Golden State Warriors @ Brooklyn Nets - 12/29/25

 This blog post has been written to prompt discussion about the game, as many readers of the Athletic have been disappointed at the recent editorial shift from game analysis to feature stories.  This is day 2 of them refusing to write anything about the game, or even the team at all.  Everyone is invited to comment here. 

I'm starting to think the Athletic started their weekly "NBA Rewind" as a strategy to give every team a little bit of coverage to create a poor substitute for giving every team regular coverage.  It's like they decided the way to address inequity was to make the better team service worse.

It's time to call them on it.

Many Observations

1. The Nets game was the proper unfolding of the finish compared to the Raptors game, which was apparently held in the Upside Down.  The Warriors had the 8 point lead late in the 4th, but instead of the Raptors bringing on the pressure and getting the turnovers, it was the Warriors.  Kerr went with the most athletic lineup he had, finishing with Melton, Richard, Butler, Jackson-Davis, and Curry.  Shout out to Fitz who made the observation earlier in the game that the Nets also had a turnover problem.
2. In fact, it was a pretty good game from the Warrior announcers.  Fitz made many interesting observations on the fly, including the Nets doubling Steph as soon as he crossed halfcourt and the synchronicity of Jimmy and Pat playing together. 
3. Having said that, Fitz still loves his favorite tropes, including attributing the other team's good shooting as an aberration and that Steph gets the worst whistle in the world.  While I didn't like those Steph buckets being taken away because they weren't considered continuation, Fitz's overreaction to it was pure hysteria.  Actually, Kelenna seems to be the honest one in terms of calling it honestly when they watch replays.
4. Two big standout games:  the first was Trayce Jackson-Davis, particularly in the second quarter.   He went strong to the rim, both finding a way from being guarded tightly inside as well as driving in from the outside and finishing lobs.  He defended much better than Post did, and had six rebounds, two blocks, and an assist in 22 minutes for a +10.  And he was said to be playing sick?  Here's another game where a guy who would have been left out of a "consistent rotation" made critical contributions.
5. The second was DeAnthony Melton, who brought everything we've been hoping for except the long ball.   He went coast-to-coast for layups, had two steals, and led the play that sealed the game by blocking a jumper from the side/behind and then taking off for the other end while Jimmy grabbed the ball and hefted it deep without hesitation.  That made it 114-106 and ballgame.  
6. I also want to call out a play Melton made when the shot clock was running out and nobody seemed to want to take a contested shot.  He drove from the right wing through the key and shot an unblockable fallaway jumper from the middle of the lane about six feet out.  Sweet!
7. Last Melton point:  Buike Bifocals broke down an excellent highlight where Melton got screened out but Sideshow Podz made the right defensive rotation to take away a sure assist and when the pass changed to go for the corner, Melton had broken free enough to snatch it from the air. 
8. Draymond seemed to have a better game defensively, but he's also returning to his hot potato ways, zipping passes out for missed threes instead of finishing while he's under the bucket.
9.  It looks like other teams are watching Warriors film.  The always risky move of breaking the paint then making an outlet pass without really looking at the defense first got penalized badly with several pickoffs.  The Nets were looking for it.
10. The stats might not confirm this, but it looked like we got our best success treating the offense like two separate teams, alternately led by Steph and Jimmy.  The personnel even seemed to be matched up to support it.  I don't know what the history is of teams doing this successfully, but it's new for the Dubs in this era.  It's not the same thing as the second unit performing well... it looks like a total stylistic switch.
11. Michael Porter Jr. is a hell of an offensive force.   There's no way the Nets are going to find it appealing to trade him for anything with Kuminga in it unless that's just salary filler.
12. But having said that, Kuminga's continued lack of unexplained playing is starting to look like there's a deal in place already and it's better if he just doesn't risk injury.  (Shout out to Mikey who offered the same thought.)
13. There's an increase in verbalized interest in trading for Nic Claxton, but nobody's brought up the point that the Warriors took Jordan Poole three picks ahead of him.  JP might have been more valuable for 2022, but Nic is the long run winner.
14. Another bouncy GP2 game.  Early in the game he hit a tough transition layup (lefty high off the glass), a corner three, and a dunk.  Strength in Numbers!
15. Steph only played 12 minutes in the first half and stayed under 30 minutes!  Still Steph, scoring 27 points with 5 momentum threes.
16. I liked seeing Pat Spencer getting a couple buckets along with four assists, a steal, and a board in ten minutes.  

That's a sweet 16 observations.  What's everyone else got?