Pat McCaw’s ups and downs
The Golden State Warriors’ rookie Patrick McCaw is now getting regular minutes, but fans must be patient as the 21 year old grows.
Being an NBA player is hard. I’m not an NBA player so I don’t really know from firsthand experience. But, also, I like to play basketball and I’m not an NBA player so that’s indicative of how difficult it is.
Patrick McCaw excites a lot of fans. And for good reason too. He has shown flashes of being a really good player throughout his rookie season.
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He also frustrates them too, especially now that he has taken a bigger role. McCaw has a tendency to freeze up with the ball in his hand. He, at times, refuses to attack the basket. There are moments where it looks like the Warriors are playing four-on-five on offense.
But those are the ups and downs that come with a 21 year old rookie. Prior to Kevin Durant’s injury, he wasn’t getting regular minutes. While there was supposed to be a competition at the backup shooting guard spot, Ian Clark’s hot start earned him the majority of the minutes. McCaw has had trouble finding a consistent spot in the rotation.
So now McCaw has quickly gone from an end of bench guy that would occasionally come in to a starter or, at minimum, a legitimate rotational player.He has to learn to play with three All-Stars, a former Finals MVP, and a bunch of savvy veterans. While paying with great players is fun, it can also be a challenge.
There are going to be nights where he looks scared to touch the basketball. Then there are going to be nights–like the game in Atlanta–where he takes and makes his open three-point attempts. It’s a learning process for him.
McCaw has shown that he has a feel for the game. Some guys just know how to play. The game comes naturally to him.
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The Warriors’ rookie has a lot to learn and he needs to do it fast. He’s going to have bad games where he doesn’t move his feet on defense and he passes up great looks. He’s also going to have solid nights where he knocks down shots and deflects a lot of balls.
To Warriors fan, be patient with Pat McCaw. The kid can ball. I know Golden State is concerned about the now, but he needs time to grow.