Steve Blake

LGW: Golden State Warriors Bench: Starting to Find Their Groove
Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

For the Golden State Warriors, the win last night over the Detroit Pistons wasn’t perfect.

Their superstar, Stephen Curry, struggled to shoot the ball as effectively as he normally does.

Their defensive anchor, Andrew Bogut, who had been out the past seven games with an injured left shoulder, wasn’t the dominant, defensive center that he normally is.

Their double-double machine, David Lee, was out with the flu.

However, the Warriors found a way to win because of their bench. The Warriors’ bench production has been heavily criticized this season, but in the past few games, the bench has made significant contributions to the Warriors’ wins.

On February 20th, the Warriors beat the Houston Rockets 102-99. Steve Blake made his Warriors’ debut during that game.

Although he scored just three points, Blake admirably led the second unit in the Warriors’ win, despite not having even one practice or shootaround under his belt.

Jordan Crawford also contributed to the Warriors’ win over the Rockets with his 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting.

Read the rest of the article on Let’s Go Warriors.

LGW: Steve Blake Trade: Intangible Benefits for the Warriors
(AP Photo/Ben Margot)

(AP Photo/Ben Margot)

In Part One of this article, we discussed how the Golden State Warriors’ trade for Steve Blake will help the Warriors on the court.

Blake will strengthen the bench with his three-point shooting, his ability to run an offense, and his ability to play off the ball. His presence will also help Jordan Crawford’s production and will allow Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to rest more.

Today, we will look at Blake’s personality and some intangible benefits he will bring to the Warriors.

In addition to his contributions on the court, Blake brings toughness and a solid work ethic.

The Warriors and their fans will miss Kent Bazemore‘s energy and passion, but #DubNation has already shown some love for the newest Warrior. In his Warriors debut on Thursday, Blake entered the game to lots of cheers and applause:

His first basket as a Warrior beat the first quarter buzzer. Blake finished the game with three points and one assist in 17 minutes.

Bazemore was a large part of the Warriors’ strong team chemistry, but Blake should mesh well with this Warriors team and their team chemistry in a different way.

Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News wrote about how Blake has always been known as a great teammate:

But for a team that’s ailing so much with an injury-depleted backcourt, Blake’s departure provided one huge dent.
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“He’s definitely a great guy and definitely a mentor and a great player and fun to talk to,” Lakers forward Jordan Hill said. “You can talk to him about anything and he’ll listen. He seems pretty quiet, but he’s a guy who will definitely make you laugh and put a smile on your face.”
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When he stepped on the court, however, his personality changed.

Read the rest of the article on Let’s Go Warriors.

LGW: Steve Blake Trade: Why It Was the Right Move For The Warriors
(Photo: Danny Moloshok/AP)

(Photo: Danny Moloshok/AP)

When the Golden State Warriors announced on Wednesday that they had acquired Steve Blake from the Los Angeles Lakers yesterday in exchange for Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks, it was a bittersweet moment for the players in the Warriors’ locker room.

Bazemore was the heart and soul of this Warriors team. However, Bazemore struggled to recapture the magic that he displayed in the NBA Summer League prior to this season.

Even though it’s hard to see such a spirited, passionate player like Bazemore go, this was the right move for the Warriors.

There are many benefits to this trade. First of all, this was a smart trade from a financial standpoint. With this trade, the Warriors were able to stay under the luxury tax, and they were able to preserve their $9.8 million trade exception.

Blake is set to become a free agent at the end of this season. His $4 million contract this season was absorbed by the Warriors’ trade exception that was created in the Andre Iguodala trade.

Also, by trading two players for one, the Warriors now have one open roster spot. The flexibility of an open roster spot has underrated value. If the Warriors want to add one more player later on in the season, they won’t have to cut anyone. They can simply add a player to their active roster.

Second, Blake’s style of play will fit in well with the Warriors. He’s a tough, gritty player who can handle the ball, play off the ball, initiate the offense, find open teammates, and shoot threes.

Read the rest of the article on Let’s Go Warriors.