Calvin Fong

NBA writer + video department for @ClutchPointsApp | Past: Warriors writer for @BlueManHoop | 📩: [email protected]

[Calvin Fong @CalFongNBA]

“[Wiggins] will be an NBA All-Star in 2 years.” -Kenny Smith in 2020, after the Warriors trade

Today, Andrew Wiggins has officially been named an All-Star starter in the West

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Long before Steph Curry became the GOAT shooter, he was an unknown at Davidson.

Curry's college coach Bob McKillop went behind the scenes on Curry's meteoric rise in an exclusive interview with @CalFongNBA 👇

https://t.co/fuilYzkkYy

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Remember when Stephen Curry ate popcorn while PLAYING in a Davidson game?

Steph's college coach, Bob McKillop, tells @CalFongNBA the exclusive story behind that infamous moment 🍿

https://t.co/17nr0NpyAf

[ClutchPoints @ClutchPoints]

How did Steph Curry go from Olympic afterthought to Olympic hero?

ClutchPoints' @CalFongNBA got the inside scoop on the Warriors star "holding back" early on in Paris from his Davidson coach Bob McKillop 👇

https://t.co/WFKxlTUnNJ

[ClutchPoints @ClutchPoints]

One Warriors player was a DoorDash driver and gardener just 3 years ago.

Now, he’s Steph Curry’s teammate and a rotation player for the 4-1 Warriors.

Meet Lindy Waters III, and his story is incredible.

In HS, he was Trae Young’s teammate.

After college, he played semi-pro ball for The Basketball League - where he’d have to drive to a different state in the middle of the night just to play a game.

Lindy then became a DoorDash driver and a gardener on the side, just to make some money.

His semi-pro team won the championship, and he got a call to try out for OKC’s G-League team.

And in 2022, he earned a 2-way contract with the Thunder.

Fast forward to June 2024, when the Warriors traded for him on draft day.

Golden State reportedly had him very high on a list of lesser-known players who could make an impact in the right situation.

He may have found the right situation.

Early in the 2024-25 season, the Warriors have a deep team - but Lindy Waters III is earning playing time.

He’s shooting a scorching 47% from deep.

Last year, he was even a finalist for the NBA Social Justice Champion award - for his work with Native American youth and Indigenous communities.

He was cutting grass to make money just 3 years ago. And now, it’s impossible not to root for him.

[$B AKA Shadow @sbremindem]

Highest plus-minus over the past 9 seasons (regular season and playoffs):

1. Steph Curry (+6445)
2. Chris Paul (+4950)
3. Kevin Durant (+4926)
4. Draymond Green (+4795)
5. Klay Thompson (+4473) via @CalFongNBA

[Calvin Fong @CalFongNBA]

Lakers tried to adjust in the 2nd half by not switching everything at times, to keep AD low. No doubt they'll have a ready counter in Game 6

[Calvin Fong @CalFongNBA]

In the series, the Warriors want to:

1) Get AD involved in PnR to get him out of the paint
2) Get Draymond in the short roll

With Lakers switching, AD goes on Draymond as they run the PnR. On the roll, Draymond plays 3-on-2, without AD in paint - leads to a Wiggins layup

[Calvin Fong @CalFongNBA]

@TheNBAAnalyst1 To put it into more perspective, Steph averaged 31.2 PPG in the 2022 Finals, while Wiggins was 2nd on the team at 18.3 PPG

The last team to win a title with only one player averaging 19 PPG or higher - Steph and the 2015 Warriors (Iguodala was 2nd leading scorer at 16 PPG)

[Calvin Fong @CalFongNBA]

LeBron recognizes the "hammer" action on the weak side and calls for AD to switch

Disrupting opponent's ATOs is something Draymond has done plenty of in the past

But here, it's Draymond who gets caught in the air for the TO. All from LeBron's recognition of the Warriors plays

[Calvin Fong @CalFongNBA]

Not having Draymond/Looney on the floor together really opened up the spacing for the Warriors in G2, when the paint was mostly clogged in G1.

The Lakers will adjust in Game 3, and the chess match is well underway.

[Calvin Fong @CalFongNBA]

The Warriors scored 20 more paint points than they did in G1

Here, they run "Chicago" action (pindown --> DHO) for Poole. AD has to step up, and Poole gets by him as a result

With 2 shooters spaced out, the paint is empty, and Vanderbilt's contest is too late