SAN FRANCISCO — With an undersized roster that will likely be with out an injured James Wiseman for the rest of the season, Warriors ahead Nemanja Bjelica has performed extra minutes at heart than ever earlier than in his profession.
The change has include its justifiable share of ups and downs for the 6-foot-10 Serbian, however Bjelica has been taking part in higher over the past month and he’s feeling extra assured, too.
In his final 10 video games, Bjelica is averaging 6.4 factors whereas taking pictures 52.3% general and 50% from 3-point vary off the bench. He’s additionally recorded 5.4 rebounds and three.3 assists per recreation throughout that span.
Bjelica exploded towards his former workforce Sunday within the Warriors’ 109-90 beatdown of the tragic Sacramento Kings, who have been eradicated from the playoffs for the sixteenth consecutive season. Bjelica scored 19 factors and grabbed 12 rebounds, each season highs, and went 3-for-6 from 3.
“Each day I really feel extra snug, particularly when [your] coach trusts you,” Bjelica stated. “It’s an ideal feeling whenever you play properly and particularly if the workforce wins. You simply need to be prepared, we have now so many gamers, so many weapons, our bench is lengthy, all people can play, all people can rating and so long as we're wholesome, we’re good.”
Coach Steve Kerr admitted he acknowledged Bjelica’s worth much more final month when he began Jonathan Kuminga over Kevon Looney in two video games throughout the Warriors’ disagreeable highway journey out east. The transfer pushed Bjelica decrease on the workforce’s depth chart, which resulted in him watching the video games in sweats from the bench.
“Generally it takes a few video games with no man to remind all people what you’re lacking,” Kerr stated. “Though we appreciated [Bejlica’s] worth already, these two video games, we actually lacked offensive stream off the bench.”
Bjelica provides one other layer to Golden State’s offense together with his eager playmaking expertise and talent to stretch the ground together with his 3-point taking pictures. He stated he’s feeling bodily prepared heading into the playoffs to take extra minutes at heart and battle different groups’ bigs, although Bjelica stated his life is “a lot simpler” taking part in alongside Draymond Inexperienced.
Inexperienced and Bjelica switched roles on protection after they shared the courtroom towards the Kings; Inexperienced — the Warriors’ finest defender when he’s on his recreation — guarded the 5, whereas Bjelica took the 4.
“He helps modify me,” Bjelica stated of Inexperienced. “He helps all people. With him and Andre [Iguodala] on the courtroom, I look manner higher, and that’s good for me… I can play my recreation, I really feel extra assured.”
That’s what the Warriors will want from Bejlica as they attempt to acquire momentum of their last three video games of the common season earlier than gearing up for the playoffs. Kerr likes the concept of taking part in Bjelica as a backup heart alongside Jordan Poole, Gary Payton II, Iguodala and Otto Porter Jr.
“It’s a very good lineup,” he stated.
Curry replace
Stephen Curry was on the courtroom and getting up photographs at Tuesday’s follow, however didn’t take part in workforce drills, Kerr stated.
Curry, who’s out for the rest of the common season, continues to make progress in his restoration from a sprained ligament in his left foot suffered in a house loss to the Boston Celtics March 16.
“He’s been in a position to ramp issues up somewhat bit, and he’s doing properly,” Kerr stated.
The Warriors are cautiously optimistic that Curry will likely be again in time for the playoffs, which start April 17. He’s scheduled to be re-evaluated April 11.
Feeling Moody
Kerr is trying ahead to seeing how rookie guard Moses Moody fares within the Santa Cruz Warriors’ playoff recreation Tuesday.
Moody was re-assigned to the Warriors’ G League affiliate Monday after falling out of the NBA workforce’s rotation in current weeks. Kerr stated the choice to restrict Moody’s taking part in time will not be a mirrored image on his improvement in his first yr within the league.
“It’s extra of a sign that we’ve gotten wholesome and so he’s been pushed down the ladder somewhat bit,” Kerr stated. “However he’s been nice all yr.”
Drafted 14th general within the 2021 NBA draft, Moody has averaged 4.4 factors and 1.6 rebounds in 11.7 minutes in 50 video games (10 begins) for the Warriors this season.
“I really like Moses’ improvement all season lengthy, improvement isn't linear,” Kerr stated. “… It is a actually good alternative for him to play huge minutes in a significant recreation with Santa Cruz. It’s a no brainer to ship him.”