The Bucks had cut the Warriors' 22-point lead to six points. Then Trayce Jackson-Davis came in and saved the game.
Jackson-Davis, the Warriors rookie center, made an immediate impact when he entered the game with 5:33 left in the third. He scored a layup on Golden State's first possession, then he blocked two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Twice. In one possession.
Two BLOCKS
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 7, 2024
One SLAM
That's Trayce Jackson-Davis
@NBCSAuthentic pic.twitter.com/LPQ9Xok2DR
Not only did Jackson-Davis deny Antetokounmpo at the rim, he hustled downcourt for a dunk at the other end. As the quarter continued, he added another dunk, drew a foul on another alley-oop attempt, grabbed three rebounds, blocked Antetokounmpo for a third time and forced him into an out-of-bounds turnover.
The game, which looked close to being dead even with 17 minutes to go, ended in a blowout 125-90 Warriors victory.
For much of the season, the Warriors have struggled due to a lack of an inside presence. They found one in an unlikely place: The 57th pick in last summer's draft.
After tonight, Jackson-Davis has 65 dunks, second on the team to Jonathan Kuminga. He's the best alley-oop threat the team has had since JaVale McGee, plus a long, shot-blocking threat that has transformed the bench unit's defense. "TJD" has an offensive rating of 134 and a defensive rating of 113, impressive numbers in his limited minutes.
The Warriors are 14-4 since Jan. 27. Getting contributions up and down their roster, including from the No. 57 pick, is a huge part of why they're suddenly relevant in the playoff picture again.
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