DENVER — The Golden State Warriors were winning by 10 as their fastbreak began inside Ball Arena when Brandin Podziemski stripped Nikola Jokic.
It ended with a layup for the Denver Nuggets star.
Instead of playing to a five-on-four advantage with a fundamental or by slowing the pace Podziemski lofted an errant left-handed lob — to Denver’s Jamal Murray, who passed to Jokic down the floor. As described by Warriors head coach Steve Kerr after a 119-115 loss: “That was frankly insane.”
Kerr concluded his postgame news conference with a spirited callout of the second-year guard, whose 13 points — on 6-of-11 shooting — four rebounds and four assists were countered by untimely unforced errors.
In one vexing 38-second fourth-quarter stretch with the Warriors protecting a nine-point lead, Podziemski whipped a one-handed pass into a section of spectators, missed a step-back 3-point jumper while isolating against Jokic, and fouled Michael Porter Jr. in the act of 3-point shooting for the second time in the second half.
While pounding the dais at which he concluded an impassioned news conference after a fifth straight loss, Kerr said “Podz is a hell of a player, but he needs to — and I’ve told him this — be a smart player. He’s one of our guys who’s capable of making really good decisions.
“I love Brandin. Hell of a player. He’s got a hell of a future ahead of him,” Kerr added. “I hope he watches this clip of me talking because he needs to hear it. He’s got to be a smart, tough, great decision maker. And he’s very capable of it. That’s his next step.”
Kerr’s willingness to challenge Podziemski publicly speaks to his importance to Golden State, for which — since Saturday — he’s starting at shooting guard on the strength of his ballhandling, passing and connective playmaking.
As an All-Rookie first-team honoree last season, he averaged 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while leading the Warriors in plus/minus ratio (plus-264) and the NBA in offensive fouls drawn (38).
A sophomore slump has affected his statistics — 8.0 points on 39% shooting, including 20.6% from 3-point range, 4.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists — but not Golden State’s belief in his ability or impact.
When he’s at his best, he injects the Warriors with pace, energy and physicality as a creator and committed defender.
“His growth will be to try to let the game come to him as easy as possible,” guard Stephen Curry said. “Still play with a lot of energy and aggressiveness, but just get over the hump in terms of connecting both ends of the floor. And lifting whoever he’s out there with because he’s been able to do that.”
When Podziemski is beside Curry — afflicted at 36 by a bout of bilateral knee tendinitis — he can push him off the ball and spare him the strain of some on-ball usage so he’s fresher for the course of 48 minutes.
And for 62 more games.
As one of the Warriors’ best ballhandlers, Podziemski is also the de facto backup point guard for the Warriors, for whom he was playing with their second unit when Murray intercepted his pass.
“We’ve got to make simple decisions, and when we do that, we’re really good,” Kerr said. “When we try too hard, try to make plays on our own, we get into trouble.”
After his underwhelming outing, Podziemski was accepting of Kerr’s critiques, noting, “I’ve got to be better. I know I’ll be better. I know the coaching staff trusts me to be better.”
Podziemski was summoned to the sideline after first fouling Porter early in the third quarter for some coaching from Kerr.
His message to Podziemski?
“He was kind of getting on me to do my job, and know what I’m supposed to be doing,” the 21-year-old said. “He just got on me a little bit, which I’m all for. I’m trying to get better. He knows he can get on me. I’m not going to respond emotionally. I’m just going to go out there and hoop.”
Added Curry: “You deal with criticism. You get better. And you keep it moving.”
