Quinten Post gets introduced to one of the NBA’s biggest rivalries when the Golden State Warriors host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night in San Francisco.
Post, a Netherlands native who played collegiately at Mississippi State and Boston College, has played six NBA games for the Warriors since his NBA debut Dec. 27 against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The best of the six — by far — was Thursday against the Chicago Bulls, when he contributed 20 points, five rebounds and three assists to a 131-106 home win.
Fifteen of the 20 points came from beyond the arc, making him the first 7-footer in Warriors history to make five or more 3-pointers in a game.
“Just be myself and don’t be afraid to let it fly,” Post said of his game plan. “The last few games, we’ve kind of been struggling offensively. So I think that’s why I’m getting a chance. It doesn’t make sense if I come in and don’t play my own game.”
Despite making 50 3-pointers at a 43.1 percent success rate last season at Boston College, Post slipped to the 52nd pick in last year’s draft. Signed to a two-way contract, he has played more games in the G League this season than in the NBA.
He credited the human magnet that is Stephen Curry for helping him be in the right spot at the right time to maximize his perimeter-shooting skills.
“I had never played with Steph until (Wednesday at Sacramento). We already saw improvement,” Post said. “There was one play, for example, in the left wing, where I popped to the (3-point line) and he turned around and he hit me. (Wednesday night) he threw it over his head because he thought I was going to roll. I’m trying to adjust to him, trying to make life easy on him.”
Post has never faced the Lakers, who beat the Warriors 115-113 in a previous trip to San Francisco on Christmas Day. In that game, the Golden State centers were Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney, two players who have gone a total of 10-for-63 from beyond the arc in their careers.
Lakers star big man Anthony Davis played just seven minutes in the holiday spotlight before excusing himself for the rest of the day with a left ankle injury. LeBron James led the way with 31 points and 10 assists.
The short flight to San Francisco is little more than a stopover for the Lakers on their way to four Eastern Conference games in six days, starting Monday in Charlotte. Los Angeles has won four of five, capped by a 117-96 romp over the Boston Celtics on Thursday.
By the time the team returns home, Davis would love to see someone else his size on the Lakers’ roster.
“We need another big,” he said. “I feel like I’ve always been at my best when I’ve been the 4, having (another) big out there. We know it worked when we won a championship with JaVale (McGee) and Dwight (Howard) at the 5 and I’m at the 4.”
