Brandin Podziemski, Dennis Schröder classified in Warriors wins over jazz

Golden State Warriors beat Utah Jazz 114-103 Tuesday night in the Chase Center, in a game defined more of who did not play than who was. But even against a 10-Win team that was missing the majority of its starters and played on the road on the back of a back-to-back, it was an impressive performance of a warriors team missing Steph Curry, Daymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga.

So who was responsible for the victory? Only one way to tell. As always, my grades are based on my expectations of each player, with a “B” class that represents the average performance for each player.

Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metration that accounts for triangles and free kicks. Entering Tuesday’s game was TS on League average 57.4%.

Andrew Wiggins

33 minutes, 19 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 1 revenue, 2 errors, 5-for-17 shooting, 3-for-8 triangles, 6-for-9 free throws, 45.3 % TS, +12

A kind of fun, hot and cold game for wiggins. On the one hand, he shot with quite poor efficiency. On the other hand, many of his shots were crucial buckets, and his aggression on offense really set the tone and opened pitches for his teammates. On the one hand, he had some great defensive acting. On the other hand, he had a bad rebounding game and often looked unagriffly in the non-scored areas of the game.

So I assume … close to average?

Character: B-

Moses Moody

27 minutes, 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 errors, 4-for-9 shooting, 3-for-6 triangles, 4-for-5 free kick, 67.0% ts, -2

We have really seen an upcoming party for Moody. It’s a bummer that Warriors are so injured, but Moody to get to play 25+ minutes at night has been a hell of a silver lining and he has cemented his role in the process.

His offensive games have become so much more aggressive without sacrificing the discipline and intelligence that has been staples in his game since he was drafted. There is more confidence in his three-point battle, but he is also far more interested in attacking the brace with composed violence than he ever used to be.

Moody had some of the biggest shots in the game, and also had one of the game’s defining moments: Up four and just over four minutes left, the Moody Hanger and one outside of Sort’s Utah defense attacked and made a brilliant pass for Wiggins for one and one.

He has scored in double in seven straight matches and he has only three revenue in that time.

Character: A.

Trayce Jackson-Davis

6 minutes, 4 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 error, 2-for-3 shooting, 66.7% ts, -7

TJD got the start, but after being subbed halfway through the first quarter, he never returned. It is unclear whether he suffered an injury or illness, or whether Steve Kerr just chose to run with Kevon Looney and Quinten Post, both of which played very well.

Either way, Jackson-Davis was strong on offense in the minutes he played but fought against defense.

Character: B-

Buddy Hield

22 minutes, 2 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 revenue, 2 errors, 1-for-7 shooting, 0-for-4 triangles, 14.3% ts, -12

Hield continues to play with energy, confidence, positivity and selflessness, even when he is fighting. Unfortunately, it’s all about all the good thing to say about him tonight.

Character: c-
Bonus after the game: Worst plus/minus on the team.

Dennis Schröder

34 minutes, 23 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 2 revenue, 4 errors, 8-for-20 shooting, 5-for-13 triangles, 2-for-2 free kick, 55.1% ts, +3

When Warriors traded for Schröder, I felt that the most important part of his game was toughness, gravel and competition spirit that he brought. Warriors cannot rely on Daymond alone to get under the opponents’ skin and laugh in the light of attempts at threats.

This was a game where Schröder’s ability to do it was on full view, and it saved the day for Dubs. He was elbowed (unintentionally) in the face of Collin Sexton and responded to the Recycle Bin and attacked Sexton to apparently any subsequent possession. He fell so awkward and painful that I really thought he might have suffered a season -ending injury yet, after hobbling to the dressing room for a few minutes, returned later in the quarter.

It takes all types to win in the NBA, and one of the types you absolutely need is someone who gets in an opponent’s face, talking garbage with Swagger and smiling when popped. Warriors have won a lot of games because of these types of players: The Draymond Greens, Stephen Jackson’s, Andrew Boguts and Matt Barnes from the world. Schröder is one of these types, and if you think Dubs wins Tuesday evening’s game without him, yes … We are all entitled to our own opinions, but it doesn’t make them right.

Character: A-
Bonus after the game: Led the team in points.

Gary Payton II

10 minutes, 2 points, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 revenue, 3 errors, 0-for-2 shooting, 0-for-1 triangles, 2-for-2 free kick, 34.7% ts, +1

Not a very pure game for GPII, though he almost threw a thump that would have been one of the highlights of the year.

Character: C.

Brandin Podziemski

32 minutes, 20 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 stealing, 3 revenue, 1 error, 5-for-12 shooting, 4-for-11 triangles, 6-for-6 free throw, 68.3% ts, +19

It’s no secret that Podz hit a bit of another slump to start the year. But his almost month long injury absence seems to have really reset him because he looks back to being the player that I often ran out of words to describe in his rookie year. He is a rare mix of fearless, cocky, selfless and disciplined. He seems to believe that he can do everything, but still chooses to postpone to others. It allows him to make huge plays in coupling moments at both ends of the court, while most importantly, the team simply plays his best basketball when he is one of the five players standing up.

Before his injury, Podziemski was an average of 8.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per day. Fight, shoots 49.6% at two and 29.5% on triangles and average 1.0 free throwing attempts per year. Match. In a admittedly small trial size of three games since he returned, he average he 15.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists, shoots 85.7% at two and 42.9% on triangles and average 2.7 Frikasting attempts per Match.

Welcome back, Podz.

Character: A+
Bonus after the game: Led the team in assists.

Kevon Looney

24 minutes, 6 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 1 error, 3-for-5 shooting, 0-for-1 free throw, 55.1% TS, +23

Talk about a stabilizing presence. I would say that Looney saw the rumors of having spent his salary at the trade deadline and felt inspired, but in reality this is how he always plays. Warriors were beaten up in the paint when Looney came in, and although he did not stop it on his own, he certainly prevented from becoming as ugly as it would have been. It was a very impressive performance, both defense and rebounding, and timely.

Character: A.
Bonus after the game: Led the team in rebounds.

Gui Santos

There

Even in the games where his state line is not unclear, it is clear that Santos is not just a flash in the pot. The guy simply knows how to play basketball, and hardships as if he is still trying to make the team.

I am so impressed with the way he reads defense and makes the right care, by the way he responds and rotates to the defense, and by the way he is constantly moving in every phase of the game.

Warriors outscored the jazz by 25 points in his 23 minutes and was outsscored with 14 points in the 25 minutes he sat. Plus/minus doesn’t always tell the story, but it does this.

Character: A.
Bonus after the game: Best plus/minus on the team.

Quinten Post

16 minutes, 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 errors, 3-for-10 shooting, 2-for-5 triangles, 2-for-2 free kick, 46.0% ts, -3

It is pretty clear that the post has entered the center minutes’ rotation and that he, Looney and Jackson-Davis will share minutes based on matchup and performance on a given night. And he has played well enough to earn it.

Tuesday was not his purest game when he struggled to finish around the edge and made four mistakes in just 16 minutes. But his offensive versatility was on screen again, where the seven-foot made a few extraordinary passports, drained a few triangles and ended with a Eurostep can in the transition. And his size was definitely a blessing against some great Utah Frontcourt players.

Character: B+

Kyle Anderson

11 minutes, 6 points, 2 rebounds, 3-for-4 shooting, 75.0% TS, -4

With the advent of Santos and Post, I am not sure that Anderson has a role in the rotation when the warriors are healthy. But again, they may never be fully healthy, so what a luxury it is to be able to call him when needed. And he showed up tonight.

Character: B+

Tuesday’s DNPs: Pat Spencer, Lindy Waters III

Tuesday’s inactives: Steph Curry, Daymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Jackson Rowe