In today’s Dub Hub:
- Will Richard earns the trust of Steve Kerr; the head coach says he ‘won’t hesitate’ to play him during the regular season.
- Steve Kerr ‘loved the fire’ from Jonathan Kuminga after he was ejected during Tuesday’s game against the Blazers.
- Kings agree to deal with free agent point guard Russell Westbrook, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The Golden State Warriors defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 118–111, in their fourth preseason matchup Tuesday night. Missing two of their stars in Draymond Green (rest) and Jimmy Butler (ankle), Stephen Curry took over with 28 points and four made threes.
However, the real story of the night was second-round rookie Will Richard, who was a surprise addition to the starting lineup. Head coach Steve Kerr said he wanted to see how the rookie would look playing alongside some of the team’s first unit
players — and with Green and Butler out, it was the perfect chance to experiment.
Richard didn’t just hold his own — he looked comfortable. The game never seemed too fast for him as he made smart reads: spacing the floor, hitting open shots, cutting at the right times, swinging the ball, and competing defensively. He finished the game playing 29 minutes, scoring 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field while recording six rebounds, two assists, and one steal. It was an all-around effort that impressed Kerr, who praised Richard for his poise and decision-making after the game.
For his part, Richard said he found out just before tipoff that he’d be in the starting lineup. Even so, he was confident he could contribute — and it showed, as the rookie may have just earned himself playing time in Kerr’s regular season rotation.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Wednesday, October 15th:
Warriors News:
Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga earns praise from Steve Kerr: ‘I loved the fire’ | The Athletic
“He got fouled,” Kerr said. “It was a frustration play. I have no problem with it. He deserved the foul. He was getting fouled quite a bit. It was a physical game. And the way he ran on that play, the activity that he played with, the rebounding … that’s the JK who can really help our team.”
When told of Kerr’s sentiment after the game, Kuminga seemed appreciative of his coach’s words.
“It means a lot,” said Kuminga, who turned 23 last week. “Knowing that a lot of people got my back. Having people having my back, it’s not for me to let them down. Just keep doing what I’m doing, playing hard, just competing every moment.”
What we learned as Steph Curry, Will Richard shine in Warriors’ preseason win | NBC Sports Bay Area
Curry’s 28 points in 26 minutes led both teams. The demon from long distance made three 3-pointers all within inches of each other on the right wing, and another from the left corner. His six rebounds were a team high when he took a seat, as were Curry’s five assists.
How Curry continuously went to the free-throw line stood out most. Curry only once attempted 13 or more free throws last season. He was 12 of 13 in three quarters Tuesday night.
Steph Curry set to become 10th player in NBA history to play 17 seasons with one team
NBA News:
Joe Mazzulla, Celtics coaching staff play reporters in pickup game | NBA
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla wants to win, no matter the opponent.
Even when playing against reporters.
Here’s what happened: The Celtics had told their reporters that they could use the Auerbach Center courts for a media game after practice on Tuesday. But Mazzulla had a surprise planned as well.
“You’re not playing against each other,” Mazzulla told the group. “You’re playing against the coaches.”
With that, he walked away from the post-practice media scrum. Game on.
Russell Westbrook signs with Kings, per ESPN’s Shams Charania
In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:
Warriors vs. Blazers: Things that popped on film
Richard is adamant about not getting beat by attacks off the catch, all while using good use of his hands to bother and annoy — importantly, without crossing over to fouling.
Richard’s hands have served him well so far, to the point where he has established himself as an early candidate to the Andre Iguodala Strip Steal Master Award (yes, I made that up)
Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
