Quinten Post

Warriors rookie Post immediately benefits from Draymond's return

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SAN FRANCISCO – When the Warriors step onto the Crypto.com Arena court Thursday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, nobody will be happier than rookie center Quinten Post. 

The game is set to start slightly more than seven hours after Feb. 6’s noon PT NBA trade deadline. There either will be sighs of relief or sadness throughout the roster of a Warriors front office known to be extremely active and eager to get a deal done. Already, however, Post is relieved because of perhaps the most shocking trade in NBA history with Luka Dončić going to the Lakers and Anthony Davis becoming a Dallas Maverick. 

Through 11 NBA games, the most minutes Post has played is the 23 he logged against the Lakers. Post put up eight points, two rebounds, three assists, one steal and was a plus-2 in the Warriors’ 10-point loss. His stats were solid and only put him one step closer to coach Steve Kerr’s starting lineup.

But Davis took Post to school, as well as the rest of his Warriors teammates. Davis was dominant. His final stats read 36 points on 13-of-23 shooting and 10 of 12 from the free-throw line, 13 rebounds and three steals. Somehow, his impact felt even greater. 

“That’s pretty nice,” Post said Tuesday after practice, laughing about playing the Lakers without Davis on Thursday. “I’m learning the NBA is a crazy place.”

Monday night’s win against the Orlando Magic was Post’s third consecutive game in the Warriors’ starting lineup. The win also was another first for the second-round draft pick. 

Draymond Green started alongside Post in the frontcourt, and he already could tell what a luxury it is playing next to the 13-year NBA veteran and four-time champion. Green made his return from a calf injury that held him out the previous seven games. 

“I actually really enjoyed that,” Post said. “I think we mesh well together. He’s a great playmaker. As a 5 in the modern-day basketball, that’s part of your role to create offense, whether that be screening, passing and he takes away some of the pressure.

“That’s part of my inexperience where sometimes I don’t know where exactly to be.” 

Post then clarified in this case, he’s talking about offense. 

“He just kind of brings flow to the offense,” Post continued. “And I think I help him by spacing the floor. I do think we meshed well yesterday.” 

Their instant chemistry was clear in the third quarter Monday night as Green chest-bumped Post. Both simultaneously screaming in each other’s face was the competitive fire both breathe. Green’s power of playing an edge is legendary. It’s also a trait he immediately saw in Post during training camp. 

Post appeared to be making a dash to set a screen for Buddy Hield. Instead, Hield slowly jogged to the paint with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope turning his back and following him. Post popped to the 3-point line on the right wing, and Magic center Goga Bitadze was too late to recover. 

Green surveyed the scene and hit Post with a perfect pass in his chest. The center who can space the floor drained the three and gave Golden State a 12-point lead on an 8-0 run. 

Within the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, Post scored seven points – two free throws off Green’s basketball genius clearing the lane for him, a driving layup from Post taking advantage of a mismatch, which began with Green finding him at the top of the arc, and that 3-pointer. 

“His floor spacing does a lot for us, especially now with Draymond out there,” Brandin Podziemski said Tuesday after practice. “Draymond can be more of a playmaker and stuff like that. You saw when Gary [Payton II] was starting, they started to put the center on Gary and some wings on Quinten. I think with Draymond now, they can’t do that as much because of Draymond’s playmaking ability.” 

Offense always was going to come first for Post. He has admitted that defense, especially guarding the pick-and-roll, has been a work in progress. 

Having Green by his side is the ultimate safety valve. 

“Defensively, he just gives me a lot of confidence,” Post said. “He’s just that backline. When I’m up on a pick-and-roll, I know that he’s behind me. And I know that if I make a mistake he’ll be there to help me out, and vice versa. 

A 7-foot center who can flirt with being a 40 percent 3-point shooter has never been at the Warriors’ disposal. Let’s remember what position Kevin Durant plays. Otto Porter Jr. is 6-foot-8, and Nemanja Bjelica is 6-foot-10. Post is different. 

What Green saw from the start was something different, too. Post doesn’t play soft. His mean streak has been welcomed by the Warriors. 

“He tells me the truth, which is awesome,” Post says. “It’s what you need. Draymond doesn’t tip-toe around it. He tells me I need to do this better, you need to do this harder. Being a rookie isn’t an excuse. You just need to be better, and I appreciate that.” 

It won’t be Thursday in LA, but Post likely will battle Davis in Dallas on Feb. 12, and at Chase Center in the Warriors’ final meeting with the Mavericks on Feb. 23. One thing is for certain: He sure will be happy to have Green by his side. 

Assuming he’s still in a Warriors jersey past the trade deadline.

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