How TJD sparked Warriors’ second-unit surge in win over Lakers

How TJD sparked Warriors’ second-unit surge in win over Lakers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Steve Kerr talked about the prospects of the Warriors’ second unit once Chris Paul returns from a hand injury that has kept him sidelined since early January.

Klay Thompson has already proven he still can be a huge factor after being benched last week, and Kerr sounds like he’s leaning toward rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis as the center of the unit as well.

Jackson-Davis showed why Kerr wants him with that group during Thursday’s 128-110 win over the Lakers at Chase Center that pulled Golden State within a half-game of the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference.

TJD put together his best all-around game in over a month, scoring 17 points to go with five rebounds and two blocked shots in 15 minutes off the bench, anchoring a squad of Warriors reserves that handily outplayed the Lakers with a 46-29 scoring advantage.

“You can see what that unit might look like,” Kerr said. “It’ll be great to get Chris [Paul] back and kind of put that group together and see how they do.”Historically, the Warriors have thrived when they’ve had a solid second unit. Their four NBA championships over the past nine seasons were a direct result of how effective Golden State’s bench played.

Jackson-Davis certainly likes the idea of being on that second unit and playing a key role. After all, there aren’t many teams who have two future Hall-of-Famers coming off the bench.

“For me it’s just all about working hard,” Jackson-Davis said. “I have a great connection with CP, I have a great connection with Klay. But that’s coach’s decision to decide who the best fit is out there. I’m going to leave it up to him because I know he’s going to make the best decision for the team.”

Jackson-Davis was figuring in significantly with some of Kerr’s rotations earlier this season but had seen his playing time dip over the last month. Before Thursday, when he played 14:50 minutes, Jackson-Davis had logged fewer than 10 minutes in seven games. He was also a healthy DNP in three other games.

Against the Lakers, however, Kerr leaned less on Dario…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/tjd-sparked-warriors-second-unit-082956137.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-02-23 08:29:56

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