TJD’s big game in Warriors’ win sparked by pregame Kerr challenge originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – Even though Trayce Jackson-Davis has gotten off to a very strong start for the Warriors this season, coach Steve Kerr had a challenge for the young center before Wednesday’s 104-89 win over the New Orleans Pelicans at Chase Center.
“He told me that he wanted me to play with force, run the floor hard so that was my big emphasis today,” Jackson-Davis said. “I got going early and just continued to try to do whatever I can to help the team.”
TJD did a lot for Golden State, scoring 15 points to go with nine rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot in the Warriors’ second consecutive victory in as many nights against the Pelicans.
A second-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Jackson-Davis is emerging as a sweet complement to Kerr’s offense.
The Warriors have been 3-point heavy with an emphasis on spacing, something that has been kind of compromised to a certain extent while Stephen Curry rests his sore ankle. Jackson-Davis doing work down low and in the paint has helped bring some balance.
“He’s obviously a great finisher because of his athleticism, his length,” Kerr said. “Our guys are doing a good job of finding him as he rolls to the basket. Most of those shots are coming near the hoop, obviously. That’s why he’s got that kind of percentage. But that’s what we need. We’re spreading the floor, we’re shooting a lot of 3s. It’s a big help to be able to get points inside too.”
Jackson-Davis didn’t miss a shot in three of the Warriors’ first four games this season and was nearing perfection again against the Pelicans before finishing 7 of 9 from the floor.
Through five games Jackson-Davis is knocking down shots at a 77.8 percent clip, second in the NBA to Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen (79.1 percent).
All of that, Jackson-Davis said, is a result of the time that he put in between the 2023-24 season and this one. That experience enabled him to sharpen his own game while getting a better feel for what his teammates like.
“We got reps this summer, just making right plays, making right reads,” Jackson-Davis said. “Last year coming in, (I had to) learn guys’ tendencies, what they like to do on the court. Now being my second year, being able to apply those things and knowing what guys like to do, getting the ball on the short roll whether I need to score or pass out or anything of that nature … it’s the reps along with just reading the game, watching film.”
Jackson-Davis gave the Warriors a spark early, scoring their first four points on an alley-oop pass from Brandin Podziemski then spinning past New Orleans center Daniel Theis along the baseline for a two-hand jam.
The BP-TJD connection is turning out to be a good one. Three of Jackson-Davis’ buckets came off passes from his fellow 2023 draft pick, while both of TJD’s assists were feeds to Podziemski.
“We kind of know what tendencies we like on the floor,” Jackson-Davis said. “He’s always looking for me. He made some great passes. He needs to continue to do that because it really helps our team.”
The same thing can be said about TJD.
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