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Your Warriors got slightly rocked.

Box Score

Two teams on a mission met with a resounding crash on Friday night at the Oracle. The Warriors were desperately trying to pad their lead on Denver for the 8th spot in the West, and the Rockets were trying to avoid their 3rd straight loss after an amazing 22 game win streak.

This is what the playoffs in the West will look like this year. The intensity is way up, as evidenced by the techs on Baron and Pietrus, and teams are either coming together or falling apart under the pressure. While the Rockets are most certainly coming together after the devastating loss of Yao, I don’t think this is really a case of the Warriors falling apart - just falling a bit short.

T-Mac. was unstoppable at times despite Jack’s best in-your-face defense, but Houston’s bench both kept them in the game - and won it for them. The Rockets got 33 points from their non-starters, compared to the Warriors’ 6 points from Andris. Bobby Jackson may have won Houston the game with an insane, double clutch three in the fourth, and Carl Landry killed the Dubs with multiple hard drives and rebounds.

Despite what we may tell ourselves about Wright’s potential, Barnes’ toughness, Kaz’s rise, and CJ’s cool-head - this is not a deep team. The main 6 are going to have to get us the win in tough games like this.

The Warriors’ starting five all had great games, but the lack of teamwork made the outcome less than great. Monta put up his usual highlight reel finishes, Peety and Al combined for an outstanding 27 boards - 11 offensive, and Jack was focused on trying to defend McGrady but still managed to put up 15 and dish 5. Baron was able to get his points up (27) but only contributed 4 assists to the team. When Baron is only dishing 4 in 43 minutes something is up. The Boss is banged up physically, and or mentally. The fire is burning low when it needs to be its hottest.

This was a tough way to go into a back-to-back against the evil Lakers on Sunday. To top off the bad news, Denver won as well.

The playoff deck will be re-shuffled come Tuesday, let’s hope we can deal ourselves a good hand.

exclusive postgame audio

Don Nelson

Baron Davis

Stephen Jackson

Your Warriors have finally won in the Staples Center.

Box Score

The Dubs gunned the Clippers down in the first half and absorbed a few blows in the second to earn a win. This is the first win in Staples for the Warriors since March 2004.

Captain Jack bounced back from his horrible shooting night in Sacto with a vengeance. He hit 5-10 of his threes, 3 coming in the first quarter alone. Monta came alive after his own troubled Tuesday performance, awing the Clippers’ crowd and the ESPN announcers with his speed and finishing ability. Baron was able to cruise for once, logging a mere 27 minutes. Pietrus had an outstanding 15 points and 12 rebounds.

It wouldn’t be a Warriors game without a little bit of heart trouble. The Dubs were up by as much as 26 points in the third quarter but the Clippers were able to come back to within 11 in the fourth. Corey Maggette, Al Thorton, and Tim Thomas were able to muscle their way inside at will. If the Clips weren’t converting their drives they were shooting free throws. The small Warriors’ front-court is painfully unable to stop large, quick players like those three. Nelson was forced to insert Monta after watching a Barnes led bench squad fail to score on at least 4 possessions with time running down. All Day responded by going for a perfect 6-6 in the fourth quarter and that kept the game out of reach for L.A.

Wright had a trying 13 minutes playing against Al Thorton. Brandan failed to make a field goal while Horford positively went off. The Clippers’ big rookie finished the game with a team high 24 points, and 13 rebounds in his 44 minutes.

There was a brief, uneventful run for Kosta Perovic and Marco Belinelli at the very end of the game. Marco made a nutty off balance turn around jumper and Kosta looked really tall.

All hail the Sixers - they beat the Nuggets tonight, extending the Warriors’ 8th seed cushion to 2.5 games over Denver.

How you like them road apples?

Box Score

Warriors fans invaded Arco, but they had little to cheer about.

The Kings played hard and well from tip-off to buzzer. Kevin Martin was killing at will, Ron Artest was hitting hard shots and Mikki Moore was obnoxiously excited and effective.

The Warriors never got hot. They shot an appalling 5-27 from beyond the arc and no one beyond Baron and Kaz could get any kind of Mojo working.

The game was neck and neck for the entire first half but you could just feel the lack of fire from the Dubs. Their energy on defense was low and their shooters were cold. Monta was getting torched by Kevin Martin (whom he narrowly beat out for most-improved player last season). There was some chilling news regarding Monta’s brother yesterday that may have contributed to his rough game - but he wasn’t alone in his slump.

There was a general lack of intensity from the starters and regular rotation players. It took a Captain Jack led bench squad with CJ running the point to make a come back run in the fourth, after the starters got into a 23 point hole during the gruesome third quarter. They were able to cut the Kings’ lead to six with 5:35 to go, but that was as close as it got. Nellie put Baron back in an attempt to put them over the top, but he couldn’t buy a bucket and appeared to be checked out mentally.

Brandan Wright did well for himself - 8 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 14 minutes.

The only good news from last night is that both Denver and Dallas lost as well. No playoff position change.

Tonight’s game against the Clippers is the last “easy” one on the schedule for the rest of the month.

exclusive postgame audio

Don Nelson

Stephen Jackson

Kevin Marton

Anthony Johnson

Your Warriors phoned in a win.

Box Score

I watched the game late, late Saturday, and I was distracted by a discussion of the league with a guest who happened to be a Lakers fan. He’s stoked about the Gasol trade, agrees that Kobe is very hard to like, and doesn’t think that the Lake Show can go all the way this season. We got along surprisingly well.

It looked like the Dubs tried to cruise and almost got wrecked, nothing new - and since they did get the win - nothing to really worry about (right?). Baron is still our engine and he had a bad first half. When the game was on the line he was able to come in and save the team’s bacon with a big jump shot to maintain the lead with just over a minute left.  

The most glaring sign of undermotivation has to be the turnovers. The Warriors turned the ball over 20 times compared to 14 from Memphis. Our big three of Baron, Jack, and Monta accounted for 12. Everyone looked sloppy and unfocused. 

Nellie obviously wanted to sit his starters early and let CJ and Kaz run the guard shift but things kept getting too tight and Baron was thrown back into the rotation to do his thing.

Some days this team looks like world-beaters, sometimes they look like they can’t wait to get home and take a nap. I think the Nelson quote below sums up the situation well (from the AP):

“There are no bad teams in the NBA. There isn’t anybody we can’t beat and there isn’t anybody that can’t beat us on any given night. We didn’t look much like an eighth-place team tonight, but we remain there. We’re going to have to play a lot better than we played tonight and I know we will.” 

Their eyebrows may be a bit singed but the team didn’t get burned.

The game against the Kings on Tuesday might be a battle. Sacto is playing for pride at this point in the season, and it’s working. They’ve won 3 of their last 4, beating both the Lakers, and the Blazers.  

Your upstart Warriors got taught a lesson in Phoenix.

Box Score

Early on it looked as if the Dubs were going to run right over the Suns. The swarming team defense forced Phoenix into nine first half turnovers and provided a stream of easy points on the break. Shaq’s first contributions were a missed shot, and a turnover. He hit the bench early.

Shaq’s later appearances were equally brief and awkward. He ended the game with 9 points, 4 rebounds, 3 turnovers, and 5 fouls in just over 14 minutes. Monta thrived in the scattered style and was able to consistently get to the rim for a bucket or a foul. The threes were dropping from Baron and the frustrated Suns earned two technicals for arguing calls. It looked good for the Warriors. They were keeping their defenders on their heels and were in their heads on defense.

Everything changed in the second half.

Amare and Nash erased the Warriors’ five point lead with their first two possessions after the half, and the Suns started clicking. Shaq hit the bench for good halfway through the third after earning his 5th foul, then adding a technical in for good measure. With Shaq out of the way the lane opened up and the Suns reverted to what they do best - running and gunning.

Amare Stoudemire feasted on Al and Jack in the paint and Nash was able to dribble through the open space, attract attention, and find an open shooter or cutter. Barbosa and Bell got into rhythm and the Suns were up by nine going into the fourth.

The end of the game was like a Steve Nash highlight reel. He started looking for his own shot and scored eight points in a little over a minute. The Suns game is beautiful to behold when they get rolling. I could only sit back and shake my head as they completely reversed the momentum and out maneuvered the Dubs handily. Baron did his best to keep the game within reach, but there was no stopping the Phoenix machine.

There was a noticeable lack of defensive pressure from the Warriors in the second half. After being so successful in getting the Suns to turn the ball over early in the game, everyone seemed to forget to go for steals in the third and fourth quarters. Perhaps it was due to tired legs after the Raptors game the night before, but it was a shame to see them lose that hungry intensity after appearing to be in control for the first two quarters.

Still holding on to the 8th seed, two games ahead of the Nuggets.

This loss makes the next three games against the Grizzlies, Kings, and Clippers all that more important. Those are the last three lower level opponents that the Warriors will see in March.

Pietrus has been outstanding since the trade deadline. He’s stuck to what he’s good at and has contributed valuable energy on defense and rebounding. After being completely written off as incompetent by many fans and pundits, the goof went and redeemed himself. Here comes the sympathetic press - Scott Ostler wrote a nice piece about Peety’s history:

Pietrus grew up on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. His mother, who worked for the governor, died of cancer when Pietrus was 9, leaving nine kids (her own seven and two cousins) parentless. They were taken in by Mickael’s grandmother.

Mickael’s oldest brother, Ronnie Coco, went to France and became a basketball star. Mickael didn’t play basketball until he was about 14, and then only as a casual pastime, along with tennis and swimming. But when Mickael was 16, Ronnie brought Mickael and his brother Florent to France to go to school and play ball.

Mickael learned fast, signed a pro contract at 17, and by 21, he was in the NBA, with the Warriors.

Coming into the current season the Warriors were considered the Suns lite - a less refined version of the thrilling Phoenix squad. With the big Shaq trade, and the Warriors’ team identity solidifying, the most-entertaining torch appears to have been passed to Oakland. Marcel Mutoni from SLAM online digs the scene:  

There was a time, not too long ago, when a Warriors/Suns matchup was one of the most highly anticipated events in all of sports. A crazy mix of dunks, conscious-less three pointers, fast breaks, scintillating one-on-one plays, and total disregard for defense.

Basically, it was a sugar rush for the basketball viewing public, and we couldn’t get enough.

Today, you could say that things are slightly different.

The Warriors are the same team from last season (loose, care-free, and winning); Phoenix, though, has made one big significant change: With varying success, the Suns are experimenting with a strange combo of slow-it-down halfcourt execution and reckless fastbreak action (when Shaq takes a breather).

Tonight, in Phoenix, the Suns host the team that snatched their crown as the League’s funnest squad to watch. It’s safe to say that, should the Warriors have their way, things will get hectic out there. Try and keep up, Diesel.

The questions regarding the wisdom of the Shaq trade still linger for Phoenix. The question of what to do in the situation below requires no deliberation.

Your Warriors won their last regular season battle against the East in typically dramatic fashion.

Box Score

The Dubs ran circles around the Raps in the first quarter. Monta and Peety took turns scoring on a stiff looking Toronto squad while Baron was content to lay in the cut and look for open teammates. The Raptors were without their superstar, Chris Bosh, and it exposed their soft middle. The basket was wide open for drives and the Warriors took advantage, going up by 18 points at the end of one.

Toronto bounced back nicely behind endless made jump shots from the entire roster. Both members of their interchangeable point guard pod - Jose Calderon and TJ Ford - took turns making probing forays into the paint before passing out to a shooter or scoring on their own. Ford in particular looked like he was out for his and ended the game with 23 points and 8 assists. The Warriors got caught up hefting unsuccessful threes and the Raptors kept chipping away until they actually took a 1-point lead (96-95) with 6 minutes left in the game.

With a very important game in danger of slipping away in the final minutes Baron finally took over. After getting down by 1 the Warriors went on a 22-10 tear against the Raps, with Baron having a hand in all but 5 of those points.

Final 6 minutes of offfense from the Dubs:

• Monta layup - assist Baron
• Andris layup - assist Baron
• Pietrus layup - assist Baron
• Monta layup - assist Pietrus
• Jack step back jumper
• Andris layup - assist Baron
• Jack three - assist Baron
• Baron step back jumper
• Baron layup
• Baron three

That’s some captivatin’ Captainatin’ I tell you what. The first quarter was a bit of a youth movement, with Monta stealing the show. With the game on the line in the fourth it was all Boom.

Despite losing the large lead I liked the energy from the Dubs. The defense was active, forcing 16 turnovers (TOR averages 11), and all of the starters contributed double digit scoring. Monta put up yet another sick line - 33 points (14-19!), 6 boards, and 4 assists. Baron dished 15. Pietrus had another excellent showing despite some foul trouble - 14 points, 8 boards. Matt Barnes came in to do some dirty work and ended up with 7 boards (3 offensive).

40 wins and it’s all West from here on out. It’s the new look Suns tonight on TNT, Go Warriors!

exclusive postgame audio

Monta Ellis

Baron Davis

Andris speaks on surgery, Vegas, his love of magic and cats, and his bff Zarko:

And then I went to the animal show. This guy, Gregory Popovich, he has his own show where he teaches cats to do crazy stuff. I had a cat when I was back home and I love cats, so the show was really cool. The cats were standing on two legs pushing carts and walking on the tall stilts, it was crazy stuff. It was ridiculous. He has 16 cats on the stage and every cat he had taught something. It was funny.

Tim Kawakami has an extended Q&A with Nellie, Baron, and Jack about the Warriors’ picking up Nelson’s option and a bunch of other team biz:

 -Q: Will you talk to Baron about this?

-NELSON: I’m going to talk to Baron and Jack for sure. I won’t talk to everybody because some of them are mad at me and I know they’d say, ‘Why don’t you get out!’ It might sound good to them, too.There’s a few people that we’re building around and I think I already know their answer, but it’s important that we’re all on the same page.

Jeff Wong wrote on why the Raptors should be scurred of Monta, and he enlisted a squad of the best local bloggers to break down All Day’s game:

History smacks Raptors fans upside the head with this fact: our Raps have trouble defending athletic wing players. And few are as athletic and wingy as tonight’s opponent, Monta Ellis (a.k.a. “The Mississippi Bullet”) of the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors announced today that they want Don Nelson back on the bench next season. They exercised an option on his contract that would facilitate a third season for Nellie, in his second stint as coach of the Warriors.

The only problem is that Nellie is non-committal about whether he wants to be back for another 82 games plus playoff grind.

“We’ll (Don and his wife Joy) have to reflect on it,” said Nellie. “It’s never a good time to make a decision at this time of year. It’s a very nice gesture on their part.“

You may recall a similar saga that played out before the start of this season, where Nelson held out until the Warriors relented and offered him a bump from $3 million with incentives to $5 million guaranteed per season to coach the squad.

The Warriors, in exchange for the guaranteed money, decided to hold an option for Nellie on next season. Now that they’ve exercised it, the ball is once again back in Nellie’s court.

For the sake of everyone - fans, the boys and the organization at large - let’s hope he’s back after a prolonged run in the playoffs.