The Warriors’ formula behind James Wiseman’s best game as a pro
Rookies are going to have ups and downs.
But with a player as talented as Warriors center James Wiseman, the ups are so high that you forget that those first-year lows should even exist.
Wiseman’s Wednesday night performance against the Timberwolves was the high point of his young career to date — a performance that went from quirky and fun to downright jaw-dropping over the course of his 24 minutes.
After a few weeks of struggle and frustration, Wiseman scored 25 points, had two stellar blocks, made three 3-pointers, and ran the floor like a gazelle in the easy win against Minnesota on a night where Steph Curry only scored two points in the first half.
Where had that been for the Warriors?
And how do the Warriors replicate it going forward?
I think there were three key factors:
— Freedom: Wiseman is 19 and a thinker. That makes him impressionable.
So when Golden State played fast and free Wednesday against a Minnesota team that didn’t scare them, Wiseman had no choice but to follow suit.
He was letting it fly from 25 feet and ran the floor with the intent of throwing down thunderous jams.
It was Wiseman at his best. The rookie big man’s new role is to close the first and the third quarters off the bench. That typically amounts to roughly 12 minutes per game. But Kerr had Wiseman play the end of the second and fourth quarters on Wednesday — alongside the old starting lineup.
You know, the lineup that was statistically the NBA’s worst this season.
Yet in the six minutes where Wiseman played alongside Kelly Oubre, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and Curry on Wednesday, the Warriors had a 150 offensive rating and 90.9 defensive rating, assisting on every one of their baskets. That’s spectacular basketball.
Why did that lineup work at the end of the second quarter and not at the beginning of a game?
I think it has something to do with confidence.
Wiseman accrued some serious confidence earlier in the contest that I think carried through to the rest of the game.
The Warriors ran two plays at the end of the first quarter — where Kent Bazemore was in for Oubre — that set up open 3-point looks for Wiseman, who had not made a 3-pointer in his prior eight games.
He knocked down both shots. I’m not sure if that was a breakthrough moment, but it was certainly fun to see.
Wiseman, who is far-too-often downtrodden on the court, beating himself up over a mistake that might have happened minutes ago, was smiling and clearly having fun after the second made 3-pointer. He even stuck out his tongue!
Basketball is supposed to be fun, especially when you’re 19. But it had been a while since we had seen a moment like that.
There might have been too much pressure on him in the starting lineup — it can’t be good for your confidence when your team is trailing by 10 points early and you know you’re a big reason why that’s the case.
But coming in for end-of-quarter scenarios, Wiseman can take advantage of playing against some younger players. There’s some more spacing on the floor, too, as Oubre or Wiggins — slashers and drivers — will normally be on the bench, waiting to return at the start of the next quarter. There’s unquestionably less pressure. And with all that freedom, Wiseman’s confidence can grow and his talent can come to the forefront.
— Lessons sticking: It wasn’t all freedom, though. Wiseman’s been receiving lessons on how to properly contest shots at the rim and how to space the floor, too.
The spacing wasn’t perfect — Wiseman hasn’t picked up Kevon Looney’s full bag of tricks on where and how to stand for the Warriors to play their best offense — but it was unquestionably better. The 3-pointers no doubt helped. The Warriors need more of that moving forward.
After all, what’s the point of having a unicorn if you cage him? The Warriors let Green shoot 3-pointers, Wiseman should have a green light, too.
The bigger lesson is coming on the defensive end. Wiseman can nearly touch the rim while standing on the floor and yet opposing players were picking up cheap, easy fouls at the hoop on the kid.
Why? Because he was playing the ball and not building a wall in front of the hoop.
It’s not as aesthetically pleasing — it’s really cool to block a ball into the 10th row — but if Wiseman jumps straight up, his chest will protect the rim. That’s great defense and it’ll keep him out of foul trouble, which will likely keep his confidence high.
Wiseman playing great defense also makes his life a lot easier on offense — turnovers create transition opportunities, and the rookie doesn’t have to think much about spacing then. All he has to do is run the floor, something he is unquestionably excellent at doing.
In all, Wiseman is too smart to not be successful. He’s also too young and inexperienced for anyone to expect immediate greatness. It’s all a process, but Wiseman is showing he processes quickly.
— The competition: For all of those who have clamored that Wiseman needs to be sent to the G-League to find his game, you received a sneak preview of what that would look like on Wednesday. Yes, he’d ruin those poor kids.
Minnesota is arguably the worst team in the league with both Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell in the lineup. Neither played on Wednesday, making Minnesota chum in the water for a team like the Warriors.
Credit to Warriors coach Steve Kerr for noticing the opportunity, sensing that positive momentum, and giving Wiseman more run in a game where he both deserved it and where it wouldn’t jeopardize the Warriors’ chances of winning.
They won’t all be this easy, this straightforward for Wiseman, but the rookie took advantage of the opportunity.
Wednesday’s game was a building block — a big one — and a reminder that it’s only a matter of time until every Wiseman performance is that impressive.