The Golden State Warriors pieced together a strong performance Friday night, when they hosted the Houston Rockets. Golden State was able to pull themselves back to .500 with the 116-101 victory.
Following the win without key pieces like Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins, rookie wing Patrick Baldwin Jr. compared the Dubs to a wounded dog.
“I think the mood of the team is great. I think we know we have enough. Obviously with (missing) those pieces (Curry, Green, and Wiggins) it’s going to be a big blow to us, Baldwin Jr. said via NBC Sports Bay Area. “But, you always gotta watch out for that wounded dog, that’s what my father always told me. You know, when that dog is wounded it’s going to fight, and I think we’re going to fight.”
PBJ knows the Dubs won’t go down without a fight
The rookie had a solid night against the Rockets, scoring 11 points in 16 minutes. The day prior, he totaled another 11 against the Los Angeles Lakers. His minutes going forward will be an interesting storyline for fans to watch.
Baldwin Jr. has only appeared in 18 games this season for the Dubs. He averages 5.7 points while shooting 47.5% from beyond the arc.
Klay Thompson Reveals Steve Kerr’s Message Ahead of Warriors Win
Though Baldwin had an admirable performance, the real driving force behind the Warriors’ win was Klay Thompson.
Thompson drilled a career-high 12 3-pointers on his way to a 42-point night.
He spoke to reporters after the fact and shared the message he’d received from head coach Steve Kerr earlier in the day.
“Steve was just telling me about how my game needs to evolve as I get older,” Thompson said. “He used Michael Jordan as an example, how when he got into his 30s he became an incredible low post player. Not saying I’m Mike, but I’m saying I can evolve in other areas.”
He went on to say that he’s been taking a ton of recent advice into consideration as of late. Specifically that surrounding his game as he ages as a player.
“I felt those (conversations) because those guys (Kerr and assistant coach Bruce Fraser) are straight shooters,” Thompson said. “They wouldn’t tell me I was capable of those things if I wasn’t. That really resonated with me and I’m going to continue to try to rebound at a high rate and playmake the rest of my career.”
Klay Thompson Striving to Become a Leader for Warriors
In addition to tweaking his game as he grows older, Thompson told the media that he wants to impact his team as a leader.
“I try to be loud on defense,” Thompson said. “I try to be encouraging on the bench. I actually saw a great video of (UConn women’s coach) Geno Auriemma talking about his players and how he might not let the girls get in (the game) if they don’t show great body language, how he watches game film and he observes his players if they are engaging on the bench, if they’re being a great teammate. That resonated with me a lot. (Earlier) this year, I’d be in my own feelings because I wasn’t shooting the ball well or I didn’t feel like myself. After hearing that, you know, Geno’s been around so much greatness, I just reminded myself to be a leader. I’ve been here so long. I’ve got to lead. I’ve got to use my voice.”
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Young Forward Issues Strong Statement on Warriors After Dominant Win