Posts tagged ‘al harrington’

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) — In the midst of their annual circus trip, the Chicago Bulls finally won a road game.

All five Bulls starters scored in double figures, led by former Warrior Larry Hughes with 26 points, as Chicago claimed a 115-110 win over the Golden State Warriors on Friday night - their first victory away from home in six tries.

“For us they’re all big, especially from the standpoint of all of our injuries we’re trying to deal with,” Chicago coach Vinny Del Negro said. “The last two games, with the length of L.A. (Lakers) and the length of Portland, really gave us a lot of trouble and to come in here a little bit shorthanded and find a way to win, it’s a great compliment to the players.”

Derrick Rose took control in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 of his 25 points in the final frame.

“We really needed this one. We thought we could come in here and compete against them and that’s what we did,” Rose said. “I had to shoot and that’s what I did, I stopped thinking about what I did and reacted to it.”

But while the star rookie carried the team, his teammates had to hang on without him.

Rose left the floor late in the fourth with an undisclosed injury after landing awkwardly under the basket with less than two minutes to play.

“It happened when Corey Maggette drove to the hole, and knocked Larry out of the way and kneed me in my hip,” Rose said. “Man, it was a sharp pain that was there for a long time, but I’m all right now. I’ve just got to ice it and massage it tomorrow.”

The Bulls were already shorthanded, as Luol Deng is out with a sore left groin and Kirk Hinrich is out three months with a torn thumb ligament.

Chicago improved to 1-5 on the road on its season-long, seven-game trip as the circus occupies its home at the United Center.

“We were a little shorthanded without Luol, Kirk and the list goes on, but Larry gave us a big boost and so did everybody,” Del Negro said. “Derrick obviously had a fantastic second half, really took control of the game, I talked about that with him at halftime and he really performed well. For us to bounce back the way we did, after the last couple of games, I’m really happy for our guys.”

The Warriors failed to increase their winning streak to three games despite a season-high 32 points from Stephen Jackson. Corey Maggette added 24 points and center Andris Biedrins had 23 and 10 rebounds.

“I think overall our team played really well, we played hard,” Maggette said. “We did a lot of good things to give us the opportunity to win the game. The young guy, Derrick Rose … made some big plays. We’ve just got to learn from this and we’ve got some big games ahead of us on the road.”

The Warriors made big news before the game when they traded disgruntled forward Al Harrington to the Knicks in exchange for veteran guard Jamal Crawford. Crawford will join the club when it heads to the East Coast for a five-game trip. In fact, Golden State is on the road for seven of its next eight games.

“The good thing about him is he’s a veteran, he’s been around for a while,” Warriors guard Stephen Jackson said. “He’s a great scorer and, in our system, it will be good for him. It will be good to see what he can do and it will be good for me to get back to my natural position because he can play the point and handle the ball.”

Hughes tied the game at 90-90 with 10:20 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Bulls went up by four after a left handed running layup by Lindsay Hunter with 8:42 remaining. Hunter nailed a 3-pointer with 6:48 remaining to push the lead to 101-95.

The lead was up to eight points after Rose’s one-handed dunk two minutes later.

Jackson completed a three-point play to pull Golden State to within five at the 4:49 mark.

It was only a three-point game after Andris Biedrins’ tip-in, but Rose quieted the crowd moments later with a baseline jumper to regain a five-point edge, 109-104.

“I knew I could hit the shots,” Rose said. “They were giving it to me and my teammates wanted me to shoot the ball and that’s what I did.”

With just under 30 seconds remaining and the Bulls leading by three, Chicago guard Ben Gordon committed an offensive foul on Randolph. The 6-10 rookie had a chance to make it a one-point game, but he blew a wide-open dunk and that was the ballgame.

Drew Gooden collected 18 points and 16 boards for the Bulls while Gordon added 13 points.

“This was a game that could’ve took our confidence, could have been a big blow to our trip,” Gooden said. “We gained some confidence back and we’re ready for our next opponent. It’s tough but we’ve got to do it. We feel like, home or away, the game of basketball is still played the same.”

Next game: At Philadelphia, November 23

The Warriors have lost two straight to the Bulls but overall
have won eight of their last 10 meetings. … Friday’s game
marked the sixth time Golden State has scored 110 or more points
this season. … Although they shot 49 percent from the field,
the Warriors fell to 4-1 when shooting 45 percent or better. …
G-F Stephen Jackson scored a season-high 32 points. His 14
first-quarter and 18 first-half points are both season highs for
the Warriors. … Jackson has scored at least 20 in three
straight games and eight times this season. … C Andris
Biedrins has 11 double-doubles in 12 games after collecting 23
points and 10 rebounds. … G Anthony Randolph had 10 points,
nine assists and four blocks off the bench. The assists and
blocks are both career-highs.

Some news of note before opening night vs. Hornets…

* Al Harrington wants out. According to a report by Tim Kawakami, Al doesn’t feel he’s being used properly by Nellie and is seeking a trade. In fact, he’s wanted out since the end of last year. It’s a shame because Al is one of the real good guys in the locker room.

But will the Warriors bite?

Well, if there’s a way to fill a need by trading Al, I’m certain Mullie would do it. But Kirk Henrich of the Bulls (whose name has been associated w/ Al during the summer) probably isn’t the answer. My guess is Nellie and Al will work things out and Harrington will be a key 6th man once Monta is back.

* Nellie will be back — and for a few more years! I make no bones about being a Nellie supporter. He’s the best thing that’s happened to this franchise, and that spans two decades.

The two year extension he signed today is worth about $12 million, with some of that money deferred.

Nelson has the second most coaching wins in NBA history and will now be assured to break Lenny Wilkens record sometime over the next two years — barring anything unforeseen.

We all want to see what Nellie himself wants - “an ass-kicking veteran team that would have a chance to win a title.” And we now may get to see that during the course of this contract.

* Who said Nellie hates rookies? DeMarcus Nelson will get the opening-night start at point guard. That’s big news since the Duke rookie was a undrafted free agent, who was not even likely to make the squad. But C.J. Watson’s injury opened the door and little Nelson walked right through it. It’s his time to shine before Mr. Ellis comes back.

* Speaking of C.J. Watson, he is on the opening night roster, in spite of having a torn elbow ligament. He received permission from the NBA to wear a brace and is available for action. Unfortunately, I have a distinct feeling he’ll be a shell of the scorer he is until the ligament fully heals. It’s a shame because he’s a real success story. Here’s hoping C.J. gets healthy in a real hurry.

* Last but not least, Monta filed a grievance with the league with regard to his contract status — and for good reason. The W’s suspended Ellis for 30 games, which will cost the young guard roughly $3 million in salary, but they also want to reserve the right to terminate his contract should Monta not fully recover.

That’s double jeopardy by most measures. Hopefully, a NBA arbitrator can solve this mess before we have another Chris Webber mess on our hands. Warriors President Robert Rowell seems to be the point man on this decision. And if there’s not more than meets the eye, he certainly deserves the flack he’s been receiving. Terminate him or suspend him, but there’s no need to do both.

Here’s a statement from Monta, via his agent:

“To My Community, Friends and Fans:

I want to thank you very much for your continued support and encouragement. While management and I do not agree on their actions, I want to be clear that my injury is based on my mistake in judgment. And I always accept responsibility for my actions.

The Bay area has become home to me and I love everything about this community. I see the kids wearing Number 8 in the arena and around the Bay area and it always brings a big smile to my face and a sense of pride and responsibility. I accept that role because there were people in my life that made a difference during my childhood and into my adult life.

It means a lot to me to be an NBA player, and something that I have worked hard my entire to life to achieve. I also take seriously the impact that some of my actions have on others, and particularly our youth. I am working very hard to get back on the court and help my teammates and coaches win many games and recreate the playoff atmosphere of 2007. We were as excited on the court as the fans in the stands, and I will continue to work hard to make you proud of the Warriors.

Thank you for becoming such a special part of my life.

Warmly, Monta”

Will the Dubs get off to a fast start this season? You tell us…

And look for our season-opening podcast with Adam to come this weekend!

Your Warriors still got game.

Box Score

Highest scoring game of the season, nice.

The Warriors took a 6-0 lead early, and never got behind for the rest of the game. The Kings stuck within striking distance behind inspired offensive efforts by John Salmons (22 points, 6 rebounds), Francisco Garcia (31 points), and the ruthlessly efficient Kevin Martin (29 points, 7 rebounds). Ron Artest was in a suit, providing nothing but uncomfortable gesticulations from the bench.

Monta, Baron, and Beans led the Dubs in this fast paced win.

Boom had his best night in months, putting up 33 points and dishing 9 dimes. He played a team high 42 minutes and was focused on the win.

Monta played a brilliant 34 minutes, putting up 16 points and dishing 7 assists.

Andris was incredibly active, picking up a game high 17 rebounds and converting quick thinking plays down low.

Al continued to look strong, focusing on power plays in the paint and putting in good work on the boards.

Watching the development of Kevin Martin and Monta Ellis is a gift from the NBA gods. Martin is more refined, and is already a team leader, but Monta’s explosiveness and creativity is unparalleled.

The obvious down side of the game for the Warriors was the lack of defensive focus. With the exception of the first minute-and-a-half of the game, during which Al and Baron stole the ball 4 times, the Kings’ main challenge was deciding whether to drive, or shoot the jumper. Mikki Moore (who dropped 19 and 10 on us in March) was mercifully silenced early on, picking up quick fouls and a tech in the first. I think we’re all better off seeing less of those ridiculous predator dreads on the court.

CJ Watson got a good run in the second half when Nellie sat Monta. Watson wasn’t nearly as explosive as All Day, but he fought hard for a couple of offensive rebounds and was the only Dub able to slow Kevin Martin down all night.

Pietrus returned to the squad in a fairly triumphant fashion. He brought a much needed spark to the building during a second half lull with two emphatic blocks and a gorgeous put back slam. He also reminded us that he’s still the same Peety with one of his patented traveling calls from the corner.

The stage is set for the 8th seed showdown against the Nuggets on Thursday. I’m too nervous and scattered to make any predictions beyond some random Barkley hateration. Make sure to set your DVRs/TIVOs/Alarm Clocks up ahead of time because tip-off is at 5:00 on TNT.

GO WARRIORS!

exclusive postgame audio

Baron Davis

Stephen Jackson

Al Harrington

Your Warriors ain’t dead yet.

Box Score

With some smart early play by Jack and Baron, and not a little bit of help from a dismal looking Griz squad, the Dubs’ youth movement got its most extended run of the season.

It’s all about perspective. If you were as down as I was on the team after the turrable Texas trouncings, this game should help. If we end up just outside of the playoffs this season at least we’ll have Monta, Brandan, Andris, and some combination of Marco, CJ, and Kaz to look forward to in the future. Grizzlies fans will have Rudy Gay, Mike Miller, draft picks and…..fantasizing about getting Darko off of their team. Pecking order you see, it’s all about finding someone worse off than you and making yourself feel better about your lot at their expense.

All Warriors all game.

Andris had 14 points and 12 rebounds by the end of the second quarter and BoomJack had already combined for 11 assists. The greybeards were obviously focused on moving the ball and Beans was the focal point on offense early on, running tight pick-and-rolls and boarding like mad. Andris finished the game with 21 points & 17 rebounds.

Kaz got another start, and his 40 minutes was the longest stretch on the team. He quietly went about his business, grabbing 10 boards and draining 3-5 threes. With Matt Barnes’ game on life support, Kelenna has really done well to fill the dirty work gap.

Marco Belinelli unexpectedly entered the game for Monta with a minute and a half left in the first, and stayed in for another 21 exciting minutes. In his post game interview he mentioned that Nellie told him to be ready to guard Juan Carlos Navarro, meaning that coach planned this whole circus out. It’s a bit frustrating to see Nelson start gambling with young player development this late in the season, but the results were hard to second guess. After floundering into two turnovers on his first two possessions, Marco shook off the jitters and got his summer league on. He was darting to open spots on the floor off of screens and blasting away with off balance jumpers from all over the court. 13 points on 6-11 shooting with 1 three.

CJ Watson also got a chance to get some licks in, running the point for the last six and a half minutes of the game. He racked up his 9 points in four minutes, going 4-4 with one three.

Brandan Wright’s go-go-gadget arms got 20 minutes of action and excelled against the unmotivated, soft Grizzlies front court. He looked smooth and silly skinny, getting two blocks.

Al looked like junk. He repeatedly tried to force his own shot in the paint, only to get rejected or brick it off the front of the rim. His thumb is wrapped and it seems to be completely throwing him off of his game.

Barnes once again made his presence felt via pain. He blatently shoved Kyle Lowry off of him during an out-of-bounds play in the fourth, earning yet another flagrant - and a suspension for the NO game on Sunday due to cumulative flagrant foul points. Frustration and pain are ruining Matt’s game, it’s a really sad turn of events for a player most of us want to see stick around and do well with the Warriors.

Oh yeah, Monta. The kid cruised through the game, looking like he was playing in high school again. He was a bit sloppy with the ball, picking up 4 turnovers, but was also opportunistic against the sloppy Grizzlies, picking up 4 steals. Mellow 19 points for All Day.

Conventional wisdom tells us that the extended rest for Baron and Jack is a positive sign for the Dubs’ chances against the Hornets on Sunday. The problem is that the Warriors repeatedly tell conventional wisdom to shove it. It’s an early one, 10 am local time on ABC so turn on, tune in and hold on.

PS: Dallas lost to the Lakers…damn I hate being happy about a Lakers’ win.

It appears that Al Harrington, a NJ native and a big NY Giants fan, had to give up his prime Super Bowl tickets due to Webber’s last minute mini-camp. He may be giving up some more minutes to the new old kid as well.

From the Chronicle article by Janny Hu:

Again, it’s Harrington who figures to make the biggest adjustment - not the least of which was selling his 50-yard-line tickets to Sunday’s Super Bowl when Nelson re-instated practice after Webber’s arrival.

In a recent KNBR interview, Brandan Wright claims Al never brought up missing the big game in practice, but that had to have hurt a bit. I can’t imagine that Al’s too nonplussed about the hypothetical minute reduction as it seems only Baron, Stephen and Monta are consistent starters.

The rest of the league is buzzing about Gasol’s debut with the Lakers and collectively scratching their heads about the possible Shaq Diesel trade. Meanwhile we’re all sitting on our hands waiting for Nellie’s grand experiment to be unveiled tomorrow night against the Bulls.

The second Webber era is almost upon us.

The Warriors faced another limping squad on a losing streak and kept it way too close for comfort.

Box Score

Postgame Audio Clips:

Baron Davis

Monta Ellis

Al Harrington

Don Nelson

I’m going to need a big ol’ bottle of Valium if the Dubs are going to keep this tightrope act up.

Monta Ellis scored a career-high 39 points, Baron Davis got a big triple-double and Al Harrington went crazy stupid dumb hot in the fourth quarter. But the Warriors are lucky they won this game. They played no inside defense, gave up 23 offensive rebounds and completely phoned in the third quarter.

Only the steady hand of Monta Ellis and some absolutely horseshoe-up-the-rear-end good shooting by Al kept the Warriors from serving up their second steaming pile of last minute defeat in a row.
Highlights: Baron dancing on Kidd with a behind-the-back fake to a between-the-legs dribble into a step-back jumper. Monta Ellis getting compared to Dwyane Wade on TNT. Al Harrington hitting 4 threes and the Warriors reeling off 22 unanswered points to start the fourth quarter.

Lowlights: Listening to Reggie Miller drain all the joy and mojo from Marvelous Marv Albert’s announcing. Nets players waltzing to the rim on almost every offensive position. The unveiling of the ridiculous Hack-A-Boone strategy. The Hack-A-Boone strategy failing miserably. Squandering a 13 point lead and massive momentum in the fourth quarter to eek out a win at home against a struggling team.
The Nets ran a lay-up line through the Warriors’ fluffy bunny defense all game long. Only their own inability to consistently finish at the rim or shoot the ball kept them from winning this thing.
Jason Kidd had an off night and he and Al Jefferson missed wide open fourth quarter threes that would have put them up late. Vince Carter (understandably) dismantled Baron for most of the game and Josh Boone of the unfortunate braids and facial hair dropped 21 points and seventeen rebounds on the Dubs.
Monta Ellis ruled the school in the first and fourth quarters. He scored 12 of the Warriors’ 33 points in the first and allowed them to hold on to the win with his perfect free-throw shooting in the fourth. Not only has Monta become the most consistent player on offense for this team, he was all the offense for portions of this game.

Such is the curse of expectations. Rather than be happy that our Dubs pulled out an exciting win on national television, I’m ranting and raving about how they almost lost.

Thank you Monta, thank you Al, thank you Baron and most importantly thank you Nets for being slightly worse than the Warriors tonight.

A couple of days rest and then the Knicks come a knockin’ on Sunday.