While much of the rest of the league bonded in the MBA bubble, the Warriors had to watch on their own at home, Maria Taylor sat down with stuff to talk about his extended off season and what the new look Borders will bring against some heavy competition in the Western Conference.

Please stop.

Theis is the first time that you have to play away from home since the 2016 17 season.

What will it be like to be away from home on Christmas Day?

I mean, it's gonna be tough.

Thank God for a face time and the ability Thio at least be able to talk to the family and stay close in that respect.

But hopefully get a win and, uh, hold hold some of the gifts until we get home so I can have a little fun with my kids.

What's the curry family holiday tradition?

We're big on the family matching pajama as and finding some meal to sit down and have everybody at the table just enjoy.

You know that togetherness when you were younger.

What's the best present you ever got from Santa Claus on Christmas?

Probably the home alone tape recorder that changes your voice.

You leave it around the house and scare everybody.

This is Peter McCallister, the father.

I like a hotel room, please, with an extra large bed, a TV, one of those little words you have to open with a key.

Christmas Day is gonna mark just the third time you played a regular season game since November 2019.

So whatever the last 12 months been like for you, it's been a whirlwind, you know, starting last year with kind of high hopes of kind of, uh, reinventing warrior basketball.

Then I broke my hand and four months of rehab to come back and play one game, and then the season got postponed and we don't get invited to the bubble, you know.

Meanwhile, there's a there's a pandemic going on, watching basketball from that perspective in the bubble.

Watching the playoffs was weird, but gave me a person that newfound appreciation for the chase and put in the work and hopefully get back to that level.

You kind of come into a season where people are talking about you having to chase instead of being the ones that are being chased.

What's it like to be in that position this year?

We have that championship DNA, but we have new faces, so it's about kind of blending the leadership aspect of it.

The expectation.

Be great, personally on the floor and do what I'm capable of doing.

You mentioned that when you found out about Clay's injury, it was a gut punch to you.

How would you describe the emotions that followed after hearing that news?

I mean, it was rough.

We all know rehabs difficult, and it's a long journey and, you know, coming off in a C l like that to not have to go through an Achilles.

Thankfully, there's been examples around the league of guys that have done it.

You see John Wall, you see Katie, so expect the same for play, but it's tough.

You want your brother out there right alongside you.

Playing without him is a tremendous challenge, but it offers up an opportunity for other players on your team to kind of step up our rosters Pretty interesting.

You look at Wiggins and Kelly Oubre, who've been focal points of other teams.

But having opportunity Thio kind of adapt to how we do things.

And hopefully we can unlock another level for them to get to, because we're gonna need, you know, every bit of it throughout this season.

Off the bench.

Kim Bazemore, Brad Wanamaker, Damian Lee, Jordan pool young guys that have shown promise and are committed to making that jump, who knows what it's gonna look like?

But I think we have the ability to surprise a lot of people this year.

What is the Golden State Warriors have to prove that were different.

That no matter what the the experts may say or where they kind of rank is going into the season, we know we're about what we need to prove is that way.

Know how to win on.

We know how to do it a lot of different ways.

That's the exciting part about what this season can bring.

And Merry Christmas to one of those experts, N B A analyst Kendrick Perkins is with us on SportsCenter AM and and perk here on a holiday morning, trying to keep things positive.

But listen that Warriors opener against the Nets, Golden state looked a lot like that 15 win team from from last season.

Given what you've seen so far, how have your Warriors expectations changed for this season?

Well, first of all, Randy, we cannot overreact.

Thio, the Golden State Warriors getting smacked up by the Brooklyn Nets.

I just think they got the bad end of the stick.

Anybody would have got smacked up by them.

Brooklyn Nets is the best team, probably under the Lakers in the in the league.

But when you look at the Golden State Warriors, they will make the playoffs.

This year.

Steph Curry will have a M V P type season.

I love Kelly, you bray.

I think he's a nice addition for them.

Andrew Wiggins will pick it up.

I think he's a Harrison born two point.

Oh, and then look, James Wiseman didn't really get a chance.

Toe have, ah, training camp dealing with the cove it and he's gonna be a young star.

I think he's gonna be Rookie of the Year, and most importantly, they are missing the heart and soul of their team.

Draymond green Draymond Green gives them swagger.

He gives them that drip that confidence when they walk onto the court.

So I'm not worried at all about the Golden State Warriors.

I definitely see them making the playoffs in the Western Conference.

I don't overreact to one game.

Okay, what about the box score for Zion?

Because in that, open or say it's not gonna jump off the page, you know, 15 points, fine, but perky played 30 minutes, and and that's something he's excited about.

How do you see him adjusting, though, to a heavier workload in the second season?

Well, I love it because, for the simple fact is gonna stand is gonna do it is going to do great by him and going to keep up in his minutes.

But look, don't be fooled by just the double double.

The thing I love about Zion is he played with high motor.

He plays winning basketball.

He makes winning plays.

You see him diving on the floor for loose balls.

You see him going to block shots.

You see him running the floor and getting steals and things to that nature.

But you look at this pelicans team Overall.

Brandon Ingram, JJ Reddick Ball is playing well.

Bless, though, is a nice edition and you have a defense of anchor and Steven Adams.

They are a dark horse to make the playoffs in the Western Conference and could possibly be a dangerous out.

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