Getty
Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors have lost 10 of their last 12 games. The play-in race is tightening. Stephen Curry has now missed 20 straight games with runner’s knee, and there is no clear timeline for his return.
In the middle of all of it, Brandin Podziemski has been asked to carry the offensive load. It has not always been smooth. However, Steve Kerr sees something valuable in the struggle.
Kerr Explains What Podziemski’s Stretch Has Revealed
GettyBrandin Podziemski of the Golden State Warriors.
Podziemski has shown up in the scoring column during Curry’s absence, dropping 25, 25, 10, 10, and 15 points in his last five outings before managing just five points in Saturday’s loss to the Hawks. The results have not followed, but Kerr is focused on the bigger picture for the third-year guard.
“It’s a great experience for Brandin,” Kerr said. “20 games without Steph. I think where he is in his career he’s proven he can help drive winning. I think that’s been apparent. He does a lot of things that can help drive winning.”
Kerr went further, framing the stretch as a defining period in Podziemski’s development. “He is, in my mind, really exploring how good he can become and what type of player he wants to become.”
That is genuine praise from a coach who has developed championship-level talent throughout his career in Golden State. Kerr does not hand out compliments without meaning them.
Where Podziemski Still Has Work to Do
Kerr was not all praise, however. He acknowledged that playing without Curry for this long has also exposed areas of Podziemski’s game that need refinement, particularly when he tries to operate as the primary ball-handler.
“I think you’ve seen lots of hiccups along the way where he’s trying things that aren’t working,” Kerr said. “If he’s playing off Steph, off the ball, if he’s playing more of a secondary ball-handler role he’s really good. He does a lot of things that other players don’t do. He’s got a knack. When he tries to be too on ball, you see him get into some trouble.”
It is an honest assessment. Podziemski thrives in movement, in reading situations, in doing the things that do not always show up in the box score. Those qualities are still there. The challenge of running an offence without the greatest shooter in NBA history around him, however, has highlighted the limits of where his game currently sits.
What It Means for the Warriors’ Playoff Push
GettyHead coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors talks with Brandin Podziemski #2.
The Warriors are 33-38 and sitting tenth in the West. The play-in window is still open, but it is narrowing. Everything hinges on Curry’s return and how much runway remains when he does come back.
Meanwhile, the experience Podziemski is accumulating right now will not go to waste. Operating as Golden State’s offensive anchor for 20 games, navigating losses, finding ways to keep the team competitive without their best player — that is the kind of pressure that accelerates development in a way that no normal season can replicate.
Final Word for the Warriors
Kerr called it a great experience. The losses have been painful, but the growth is real.
Podziemski is learning what he is and what he is not at this stage of his career. When Curry returns and the pressure of a play-in run arrives, that knowledge will matter.
The Warriors need everything he has learned between now and then.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
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