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Golden State Warriors (7-1) 149 - 124 Chicago Bulls (2-5)

First published October 30th 2018
We knew it was coming, but not at this level. I'm sorry Bulls. 2Klay mode started immediately and it just. never. stopped.
To begin, LaVine tried attacking Jones from pick and rolls, the same strategy we have seen all season now. Wendel Carter's shot didn't seem to be there early. Here those two elements come together, where the LaVine drive is stopped by KD coming to help, leaving Carter open for a three that he couldn't make.
The Warriors were having some trouble scoring around the rim, with the Bulls having two bodies always close to the rim, even if one of their bigs was Jabari who does little more than being a body. The Warriors offense would be fine anyway with the open shots in the perimeter (lol Arcidiacono).
The Warriors actually shoot a lot less threes than most teams these days, and it makes sense considering that our great shooters are also amazing from midrange and other teams are obsessed with stopping the Dubs from shooting beyond the line. But today: 13/19, halfway into the second quarter. Still, a lot of inflation from the Klay/McKinnie show and a great heave from Jerebko.
McKinnie continues to be excellent in the second unit. Drains the shots he's given and probably the best offensive rebounder in the team. He's fitting in wonderfully. I think a lot of people will focus on the big three scorers when talking about the dominant games so far, but how much better the second unit has looked this year might be the most important story for how this year will play out.
The game started becoming even faster and teams were running up and down as the second quarter game to an end. The Bulls defense had as a single priority to stop Klay, who at this point already had 10 threes in the half. (wat). This would remain the goal until the starters went to sit for the last time.
Such free flowing offense naturally leads to a less engaged offense. I recall multiple instances where some Warriors player is looking the other way and allows a corner three, as such.
The only reason i didn't switch off mentally for the second half was to see if a record was about to be broken. Klay was forcing shots and Holiday had none of it. But the headband man himself would make history.
Game really didn't matter after that. For as awful as the night was for the Bulls, they were expected to be a bottom defense in the league and that was without half their roster injured. Truly an exhibition game.
Other notes:
I'm so glad because of how happy Steph was about Klay getting the record. He was giving him every ball he could in the world so he'd get it. That lack of ego is the basis of this great team culture.
Evans still doesn't look ready for NBA minutes. And considering the plan for our draft, that might've been the only off-season blunder. Not saying that he won't be good, but a prospect wasn't the idea.
"[On the language of Brazil] A lot of people probably think it's Spanish, or Brazilian. But it's actually Portuguese". Are there really that many people who think that?

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