Golden State Warriors: 3 takeaways from a joy-filled preseason

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OAKLAND, CA – OCTOBER 8: Alfonzo McKinnie #28 of the Golden State Warriors shoots the ball against the Phoenix Suns during a pre-season game on October 8, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /

No. 3: Hard work in the preseason can pay off

Alfonzo McKinnie was awarded a roster spot after two straight double-figure games during the Dubs preseason stint. While he may not be a huge factor this season, it is great to see his hard work paying off after not seeing too much interesting this offseason.

The 6-foot-8, 26-year-old hasn’t showcased too much at the NBA level. He played just 14 games with the Toronto Raptors last season prior to being waived. However, just like Dubs backup point guard Quinn Cook, McKinnie didn’t give up and persevered, finally being locked in as a Warrior.

The recent addition started and neared 40 minutes in the Dubs last season preseason game. He tallied seven points and seven rebounds. He had 10 and 4 the game prior and then 11 and 7 against the Suns in the Dubs third preseason game.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Dubs use McKinnie this season. They might be prepping him to take some of the load off Kevin Durant so he stays more rested for the postseason.

Ultimately, it won’t matter though. All that matters is the work paid off, and that’s exactly what preseason can do for a struggling player.

Next. The Dubs are better than the Celtics at every position. dark

The Dubs had a rather uninteresting preseason as they managed just to win one game, but that struggle will prep their fans for another wildly successful season and hopefully an easy three-peat.

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