Golden State Of Mind

OPEN THREAD #12: Blazers vs Warriors - The New Team Heads Home

2009-11-20T19:15:11Z

Prepare to have nightmares of Brandon Roy

Warriors: 3-8

Blazers: 9-4

Tip-Off: 7:30pm

TV: CSN Bay Area

Radio: KNBR 680

Blog Buddy: Blazers Edge

The big, bad Blazers come to Oakland with their big, oft-broken center, Greg Oden, and big star Brandon Roy. This is a very good team and they're going to be good for a long time. In a few years, perhaps next year, this team could challenge for the title. Jealous? Yes. They just have guys that are easy to root for.

On the other side of the floor, the Warriors are, well, the Warriors you know and love. But, Warriors basketball post-Jax has been much more team oriented, slightly bearable to watch. Even though both games ended in losses, there were definitely some encouraging signs for the team moving forward.

Fewer "what are you doing?!" shots
I'm not sure what it is, but Jax took a lot of bad shots and that seemed to rub off on everyone else. Now that he's gone, it seems like the other guys have reverted to knowing what a good shot is. Well, everyone except for Anthony Randolph. He still shouldn't be taking so many shots outside of 3 feet. It's been nice.

Steph Curry and Monta Ellis
The ball is in their hands more and that's a good thing. Jax would make a nice play every now and then, but these are the two best ballhandlers and I like seeing the ball in their hands more often, especially Curry. He just has a knack for finding the open man and anticipating what the defense will do. More ball with ballhandler + less time in Jax's hands = good.

Corey Maggette
The biggest positive out of all this mess is that Corey Maggette is starting to play a different game. He's working his butt off on the defensive end - something I don't think I've seen. He's taking less long jumpers and working to get inside more often. Lastly, he's rebounding more. Not sure what's got into him, but I've been impressed probably for the first time since he's joined the team.

It's only been 2 games, I'm looking for anything to make me feel better about the Warriors. Hopefully this is the beginning of a newer, better team (provided nobody else gets injured).

Predictions

Warriors by 3. Yea, that's right. I think the Warriors will win shorthanded against a superior team and I have no idea how.
Anthony Randolph with a double double (missed shots and rebounds)
Monta Ellis drop 30
Greg Oden with 15 rebounds

NBA Talking Points: Where The Little Guys Get Some Love

2009-11-20T19:04:51Z

NBA Talking Points: Where The Little Guys Get Some Love

This week in the mothership:
1. Six Feet And Under: The Lightning Bug Era
2. Chris Paul, Injured
3. Ron Artest Is Nic Cage; Wizards Fans Are Dr. Stanley Goodspeed
4. Gilbert Arenas Reminds Us He's Awesome
5. A Nuggets Fan Meets George Karl
6. Chinese Trading Cards: This Is Why Globalization Is Good
7. A Perfect Quarter Of Basketball
8. Lebron: The Anatomy Of Douchebaggery
9. Captain Jack, The Bobcat: Sometimes You Get What You Deserve
10. The NBA's Dock Ellis

Fine-art Friday: The breakup of "We Believe" as a Mike Meezy slow jam. [Fear the Beard] GSoM friend...

2009-11-20T07:54:23Z

Fine-art Friday: The breakup of "We Believe" as a Mike Meezy slow jam. [Fear the Beard]
GSoM friend Mike Meezy of the mighty FTB crew drops the smoothness to accompany some Warriors highlights.

Chris Webber and Kevin McHale Talk Don Nelson and Golden State Warriors on NBA TV

2009-11-19T23:15:09Z

This past Tuesday's matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers was selected by hoops fans worldwide to be televised on NBA TV for Fan Night. I never knew so many hoops junkies were so hyped about watching new Warrior Valdimir Radmanovic!

Preview/ Game Thread

RECAP: Warriors 108, Cavaliers 114 - A Victorious Loss

1993-1994: Good times in Dubs land.

Anyhow CWebb and the Celtics eternal employee Kevin McHale had some interesting things to say about the Dubs and Nellie. Jump for a video and some quotes.

NBA TV's Chris Webber on Golden State Warriors head coach Don Nelson Nov. 17, 2009 from Turner Sports on Vimeo.

Pre-Game Show: Ernie Johnson, Chris Webber and Kevin McHale

McHale on Golden State’s team chemistry after trading (Stephen) Jackson to the Charlotte Bobcats: "When the players come out and say it will be better when Stephen Jackson goes, which they started a couple of weeks ago, that is really an indication that it is very disruptive. I think (the Warriors) will play free and easy tonight."

Webber on the Golden State Warriors: "When you are on a team that has a bad feeling in the locker room, it is really good to get a breath of fresh air. And I think for Golden State this is a breath of fresh air. When you win and when you lose it is good to just be able to concentrate on your team and the game and not everything that is going inside and outside the locker room."

McHale on coaches getting teams back on track after turmoil: "You have to stay with what you believe in and you can’t be changing. Some coaches say, ‘tonight we are going to play defense, tomorrow we are going to play offense.’ The players get confused and pretty soon they say that the coach has no idea what he is talking about. Stay with your pattern, do what you do. The message has to be the same every single day in the locker room and then the players start buying in and believing. I think that Nellie (coach Don Nelson’s) message is going to be the same. Score a lot of points."

Webber on playing for Golden State’s coach Don Nelson: "I actually got two chances to play for (Nelson), once when I was a young rookie and I think I could have made better decisions then…definitely, I know I could have made better decisions then. He could have as well, as far as explaining the game to young guys. Then I got to play with him my last year in the league for about 10 games and I’ve seen a difference in the way he handles players. To me, he is a player’s coach, definitely a good personality. But that may set some guys up and I think that could be a double-edged sword at times."

Halftime Report: Johnson, Webber and McHale

McHale on Golden State being under-manned: "One of two things can happen, you either get disheartened and say, ‘we are under-manned and say we can’t play, we can’t win.’ Or the guys can say, ‘I can shoot all I want because the coach can’t take me out.’ There is a point where they can say, ‘it doesn’t matter the coach can’t take me out,’ so maybe they will relax and play."

NBA GameTime presented by Hyundai : Johnson, Webber and McHale

McHale on Golden State’s play against the Cavaliers: "I did think they played a little looser without Stephen Jackson. The guys in the locker room were saying he needed to go, he wasn’t good here. He left and I thought they played with energy. I thought they played loose and had some chemistry out there."

GSoM Archive:

Poll

Chris Webber called Don Nelson a "player’s coach" earlier this week. Will Nellie be remembered as so after he retires?

SB Nation NBA Power Rankings, Week 3

2009-11-19T19:59:41Z

SB Nation NBA Power Rankings, Week 3

Scroll down, way down, and you'll find the GSW.

RECAP: Warriors 95, Celtics 109 – 3rd Quarter Collapse

2009-11-19T05:36:39Z

I'll take a Bud Light!

Open Thread (~1400 comments)

Final Boxscore

Blog Buddy: Celtics Blog

The final outcome was pretty much what we all expected, a blowout win for the Celtics. The Warriors hung tough for the first half, but when that 3rd quarter came around, boy oh boy, that was rough. The Celtics didn't put the Warriors away, they just let the Warriors hang around for most of the 3rd. When the Warriors didn't take advantage of the Celtics early on in that quarter, the Warriors were doomed because once the Celtics found their groove, the Warriors never did, and that's all she wrote. The 1 point halftime lead ballooned to 13 and the Celtics pretty much coasted to victory extending their lead to as much as 16 and never lower than 10. The Warriors put forth a solid effort but that just wasn't good enough.

On a side note, amazingly, my prediction, Warriors by -14 was right on point. Crazy. That's never happened before. Come to me for all your gambling needs.

Hit the jump for some thoughts:

1) Things I Liked
Let's start with the good things.

Is it just me or is there a different feeling when watching the team? No Jax around and there seems to be better team chemistry. The ball moves better, there are less ill-advised shots, and guys seem to be hustling and trying harder. Maybe I just want to feel that way since Jax is gone, but after watching 2 games without him, something feels different, something better.

I like Raja Bell simply for volunteering to play when he knew the Warriors were down to just 7 guys. His wrist is injured enough that he needs surgery on it, yet he still volunteers on playing. I like that and his 23 minutes where he shot 3-3 from 3.

Corey Maggette is playing some of the best ball I've seen him play as a Warrior. He's really working out there and hustling, doing some of the dirty work, and banging inside on defense (not just offense). While he shot just 6-9 from the line, I appreciate his willingness to stop taking so many long jumpers and rather take mid-range jumpers instead while also going inside (where he's best). On a team that falls in love with the long jumpers, they're going to need someone who knows how to score in the paint off of a post up, and Maggette has shown a willingness to do just that. If this is the new Maggette we're going to see for the rest of the year, I'll be very happy.

Randolph always shows us a little glimpse of what he's capable of. He's got these moments where he's able to corral all of his energy and put together a few minutes where he's focused and doing everything right. And then other times, he's just simply out of control. Tonight, he showed us glimpses of what we're all hoping he does in the future.

Lastly, I liked that Monta was able to get in the lane against the Celtics. He's just going to have to convert some of those layups. The old Monta did, but I'm still waiting to see if the new Monta can. Maybe he's still getting used to game speed but it's a little disconcerting that he's not able to finish drives like he did before nor is he able to knock down the mid-range jumpers like he did before.

2) The 3rd Quarter Woes Continue
The Warriors just cannot put together a decent 3rd quarter. After being down by just 1 point at the half, the Warriors came out and stunk up the Boston Garden. It started out fine, at the 8:48 mark the score was tied at 55. And then the drought began. The Warriors couldn't get any points, not a field goal or a free throw. They scored their 56th point at the 4:18 mark - 4.5 minutes without scoring a point. Yikes! It was the combination of 3 turnovers and 7 missed shots that doomed the Warriors. It'll be hard to beat any team when you do that.

You know what's worse? The Celtics weren't exactly playing lights out either. They scored just 3 points 3.5 minutes. The Warriors had a chance to take a significant lead if they could have just taken care of the ball and knocked down some jumpers. They could have taken the lead against the Celtics late into the 3rd quarter!

The one thing that stands out to me in the play by play is this. 5:56 - Boston full timeout. Maybe this was the mandatory under 6 minutes timeout, but either way, Doc Rivers and co. took advantage. The very next possession they get the ball to Rondo who passes to KG for a bucket. Their scoring drought was over, the Warriors' was still going. After that timeout, the Celtics scored on their next 5 straight possessions! I don't know what was said or done during the timeout, but it sure worked. That one Celtics run put the game away and the 3rd quarter saved the Celtics.

3) Rondo Rondo Rondo
Rondo is a special player. You watch him operate on the court with the stars surrounding him and you can tell he's learned how to get them the ball where they like it. He's got the ability to get in the lane any time he wants and wreak havoc on the defense. His 12 assists show that he's able to find the open man as he runs the offense and gets in the lane. His 18 points came on just 12 shots. Additionally, 9 of his 12 shots attempted were from inside of 2 feet, he made 7 of them. It's a testament to how good he is at creating for others and scoring while in the paint.

The Warriors struggled keeping him contained especially in that 3rd quarter. When the Celtics made their run after the 5:56 timeout, Rondo was involved on 4 of the 5 consecutive scoring possessions. Assist to KG, makes a layup, makes another layup (and 1), and then assists to Pierce. All in all, he had 12 points in that quarter to go with 4 assists.

Again, he's a special player and fun to watch.

4) 21 Turnovers
Unacceptable. 21 is good in blackjack, but when you give the ball away that many times, more than likely, you're going to lose. Heck, the Celtics had 30 points off turnovers! You can't give away possessions like that with poor passing and poor decisions.

Curry had 6 of them to go with his 7 assists and 4 steals. If he took care of the ball a little better this would have been one of his best games as a pro. Oddly, Curry was a +5 in 35 minutes. That means in the 13 minutes he was off the floor the Warriors were -19. Crazy.

Vlad Radman had 5 turnovers and Randolph had 4. Sheesh. Are the big men handling the ball that much or are they just careless with the ball? Methinks they're careless. I expect that from Randolph every now and then, but I have no idea what to expect from Vlad, certainly not 5 TO's.

This team isn't good enough to give away the ball like that and still win a game.

Corey Maggette for stepping up his game and taking on more of the load now that Jax is gone. Tonight: 23 points (8-13 FG's, 6-9 FT's), 8 boards, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block.

Poll

Pick your Warrior Wonder for this game

OPEN THREAD: Warriors @ Celtics – Can We Just Play Ball?

2009-11-18T21:00:18Z

Ahhhh memories...

Warriors: 3-7

Celtics: 8-3

Tip-Off: 4:30pm

TV: CSN Bay Area

Radio: KNBR 1050

Blog Buddy: Celtics Blog

Can we just have one day without drama? Stephen Jackson this and Stephen Jackson that, he wanted to go to a contender but now he's a Bobcat. Monta might want out as well?

Yesterday's game was quite a surprise. 7 guys vs one of the best teams in the league. To have been down by 1 with under 2 minutes after scratching back from down 15 is a pleasant surprise. They were really working hard out there. It looks like they're going to have to be a scrappy team to get some wins. They're going to have to work harder than the other team on the boards and on defense. They're going to have to run the offense smoothly by moving the ball around to get open shots. They simply cannot win by going 1 on 1 and relying on any one person to win. This is no different now than it was with Jax on the team, but after one game, it looks like the offense is less 1 on 1, more ball movement.

I don't expect this game to be close. The Celtics should be able to overpower the Warriors. Back to back on the road facing 2 of the best teams in the league? It's a tough thing for any team to be able to play well in both contests. Throw in the 3 days of rest for the Celtics, all the injuries on the Warriors, playing only 7 guys again and the Warriors will find themselves in a difficult situation. If the game is close in the 4th quarter, that will be quite an achievement. The game will show what these guys are made of and what kind of condition they're in.

Regardless of what I think might happen, I'm still looking forward to this game because:

Monta and Curry did such a great job distributing the ball yesterday. It was nice to watch our two top guards go out there and find the open man and also create shots for teammates.
See if Corey Maggette can keep up what he did yesterday. 11 boards and 3 assists? Really? Wow. Will he continue to grab boards and look to set people up?
Anthony Randolph had a poor first 3 quarters in Cleveland. His 4th quarter was encouraging to see. Apparently Raja Bell told him a few things prior to the 4th. AR was very active on the glass and trying to make things happen on offense in the paint.
Big 3 + Rasheed + Rondo. It's the first chance I'll get to see how the new and improved Celtics look.

Predictions

Warriors by -14
Rondo eats Curry for dinner
Somebody breaks Ray Allen's ankles just like JC did last year
Monta drops 25

GSOM Night 8: A NorCal Battle - Tickets On Sale

2009-11-18T17:00:23Z

GSOM Night is all about having a good time with a bunch of friends at a Warrior game regardless of how good, how bad, or how much drama is going on with the team. The GSOM crew and Chris Murphy of the Warriors are dedicated to making these GSOM Nights fun for everyone no matter what. It's the reason we pick certain games on the schedule that we think will be competitive and appealing to many fans. It's the reason we changed it up this year to include post-game activities and continue to give away Tony.psd designed work. On opening night, we hosted the wildly popular free throw contest while Tony put together the first ever GSOM Night jersey. Seriously, we're all about having a good time with good people. For GSOM Night 8, you can count on the same things especially the post-game activity and the Tony.psd giveaway. You'll definitely want to head out to the arena with us for this one.

When
Friday, January 8, 2010 @ 7:30p vs Sacramento Kings

Tickets (Purchase tickets online or download, print and mail the flier)
- Club 200 Sideline (rows 1-9): $38 each ($12 discount)
- Club 200 Sideline (rows 10+): $30 each ($10 discount)
- Club 200 Corner/Baseline: $25 each ($10 discount)

Perks
- Every ticket purchased is entered into a raffle for free tickets and memorabilia
- Receive a free Tony.psd giveaway
- Every ticket purchased can participate in the post-game activity (TBD, but the last activity was a free throw contest on the court)

GSOM Night: Always a great time out!

RECAP: Warriors 108, Cavaliers 114 - A Victorious Loss

2009-11-18T07:05:32Z

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

That about sums it up right there...

Browse more photos »

Despite the obvious loss tonight, I pretty sure I'd be hard pressed to find anyone who has been watching the Warriors this year who wouldn't be pleasantly surprised at the display we put forth. Usually, losses are pretty tough to write on. This is especially the case with the Warriors because losses are usually coupled with an excess of embarrassing preventable mistakes.

We knew we were outmatched in this game from the moment that we saw it on our schedule. Add to the mix the fact that the Warriors had to approach this game with only 7 healthy players (one of them suiting up in a Dubs uniform for the first time ever) and we had a recipe for a smack down.

But tonight, we saw something different. We saw one of the NBA elite teams look at each other in amazement, wondering why they couldn't extend a lead. We saw Ellis and Curry dishing the ball with flare. We saw Maggette hitting up the floor, fighting for boards and fighting through gauntlets for points. We saw Morrow draining tres in the face of the bewildered Cavs...

...we saw our boys play like Warriors.

Warriors vs Cavaliers Boxscore

Open Thread (980 Comments)

JUMP!

First and foremost, let's talk about the newest addition to the club. I have to say, I'm not all that dissappointed with Vlad's performance out there tonight! Is he going to be a point for point replacement for Stephen Jackson? No, probably not. But it was nice having a 6-10 shooter show some efficiency (at least in the first half) With enough training in Nellie's system, Vlad can trim down his shot selection and make a nice addition on both sides of the floor.

Plus he's not crazy. That kind of goes a long way.

All said and done, we've only seen half of what this trade had to offer. Unfortunately, that's going to be the case for a long time. So hell with it, let's make some proverbial lemonade. Not too Vlad at all if you ask me.

Moving onto the game - it was nice seeing such a depleted roster come out with such a strong offensive start. One could only hope that this type of offensively display would be complimented by some defensive output, but sadly this was not the case. Despite some great shots (and a great drive by Steph Curry that is worth noting), LeBron and Hickson (hello Warrior Killer!) did a tremendous job tearing up the Warriors inside. By the time the quarter ticked down, the Dubs had 30, but found themselved to be down by 5.

Defense was certainly happening on the Cavs side however. The first half gave way to some incredible swats by Cleveland. Well, if you were the Warriors, change that "incredible" to "embarrassing". Right out of the gates the Cavs increased the lead to 11 and were well on their way to running away with this game.

Now this is when it happened. Ordinarily, the Warriors (especially the Warriors with a 7 man rotation) would have accepted their fate and begun the beloved ritual of hurling up long bricks. But that's not what we saw. It all started with Morrow heating up from beyond the arc, nailing 3 tres in the 2nd quarter alone. This was enough to prevent the Cavs from running away with the lead, but unfortunately, not enough to chisel into it either. Honestly, it was nice enough seeing us hang with a team at a notch above us. But how long could it last?

Third quarter. Where Morrow's shooting cooled, Mags started up on the hustle. Where Vlad's midrangers started bricking, Monta's took over. Only at the end of this quarter did LeBron take over enough to stretch the lead back out to 11. So this was it. LeBron was about to take over the game and finally put the Warriors in his rear view mirror.

Enter the fourth. As the fatigue set in for the Warriors, Anthony Randolph stepped in and completely turned his dismal game around. Scoring most of his 13 points in the 4th quarter alone, Randolph came out with a fire unseen in the previous three quarters. As the back and forth continued, the Warriors actually managed to chisel the Cavs' lead down to 1 off of a ridiculous three from Morrow.

In the end, LeBron did what LeBron does. A few timely dishes and scores padded the Cavs lead with the right amount of time on the clock and the Warriors came away with another loss. But the Cavs have to be wondering how 7 scrappers from the Bay had them on their toes for 48 minutes. I know I am.

All 7 of our players scored in the double digits. We out-rebounded the Cavs and dished out the same amount of dimes. Given our limitations, the Warriors were on form tonight.

Yes. A loss is a loss. No way around it. But in the chaos of this one comes a glimmer of hope. Maybe this team can pay together. There certainly was some inspiring ball movement that led to some pretty innovative scores tonight. Could they do this again? Does this have anything to do with the departure of Jackson's stop and pop style of play?

It sure would be interesting to see what this team does when it gets a little healthier...

Gotta go with Monta on this one. With 23 points and 8 impressive dimes, Monta was doing it from all ends of the floor all night. Where our other players suffered through hot and cold streaks, Ellis served as the go to guy to keep our offense flowing.

Game Thread #10: Warriors @ Cavaliers - Behold the King

2009-11-17T12:30:19Z

Originally posted 4:30 AM PST

Uh oh. These guys are the real deal aren't they?

Maybe we can get another crack at Sacramento? Eh? Eh? No? Okay, what about the Clippers? I mean, c'mon - that was a fluke! We can take those guys! No? Can't do it? Okay fine. I see you're going to be like that. No problem. We'll take Indy on again. There you go, you win! You win and we lose. We'll just hop on this flight to Indiana and -

What?! No?! No Indy? I daresay you're being unreasonable sir. But fear not, we are flexible. Alright fellas you heard them! No Indy! Everyone head over to Gate C31 I think there's a flight to Milwaukee boarding. Grab your bags everyone, Gate C31. Yo rookie! CURRY! Take those headphones off and grab my bag. Maybe they can book us back at that Doubletree. They had pretty good mints, right Andr-

What?

Seriously?

...we HAVE to play these guys? Contract? I see. Well, what if I- Lawsuit you say?

Hey isn't the Rock and Roll Hall of fame out there? Cleveland it is.

Their numbers are many.

Warriors: 3-6

Cavaliers: 7-3

Tip-Off: 4:00pm

TV: CSN Bay Area

Radio: KNBR 680

Blog Buddy: Fear The Sword

Okay maybe I'm being a little pessimistic. After all, we do have a few new bullets in our chamber, don't we? I mean, think about it, as long as Bell and Vlad the Impaler don't go a combined 4-14 in 45 minutes of play, we're on the path to coming out on top! Hahaha; aaaaaaaah bitterness. Sorry Stephen, I was just playing around there.

No I wasn't! HAHAHAHAHA!

No but seriously, we're in for a train wreck tomorrow.I for one will be looking for some good initial chemistry between our new guys and old (relatively speaking) and hoping for the best as we take on King James and company in their own palace.

C'mon Warriors. Surprise me.

Predictions:

Raja Bell gives us an efficient 15+
James drops over 30.
Warriors um... by... uh... The Warriors have a good time. And what's more important than that?

RUMOR: Monta Ellis wants out of Golden State and Warriors looking to trade him

2009-11-17T19:23:39Z

Did you really think it was over with the Stephen Jackson trade?

Of course not. The Dubs Drama continues with Monta Ellis, the "mastermind" behind Moped Gate!

GSoM friend Tim Kawakami (even while on vacation!) has details and more in Ellis/Warriors situation set to hit full boil at Thursday meeting: Trade inevitable?

Anyone know where this ride is going?

We'll update this as more unfolds. Jump for links from the archives.

Multiple NBA sources have confirmed that Monta Ellis' status with the Warriors could be determined Thursday, when his agent is scheduled to meet with team management in Oakland.

Several sources indicate that Ellis' agent, Jeff Fried, already has discussed the possibility of the Warrriors giving Fried and Ellis permission to talk to other teams to quicken the pace of trade talks.
...

(UPDATED:) Multiple sources say that, apparently at Don Nelson's urging, the Warriors have been calling teams and offering to trade Ellis in recent days.

It is likely that their efforts will only intensify, barring some 11th-hour peace treaty. Ellis has four years and $44M owed to him after this season, but several sources say that he will be less difficult to trade than Stephen Jackson was.

And it seems inevitable that Ellis will be traded, presuming that Nelson remains in power, and every source I've talked to believes that Nelson will remain in power.

Monta Ellis

#8 / Guard / Golden State Warriors

Height: 6-3

Weight: 180

Born: Oct 26, 1985

College: None

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2009 - Monta Ellis	9	36.4	8.0	17.6	45.6	0.6	0.9	62.5	2.8	4.0	69.4	1.0	4.1	5.1	5.0	3.1	1.8	0.3	2.8	19.3

Mo Moped Mo Problems

Poll

Do you want the Warriors to trade Monta Ellis?

Warriors' Kelenna Azubuike out for the season, C.J. Watson has swine flu [Oakland Tribune]

2009-11-17T15:04:33Z

Warriors' Kelenna Azubuike out for the season, C.J. Watson has swine flu [Oakland Tribune]

Ruh roh...Booke's out for the season? This can't be good...

CJ's got the swine?

We wish both well and a speedy recovery.

Here's to hoping Vlad Rad is going to bust out!

Talking Trade: Warriors GM Larry Riley + Former Warriors "Captain" Stephen Jackson Videos and More

2009-11-17T06:58:14Z

Jump for some videos from CSN Bay Area.com and transcripts courtesy of GSoM friend Marcus Thompson.

Larry Riley with Greg Papa (11:05)

Stephen Jackson reacts to trade (0:48)

Matt Steinmetz details Warriors trade (0:58)

Jackson's Parting Shot [Inside the Warriors]

How badly did you want to be out of Golden State?

"I wanted to be out pretty bad. Things were going bad and I was getting blamed for everything. I wasn't seeing eye-to-eye with the team. I got fined in preseason for one-hundred-and-some thousand. It was a lot of things that I didn't agree with going on from when I got there. We made history by beating Dallas in the first round. Then things started getting worse and winning stopped being a priority. Once winning stopped being a priority, I didn't want to be a part of it."

Describe the decline of the Warriors

"It started when we got rid of Jason Richardson and then the next thing you know, it was Baron (Davis) And then it was Al Harrington and Matt Barnes. The team that we had when we made that run, that beat Dallas in the first round, went South. Once it started doing that, I didn't want to be a part of it.

Good old "Captain" Jack. How can someone be so right and so wrong at the same time?

Jack is right that everything has gone south since that wonderful spring and that Warriors owner Chris Cohan and Robert Rowell's priority is not winning. 110% right. Since former (rightfully so) Warriors front office man Chris Mullin pulled the trigger on that inane Jason Richardson for Brandan Wright swap after a failed attempt to land Kevin Garnett, it's been one endless WE BELIEVE destroying move after another. No doubt about it.

But let's get things straight. Jackson signed on to play with a LOSER. Jason Richardson, Baron Davis, Matt Barnes, and Mickael Pietrus were all long gone by the time he inked that silly extension gift from Rowell. Shoot, even Harrington was half way out the door at that point. Jackson wanted to be part of a LOSER to the point he signed on the dotted line for 3 more years. That was his choice and his choice alone. It was just like his choice to leave the San Antonio Spurs after that championship run to play for a then headed nowhere fast Atlanta Hawks with worse ownership drama then even Cohan's dysfunction junction off 880. His supposed passion for winning and playoffs is no stronger than your average NBA player who is primarily motivated by the loot.

There's nothing wrong for wanting to get paid- at all- but there is something wrong for distorting the facts, badmouthing the folks who showed you more than enough love (a lot of it undeserved), and acting unprofessional both on and off the court. If Jack and his quack agent Mark Stevens handled this situation with any sense of class, the Warriors would've sent him to a championship contending Cleveland Cavaliers squad. But they didn't and now he's headed to an even bigger LOSER franchise- which is pretty hard to do.

Truth be told even if the Warriors passed up a better trade offer with the Cleveland Cavaliers for Jackson as ESPN's John Hollinger has intimated, props to Riley and Nellie. They set a good precedent. If you're going to act a fool here, they're not going to do you any favors. If you make their lives miserable, they'll do the same to you. (Hope Monta Ellis is paying attention.)

Stephen Jackson says the Golden State Warriors don't care about winning, but the Charlotte Bobcats do [Orlando Sentinel]

Q: You named several teams you'd be interested in playing for, this wasn't one of them. Are you happy?

Jax: I'm happy because it gives me a chance to compete, gives me a chance to get back where I want to be which is in the playoffs. That's where I belong. I don't belong being home in April watching the playoffs; I belong in the playoffs and I got a good chance here with a great team. A team that competes with a coach the type of coach I like that have your back. That's something that's big to me. If a coach has my back I don't mind playing 110% for him.

I honestly feel bad for the guy. Just a straight up delusional. Again Jack signed up for loser and he's headed to a loser because he acted like a loser during trade talks. Warriors head coach Don Nelson is the best thing that ever happened to his career.

My friend Mr. Meshery over at Fear the Beard puts this far more eloquently that I can in Stephen Jackson goes rogue. Gets traded by his own ego., so I'll just pass the mic:

Back to going rogue. So, what do Stephen Jackson and Sarah Palin have in common (besides maybe a fondness for guns and not liking to take directions from old crazy white dudes)? Well, I remember spotting this article back during the election where some therapists armchair diagnosed Sarah Failin' as having Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Symptoms are:

A grandiose sense of self-importance (exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements). Has a sense of entitlement, i.e. unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations.

Sound like someone we know? That last part is what gets me - the unreasonable expectations. C'mon Stack Jack, did you really expect to hustle Bobby Rowell for millions, disrespect the organization and teammates, say you're as good as Kobe Bryant, let your agent talk crazy about your coach, dismiss being a team captain, demand to get traded (and to a winning team at that), and think that your demands would be met in full? Really Stack Jack? Really? This, ladies and gentlemen, is what happens when someone gets hijacked by their Texas-sized ego.

I think onixn sums up the situation well:

You brought swagger to a team that had forgotten what it felt like. You reinvigorated Baron. You covered for hundreds of defensive lapses (early on, anyway). You mystified Dirk Nowitzki. You nailed threes on fast breaks and laughed as you ran back down the court. YOU ENABLED US TO DUMP MURPHY AND DUNLEAVY! All that stuff was awesome.

Did you go out like a jackass? Sure. But it should be noted: your jackassedness was not solely your fault. Robert Rowell gave you a contract extension befitting a star; Don Nelson gave you the huge minutes and offensive leeway of a star. If you think you're better than you are, it's partially because this franchise did too, and foolishly told you so.

The sad part is in general Dubs Nation genuinely loved this guy. We gave him a second chance and for about 2 years he made us proud. Very proud. It's honestly too bad it had to end like this.

In a few years we'll be able to look back on this fondly, but unfortunately not right now.

Monta Ellis Doesn't Sound Happy [Inside the Warriors]

Seriously is this guy ever happy? Moody Moped Ellis.

Will you have to do more to make up for the loss?

"I'm not (going to) put no more on my back. Somebody else gone have to step up. I'm not gonna do more, somebody else gone have to step up and take on the role that Jack had and be that player. But I'm not putting no more extra on my back."

Do you feel a need to be more vocal?

"Nope. Uh, uh. Not at all"

And this is the guy Chris Mullin and Robert Rowell were so eager to build around and anoint as a franchise leader? No thank you to you two for destroying WE BELIEVE. Well Mullin's gone and hopefully Rowell will be soon too.

What do you guys lose with Jack gone?

"No. 1, besides his scoring and the ability to make the extra pass. What we've been emphasizing the whole time is defense. That's one of our best defenders on the team. And we're trying to get better as a defensive team. And now, who we got now that's going to play defense? We got me. And who else?"

Just like his buddy the "Captain", Monta sounds extremely delusional. Monta is one of the worst defenders in the entire association. It's hilarious how he pouted about how bad of a defensive combo he and rookie Stephen Curry would be (by the way true) before the season started, while not realizing that he was publicly admitting how terrible his effort and results were on that end of the court.

It's also funny how Monta thinks he's going to talk to Jackson everyday now. I hate to be cold, but I bet Monta just got played by Jack too. Jackson is his buddy like he's Rowell's buddy. Used and abused.

Good bye Jack. Sorry it had to end like that, but that was pretty much your own doing.

Monta- Don't be surprised if you're next.

Will Monta Ellis be the next disgruntled Warrior shipped out?

1st day on the job as a Bobcat. Jax doesn't look too happy! + SB Nation Sports Stream * BREAKING...

2009-11-17T03:12:10Z

1st day on the job as a Bobcat. Jax doesn't look too happy!

+ SB Nation Sports Stream
* BREAKING NEWS: Golden State Warriors trade Stephen Jackson + Acie Law to Charlotte Bobcats for Raja Bell + Vladimir Radmanovic
* Jax to Charlotte: Warriors financial implications

FanPost Spotlight
* Stack Jax for Radman: The Numbers
* Thank You, Jack
* MT2: Warrior comments on Jax trade
* Nothing for something: another wasted trade by the Warriors
* NBA Approval of Jackson Trade Continues the Reign of an Incompetent Franchise

Jax to Charlotte: Warriors financial implications

2009-11-16T19:51:07Z

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

Browse more photos »

[editor's note: our own illustrious Dubs Fan in Boston does his own fine job of breaking down the numbers here. If you've read it, you may have heard it there first. If you haven't, you should.]

You heard it hear first. SBNation is reporting that Stephen Jackson is bound for the Charlotte, NC along with Acie Law for guard Raja Bell and forward Vladimir Radmanovic. Having once lived in the Queen City for all of four weeks before I came to my senses and returned to the Bay, I can't say I envy him. In sending last season's team-leading scorer on his merry way, the Warriors reshape both the on-court product for 09-10 and open up new possibilities going forward, both in this season and beyond.

And like most deals in the NBA, it's all about money.

The short answer is "no, we cannot go out and use the money we've saved on Jax to get another big man"; It's best to not even ask the question.

And in terms of the immediate impact to the team, we could leave it at that. But the deal is not without implications for years to come and for the long term, may have some real impact on how the Warriors can proceed in the future, both this season and in the not-too far future.

The end result is that this erases some, but not all of the misguided extension that Rowell (apparently) handed to Jackson a year ago. Prior to the extension, Jax was going to be an expiring deal at the end of this season valued at $7.65mil. While that alone wasn't going to make the Warriors players in the off season free agent market, it was large enough that it could have been a significant piece of a package to acquire a player under contract from a team looking to shed salary for cap or tax purposes. After the extension, Jax lost that potential value, which is why he brought back Vlad and Raja, two players who do not figure to be signifcant pieces in righting the sinking ship. They might help, but don't count on it.

In terms of immediate impact, Radmanovic and Bell both possess above average long range shots. Vlad, despite standing 6-10, is limited as a big man due to his Bargnani-esque rebounding, but he can provide some contribution as a "3". Bell carried a reputation as a solid perimeter defender to complement his sharp shooting, though at 33, one has to wonder if those skills haven't declined significantly.

What has certainly declined is the Warriors financial commitment for future years. Bell's $5.25mil expires at the end of the season. Radmanovic is due ~$6.47 mil this year with a player option for $6.8838 for 2010-11 that, given market realities he will most likely pick up. And in short, this means that the Warriors will only clear an additional $1.57 million off the books for next year versus retaining Jax and letting Acie Law walk. That alone makes will make virtually no difference in the Warriors purchasing power or shopping habits for the coming year.

However, two years down the line when Radmanovic comes off the books, the Warriors are on the hook for about $9.3 million less than had they stuck with what would then be a 33 year-old Jackson. Forecasting the overall cap situation two years out is difficult as there will be many decisions vis a vis retaining players whose contracts come due in that period, but the savings will not hurt and gets the Warriors out of the inflated back end of Jackson's contract when his declining skills would overshadow the inflating salary, if that had not already happened.

Perhaps more significant though is the potential to make another move this year. In terms of the fabled "package of expiring deals to land a superstar", the Warriors will soon posses $14.36 million in contracts that come off the books next year. While that package would require wrapping up Raja with Mikki Moore, Speedy Claxton, Devean George and CJ Watson, sending out these players would allow the Warriors to pick up a player priced at up to $18million. (CBA rules prevent a team utilizing the traded player exception to make trades while over the cap from taking back more than 125% +$100k in salary than the combined players being traded away. Such a deal cannot happen for two month until Bell can be re-packaged in another trade. And as our illustrious and eloquent ONLXN has quite accurately stated, deals involving that many players out for far fewer coming back are exceptionally rare during the season. As such, it's less likely that the full purchasing power could be used on a single player though the ability to take back minimum salary players without regard to the cap means that it would be theoretically possible to use the biggest chunk of this for a single player. Solely in terms of cap implications, this makes it theoretically possible to construct a deal for all but 9 players in the association without the trading partner taking on a single contract that will extend into next season.

Also see:

Poll

Are the Warriors done dealing?

BREAKING NEWS: Golden State Warriors trade Stephen Jackson + Acie Law to Charlotte Bobcats for Raja Bell + Vladimir Radmanovic

2009-11-16T16:06:58Z

UPDATE 2 (1:26pm): My esteemed collegue JAE gets down and dirty with the NBA's CBA in Jax to Charlotte: Warriors financial implications

=============

UPDATE (8:47am): Track this story up to the minute in this SB Nation.com sports stream: Stephen Jackson Finally Gets His Wish: Traded to the Charlotte Bobcats

=============

Over at the mothership SB Nation.com they've got a story stream on today's Stephen Jackson trade that updates by the minute. Via Yahoo Sports' Marc Spears tweet (remember Spears Don't Lie!), the Warriors and Bobcats have just agreed on this trade: Stephen Jackson and Acie Law to Charlotte for Vladamir Radmanovic and Raja Bell.

Think the Young Fella will dig Charlotte?

Is Monta the next to go?

My first thought: A Raja and Curry on the Warriors? This is like Warriors nirvana for your Indo brother!

My second thought: Good luck playing for a winner "Captain"!

My third thought: I wonder what our friends over in BETcats land think about move. Check out Rufus on Fire.

My fourth thought: The Warriors actually found a worse team to send Jack to- and that's incredibly hard to do.

My fifth thought: Former Warriors player and GM Rod Higgins really likes doing business with his old team.

Jump for some linkage and more!

Raja Bell

#19 / Guard / Charlotte Bobcats

Height: 6-5

Weight: 215

Born: Sep 19, 1976

College: Fla International

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2009 - Raja Bell	5	31.4	4.8	11.0	43.6	1.8	4.8	37.5	0.6	0.6	100.0	1.0	3.2	4.2	2.0	1.0	0.8	0.4	2.6	12.0

Raja's now in the golden house!

via www.azcentral.com

Vladimir Radmanovic

#10 / Forward / Charlotte Bobcats

Height: 6-10

Weight: 235

Born: Nov 19, 1980

College: Serbia & Montenegro

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2009 - Vladimir Radmanovic	8	16.6	1.8	5.3	33.3	0.9	2.8	31.8	0.5	0.8	66.7	1.0	2.6	3.6	0.9	0.6	0.4	0.1	2.3	4.9

Fear the Vlad Rad beard?

via www3.pictures.gi.zimbio.com

Stephen Jackson

#1 / Forward / Golden State Warriors

Height: 6-8

Weight: 215

Born: Apr 05, 1978

College: None

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2009 - Stephen Jackson	9	33.2	6.2	14.8	42.1	1.2	4.4	27.5	2.9	4.1	70.3	0.7	3.2	3.9	4.7	2.9	1.6	0.7	1.8	16.6

DONE.

Acie Law

#2 / Guard / Golden State Warriors

Height: 6-3

Weight: 202

Born: Jan 25, 1985

College: Texas A&M

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2009 - Acie Law	5	13.2	1.8	2.8	64.3	0.2	0.6	33.3	2.4	3.0	80.0	0.0	0.4	0.4	1.4	0.4	1.2	0.0	1.0	6.2

I swear he just got here! Good luck Acie.

More details and analysis to come. Drop your initial reactions and analysis in the comments.

Jack-ed Up:

Poll

Are you feeling this trade for the Warriors?

RECAP: Warriors 125, Bucks 129 - At least we were entertained...?

2009-11-15T20:59:59Z

(Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Warriors contribution to the development and fandom of the NBA industry should not be overlooked. The number of D-league success stories that have passed through the Warriors system is a testament to the NBA's attempt at creating more career opportunities for players. The number of stars that have began their careers at Golden State shows how much the Warriors can -- at times -- evaluate talent. But more importantly, without the Warriors, we wouldn't have exciting games like last night, watching young rookies transition into rising stars in a matter of 48 minutes. The Warriors are the reason why the "NBA is Fantastic!"

Okay, I'm just being facetious... but you know it's kind of true. Anyway...

Even though the Warriors lost this game, there is much to love about what we saw from last night...

Warriors vs Bucks boxscore

Recap: Bucks 129, Warriors 125 (aka the Brandon Jennings show) [Brew Hoop]

Final - 11.14.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden State Warriors	30	27	26	42	125
Milwaukee Bucks	21	28	43	37	129

Complete Coverage >

The most obvious thing to love: Brandon Jennings second "debut" in two games. After going for 32 and 9 against title contenders, Denver Nuggets, Jennings tops that by showing an amazing arsenal of moves from the inside and out. Floaters over giants, freezing opposing pgs with hesitations then blowing past them for easy layups, rainbow threes...this kid can do it all. In his 5 assists, Jennings showed what has been missing on the Warriors since Baron Davis left: A point guard who can see the floor, get in the paint, and lead his open man. It's only been about 10 regular season games, but will we start including Jennings in discussions of elite point guards by the all-star game?

Love: Curry vs. Jennings mini-shoot out. While Jennings clearly dominated, Curry showed that he could hold his own. Like Jennings, Curry has a couple crossovers which led to easy 15 foot jumpers. You kind of wonder why the Warriors didn't go him more given that he had the hot hand early on. During the stretch of the third when the Warriors couldn't score on the zone defense, I was thinking how helpful Curry might have been had they brought him in earlier.

Like Jennings, Curry plays the point under control... or at least more so than anyone else trying to front like a point guard on the Warriors. Unlike Monta, Curry tends not to put his head down, driving straight to the hoop only giving it up in the event that he needs to get bailed out when 2 big men have closed in on him. The unpredictability of his hesitation moves on dribble drives either gives him just enough space for a jumper or draws defenders in. Check the end of the clip above where he picks Jennings, then while driving to the hoop freezes Jennings with a fake crossover. AMAZING!

Love: The return of the fundamentally-sound big man. Bogut may be considered a racist, but the dude has some nice footwork and a great touch in the paint. Granted, the Warriors big men weren't necessarily much resistance, but there's a lot to like about this guy's inside and outside game. We're beginning to see some of this in Randolph, too. There's a lot to appreciate about shooting .500 and having 0 turnovers.

Love: Monta's left hand. Wow, he finally realized it exists? Last season we would never expect Monta to finish with his left, even in traffic. This season, we've seen Monta tear up defenses (soft ones like Milwaukee) going both directions...even changing directions! "The Mississippi Missile" maybe not be the best nickname, in my opinion.

Love: Under Armor gear! And Jennings work-ethic on camera

Now it's time for...

I'll have to give it up to Stephen Curry. Okay, it's pretty obvious that I'm on his jock a bit too much. And there's nothing "Wonder"ful about him picking up 5 fouls in 26 minutes. But Curry showed me that we might have a point guard of the present (notice how I didn't say future). The fact that he doesn't always drive in predictable straight lines a la Maggette, Jackson, and at times Monta pleases me... as it should please you!

For more on this game from the perspective of the winners (though we're all winners when a fun game like this happens...), check out our colleagues at Brew Hoop!

Brandon Jennings and Joe Alexander: Summer Glimpse to Fall For-Real

2009-11-15T00:12:26Z

Editor's Note: Before Brandon Jennings dropped an unworldly 55 POINTS against the Warriors last night, our buddy Rich was scouting him out in the summer leagues. Check out his always razor sharp thoughts and analysis below on young Bucks Jennings and the second year pro with Taiwanese roots.

-- Atma Brother #1

**********

NOTE: This post also appears on my blog, Poor Man's Commish, here.

Since the Warriors are playing the Milwaukee Bucks for the first time tonight, I thought I'd share some of the scouting reports I had for Brandon Jennings and Joe Alexander from NBA Summer League '09.

BRANDON JENNINGS:

The first thing you'll notice about Jennings is that he's small and skinny by NBA standards. However, he also happens to be lightning quick, plus he's left-handed. It takes defenders awhile to adjust to left-handers, so it's no surprise to me that he's making as big a splash in the NBA the past few weeks as he is.

Let's say you're right-handed, as the majority of us are. If you are guarding a left-handed player, especially someone as explosive as Jennings, Jennings is probably going to attack you with a left-handed dribble drive. This means that you must plant off your weak leg, your left leg, to stay in front of him. Not as easy to do for us right-handers.

I don't think any Warrior is going to be able to contain Jennings tonight, especially since none of the Warrior guards are left-handed. He's just too super, super quick. In my live-tweet of his Summer League games, I noticed he had a scar running downward on one of calves. Probably because he's bionic!

During Summer League, Jennings had the uncanny ability to get the ball to a teammate right under the hoop. I don't know if it was because Summer League has poor interior defense, but the recipients of his passes got the ball right there, ready for a layup. No other point guard was quite doing that.

Jennings was also NBA-ready because he has a tear-drop floater. That is an absolute requirement in the Association. Maybe not a requirement in tonight's Warriors game though, since the Warriors are lacking interior size.

Incidentally, he also showed a fake behind-the-back layup play reminiscent of Rajon Rondo. Don't be surprised if Jennings has other moves in his bag of tricks.

On the flipside, he's probably not going to go right much, but I don't think that's anything glaring. During your rookie year, just play and get your feet wet. Next year, however, you better bring some more weapons to the table, after everyone figures you out.

His shot is like a sling shot. It's pretty ugly. But hey, sometimes it goes in and he did get hot during a stretch or two in the Summer League. If he's dribbling left past Warriors tonight, that'll certainly open up some jumpers for him and if he hits a couple, look out.

Finally, at least during Summer League, at times he acted like a prima donna, arguing calls left and right. However, I think the Milwaukee Bucks can live with that given the pluses he brings. I also think that right now, that's just a part of him that makes him better. I almost think that he wants someone to think he's a prima donna just so he can make an amazing play to get you back for thinking that. But then, that's still acting like a prima donna.

Also, be sure to check out his Under Armour shoes. Pretty unique that shoe company #3 chose him to be the poster boy. I think it was a smart move because it simultaneously aligned the upstart Under Armour with the legendary Sonny Vaccaro, while giving you an international presence (since Jennings spent last year in Europe), albeit a small one.

If Jennings gets selected as Rookie of the Year, it will be a coup for Under Armour. It could very well happen unless Blake Griffin comes back and just beasts the league like I know he can.

JOE ALEXANDER

It's no surprise to me that the Bucks did not renew Alexander's contract. And I'm not trying to jump on the Joe Alexander detractor bandwagon, but during my live-tweet, I specifically disagreed with ESPN Summer League scout David Thorpe on a number of fine points regarding Alexander's game (you can see a copy/paste of the live-tweet at the end of this post).

Alexander is truly an interesting player. At 6'10", a pretty muscular body, some nice offensive skills like a decent jump shot, a jab step from a triple-threat position, and a sometimes-okay power dribble to the hoop, you're thinking maybe he could be a Poor Man's Dirk Nowitzki less a few points and more a few rebounds, but slightly stronger, with the trade-off of being less mobile.

The only problem is, he's just not really quick or explosive with anything that he does. This is in direct disagreement with Thorpe who tweeted that he's "quick and explosive" or has the right tools, but just "hasn't figured it out yet". It's not that he hasn't figured it out. It's because it's all relative. In Summer League, you have ultra-slow no-names like David Doblas covering you. When you "explode" to the hoop, it may be equivalent to a slow move in the Association.

Against the Warriors, Alexander will probably be a non-factor against the uptempo style.

Thorpe is somewhat right that Alexander hasn't figured it out yet, though. Alexander could be alright if he would just pick a go-to move and stick with it. Instead, it seems like he's been working on too many things in the off-season, like pivoting, jab-stepping, driving, or pulling up and shooting, when he should just focus on one thing and do that thing well. For example, I would suggest the jumpshot. Just make a jumpshot from fifteen feet all the time. You're 6'10". It's not going to be blocked all that much. Make that range of a shot automatic and maybe you'll increase your value. Instead, he's incrementally gotten better in several facets of the game, which is bottom-line improvement, but doesn't get you anywhere in the market of NBA rotation players.

There were a few times when Jennings got the ball to Alexander (underneath the hoop, as I alluded to before in the Jennings write-up), and Alexander just couldn't get up vertically quick enough to finish the play. That, coupled with the rather slow jumpshot release, tells me he needs to hit the squats and lunges asap. If he doesn't, he'll be stuck in limbo all the time. However, his potential will always secure him at least a journeyman job in the NBA, which isn't so bad after all, financially. Basketball-wise though, he better turn it around soon or he'll be the jumpshooting power forward version of Adonal Foyle.

LIVE-TWEET DATA FOR BRANDON JENNINGS

Holy mackerel Brandon Jennings is small by NBA standards. Ok kid, show me what you got!

Ooh this is gonna be good matchup DeMarcus Nelson vs Brandon Jennings.

Jennings tapped the ball away twice from DeMarcus in backcourt in opening possession. Nelson went strong left base and muscled a layup.

Ensuing inbound: DeMarcus full court presses Jennings. Tell me he wasn't motivated by this challenge.

Brandon Jennings has what appears to be a long scar down his right calf. Are his legs bionic? I wouldn't be surprised. He's lightning quick.

For some reason, Brandon Jennings keeps being able to pass to a receiver inside the paint. I can see where this is all going ("special"?).

Jennings just did a Rajon Rondo fake-the-behind-the-back-then-layup play.

Oh yeah, that's right, Brandon Jennings has a contract with Under Armour.

The Under Armours look alright.

I hinted at it before, the bottom line that makes Brandon Jennings special is that his passes are received within 2 feet of the bucket.

Another disruption by Jennings in the backcourt. Drew oohs and aahhs from crowd.

Agreed with Thorpe that Jennings needs more humility. The bucks need to bring in a pg mentor to put him in his place.

Jennings has now argued at least 3 or 4 calls. Play ball, young man.

Of course, you can't be surprised that a kid who goes to Europe to avoid NCAA-to-NBA needs improvement in the humility dept.

I disagree with Thorpe. In summer league, Joe Alexander is effective from the elbow. In the ASSOICATION, he's not and won't be...

...unless he quite simply works on quickness and explosiveness, esp off the line (like at the gun of a 100m dash).

Again, I disagree with Thorpe that Brandon needs to work on his right hand. He's like 19 or 20! Let him play. Righthand comes year 2 or 3.

The very fact that Brandon Jennings is left-handed gives him a one- season advantage in the NBA...

...because if you're part of the majority and righthanded, it's harder to push off your left foot when defending Brandon Jennings.

Brandon Jennings wudda jus been called for a sportsmanship warning in dreamleague: shouting out a fake countdown of shotclock on D!

Bucks-Raptors about to start. I saw both tms yesterday. Maybe i'll analyze Demar DeRozan and Brandon Jennings, maybe Joe Alexander.

Joe Alexander a little to slow to rise and throw down on a mini-dish fastbrk led by Brandon Jennings.

Brandon Jennings looks a little sluggish, coupla bad turnovers. Maybe didn't get a good nite's sleep. This is 1p tip ("early").

He seemed to have more pep in his step yesterday head-to-head vs DeMarcus Nelson. Maybe he's not motivated as much vs skinny Quincy Douby.

However Brandon Jennings' floater is working. His "sling" shot gets it done but highly unorthodox. Hard to find good shooting pg these days.

Swish trey by Jennings. He's on today.

And another all-net trey by Jennings, blowing away TrueHoops' theory that guys mathematically can't get hot.

LIVE-TWEET DATA FOR JOE ALEXANDER

Joe Alexander swish left baseline. Ni hao ma, Joe!

Joe Alexander good sequence on D, sidestepped a drive, yelled "low low low" to tell high screenee where he was.

Well, Joe Alexander (I think, maybe got switched on a screen) got embarrassed on an inbounds that I've drawn up countless tms in dreamleague

I meant Joe on D, of course.

Joe Alexander's at the 4 cuz he's too small to be a 5 (with no post moves), too slow to be a 3. But he's too slow to be a 4! Bust, sorry.

Hmmm Joe Alexander just had a pretty quick drive from the elbow, in which Taj Gibson hipchecked and fouled out, but I'd just guard Joe's RH.

Bucks-Raptors about to start. I saw both tms yesterday. Maybe i'll analyze Demar DeRozan and Brandon Jennings, maybe Joe Alexander.

Joe Alexander a little to slow to rise and throw down on a mini-dish fastbrk led by Brandon Jennings.

Joe Alexander's triple threat reminds me of that commercial w the Will Ferrell look-alike taking forever to make a move...

...i'll try to find it on YouTube but the point is, he's a tad too slow. Just a tad.

Sometimes in triple threat, slowness can negate the triple threat advantage. In those cases, make ur move b4 the D can set. Joe Alexander!

Just a big first step is all he needs to explode (Joe Alexander). Its not in his repertoire quite yet. Almost.

Joe Alexander ought to just take shots from a standstill. He just made a jumper, but he worked so hard to get it. Watch Hedo Turkgolu tapes.

Joe Alexander: 6'10". Hedo Turkoglu: 6'10". That's what I mean.

Joe Alexander's gotta run the floor w more prupose. He's just floating around mostly, till he gets ball.

He does have flashes tho. I think he's worth the investment. I just hope he keeps working on his explosion (and when to do it).

Joe Alexander cudnt rise fast enough after o-reb in paint, had to dribble back out. He needs to work on lunges.

And squats.

Joe Alexander's release tends to come off the right side of his head. That's problematic.

Joe Alexander just stutter stepped nicely to the hole, but it doesn't count in my book cuz it was against all-slow David Doblas.

Joe Alexander , why are you facing up a smaller defender? Post him up and back him in, do a turnaround! Aaargh. Recognize.

Joe Alexander turn his body clockwise when he shoots. He doesn't square up properly.

Heh. Thorpe just tweeted Joe Alexander is "quick and explosive". I would add "every now and then against slower players".

See? Brent Petway just swatted/embarrassed a predictable pinch post face-up by Joe Alexander. NOT quick/explosive.

GAME THREAD #9: Warriors @ Bucks - Midwest Revival

2009-11-14T20:00:39Z

A Milwaukee Bucks fleece blanket to stay warm for the holidays? (more details, e-mail Howard Leibowitz at ahhsew@aol.com.)

Warriors: 3-5

Bucks: 4-2

Tip-Off: 5:30pm

Radio: KNBR1050

TV: CSN Bay Area +

Blog Buddy: Brew Hoop

Which Warriors team will show up today? The one that blows out teams by twenty (YES!) or the one that gets blown out by twenty (groan...)? If I were to use the word "consistency" as the Warriors have used to this season thus far, that means we can expect them to lose tonight since they won last night. BUT, this means we can expect them to win the next game!

They're up against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight, a team that is surprising people possibly more so than the "We Believe" Warriors from a few years back. You better believe Howard Leibowitz is selling major fleece blankets this season because of Brandon Jennings impact on his team. Bucks fans: Get yours today!

So I was checking out the Bucks roster and noticed they have a squad full of second round picks, decent-to-good college players that fell to the second round given that they were once one-dimensional players college players. Given the numbers of players on their squad that have either fallen off or was never quite relevant in the first place, who can we expect to have his "Warrior Killer" moment of his career? Will sharpshooting rookie Jodi Meeks go Voshon Leonard, unconsciously dropping 30 on the dubs... in the first quarter? Or maybe defensive specialist Luc Mbah a Moute will magically transform into Michael Jordan for one night? Or will the first Taiwan born NBA player, Joe Alexander, finally get off the bench and live up to the upside?

Anyway, point being, its most likely a Warriors off-night, so I hope you got your fantasy rosters set with at LEAST one Bucks player...choose your scrub wisely.

Predictions anyone?

Passing disappears from the Warriors vocabulary, again.
Stephen Curry has 6 dimes in 15 minutes off the bench!
Curry trusts himself to shoot more, launching 5 shots and making 4 of them.
Anthony Randolph stays out of foul trouble.
Tom Abdenour demands a trade after the game.

Poll

Who's tonight's Warrior Killer?

RECAP: Warriors 121, Knicks 107 - WESTSIDE til I Die!

2009-11-14T18:16:16Z

I don't get it man. We destroy the Knicks and NELLIE RUMORS ARE STILL POPPING UP? This is ridiculous...

Peep out my #1 brother's take on the whole situation (RUMOR: Golden State Warriors Head Coach Don Nelson on his way out)

Preview/ Game Thread (800+ Comments)

Final Box Score

Blog Buddy: Posting and Toasting

Final - 11.13.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden State Warriors	32	34	20	35	121
New York Knicks	26	26	28	27	107

Complete Coverage >

After seeing this post on SB Nation yesterday, I got a little inspired...

Let's be real - Warriors vs Knicks? Two poor teams that can match 'em to each other? West Coast vs. East Coast? Isn't this a bit reminiscent of...

Stephen Jackson

"With nothing to lose, it's just me against the world."

Me Against the World

The harsh reality in this situation is that no matter what Stephen Jackson does from this point on, no Warriors fan has got his back. He can have a strong performance like last night, 23 points, 8 boards, and 5 steals, but still be hated on (and rightfully so). Mu ch like 2Pac, you don't know what you're going to get outta him. One day, he'll be inspirational and give you a reason to wake up and do something to change this world. The next - he'll throw a temper tantrum and look like a fool. Good work tonight, and here's to hoping if he'll "Hit 'em Up" tonight.

Monta Ellis

"Picture me rollin in my 500 Benz,

I got no love for these n----, there's no need to friends"

Picture Me Rollin

Monta's got the epitome of the - "I don't give a - what you think of me, I'm doin my thing" - attitude. His 22 points will win the game, but the 2 assists, 4 turnovers, and 4 fouls will prove why he's not a PG. Let's be real, he's not making many friends on the team with his selfish play and his lack of desire to do things ("That's why I won't do it. I just won't do it.") But why would he care? He's got a dope moped. Picture Monta rollin!

Nate Robinson

"Sky is the limit and you know you can just keep on

Keep on pressin on"

Sky Is the Limit

Sigh...I feel really really REALLY bad for Nate Rob. The man's got talent, he's fun to watch but he's stuck on THIS team. Yeah yeah, the Dunk Contests are rigged, but they're still awesome. Who knows where he'll end up next year, but I wish the man well. I kinda wished he slammed all over SJax's face...

Donnie Walsh and Isiah Thomas

"Mo Money, Mo Problems."

Mo Money Mo Problems

Sucks to be Donnie Walsh...

Darko Milicic

"Been around the world and I I I
And we been playa hated [say what?]
I don't know and I don't know why
Why they want us faded [ahehe]
I don't know why they hate us [yeah]
Is it our ladies? [uh-huh]
Or our drop Mercedes [uhh, uhh]
Bay-bee bay-BEE!"

Been Around the World

Remember who got drafted after Darko? 3 All Stars. Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade.

How many teams has Darko been on since his first draft team - the Pistons? 3 teams - Magic, Grizzlies, and Knicks.

Been around the world? Been playa hated? Still got a fine lady? Rollin in a Benz?

Kelenna Azubuike

"Soon as I stepped on the scene I'm hearin hooches screamin

Fiendin for money and alcohol

The life of a west side playa where cowards die and it's all ball"

California Love

This man has been ON FIRE. Over the last 3 years, he's grown into his own and you can expect a consistent game from him every night. Pullin down 22 points on 9-13 shooting ain't no joke. Mad props to Booke. I'm sure the ladies love his biceps...

CJ Watson

Who knows when CJ will be on the court long enough to earn one of these, so I'll give the man his moment of praise. CJ played well and was ALL OVER THE COURT. 7-8 shooting and 2-2 three point shooting are amazing stats...kinda makes ya wonder why he's not in more?

I'll follow MTII's Pac quote....

"I know it seems hard sometimes, but

Remember one thing

Through every dark night, there's a bright day after that.

So no matter how hard it gets, stick your chest out

Keep ya head up

And handle it."

Me Against the World

REST IN PEACE TUPAC SHAKUR AND CHRISTOPHER WALLACE

Yahoo! + NBA

CSN Bay Area + Golden State Warriors

Poll

Golden State Of Mind

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Fine-art Friday: The breakup of "We Believe" as a Mike Meezy slow jam. [Fear the Beard] GSoM friend...

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NBA GameTime presented by Hyundai : Johnson, Webber and McHale

Chris Webber called Don Nelson a "player’s coach" earlier this week. Will Nellie be remembered as so after he retires?

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RECAP: Warriors 95, Celtics 109 – 3rd Quarter Collapse

Pick your Warrior Wonder for this game

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RECAP: Warriors 108, Cavaliers 114 - A Victorious Loss

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RUMOR: Monta Ellis wants out of Golden State and Warriors looking to trade him

#8 / Guard / Golden State Warriors

Do you want the Warriors to trade Monta Ellis?

Warriors' Kelenna Azubuike out for the season, C.J. Watson has swine flu [Oakland Tribune]

Talking Trade: Warriors GM Larry Riley + Former Warriors "Captain" Stephen Jackson Videos and More

Will Monta Ellis be the next disgruntled Warrior shipped out?

1st day on the job as a Bobcat. Jax doesn't look too happy! + SB Nation Sports Stream * BREAKING...

Jax to Charlotte: Warriors financial implications

Are the Warriors done dealing?

BREAKING NEWS: Golden State Warriors trade Stephen Jackson + Acie Law to Charlotte Bobcats for Raja Bell + Vladimir Radmanovic

#19 / Guard / Charlotte Bobcats

#10 / Forward / Charlotte Bobcats

#1 / Forward / Golden State Warriors

#2 / Guard / Golden State Warriors

Are you feeling this trade for the Warriors?

RECAP: Warriors 125, Bucks 129 - At least we were entertained...?

Brandon Jennings and Joe Alexander: Summer Glimpse to Fall For-Real

GAME THREAD #9: Warriors @ Bucks - Midwest Revival

Who's tonight's Warrior Killer?

RECAP: Warriors 121, Knicks 107 - WESTSIDE til I Die!

Peep out my #1 brother's take on the whole situation (RUMOR: Golden State Warriors Head Coach Don Nelson on his way out)

Donnie Walsh and Isiah Thomas

Darko Milicic

CJ Watson

REST IN PEACE TUPAC SHAKUR AND CHRISTOPHER WALLACE

Which player is most like 2Pac?