Golden State Warriors: JaVale McGee key to second round
Whether it’s the Utah Jazz or Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors center JaVale McGee will be key to the second round.
The Golden State Warriors continue to wait patiently for the second round of the NBA Playoffs to arrive. They’re in no rush, as they continue to get all the vital rest that they need for a long postseason run. They know that it’s going to be the Utah Jazz or Los Angeles Clippers next on their schedule.
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It also gives them plenty of time to prepare for both of these teams. Whether it’s the Jazz or the Clippers, the Warriors are going to have to deal with an enforcer in the middle of the paint. The Jazz will be throwing out Rudy Gobert, while the Clippers will be sending out DeAndre Jordan.
The good news for Golden State is that they have JaVale McGee. While McGee is a far cry from the impact that Gobert and Jordan bring to their respective teams, he has come up huge for Golden State as the year has gone on and created an impact against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round.
When the Warriors meet one of these two teams, the latter is going to try and use their size to anchor the paint. That means that McGee is going to need to be a presence down low and continue to clean boards and swat away shots like he has been.
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His impact was felt in Game 2 of the first round, when Portland managed to chop down a big Warriors lead. Then a key rotational move came into the equation and McGee had a series of minutes that saw him score 15 points but more importantly be a force on the defensive end.
It sparked a huge second half from the team and gave them the energy necessary to win. Golden State will wait for the right opportunity to throw him in the game. Mike Brown is going to have to be the one to make the call now, but he knows the impact his center brings off the bench.