What we learned as Podz-led Warriors grind out gritty win over Bulls originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
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The Warriors needed to show resiliency if they were to maintain their perfect summer league record (5-0) and that’s exactly what Golden State did as it pulled out a gritty 92-82 win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night at The Thomas & Mack Center.
A night after the Warriors thumped the Phoenix Suns from start to finish, the Bulls made Golden State work early in a way it hasn’t been accustomed to, entering Sunday’s contest undefeated in summer league play.
The Warriors were able to flip a switch early with a pivotal 11-1 run in the first quarter, retaking the lead in the blink of an eye after it appeared the Bulls were on the verge of pulling away.
Golden State started the second half strong with a rapid scoring blitz fueled by Brandin Podziemski, Daeqwon Plowden and Trayce Jackson-Davis, building a double-digit lead that the Warriors rode to the finish line of yet another convincing summer league win.
Here are three takeaways from Golden State’s win over Chicago:
Podziemski handles business
One of the main goals of having Podziemski participate in the 2024 NBA Summer League was to give the second-year guard an opportunity to build confidence as a No. 1 option on the floor, which is exactly what he looked like Sunday.
Podziemski was undoubtedly the best player on the court, finising with 21 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, doing a little bit of everything while flashing the upside that earned him 2023-24 All-Rookie First-Team honors last season.
When Golden State struggled to get into a rhythm early, Podziemski generated his own offene with a barrage of 3-pointers, including a crafty step-back from beyond the arc.
The 21-year-old scored at all three levels, including a dazzling reverse layup to close out the first half strong after The Bulls made the Warriors battle for the first two quarters.
Podziemski also flashed as a playmaker, delivering an impressice no-look pass to Jackson-Davis for a wide open slam.
Given Steph Curry’s propensity to play off the ball and the departure of Chris Paul,…
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