Warriors youngsters rejuvenated heading into final stretch of season

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Warriors youngsters rejuvenated heading into final stretch of season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Brandin Podziemski already had plans for NBA All-Star weekend, specifically to watch his best friend play for Northern Michigan on Senior Day. But when the opportunity presented itself as a late addition to play in his second straight Rising Stars Game, the second-year Warriors guard wasn’t going to turn it down.

Less than two weeks from his 22nd birthday, Podziemski remains the youngest player on the Warriors. He’s a high-powered battery ready to be inserted into a game and hit hyperspeed. But even he knows the power of a little rest.

“It’s a chance to recalibrate, refresh, get everybody back healthy,” Podziemski said Friday night. “Hopefully [Jonathan Kuminga] is ready to go post-All-Star break, and we can just roll with our full squad.

“We got older veterans and I know the break is much needed. And same for me. I’m the youngest and play a lot of minutes. Having a good break is definitely a benefit.”

An abdomen injury kept Podziemski sidelined for 12 straight games from the end of December through Jan. 22. He’s back and playing his best basketball of his second professional season. The only Warrior who remains on the injury report is Kuminga, who has been out since Jan. 5 because of a severe ankle sprain, but is expected to return shortly after the break.

Podziemski wasn’t the only Rising Star who represented the Warriors at Chase Center. He was joined by Pat Spencer and Trayce Jackson-Davis, whose Team C, coached by Chris Mullin, will partake in Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game after winning the Rising Stars.

All three Rising Stars can feel the Warriors’ momentum brewing going into the break and sense a rejuvenated squad coming out of it. And for one reason specifically: The Jimmy Butler trade.

“I think there’s a new life,” Spencer said. “I think we were searching for something the whole first half of the season and ultimately just weren’t able to find it. Jimmy gives us a different weapon. Just poised, composed all the time. We tried to give it away…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-youngsters-rejuvenated-heading-final-101621065.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2025-02-16 10:16:00

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