Warriors Rookie Quinten Post Making Significant Playoff Impact

The No. 7 seed Golden State Warriors are locked in a chess match with the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets. On Monday night, they stormed their way to a three-point win, taking a commanding 3-1 lead. The effort was led by Jimmy Butler and Brandin Podziemski, but along the way, numerous Warriors contributed to their win, and every bit of that value was essential.

Among these contributors, rookie Quinten Post has stood out for his playoff readiness in his debut NBA season. He played just 12 minutes in Game 1, but as Coach Steve Kerr moved to bigger lineups to counter Houston's offensive rebounding dominance, 7-footer Post found himself playing 25 minutes in Game 2. All of his 12 points in this one came by way of the three-point line, which is crucial for a team lacking frontcourt spacing. Golden State couldn't pull a win out in this contest, but Post's individual performance earned him another opportunity in Game 3, in which he played 27 minutes. In this time, he scored just two points, but made a huge impact with his 12 rebounds, three of which were on the offensive glass.

As Golden State shifted to Game 4, looking to take a 3-1 lead, Post once again found a way to make a crucial imprint in a tight game. Mixing in two-point and three-point buckets, the former Boston College big man tallied a series-high 13 points while also grabbing four boards and dishing out three assists.

Post's immediate success as a postseason contributor is not only a testament to his talent and hard work, but also a reminder that NBA teams can find value throughout the draft from prospects of all different ages. Post was overlooked all the way until pick No. 52, in large part due to his relatively older age at 24. However, less than a year later, he is bringing more playoff impact than any other rookie in his class.

Moving forward, Post will remain an X-factor for Golden State's title hopes. Given that they start a small ball lineup with Draymond Green at the five, the rookie's size off the bench is a key factor. Also, his ability to be mobile on offense, space the floor as a legitimate stretch five, and control the glass allows for a wide range of impact against different matchups.