SAN FRANCISCO — With a name like Patrick Baldwin Jr. and the initials of PBJ, you’d think that peanut butter jelly sandwiches would be a staple of a young man’s diet growing up. Not so much.
For the first time ever last week, the Warriors rookie tried a peanut butter sandwich. Now it’s his favorite snack.
“I had two today,” Baldwin said.
In fact, he munched on them during his impromptu ride up from Santa Cruz to San Francisco on Wednesday afternoon. When the Warriors awoke Wednesday morning, they anticipated rookies Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins would be in Santa Cruz for the day. So they practiced with the franchise’s G League affiliate in the afternoon before the plans changed.
With Draymond Green and Donte DiVincenzo listed as questionable heading into Wednesday night’s game against the Utah Jazz, the Warriors called up Baldwin and Rollins to The City, ushering them up with a car.
It’s a good thing they did. Baldwin continued to flash the shooting stroke he unveiled last week in Brooklyn, splashing a trio of 3-pointers that loomed large in the 112-107 victory.
“I thought Patrick changed the game when he stepped out there and knocked down those threes,” Kerr said.
Baldwin practiced from 2 to 3:30 in Santa Cruz before his phone buzzed and he found out that he’d be going to San Francisco with Rollins. He rolled up to Chase Center about an hour before the 7 p.m. tip-off and got his second wind in the game.
“It’s been a crazy last four hours,” Baldwin said. “Just gotta stay ready.”
The past few days have been eye-opening for Baldwin, who looks like he could challenge Anthony Lamb for playing time as a reserve forward. Last Wednesday, he took advantage of his career-high 23 minutes in a blowout to the Brooklyn Nets and went 5-of-8 from 3-point land while scoring a career-high 17 points and matching up with Kevin Durant.
“That Brooklyn third quarter as a whole for us, helped us turn the corner a bit,” Baldwin said. “We really started competing even though the score was wildly out of control. We really turned the corner as a team and you’re seeing it on this home stretch.”
Baldwin only played 13 minutes Wednesday against the Jazz but he made them count. Late in the first half, the 20-year-old stroked a couple of 3-pointers that kept the Warriors within striking distance. Kerr also praised him for hitting a rhythm 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter that pulled the Warriors within three. He also threw down a transition dunk that got the bench hyped.
The No. 28 overall pick has only appeared in 10 of the Warriors’ 36 games this season and Kerr has openly said Baldwin needs to get more reps in the G League. Listed at 6-foot-9, 220 pounds Baldwin brings great size and rebounding capabilities. With his shooting, he could also bring some spacing to the second unit that could lead to more minutes.
Kerr said Baldwin will play with Santa Cruz on Thursday before returning to Golden State for Friday’s game against the Trail Blazers. That could be three straight nights of game action for the youngster.
The Warriors are expecting to lean on 23-and-under players like Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman and Moses Moody this season, but maybe Baldwin can budge himself into the rotation, too.
“He’s handling himself beautifully,” Kerr said. “He needs reps, but he’s shown, as he did tonight, that can help us win.”
