TJD’s undeniable Warriors evolution deserving of reward originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – Though coach Steve Kerr is not ready to announce his opening night starting lineup, it’s becoming apparent that a man juggling DNPs and G League assignments early last season will be jumping center when the Warriors tipoff this season.
Trayce Jackson-Davis played 127 minutes during the preseason, more than anyone except Jonathan Kuminga, and his evolution is undeniable. It’s something Kerr and his staff have noted and concluded is deserving of a reward.
TJD’s third consecutive preseason start came Friday night in a 132-74 rout of a Los Angeles Lakers team that wisely rested all its starters on the second night of a preseason back-to-back.
The opposition didn’t matter. Jackson-Davis also started against the Lakers on Tuesday when Golden State triumphed despite both Anthony Davis and LeBron James suiting up. Jackson-Davis joined four-time NBA champions Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, and 2021 lottery pick Kuminga as the only Warriors to start at least four preseason games.
This is the kind of exalted company Jackson-Davis, Golden State’s second-round draft pick (57th overall) 16 months ago, is keeping. The kind of company he’ll keep for as long as he is running. Literally.
That was the message Kerr delivered to Jackson-Davis at the end of last season and into training camp this season. The notion of Jackson-Davis sprinting, with wings Andrew Wiggins and Kuminga, is considered essential to Golden State’s desired style.
“The biggest thing he said to me was to play with force,” said Jackson-Davis, who finished with 12 points and five assists — but only one rebound — on Friday. “And in preseason, another thing that was huge was running. Running the floor, sprinting getting guys open shots just by putting pressure on the rim.
“I feel like the last three games, I’ve done a lot better job trying to sprint and out and rim run.”
Jackson-Davis ran himself into a couple dunks off lob passes, something the Warriors want to see as a matter of routine.
The gravity created by a center who…
..
