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The right time for Klay Thompson's big game Apr 22, 2019

Show notes

To prepare himself for a break-out game, Klay Thompson enjoyed some beach volleyball and then took a dip in the ocean. To prepare himself for a break-out game, Kevin Durant mostly relied on X’s and O’s. With their differing styles and personality, Thompson and Durant appeared in harmony just as their lead performer hit a few off notes. In the Warriors’ 113-105 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 4 of their first-round series on Sunday. Assuming the Warriors win the upcoming game versus the Clippers, a familiar foe is likely to meet them in the following round. Holding a 3-0 lead in their series, the Houston Rockets are one game away from sweeping the Utah Jazz. Game 4 in that series will take place on Monday. Although the series against Houston is not official, the team is aware of the potential of Rockets ending their series and getting a few extra days of rest before a potential second round playoff matchup versus the Warriors.

Warriors dominate Clippers in Game 3 of the playoffs Apr 19, 2019

Show notes

Don’t view the Warriors’ Game 3 victory as the team trying to prove a point. No, they were merely trying to restore order to a series that should have never been tied. With the lesson learned in Game 2 — where they had a 16-minute stretch where they, per Stephen Curry, “literally [forgot] how to play basketball”, resulting in choking away a record 31-point lead — still fresh in their mind, Golden State led Game 3 from the opening tip to final buzzer, winning 132-105. After a beat-down like that, let’s call this series what it is: over. The Warriors might only have a 2-1 lead on the Clippers in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series, but it’s near impossible to see a path for Los Angeles to win three of the next four contests. In fact, it’s quite difficult to see them winning other game. The Warriors played sloppy, turnover-happy basketball in Game 1 and won by 17. Then, they opened up a 31-point lead in Game 2 before their bizarre, collective implosion, best (but not completely) explained by a well-conditioned sense of apathy. Thursday, they led by as many as 36 points on the road and declined to give the Clippers a chance to make much of a dent in that advantage.

Dubs “fell apart” in final seconds of Clippers game two Apr 16, 2019

Show notes

Beat writers Dieter Kurtenbach and Mark Medina review how the Warriors can “bounce back” from losing a stunning 31-point lead to the Los Angeles Clippers in game two of their first round NBA playoffs series on Monday, April 15 at Oracle Arena.

- 1:00: Warriors have “made a habit of taking their foot off the accelerator”

- 2:10: Dubs lose DeMarcus Cousins to an injury, lose the game because “they just imploded”

- 04:10: Warriors unveil “masterpiece of hubris” after season of practicing apathy in games

- 06:30: Zero excuse for Kevin Durant’s gameplay, Patrick Beverley gets “between his ears”

- 10:38: Game two will either “open cracks” in Warriors facade or empower team to channel faults into championship focus

- 12:04: it would be unfair to say an achilles heel injury is related to others, one expert says “kinetic chain” may link achilles injury to other body parts

- 13:47: Jordan Bell, Andrew Bogut, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney play time to rise after DeMarcus Cousins’ fall

- 15:08: Will Bob Myers’ decision on Andrew Bogut pay off?

- 16:21: DeMarcus Cousins is “probably not coming back”

- 18:15: Are Kevin Durant and Draymond Green still fighting behind the scenes?

- 22:00: Are the 2018-2019 Warriors facing similar playoff struggles the 2009-2010 Lakers faced?

- 23:08: Jordan Bell has “not shown it,” Houston Rockets can get this team”

- 26:45: Warriors will have to scheme to “stop Montrezl Harrel and Lou Williams”

- 30:10: Dubs may be “broken in ways we have not seen yet”

- 33:50: “Adjustments in the playoffs are overrated”

- 35:30: Warriors coaching staff “cannot coast through this one anymore”

- 36:30: “Warriors in five” still, Medina said, but bouncing back will test weaknesses the Clippers have exploited

- 39:05: Winning “cures all ills,” losing causes “big and small” issues to “boil up to the surface”

Second unit struggles in first playoff series Apr 14, 2019

Show notes

Warriors beat writers Dieter Kurtenbach and Mark Medina discuss whether Golden State's second unit struggles in the first playoff game against Lost Angeles Clippers warrants Steve Kerr giving Andrew Bogut more time on the court than DeMarcus Cousins going forward in the series.

The pair also review why Patrick Beverley guarding Kevin Durant made sense from Draymond Green's “scheming” perspective on the tactics other teams bring to the playoffs that are not usually practiced in the regular season.

Houston Rockets are “the one team” that can challenge Golden State Apr 11, 2019

Show notes

As the Warriors prepare to open the first round of the NBA playoffs against Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday at Oracle Arena, beat writers Dieter Kurtenbach and Mark Medina break down which rivals pose the greatest threat to the Dubs' three-peat hopes

Dubs leave Oracle Arena on a win, may face Clippers, Rockets or Spurs in first playoff round Apr 08, 2019

Show notes

Golden State Warriors will not know who their opponent in the first round of the playoffs will be until the regular season finale this Wednesday.

Warriors concluded their final regular season game at Oracle Arena in Oakland with a 131-104 win against Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, April 7.

Beat writer Mark Medina outlines 14 confusing playoff possibilities the Warriors could face and the rotating rest strategy Steve Kerr will employ in upcoming games, involving half of the following eight players resting each game: Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Kevon Looney.

“Regardless of how these last two regular season games play out, the Warriors feel really good about themselves,” Medina said on this week’s Warriors Looking Forward in reference to potential upcoming matches against Los Angeles Clipper, San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.

Figuring out how Kevin Durant fits into Warriors egalitarian offense Mar 26, 2019

Show notes

Columnist Dieter Kurtenbach and beat writer Mark Medina discuss forward Kevin Durant's role with the team and how he constantly has to balance his instinct to dominate the ball with the team's egalitarian style of play.

Time stamps 00:54 How Kevin Durant fits in the flow of Warriors' offense 6:20 Comparing Kobe Bryant's Laker situation to Kevin Durant's Warrior one 12:40 Medina talks about Durant's approach to the offense 17:00 Durant is built for the NBA playoffs 20:00 Warriors aggressiveness and their one big advantage 23:30 Assessing Golden State's likely playoff challengers 25:00 Can Durant win against the criticism against him? 30:00 Stephen Curry's leadership style 35:00 Durant understands his place with the Warriors 37:00 Durant and Draymond Green appear to have made up after the early season blowup 41:00 Lookin at the past few games and looking ahead

What will be the Warriors’ playoff rotation be? Mar 21, 2019

Show notes

Between Andrew Bogut's satisfying and sudden debut, Jonas Jerebko's monster night against the Minnesota Timberwolves and DeMarcus Cousins' performances against Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets, the Warriors are back on the beam.

“The most important thing is, they're getting back on track and getting some more key wins against OKC and Houston,” Warriors beat writer Mark Medina told Dieter Kurtenbach on this week's episode of the WarriorsHQ podcast.

Golden State returns to Oracle Arena to take on the Indiana Pacers in one of the final games before the team moves across the bay to the new Chase Center.

Western Conference breakdown, is there a real threat for the Warriors? Mar 18, 2019

Show notes

Dieter Kurtenbach and Mark Medina discuss the teams in the Western Conference that are currently in the playoffs and if any of the teams can challenge the Golden State Warriors from making their fifth consecutive NBA Finals.

Warriors start “biggest road trip” of season on “worst note” Mar 12, 2019

Show notes

With Golden State preparing to take on Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder in upcoming road showdowns this week, Warriors beat writers Dieter Kurtenbach and Mark Medina review the team's first loss to the Phoenix Suns in four years and how Bogut's signing and self-awareness about deficiencies on defense will factor into the matches.

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