Warriors/Nuggets Postgame, Steph, Wiggins, Murray, MPJ, Coaches Reactions | Dec 25, 2023

Warriors/Nuggets Postgame, Steph, Wiggins, Murray, MPJ, Coaches Reactions | Dec 25, 2023

How’ you feel you guys played General I thought we played okay I thought I I think uh we can play better for sure um uh I I thought the ball didn’t always move like it could have you know we only had 23 assists um didn’t shoot it particularly well um but

Um you know you go on the road against the defending champs you got to you got to play your aame and we didn’t play our a game did y finish with 18 free throws I mean you guys were C upset with with some of the calls just what did you

Think about how big a factor was the way he was today yeah I have no no problem with um the officials themselves um they’re all across the league we have really good officials I have a problem with the way we’re we are um legislating defense out of the game that’s what

We’re doing in the NBA the way we’re teaching the officials we’re just enabling players to be their way to the foul line um if I were a fan I wouldn’t have wanted to watch the second half of that game it was disgusting it was just you know just baiting baiting refs into

Calls but the refs have to make those calls because that’s how they’re taught so I have a real problem with the way we are um we’ve legislated defense out of the game in this league and uh the players are really smart in this league and for for over the last decade or so

Uh they’ve gotten smarter and smarter and they’re just um they’re just enable we have enabled the players and they are taking full advantage and it’s a parade to the free throw line and it’s disgusting to watch thanks thank you Nick State what kind of goes figuring out the

Three-point defense well the funny thing is that three-point defense on their to two great Shooters was outstanding you know it was the other guys that were getting off from three so we talked about it halftime you know even those guys may not be a runoff you still have

To give them respect close out contest and have a high hand uh so but you that’s who they are I mean they’re top 10 and attempts makes percentage and um you know the whole step you know the seven of 21 and three or 1 team from the

Field is just an outstanding job by kcp you know it was watching him ton tonight was if that guy is not considered one of the best primitive defenders in the NBA I don’t know who is and I just have to say that uh cuz I don’t think kcp gets

The respect that he deserves to be quite honest um and then I thought Michael Porter was really good tonight defensively you know he had 10 boards he had four blocks closing out and using at length I mean Michael does this it’s a Difference Maker um and it was really it

Was a weird game we got off to a great start end of the first start of the second was not good end of the second quarter actually was not good and um we finally found a way to close the fourth quarter because the end of the first second and third those

End of quarters were not uh in our favor but 20 fast break points uh we closed the fourth and uh we had a lot of guys step up and make timely plays down the stretch of a close game so this allows everybody to go home even you guys uh

And enjoy the rest of this day with your families and loved ones so that winning makes a world difference boy well to your point if you look at his numbers lately I mean uh he didn’t get any blocks tonight which is disappointing but he’s been just crushing the stat sheet the last seven

Now eight games that he’s played in uh and doing it with great efficiency so I I I guess for me Vinnie would be just how efficient he’s been with his field goal with the three with the uh the free throw line um the rebounding the playmaking and and to me just the

Engagement on the defensive end to the floor know that’s when he’s at his best I I the scoring is one thing but Jamal when he’s giving a tremendous effort defensively which he has been for a while now and he’s rebounding you’re getting a complete Jamal Murray and that

Complete Jamal Murray is one of the best guards in the entire NBA whether you and you that yeah you know I don’t think they did a whole lot to be honest I mean it was kind of wasn’t a double team they came late a few times I thought he

Passed up some Shots tonight that um he usually makes and end takes uh but early on I mean Michael got it going early then Jamal had a stretch um you know we made 14 threes tonight we and we got to the foul line 26 times we made 26 out of

32 and he was 18 of 18 but um just you know we’re never going to give up on him we’re going to keep on feeding him and for force him to be aggressive and attack the basket and he was able to do that so um but I didn’t think there was

Anything specific to be honest with the amount that they were doing to take it away I just felt he missed some that he usually makes and he turned down ones that he usually takes I think it was a career high how big was it just for him to get

L that much to get the bonus really yeah I think that’s a such an important thing when you can be cuz early in the here it was H the foul line was a real problem for us because one we were lasting free throw percentage and two we were getting

There hardly at all and lately I think we’re 8- one now in the last nine games and we’re getting there a lot more frequently and we’re making them and so yes getting in the bonus early that allows you to live at the line score where the clock has stopped and to set

Your defense and you know to try and control the tempo if you will um so yes him getting there 18 times and we get us as a team getting there 32 is always uh you know beneficial what makes well I think it’s a lot of things

I mean obviously I think he has the athletic ability to to move um and I think if you want to be a great defensive player you have to be able to take away separation to me if I’ve said this before if you want to simplify the game of basketball great

Defensive players negate separation and the great offensive players create it whether it’s catch and shoot whether it’s off the dribble pick and roll whatever may be and I think kcp is one of the best I’ve ever seen in terms of not allowing any separation um he takes

Tremendous Pride on that end of the floor he knows that for this team that is his number one job each and every night is to go out there and guard the other team’s best player and he does it as an extremely high level so I think when you combine all the different

Things um The Pride the want to um the the the physical abilities and the kyp discipline knowing who I’m guarding a lot of guys y can guard but do you study do you do your work and know what a player’s Tendencies are and I think Pope

Does all those things for us and that allows him to be in our opinion a first team all NBA Defender yeah well it starts with your ability to defend and rebound and obviously uh they’re the number one offensive rebound team in the league and

Um they only had nine for the game and I think probably a line share of those came in that first quarter and it’s not always their bigs it’s all their small they’re always crashing long shots long rebounds um but we have gotten back to playing nugget basketball and what I

Mean by that is maybe up until maybe 10 games ago we were like bottom five and fast break points per game and I would ask the coaches and I’d be so perplexed why is that and the easy answer everybody well Jeff is gone and Bruce is

Gone I said Jeff and Bruce were good but come on we can’t go from being a top five fast break team team to a bottom five and we’re getting back to playing transition basketball and it starts with defending rebounding and then guys giving themselves up and running and if

You don’t get the ball getting to the corner so guys have more space to operate but uh that’s how we want to play and we’re able to do that at a high level tonight how do you plan to celebrate yeah I’m going to go home you

Know um with with the being and I was so thankful by the way usually we play at 8:30 at night on Christmas I hate that game you’re around all damn day so Phoenix and Dallas have that tonight so mil well tough to those guys uh but I’m

Going to go home I we have not celebrated Christmas with my wife and my girls so when I go home uh we’ll open up present spend some time as a family and um you know who knows maybe go to a friend’s house and um celebrate the night coach thanks Ryan anything no get

Out of here you sure all right merry Christmas everybody appreciate you guys and ladies how do you feel like you guys played overall today I thought we played great um I think the start of the game was a little slow I think the first group kind of was looking to to Stephen

Clay um a lot a lot of times we were wide open uh I think that second group that came in uh did a really good job I think collectively we did a good job as a team um but I mean the files it’s kind of hard to get in the Rhythm than win

It’s free throws out the free throws he was going to ask how much did that that whistle sort of impact the flow 100% every time uh you know the clock stops and we got to take it out the net and they get a set defense it

Just makes it tougher for us um so we just got to play without fouling um it’s hard with the rules players are are good at selling files and yish is is four for2 which we love and but he shoots 18 free throws defensive effort uh dealing with

That pick and row what did you see from why you guys did so well on that uh I think it starts with our guard who’s ever on the ball um and then our big out to touch and um you know we got to help our big out uh by getting in front of

The ball in case he hits yic and then just let yic play one onone and I think for the most part um we did that I think hit him couple tough shots but I mean they’re good players too as one who likes to like Pro get in

The paint do you think late in games you guys probably do that more uh just you know put in the paint breaking the breaking the defense I think we do need to do that more um I think when we’re when we’re flowing just you know

Throughout the game we do a good job of touching the paint getting it out but I think a lot of times late game you know we just try to get a three or you know force it into somebody’s hands um just take what the defense gives us and I

Think we’ll be fine you had five skills as you been playing how how do you how do you see yourself involving in some of the recognize moments like that where you can against to yeah just I don’t know I couldn’t tell you how I do it but

I just see it and I do it um I guess I have a good feel for the game um like I said try to impact winning on both sides of the ball playmaking rebounding steals whatever whatever the team needs and I think I did a good job of that tonight

You guys have seven straight at home uh coming up how big how big does this kind of moment in the season feel you’re 15 and 15 feels like we can kind of go either way you got seven St I think we can go on a seven game win streak I don’t see why

Not we got a bunch of good teams uh coming into the chase um but I think our home court is better than anybody’s in the NBA and um you know maybe some of those calls that go one way on the road might go our way at home so um I think

We can win all seven and go go out east and win those four to St you through that rot yeah I think um we just were really like trying to lock into the fact that they they wanted to get some threes in to to kind of Clos the Gap towards the

End of the game so we just weren’t trying to give up any threes and U you know I got there in time he has a quick release so I just knew he was going to shoot it and I got there in time what did you learn about closing

Out SHO the last couple years early in your career you get called for more yeah you just can’t land in in people’s space you know what I mean so I think it’s just trying to get a good contest without you know getting in their air space um just make it

Difficult these are some great Shooters so they’ll make some even with the contest but just try to get a good contest without fer what was it like to play at this Prime Time 1230 is this the prime time spot I didn’t know um I mean it was it was you

Know whenever you have a game that’s different than the normal 7 7:30 game it’s a little different your preparation what you eat before the game all those things but we were excited to get it out the way so we can go be with our families yeah I mean as a center in this

In the league to go 18 for 18 we wouldn’t have won the game without his um big time free throw uh making tonight for sure Co was talking about getting your hands up on those contests and and making yourself on the perimeter is one of the most important defensively just

How important is that especially against this yeah I mean that’s important you know because you can’t jump into guys like we said but getting a hand up early it does make a difference when guys do it to me it makes a difference so it does make a difference when guys do it

To me it makes a difference so um against this team you know it’s it’s especially important because they all can shoot from so deep so um if you have your hands down even at the four-point line they’ll let it go really great start is there something about the way team open shot for

You uh I don’t know I mean just coming we we play a little bit uh I mean there’s really no difference I mean I missed some shots I could have made in the second half but yeah in the beginning of the game I think I’m reading how the team defends me and I’m

Get some looks that later on in the game might not be there so um they adjust when I make shots um they may not help off as much and things like that so maybe that’s why I’m not I’m not completely sure how’s your uh it’s pretty good it’s it’s pretty good yeah

Uh you know an awesome Defender what do you see a day in day out yeah he just takes pride in it you know um tonight he had a really good offensive night but there’s been times when he hasn’t had the best offensive nights and he’s still um competing on that end consistently

Winning the defensive play of the game chain even when he gets two or three shots offensively so it’s nice to see when he gets to have a game where you know he’s getting some shots up um making some big threes and things like that CU he he gives so much effort on

The defensive end think on Christmas Premier team do you have a memory growing up of maybe a game or a moment from get some Christmas yeah I always like to watch the uh Cavs I think I’ve seen the Cavs Thunder games a couple times Cavs Warriors um those

Are the couple games I remember growing up mean you to be able to be now on that stage i’ rather I’d rather not play on christens you know what I mean i’ rather spend the whole day with the fam and uh keep it what it’s really about you know

What I mean and that’s um you know celebrating Christ and things like that but it’s an honor to play because like you said it does mean that you are one of the Premier teams in the league so it is an honor but um yeah if it was up to

Me we would play tomorrow not not today thank you guys thatth quarter a lot of fun like this Environ uh it’s a lot of fun you know Christmas Day games are always fun um always bring back to when I was watching as a kid obviously so um take that into

Account when you go into games like this just trying to bring that you know correct energy KN that a lot of kids are watching um and you try to have fun out there you know they battled um I think we did a good job of just staying disciplined throughout the game you know

Everybody so it was a good good uh gift for everybody and um it’s nice to go back home with their families now and on a positive note talk prar a little ear do you enjoy the ear start time I don’t care basketball we wake up and practice

At the same time so um no it’s that’s a soft thinking right there Casp starts on Stu and plenty of time guarding time what’s made those guys dangerous and how job Ryan um no it’s tough man you know they uh they keep you locked in all game you

Know with the hit handb backs kind of like how me and Y do um obviously they’re going more to shoot it you know um those those guys can shoot it you know I think a had I mean Steph had won to AG where he just offbeat shot him and

And and catched it so you know those are like there’s no game f for that you know what I’m saying like it’s hard to say hey uh make sure he doesn’t get that shot off so um I think you know for the most part we did a good job just just

Taking them out of their comfort zone um I think they still got great looks but I think throughout the game we made it uncomfortable where they didn’t get those same looks um over and over again you know so I think our defense was uh our defense um defense discipline was on point

Tonight think there should be more games like the line like that coach mentioned that you guys your recent success has been part to get into the free throw line a lot more often um yeah I mean I would love to get the line too man so how many F those I I

Average you check that I know I know but you you will get it um yeah Yol does a great job man he gets fouled a lot you obviously see his arms everywhere those those are fouls um I think he gets beat up down there kind of

Like similar to like uh uh like Dwight Howard used to you know what I’m saying just he’s just such a big body it’s hard to call every foul I understand but um when he’s going into a shoot motion at least um you know I don’t know it’s not

It’s not me so you know they can only do so much and yo can only do so much so I think we just got to keep feeding them and y got to continue to be aggressive that’s another thing you know not looking for the fou but just playing the

Game and get to his spots you know stuff like that can follow on that a lot of top that kind of you feel that’s necessary yourself I mean there there’s a there’s a there’s a line though you know what I’m saying like a flop and and showing

That you’re getting fouled or you know if he pushes off like I’m he’s pushing for you know what I’m saying like I’m I’m back ping now so um just little stuff like that I I for me I just try to play through it you know I try not to

Flop um try to play through kind of maybe that’s why I don’t get a call sometimes you know just trying to play through everything um but yeah it is B basketball man like I said I don’t focus on that I don’t think about the rest as

I’m playing I just I just want to play basketball and um make the most of my opportunities on my shot t man with my usage is crazy huh it’s crazy I think just no minute restriction um not being in the lineup you know what I’m saying just just simple stuff like

That I don’t think it’s any I’m not playing any different um so I think it’s just uh coach been doing a great job just not taking me out early and um letting me ride when I’m hot and um having more dialogue you know I don’t

Think I’m I think I can play a lot better good that don’t going Baseline how is the Expos feels good um feels good like more the I I I just think for me I um I put a lot of preparation into the game so to

Start the game I’m I’m more ready to go Miss or make mentally and um physically and then uh yeah I like to just get a flow of the Rhythm and who’s hot who’s not how they’re playing what to look for I think I just have a better feel and

Flow of the game from from the get-go um yeah you talked earli about you know watching some of the Christmas Day games up were there any match ups in particular that come to mind would you think that yeah um obviously my favorite I’ve already said it but Derrick Rose

When he hit the floater I was watching every uh every moment of that game with my dad um obviously Kobe was on and he was a big Kobe fan um so that was one and Lakers versus Miami at La um when LeBron was catching those lobs watched every minute of that game there’s

Another game I don’t know if it was Christmas or not um might have been the Spurs when I was really young but I don’t know yeah and beyond that Christmas base obviously means that you guys were one of the Premier team to have that kind of be the

Norm I love it yeah for sure I love it um it’s just it’s fun to like just it’s not a playoff environment but it’s a it’s a very positive environment and it’s a lot of fun to go in there and try to put on a show everybody’s in good

Spirits um so it’s just a lot of fun obviously we get to see each other every day we see each other every day so uh everybody’s in good spirits and it’s fun to like I said put on a show and um in front of the crowd you know what I’m

Saying I see all these kids so to interact with the kids and stuff like that on Christmas is is priceless here last three no I don’t know what was going on with my head it was just a natural reaction honestly I appreciate it got my question

Yeah know you missed the last two games how you just kind of feeling generally um I’m feeling better you know was a little under the weather but uh had a good day had a good workout yesterday and you know felt good for today been a couple good games for you before

And after illness Off the Bench what does coming off the bench do for you mentally anything um just just stay aggressive you know I come in and uh my mindset is just to be aggressive um and you know playing if CP Dario um VP all the guys that you know

In the second unit you know just getting after it you have five fou 28 minutes the whistle today has become kind of topic conversation what did you think of it and how difficult was it to defend oh I mean it’s difficult for sure you know like every time you trou somebody it’s a

Foul you know um but just got to play through it you know that’s that’s the way things are being called so I guess we know we everyone has to adjust to how it goes how much did did it impact the second half like do you view that as the factor

On why you guys kind of for sure you know it’s tough It’s it’s tough you know when you know they’re shooting free throws every other possession you know for sure you know it slows the ball down um they’re getting easy baskets and their defense set on the other side so it’s definitely tough

To play against how important I think you got a seven straight at home uh up does this feel like a kind of you know pivotal moment stretch um for sure you know we got to protect home court you know we know how good good we are and how good we can be

Um we just got to stick to what we’re doing and keep playing you know Warriors Basketball the free throw line game um with thees 18 thr um Steve kind of had a br point he thinks he that they’re legislating defense out of the game in some ways I mean what’s just kind of your general overarching thought on on on how games at times are

Are um I mean it it does cater to the guys that can sell calls they and you know when there’s physicality it’s tough cuz it’s inconsistent at times on either side just what is like what’s the tone of the game and from game to game it changes

That’s the nature of basketball but like a night like tonight where you feel like there’s physicality on one side and then kind of tigy tack on the other and then they get into the bonus and it changes the complexity of the game and especially you know it’s not

Like we don’t foul I’m not saying that it’s just consisteny is is key when it comes to understanding how you can defend in the game and I know what coach is talking about so it was it was tough tonight slow the whole game down obviously he made every free

Throw and um you know change momentum play it into their hands and until things change you have to adjust but it was frustrating top of that just what did you think of the game overall and and and you said it a little bit how how much did that swing

The it just it it’s it’s more frustrating cuz we were still we had was a onepoint game with 6 minutes 5 minutes left something like that so you know we played well enough despite the way I shot the ball um you know we we we still had a chance to win so

You those are the the tough ones to swallow when you didn’t play as well as you could have or as efficient as you could have defensively through the course of the game gave yourself enough of an opportunity our second unit was phenomenal again tonight um but couldn’t open the game up

Because the game was slowed down so uh good lesson to learn we face you know them again we know yic how he plays um and we we be ready for the next one how how valuable Isa to where you guys want to go he gives us uh a huge boost I mean

We’ve talked about a lot applies pressure to the rim he’s knocking down open shots defensively understanding you know where he’s supposed to be how to guard on and off the ball and he just plays at a different pace that it’s fun to watch so gives us a lot

And you know I know me and him tonight terrible plus minus but you start to find a chemistry of you know where to get him the ball how he can attack and him being able to use his athleticism and his his ability to play one onone when

It when necessary but also can play that Warrior basketball read and react stuff and he’s gotten a lot better at that too so it gives us a lot how big do you view the next seven games you know all seven at home you 15 15 how vital

This it’s huge cuz it’ll give us uh hopefully some Breathing Room know we’ve been uh you know chasing that 500 number we were there for for one game but protecting home court taking advantage of the schedule know we play some good teams but it can give us some breathing room to you

Know again establish our identity who we are understand you know we don’t want to be chasing too much later in the season and we’re going to hopefully Infuse some guys back into the lineup at some point so that’ll be uh that’ll be key for us but big stretch um you know before the

Night we took advantage of that home stretch and we got to do it again

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