Warriors’ Podziemski invites painful lesson on path to maturity

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Warriors’ Podziemski invites painful lesson on path to maturity originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

When a talented player fighting a sophomore slump shows signs of busting out but then detours into sophomoric decisions, there will be a scolding. It’s the way of the Warriors and most of the NBA. Brandin Podziemski, to his credit, took it as it was intended.

When Warriors coach Steve Kerr lit into Podziemski on Tuesday night during and after a 119-115 loss to the Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver, it was a sharply delivered plea that can be distilled into two words:

Grow up.

Podziemski, 21, is trying. Sometimes too hard. That’s what got him in trouble. His timing – Golden State was heading for its fifth straight loss – probably added severity to the rebuke.

The Warriors had the Nuggets upside down, hanging from their heels, and were minutes away from dropping them into a river of defeat until a few missteps allowed the Nuggets to recover.

Podziemski made at least five of those missteps. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound guard fouled Michael Porter Jr. three times while the Denver forward was in the act of shooting, once on a deep 2-pointer in the first quarter, once more on a 3-point attempt early in the third quarter that prompted Kerr to leap off the bench breathing fire into Podziemski’s ear.

“He was kind of getting on me to do my job, to know what I’m supposed to be doing out there,” Podziemski told reporters in Denver. “And he’s like, ‘If you can’t do your job, we’ll pull you out.’

“I think I followed it up with a floater, a drive-and-kick swing to Wiggs for a wing 3, and then to pull up jump shot.”

Kerr hit Podziemski with a two-punch combo most coaches have in their arsenal, firm direction followed by a threat loaded with consequences.

“He just got on me a little bit, which I’m all for,” Podziemski said. “I’m trying to get better, and he knows he can get on me and I’m not going to respond emotionally. I’m just going to go out there and hoop.”

What alarmed Kerr at least as much as those two brain cramps was the Podziemski’s mindlessness at crucial points of the game. There was the…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-podziemski-invites-painful-lesson-164003486.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-12-04 16:40:00

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