the starters. The results yielded a mixed bag.

Stephen Curry displayed his sharpness, contributing 18 points, four assists, and three rebounds in just 21 minutes. Among the starters, Klay Thompson logged the most playing time at 22 minutes, ending the game with eight points, three rebounds, and two assists.

Here are three key takeaways from the second preseason game of the Golden State Warriors:

Paul’s Struggles in His Specialty Area

Chris Paul’s 18-year career epitomizes the traditional point guard’s offensive role. He excels at scoring but predominantly focuses on controlling the tempo and stabilizing the team. That’s where his expertise lies.

However, in this particular game, Paul encountered some difficulties.

Famous for his exceptional ball security – consistently ranking among the NBA’s leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio – Paul committed five turnovers in just 20 minutes of play. Some errors stemmed from miscommunication, while a couple were simply uncharacteristic of his standard performance.

These blunders can be attributed to the natural process of adjusting to new teammates. Even veterans make mistakes during this learning phase, much like how it took Kevin Durant and Curry around 25 regular-season games to find their synergy on the court.

It is expected that Paul will swiftly adapt and figure out how to best contribute, as he has done in his previous stints with five different teams. There is no cause for immediate concern.

Defense Exhibits Familiarity, But Not in a Favorable Way

The Warriors’ road performances last season weighed them down to an 11-30 record due to their defensive struggles. It seemed as though their defense was being left behind at Chase Center whenever they embarked on road trips.

Unfortunately, this concerning trend carried over to the first preseason game.

The Lakers amassed 70 points in the first half against mainly Golden State’s rotation players. LA shot an impressive 54.8% from the field, including a remarkable 55.6% from beyond the arc. While credit is due to their sharp shooting, it is important to note that much of their success stemmed from exploiting the Warriors’ defense, which oscillated between being lax and sloppy.

Moreover, an issue that plagued the Warriors last season – an excess of fouls – resurfaced. The team was called for 27 fouls, compared to the Lakers’ 19. LA enjoyed a decisive advantage with 37 free-throw attempts to Golden State’s 26.

Although rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis committed four fouls within his first two minutes of play while attempting to defend Anthony Davis, some of the veterans also contributed to the problem. Chris Paul accumulated four fouls in 20 minutes, and Kevon Looney had three in just 11 minutes.

Coach Kerr has repeatedly emphasized that tightening up on defense is crucial for the Warriors to regain their status as contenders. While the absence of Draymond Green due to a left ankle sprain is a factor, there is a substantial amount of work that needs to be done.

Impressive Performance by “Podz”

Throughout the first half of the preseason, coaches and veterans of the Warriors have been thoroughly impressed by the rookie Brandin Podziemski’s approach to the game and his keen sense of timing and placement. These attributes were prominently on display during Friday night’s game.

The guard nicknamed “Podz” or “BP” possesses a remarkable ability to exploit gaps and make real-time decisions that benefit his team. Primarily playing alongside the second unit, he tallied six assists within his first nine minutes on the court.

One pass from Podziemski managed to weave through LA’s defense and land precisely in the hands of Gary Payton II, who effortlessly converted it into a dunk.

By the end of the game, Podziemski had accumulated 10 points, 10 assists, six rebounds, and impressively, zero turnovers in 26 minutes of play. Across the first two preseason games, he has amassed 21 points, 14 assists, 12 rebounds, and committed just two turnovers in 52 minutes. Additionally, he finished the night with the highest plus-minus rating on the team, a remarkable +16.

While it is not expected for Podziemski to receive significant playing time in the NBA this season, the Santa Clara University product is proving why the Warriors believe he is a valuable asset worth keeping.

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