Kerr praises ‘ball player' Podz amid historic playoff shooting slump

In the midst of chaos, there is always a silver lining.

Despite Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski's historically poor shooting performance of 9-for-40 from the floor through four games of the Western Conference semifinals, the 22-year-old is receiving considerable praise.

Coach Steve Kerr discussed Tuesday on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs” why Podziemski remains valuable to his strategy, even while experiencing a shooting slump, ahead of the must-win Game 5 against the Timberwolves on Wednesday in Minnesota.

“The confidence in the shot right now is not there, but let me tell you something: This guy is a ball player,” Kerr told Mark Willard and Dan Dibley.

“Every game, you look at the plus/minus at the end of the game, and he’s at or near the top for our team. He does so many other things besides shooting that are crucial for us.”

Without star guard Steph Curry on the court, the Warriors desperately have been searching for answers, finding a positive response from forward Jonathan Kuminga but not from Podziemski.

The second-year guard has posted the worst field goal percentage in a four-game playoff series (second round or later) in the last 50 years. 

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Even then, Kerr is determined to hand Podziemski a pivotal role on Wednesday as Golden State looks to overturn a 3-1 series deficit. 

“He’s still going to be out there,” Kerr added. “That’s why I play as much as I am, despite his shooting struggles. 

“He’s a crucial player for us, so these are great experiences for him to go through and to learn from. I’m confident in his ability to get past this shooting funk and have a big game tomorrow because he has a lot of confidence in himself.” 

But what exactly is it about Podziemski’s game that has won over Kerr? 

“He reads the game. He handles the ball. He passes. He’s a great rebounder. He sees things defensively, so he’s always in the right spot,” Kerr concluded. 

“The game just connects when he’s out there. It just makes a lot of sense for the group, and that doesn’t mean he’s perfect, but he does a lot things that just makes the game make sense. And not every player does that, frankly. 

“Brandin, despite his shooting struggles, continues to connect lineups and make good basketball players. Those are the things that help you win.” 

With the season on the line on Wednesday, there’s no better time for Podziemski to prove Kerr right and snap his historic slump.

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