As the Golden State Warriors completed a major bounce-back win 104-93 win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night, the team as a whole felt rejuvenated following a shock defeat to the short-handed Denver Nuggets 24 hours earlier.
In the absence of Stephen Curry, forward Jimmy Butler stepped up offensively, posting 24 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists across 37 minutes. Youngster Brandin Podziemski, who was returning from a five-game absence due to injury, picked up where he left off in posting 17 points, seven rebounds and one assist in 29 minutes.
Yet the quick resurgence of one player, Quinten Post, following his sidelining the night before against the Denver Nuggets was a largely unnoticed story that signifies big positives for the rookie's development.
Quinten Post responded from his second-half benching
Post has sensationally ascended from the G-League to the starting lineup this season, with the 24-year-old utilizing his height and 3-point shot to provide positional spacing that the team desperately needed.
However, Post is not to fully earn the trust of head coach Steve Kerr and has subsequently seen inconsistent playing time through his short career to date. This was best exemplified when Golden State fell to Denver on Monday night, with Post receiving only eight minutes of playing time and none in the second-half -- his lowest total since February 13th against the Houston Rockets.
In spite of his offensive impact, Post has been limited this season by his lack of defensive mobility, with Steve Kerr often opting for a small-ball lineup utilizing Draymond Green at the center position. In 31 games this season, Post has a defensive rating of 111.9 -- the second-worst among players still on the team.
It was still surprising to see Golden State's best 3-pointer shooter (by percentage) benched in the second-half of a game in which the team shot a paltry 8-of-33 from 3-point range. It took just 24 hours for Steve Kerr and the Warriors to realize their mistake, with Post returning to play a big role in Tuesday's win over the Bucks.
The rookie big man posted 14 points, four rebounds, and three assists in a performance that represents a major mental hurdle that Post overcame. For someone with his inexperience, the lack of playing time against Denver could have been seen as a discouraging moment of distrust from his coaching staff.
Instead, Post returned in full force, playing 23 minutes and launching nine 3-point attempts in that span. He shot 4-of-9 from beyond the arc in the 11-point win, bringing his season mark up to a remarkable 41.4%.
While Post's defense has only improved incrementally throughout the season, it is his offensive ceiling that should excite Warriors fans. His performance against Milwaukee should represent not only his capacity to play well in the team's current offensive structure, but also his unique mental fortitude to bounce-back from the disappointment of the previous 24 hours.