Pacific Notes: Warriors, Yurtseven, Booker, Mathurin
Moses Moody has been upgraded to questionable for the Warriors‘ game against the Mavericks on Monday, per ESPN’s Anthony Slater (Twitter link). Moody has been out with a wrist sprain for the last 10 games, and his impending return should help boost the injury-depleted Golden State roster.
Slater notes (via Twitter) that Kristaps Porzingis has also been upgraded to probable for Monday’s game after missing the last game with a back injury. Porzingis has played just seven times since being acquired by the Warriors, averaging 14.9 points and 3.9 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game with his new team.
The Warriors are currently in firm command of the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference, and are 1.5 games out of No. 9.
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Omer Yurtseven has impressed in his initial efforts for the Warriors, the Eurohoops team writes. After signing a 10-day contract with Golden State, the Turkish center had a strong outing against the Pistons, recording eight points along with six rebounds and two assists, and impressing coach Steve Kerr along the way. “I’m a fan of Omer — he’s a very good player, very talented,” Kerr said. “He’s a good passer, he can shoot, and he’s had success in the NBA. We’ve only had him for a few days, but I enjoy watching him every day and seeing how he fits with the other guys,”
- The Suns are struggling of late, and it’s taking a toll on star Devin Booker, Doug Haller writes for The Athletic. “I’ve been around Book a long time,” said former coach Earl Watson. “You can just see in his face when something is wrong.” According to Haller, there was a palpable disconnect between Booker and the team after its fifth straight loss, this time against the Bucks. He says that Booker needs help, but time is running out for the Suns to make a run at a guaranteed playoff spot. They’re currently in 7th place with a 39-32 record.
- Bennedict Mathurin is making progress in his injury rehab for the Clippers, Grant Mona of the Sporting Tribune reports (via Twitter). Mathurin was ruled out for L.A.’s recent three-game road trip due to a right big toe injury, but according to head coach Tyronn Lue, he’s making progress. “He’s getting better,” Lue said. “He got on the court yesterday and shot, and he shot again this morning. But he’ll be out tonight.” Mathurin has averaged 19.9 points and 5.9 assists since being traded to the Clippers.
Warriors Notes: Porzingis, Curry, Injuries, Kuminga
The Warriors are the latest team to sign up for the Kristaps Porzingis experience, which has been tantalizing and frustrating during most of his NBA stops, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Porzingis can be a difference maker on the court with his combination of size and talent, but his susceptibility to injuries creates uncertainty over how often he’ll be available.
He left Friday’s game at Detroit with back soreness and is unavailable for tonight’s contest in Atlanta. The Hawks traded him to Golden State last month after going through a mostly disappointing stretch with Porzingis, who was acquired from Boston last summer but was only healthy for 17 games before being shipped out.
The latest injury forced Porzingis to leave Friday’s game in the second quarter after taking a couple of hits from Pistons big man Paul Reed.
“I kind of started feeling it from the first quarter,” Porzingis told ESPN’s Anthony Slater (Twitter video link). “It started to spasm up a bit. I tried to move and … while I was warm, but at one point I kind of felt a little spasm.”
This is the fourth time in Porzingis’ career that he has been sidelined with back issues, according to Poole, who adds that team officials declined to speculate about how long he might be out. He has appeared in just seven of 18 games since the February 5 trade.
There’s more on the Warriors:
- A scrimmage on Sunday morning in Atlanta will be the next step in Stephen Curry‘s comeback attempt, coach Steve Kerr told reporters on Saturday (Twitter video link from Slater). “I think tomorrow’s probably the big day, and we’ll know more at that point,” Kerr added. Curry, who has been sidelined since January 30 with runner’s knee, will be reevaluated on Tuesday when the team returns home from its road trip.
- Golden State had six players out and five others listed as questionable on its injury report for tonight’s game, per Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com (Twitter link). Among those considered questionable, Draymond Green, De’Anthony Melton and Malevy Leons have been cleared to play, according to Nick Friedell of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- In a pregame session with the media, Hawks coach Quin Snyder shared his advice for Jonathan Kuminga as he prepares for his first meeting with the Warriors since being sent to Atlanta in the Porzingis deal, relays Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area. “Players get traded in this league. You can’t make it about you, and I don’t think he is,” Snyder said. “I think more than anything, he’s looking forward to being on the court, regardless of who the opponent is. The plan is for him to keep doing what he’s doing, no matter who we’re playing. He’s done that. Whether that means six shots or 13, or however many. It’s really not been about his offense. He’s given us a lift defensively and I think his energy has been really good. He’s been a boost for our team when he’s been able to play. And hopefully that’s what we’ll see tonight.”
Warriors’ Porzingis Exits Friday’s Game With Back Soreness
9:35 pm: Porzingis said after the game that his back started “spasming up a bit” in the first quarter (Twitter video link via Slater). While he was still experiencing tightness after the loss and “probably” won’t play Saturday in Atlanta, he doesn’t expect it to be a long-term injury.
8:32 pm: Veteran center Kristaps Porzingis experienced lower back soreness in Friday’s road game in Detroit, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN (All Twitter links).
While the Warriors have officially listed Porzingis as questionable to return, he didn’t make his way back to the team’s bench to open the second half after walking slowly to the locker room in the second quarter, Slater notes.
Porzingis had five points, three rebounds and two blocks in 11 first-half minutes.
Golden State currently trails Detroit by 22 points with eight-plus minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Warriors have been in a major slump lately, dropping six of their last seven games and eight of their past 10.
It’s a tough setback for Porzingis, who has been plagued by health issues for much of the past two seasons. He has repeatedly said he was starting to feel better and better after missing several games because of an illness, but now he may be facing another absence.
Entering Friday, Porzingis had appeared in 23 combined games with the Hawks and Warriors in 2025/26, averaging 17.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks in 23.7 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .451/.342/.825.
On Friday morning, Moses Moody provided an update on his right wrist sprain, per Slater (Twitter video link). The fifth-year wing has gone some “high intensity workouts” the past couple days, though he’s still experiencing pain in his wrist, which is taped.
“I’ve been progressing over these last couple days,” Moody said. “I’ve taken some big strides. I’m shooting threes and all now so, I think (I’ll be back) pretty soon.”
Warriors Notes: Porzingis, Kerr, Curry, Melton, Moody, More
Veteran big man Kristaps Porzingis has begun to show in recent games why the Warriors traded for him ahead of last month’s deadline, writes Nick Friedell of The Athletic. After missing six consecutive games due to an illness, Porzingis has played five of the past seven contests, averaging 17.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.2 steals in just 22.8 minutes per game.
“Now I’m healthy, and now I’m actually feeling good,” Porzingis said. “I’m getting a real good feeling about basketball again, which is the most important. Because everything else kind of goes into second place when you’re not feeling perfect. It’s just natural I think to feel that way, and now when I’m actually getting my legs back, getting into good shape, it’s a good reminder why I love this. Just enjoying playing again.”
According to Friedell, Porzingis reiterated after Wednesday’s loss to Boston that he’s still working his way back into shape and is only at about 60 percent of his peak level of performance, but he has been consistently encouraged by the progress he’s made after each passing game.
“I think I’m already now where I can contribute decently,” Porzingis said. “But I think like four or five more games — I know I said that three games ago, but four or five more games, and then I feel like I’ll really be close and pretty good shape. Obviously, in the season it’s not ideal, but my overall feel, I see the trajectory now. So, for me, I’m kinda convinced that I’m headed in the right direction.”
For his part, head coach Steve Kerr could envision a scenario in which Porzingis stays with Golden State long term, per Dan Dempster of NBC Sports Bay Area. Kerr made the comments on 95.7 FM’s Willard and Dibs show on Tuesday.
“I think the whole point in trading for him a couple weeks back was that we get the end of this season to make a run to see what he can do, see what we can do with him and pair him with Steph (Curry),” Kerr explained. “And he’s an unrestricted free agent after this season, but he’s our guy, and we get to show him what we have to offer him. We get to know each other.
“I think ideally, for everybody, he would re-sign and come back healthy and be an important player for us for many years.”
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Porzingis also reiterated his desire to play with Curry, as Florito Maniego of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. “Oh man, this is the GOAT, you know what I mean,” Porzingis said after Monday’s win over Washington. “To play with somebody like that, it’s going to be unbelievable. Obviously, from playing against him, I know what type of a player he is. And (with) the gravity he brings, it just opens everything up for everybody else. So, hopefully he will be back with us soon.” Curry continues to be sidelined by a right knee injury, though there’s reportedly “cautious optimism” that the two-time MVP will be able to return this month.
- De’Anthony Melton is another potential free agent — he holds a minimum-salary player option for next season. The 27-year-old guard said he tries to stay present in the moment, given the back and knee injuries he’s dealt with in recent years, but he recently expressed on Willard and Dibs that he could see himself re-signing with Golden State. “I mean, of course. Of course,” Melton said (story via Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area). “I feel like I’ve expressed countless times how much I love Golden State, from the medical staff to the actual staff to the front office to the players that have been here. So I think that love is definitely out there. But at the end of the day, I just take it day by day and see how it goes.”
- After the Warriors lost for the sixth time in seven games on Wednesday, Kerr acknowledged the team is essentially locked into the play-in tournament, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN. The Warriors have fallen to the No. 10 seed in the West, but they’re trying to get back up to No. 8 for an easier path to the playoffs. “We’ve had our eyes on six for a while,” Kerr said. “That’s out of the question now. We’re not getting there. If we can string together some wins, try to get to eighth, that’d be ideal. Get two cracks at (getting in the playoffs). But we’re not getting to seven. We know that.”
- Kerr previously expressed optimism that Moses Moody would return to action during the team’s ongoing road trip, but he sounded skeptical about that possibility on Wednesday, Friedell tweets. There’s no official timeline for Moody’s return — he has missed the last eight games due to a right wrist sprain.
Warriors Notes: Porzingis, Melton, Kerr, Butler, Injury Report
A pair of impending free agents provided a glimpse of what an ideal Warriors lineup could look like if they’re re-signed, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area writes.
Kristaps Porzingis and De’Anthony Melton combined for 57 points against the Wizards on Monday in a 125-117 victory that snapped Golden State’s five-game losing streak.
Porzingis will be an unrestricted free agent after this season and Melton is expected to decline his $3.5MM option and hit the free agent market. If they remain with Golden State, the lineup next season could feature Porzingis at center, Draymond Green and Gui Santos at forward, with Stephen Curry and Melton in the backcourt, Poole notes. Jimmy Butler would slot in after he fully recovers from the torn ACL in his right knee.
“Working my way back into good shape,” Porzingis said. “Today I think was a pretty big step forward for me. I was having fun out there playing with the guys that were finding me. I probably should have ended with more [points]; I smoked three or four that I should have made, so there’s still a lot of room for improvement.”
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- The victory carried some historical significance for head coach Steve Kerr. He became the 28th coach in NBA history to reach 600 regular season wins, Nick Friedell of The Athletic notes. He also became the seventh coach to notch 600 victories with a single team. “I owe, I guess the honor, to incredible talent and a great organization,” Kerr said. “To work for the Warriors, to be part of this group, amazing group of people, that Joe Lacob and Peter Guber put together, just to be a part of this, I’m so blessed. Most organizations are not this strong and this aligned. I’m very, very lucky.”
- Butler, who reunited with the team for the first time since his ACL surgery on Feb. 9, provided an update on his knee rehab, indicating that he anticipates playing at some point next season. “I do want to come back,” Butler said, per Friedell. “I can’t say when. Obviously, as early as I can to help my guys win some games. But you’ll probably hear me say from time to time (in this process), whenever my body’s ready … whenever my body’s ready, I promise I’m trying to get back out there.”
- Al Horford, Stephen Curry, Seth Curry and Moses Moody remain out for the Warriors’ game against Boston on Wednesday, Celtics reporter Bobby Manning tweets. Quinten Post (foot) and LJ Cryer (hamstring) are listed as questionable.
Warriors Sign Omer Yurtseven To 10-Day Deal
March 15: The Warriors’ 10-day deal with Yurtseven is now official, according to the team (Twitter link). It will run through March 24, covering Golden State’s next six games.
March 14: The Warriors plan to sign free agent center Omer Yurtseven to a 10-day contract, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link).
Agents Keith Glass and Luke Glass confirmed the news to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Yurtseven, who averaged 5.0 points and 4.6 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game in 113 NBA regular season appearances with the Heat and Jazz from 2021-24, signed a G League deal 10 days ago and had been playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ affiliate.
In three games with the Vipers this month, Yurtseven averaged 23.0 points, 13.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 29.7 minutes per contest. The 27-year-old converted 56.9% of his field goals and 87.5% of his free throws in a small sample size.
The Turkish big man has spent most of the past two years overseas playing for Panathinaikos, but recently parted ways with the Greek EuroLeague team.
Yurtseven will provide a strong rebounding presence for Golden State, which has been hit hard by a spate of recent injuries.
In addition to Jimmy Butler (torn right ACL) and Stephen Curry (runner’s knee), who have been out since January, Moses Moody has missed the past six games due to a right wrist sprain and four other players (Draymond Green, Al Horford, Seth Curry and Quinten Post) were hurt either before or during Friday’s loss to Minnesota.
Veteran big man Horford is expected to miss multiple games due to a right calf injury. The 39-year-old has formally been diagnosed with a soleus (calf) strain, per Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link), while Seth Curry has a left adductor strain. All of the aforementioned players (aside from Post, who’s questionable) are out for Sunday’s game in New York. De’Anthony Melton (left knee injury management) and Kristaps Porzingis (general illness management) are out as well on the first of a back-to-back.
As a three-year veteran, Yurtseven will make $136,717 over the course of his 10 days with Golden State, while the Warriors will carry a $131,970 cap hit. The team had one roster opening and won’t need to waive anyone to add Yurtseven.
Pacific Notes: Warriors Injuries, Porzingis, Lopez, Ayton
The injuries keep piling up for the Warriors. Already without Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, they are dealing with four more injuries, as Anthony Slater of ESPN details.
Draymond Green was scratched 30 minutes before tip-off of Friday’s loss to Minnesota because of lower back soreness. Al Horford departed after five minutes with right calf tightness. Seth Curry limped to the locker room in the second quarter with left adductor soreness and Quinten Post sprained his left ankle.
“We’re going through it,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We’re about as beaten up as any team I can ever remember.”
Kerr expects Horford to miss several games. “With a calf, we’re not going to rush him back,” he said.
Stephen Curry missed his 16th consecutive game and the Warriors have gone 5-11 in that stretch. Now, they embark on a six-game road trip.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- There was a bright spot for the Warriors on Friday. Midseason acquisition Kristaps Porzingis scored 20 points and told reporters after the game that he feels like he’s fitting in, according to Michael Wagaman of NBC Sports Bay Area. “We’re starting to develop a decent feel,” Porziņgis said. “I think guys are getting accustomed to playing with me. It’s progress. We’re getting better for sure. Overall, I think we’re heading in the right direction.”
- Clippers center Brook Lopez is in the midst of his 18th season and he’s aiming for more, he told Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “I always had a number of 20 years. A lot of great players played 20 years [whom] I looked up to,” he said. “Timmy [Duncan], Kobe [Bryant]. I think Ticket [Kevin Garnett] got there. That’s always been a goal of mine, but I feel great. So now that we’re as far along as we are, I don’t really want to put a cap on it. Just see how long we can keep going until we fall.” The Clippers have a decision to make early in the summer regarding Lopez. They hold a $9.19MM team option on his 2026/27 contract. He’s averaging 11.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game since the All-Star break.
- Deandre Ayton has developed into the Lakers’ X factor, Khobi Price of the California Post contends. The Lakers are 27-8 when he grabs at least eight rebounds and 24-9 when he takes at least eight shot attempts. Ayton had 23 points and 10 rebounds against Chicago on Thursday. Ayton holds a $8.1MM player option on his contract for next season.
Warriors’ Stephen Curry (Knee) Out At Least 10 More Days
Warriors superstar Stephen Curry will miss at least 10 more days due to his right knee injury, according to Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of ESPN.
Curry has missed 15 consecutive games due to patellofemoral pain syndrome, colloquially known as runner’s knee. Today’s update suggests he’ll miss at least five more contests.
Curry, who turns 38 years old on Saturday, has begun on-court work and is hoping to “intensify his workouts” in the coming days, sources tell Charania and Slater.
The Warriors put out a press release (Twitter link) confirming ESPN’s report.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, the Warriors are 23-16 when Curry plays this season but have gone just 9-17 without their leading scorer. Golden State is currently 32-33, the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference.
The Warriors dropped back-to-back games (at Utah and vs. Chicago) over the past two days. While the players were “relatively upbeat” after Monday’s loss, they were “quiet” and “frustrated” in the locker room after blowing a late lead on Tuesday, according to Nick Friedell of The Athletic.
“Both very winnable games,” head coach Steve Kerr said Tuesday after a 130-124 overtime loss to the Bulls at Chase Center. “Had the lead late tonight — obviously, one we should have had — but this is how the NBA is, especially when you’re beaten up. You’re not going to blow anybody out; games are gonna be tight; you got to finish, and we didn’t finish either of the last two nights.”
Several players were sidelined on Tuesday, Friedell writes, including De’Anthony Melton. Golden State limited Melton’s minutes on Monday because the team planned to play him on both ends of the back-to-back for the first time in 2025/26, but that didn’t come to fruition after he tweaked his adductor.
Center Kristaps Porzingis made his third appearance as a Warrior on Tuesday, finishing with 17 points (on 5-of-13 shooting), four rebounds and four blocks in 20 minutes. He acknowledged he’s not in peak shape right now but is optimistic his conditioning will improve if he can stay on the court consistently, Fridell writes.
Porzingis also discussed Curry’s ongoing absence after Tuesday’s game, Friedell adds.
“I want to play with Steph,” Porzingis said. “Who doesn’t? I know he’s doing everything he can to be back with us as soon as possible. And obviously, it’s a completely different team with him here. Hopefully, I get that chance soon.”
Warriors Notes: Porzingis, Kerr, Green, Seth Curry
Kristaps Porzingis has been cleared to play for the Warriors in Tuesday’s matchup against the Bulls, ESPN’s Anthony Slater writes. This will be Porzingis’ third appearance for Golden State since being acquired in the Jonathan Kuminga trade.
After playing 17 minutes on February 19, in which he scored 12 points on five-of-nine shooting, the Latvian big man missed the next six games before returning on Saturday, scoring nine points with five assists and five rebounds in the loss to the Thunder.
Porzingis has been struggling with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) since last season. He spoke recently about getting cleared to play and his belief that he’ll be more available for the rest of the season than he has been to this point, though he understands fans’ skepticism given his inconsistent playing status.
Draymond Green and De’Anthony Melton are questionable for tonight’s game.
We have more from the Warriors:
- Warriors coach Steve Kerr has once again called for a shorter NBA season, reiterating a point he has made multiple times in the past, according to the writers at ESPN. “I know this will not be a popular opinion in the league office, but I will continue to say it because it’s obvious we need to play fewer games — we need to take 10 games off the schedule,” said Kerr. “I think it would be a more competitive and healthier league if we played fewer games.” Kerr, who coaches the oldest roster in the league by average age, understands that the financial implications of such a change would be steep but believes the benefits outweigh the costs.
- Green knows that his skill set is not one of a typical NBA star, which is why he considers his brain his biggest superpower on the court, Taylor Wirth writes for NBC Sports Bay Area. “The reason I say I don’t think anyone can be me, is because, yes I [play hard, physical defense], but it’s not the best thing that I do,” Green said. “I think I’m as smart as anyone in the NBA, and that’s my best skill.“
- Seth Curry suited up for the Warriors for the first time since December and was very productive, scoring 13 points in 12 minutes while adding three assists. It was such an effective performance that his opponent, Jazz guard Elijah Harkless, turned to him for advice, according to Nick Friedell of The Athletic, who says Harkless asked: “How you come in and make shots right away?” While the Warriors still lost to the tanking Jazz, the return felt important to Curry, who missed over three months of action due to sciatic nerve irritation. “There was like a month where I really couldn’t move,” he said. “I was just laying at home. And then once the pain went away I was able to rehab and try to get all my movement back, but it’s been tough … I just had a minor pain in my back, it got worse, worse, and then it just hit its tipping point.”
Pacific Notes: Porzingis, Dunleavy, I. Jackson, Fleming
Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis is optimistic he’ll be able to play more often to close the 2025/26 season, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN. After missing six games because of an illness, the Latvian big man returned to action on Saturday against Oklahoma City, finishing with nine points, five rebounds, five assists and a block in 23 minutes.
“I believe I will be healthy now,” Porzingis said. “This is what I really feel. Not to sell anything because I’ve been in and out, out again. But this time, I really feel this is it.”
Porzingis’ health issues date back to last season with the Celtics when he contracted a virus that limited his availability down the stretch. He told The Athletic prior to this season that he was eventually diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). The malady, combined with injury issues, limited him to 17 games with the Hawks before he was traded to Golden State last month.
“Especially getting traded somewhere else, I wanted to get out there as soon as possible,” Porzingis said. “Sitting out a couple games was stinging me a little bit. Today was OK. Feeling a little heavy, shot not in a good rhythm yet.”
As Slater notes, head coach Steve Kerr caused a stir last week when he said he was told Porzingis didn’t have POTS, calling it “misinformation.” Kerr later called it a “stupid mistake” to talk about Porzingis’ health.
“It wasn’t ideal,” Porzingis said of Kerr’s mix-up. “Because it put something out again, so people start talking again. I told Steve it was OK. I know he didn’t mean anything, didn’t want to create hype around my health. He just said what he knew at the moment.”
Veteran forward/center Draymond Green complimented Porzingis after Saturday’s loss, tweets Nick Friedell of The Athletic.
“The game’s a lot easier when he’s on the floor,” Green said.
Here’s more from the Pacific:
- Appearing on 95.7 FM’s Willard and Dibs show, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. explained his rationale for acquiring Porzingis, as Will Simonds of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. “I think the thought process for us on the trade was the opportunity to get a player of his quality, who, when healthy, is pretty good, pretty unique,” Dunleavy said in part. “Like, what he can do on the defensive end, what he can do on the offensive end. And then we had to calculate what we thought the ability and the chances of him being healthy and playing a bunch for us. We felt pretty good about that. We still do.” Porzingis is expected to play on Tuesday against Chicago after sitting out Monday’s loss at Utah.
- Clippers big man Isaiah Jackson is getting an opportunity to play after Yanic Konan Niederhauser was ruled out for the season due to a foot injury, per Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Head coach Tyronn Lue was pleased with Jackson’s performance after Saturday’s road victory in Memphis, when the the 24-year-old had 12 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and a block in 25 minutes. “Just how he plays hard. He plays hard and competes,” Lue said of Jackson, whom the Clippers acquired last month in a trade with Indiana. “He’s a guy that can switch and guard the basketball, offensive rebound, runs the floor, and can get behind the defense on pick-and-rolls. Tonight, like I said, it was just a game for him, and we needed his athleticism and his ability to switch. He did a good job for us.”
- Suns forward Rasheer Fleming hasn’t played much as a rookie this season, but the 31st overall pick in last year’s draft capitalized on his opportunity during Sunday’s win over Charlotte, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Fleming had a career-high 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting in a career-high 23 minutes off the bench. “It was super impressive,” star guard Devin Booker said. “Just the willingness to wait for his moment and seize it. He’s still all ears and he still wants to learn more. He’s got a big effect on winning basketball games.“