POSTGAME: RAPTORS - 10/31/08

Golden State falters down the stretch once more as Toronto prevails in OT - Janny Hu
Warriors' offense stalls in overtime - Marcus Thompson II
Nellie's big lineup effective, but maybe Marcus Williams could help bring it home - Matt Steinmetz
Andrea Bargnani sparkles in Toronto's 112-108 win over Golden State - The Canadian Press
Thoughts on Game No. 2: Raptors 112, Warriors 108 (OT)- Geoff Lepper

Box Score
Don Nelson's postgame comments

MVW: Al Harrington

The Good
Al Harrington: 46 min, 6-12 3pt, 11 reb, 3 ast, 26 pts
Andris Biedrins: 46 min, 8-13 fg, 13 reb, 1 blk, 2 pf, 17 pts
Kelenna Azubuike: 22 min, 6-11 fg, 2-2 ft, 4 ast, 15 pts
Stephen Jackson: 45 min, 4-11 3pt, 7 reb, 5 ast, 26 pts
Corey Maggette: 44 min, 8 reb, 3 ast, 14 pts
Ronny Turiaf: 33 min, 5 reb, 5 blk

The Bad
Stephen Jackson: 45 min, 7-20 fg, 6 pf, 5 to

The Ugly
Corey Maggette: 44 min, 4-15 fg, 5 to

Best and Worst +/-
Ronny Turiaf: +9
Stephen Jackson: -9

Team Statistics
Warriors : Raptors
pts - 108 : 112
fg - 42-83 (.447) : 40-78 (.513)
ft - 13-19 (.684) : 26-30 (.867)
3p - 11-29 (.379) : 6-12 (.500)
reb - 46 : 36
oreb - 17 : 6
ast - 20 : 24
to - 18 : 13
stl - 6 : 9
bs - 6 : 9
fast break pts - 10 : 6
pts in paint - 50 : 36


Notes

1. 2nd game facing a very good opponent and in both cases, the Warriors were in position to pull out a victory; poor execution and clock management contributed to their demise; We'll see how they do vs. an opponent they are supposed to beat...the Nets. This will tell us if the Warriors play to their competition's level or if they really are as good as they've looked
2. Vets overworked once again contributing to the poor execution down the stretch; Don Nelson must adjust his philosophy. He's going to wear out his vets the 1st month of the season if he doesn't
   
3. Our bigs showed they could probably hang with most front court tandems in the league.
   
4. Biedrins gone to early and often; outplayed O'Neil; should have been used more down the stretch; run some plays for him
   
5. Nelson hits the 20 footer from straight away then doesn't make another basket; no sign of Marcus Williams
   
6. Nice fast break with a pinpoint pass by Maggette to a hustling Biedrins. Reward the big man.
7. Solid defense verses star big men - good team rebounding - crashing the boards. Bosh is incredible
   
8. Maggette rebounding and assisting - more than just a scorer!
9. Jackson with some terrible passes early and careless turnovers
   
10. Nelson and Harrington got worked on the pick and roll; still developing chemistry
    
11. Brandan Wright in early 2:56 left in the 1st but not used much.
12. Watson is first PG off the bench
13. Roko Leni Ukic - I remember him; drafted one spot after Monta Ellis
    
14. Bargnani would be a perfect Nellie ball big - 3 pt range and a lot more aggressive (new mind-set)
    
15. Biedrins missing some close ones; only two fouls - should have used them up down the stretch, especially to slow down Bosh
    
16. Wright is a vastly improved shooter from the free throw - good locating open players, bothers shots with his length - stands flat footed and arms straight up and still alters shots
    
17. Bargnani with nice post up, looks like Dirk - great 6th man
    
18. An injured Watson shooting with the brace playing over Marcus Williams means Williams might suffer the same fate as Patrick O'Bryant after his team option was not picked up; we won't see Williams unless there is an injury or if the Warriors are involved in a blowout win/loss.
    
19. SJax and Kappono going at it; Jax plays heavy minutes once again; fades down the stretch once again; will Nellie learn and adjust?; Jax is our PG, Williams is our only true PG but is deep in the doghouse.
20. Great to see Turiaf and Biedrins playing out there at the same time; the traditional lineup and his defense enabled the Warriors to get back into the game
    
21. Raptors can shoot the lights out; 51.3% shooting with plenty of jumpers
    
22. Harrington's stock went up a tad with the good shooting and rebound; the better he plays the more the Warriors get in trade - they should continue to showcase him but also work in the likes of Wright and Randolph into the game; fresh players lead to better execution down the stretch
    
23. Nelly needed some threes in overtime, but Belinelli was never allowed to enter the game; they were fouling to stretch the game, so no need for lockdown defensive personnel
24. Perhaps working Marcus Williams into the game could help them find a player that could close out games and make good decisions.
    
25. Warriors reverted to Lazy Offense with their quick contested 3 pointers (29 attempts)
    

Raptors vs. Warriors - Highlights 30.10.2008
From: ItheCapo



Next Game
Sat. Nov. 1 @ New Jersey 4:30 PM
No Local TV
Radio KNBR 680

NELLIE'S ACHILLIES HEEL

Today, the Warriors practically gave up on Marcus Williams by not picking up his option for next season - essentially making him an unrestricted free agent, good for no more than expiring contract. Because of Mullin's lame duck status and Don Nelson's public disdain for Williams, it's obvious that the decision to decline Williams' option for next season was predominately Nellie's doing. The Warriors essentially threw away a future 1st round draft pick or two 2nd round draft picks. Unless they could get something of use for him before the Feb. 2009 trade deadline, it's a complete waste.

What's odd about the months leading up to this big decision was that Marcus Williams did not get much playing time to be adequately evaluated on whether or not he could actually make it work with the Warriors in the long run. True, he did not look impressive early in training camp, but as reported by multiple sources and players, and Marcus Williams himself, he was starting to 'get it.' While C.J. Watson and DeMarcus Nelson got ample playing time (22.8 mpg and 21.8 mpg respectively) to get into the flow of the game and find their rhythm, Williams only received cameo appearances (13.5 mpg) and a couple of DNP's. Isn't the purpose of Preseason to find out where players stand in real game situations? It wasn't until the open practice on Oct. 26 that he was allowed to play extensive minutes, and by all accounts, he had his best game and showed that he could be a viable (and the possibly best) option at PG until Monta Ellis returns. Many thought so....except Nellie.

Nellie's Achilles Heel is his inability to work with players who don't meet his emotional intelligence quota. You have to have a soldier's mentality with a tough, aggressive, yet humble personality to stay on Nellie's good side. Even if someone has talent and lots of potential, he won't give you the time of day, particularly if you are SUPPOSED to be a very good player and don't live up to his expectations early on. He'll build up or rely on a clearly inferior player just to emphasize his disdain for that player. It's as if he needs to humiliate players to prove that it's his way or the highway - GET IT NOW AND I CAN'T WAIT ON YOU!!! This could and has ended up hurting the team in several instances, particularly when it comes to rotation depth, wasted free agent pickups, undermining traded values, under-utilization of assets, and a growing reputation among free agents and their representation as a place that might not be such a great destination.

If you're a proven talent that has emotional flaws and a less than ideal work ethic, you still have a chance with Nellie - if not ... "adios - no on-court development for you - we'll use you when we're good and ready." Problem is, as these players continue to sit on the bench, relationships get strained and rifts between coach and player could reach a point of no return. That's why it is important to have great assistant coaches and supporting staff to mitigate the damage and ideally, it is important that Nellie consider playing underutilized talent that needs nurturing and development more often (particularly when veterans need rest, when the team has a comfortable lead, match-ups allow, or they are facing a vastly inferior opponent.

Don Nelson keeps saying he'll play the young guys that matter to the Warrior's future (Wright, Belinelli, Randolph) but I'll believe it when I see it on a consistent basis. Perhaps it won't come until we are in full tank mode. But then again, it might not come at all if he's hell bent on breaking the wins record ASAP so he could go off and retire yet again.

You take the good with the bad and with Nelson, there is a lot more good than bad. He commands respect, has made the Warriors relevant, and is the only person that brings credibility to this bumbling franchise that is quickly reverting to the 'suck' of the past 14 years. Nelson's a wonderful teacher and his win-loss record speaks for itself. He may be too set in his ways to change, but if he wants to become an even better coach, he'll need to do some serious self-evaluation and be more attune to the damage that he could be doing to some players or to the future of the franchise. All it takes is more patience, trust, understanding, and an open mind geared towards a better future for all stakeholders. Not all players will have the ideal mentality that coach Nelson feels comfortable with, but it's his responsibility to extract the good, change the bad habits, and give it some time to work. Don't let an asset go to waste. At the very least, showcase the asset for trade purposes and try to get something of value in return.


Marcus Williams Mix by Patrys15



Practice Interviews - 10/20/08
From: GoldenStateWarriors

POSTGAME: HORNETS - 10/29/08

Paul’s poise saves Hornets in 108-103 win - AP
Warriors turn into scrappy overachievers - Monte Poole
Hornets open with victory on the road - The Times-Picayune
Warriors Show Signs of Life, Use 7-Man Rotation While Leaving Youngsters on the Bench - The Sporting Blog
The Post Up: Hornets Hang On - Slam Online
WARRIORS' OPENER Close loss shows grit but no glitz - Janny Hu
Orientation (Warriors 103, Hornets 108) - Adam Lauridsen
Captain Jack got tired playing 48 minutes for Warriors - Janny Hu

Box Score
Highlights



MVW: Corey Maggette

The Good
Corey Maggette: 39 min, 8-11 fg, 2-4 3pt, 9-10 ft, 8 reb, 27 pts
Stephen Jackson: 48 min, 5 ast, 2 stl, 26 pts
Andris Biedrins: 29 min, 5-8 fg, 12 reb, 14 pts
Kelenna Azubuike: 43 min, 6-14 fg, 5-6 ft, 3 stl, 17 pts
Ronny Turiaf: 24 min, 4 reb, 3 ast, 4 blk
Al Harrington: 42 min, 2-4 3pt, 7 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl

The Bad
Stephen Jackson: 48 min, 5 to
Ronny Turiaf: 24 min, 0 pts

The Ugly
Al Harrington: 42 min, 5-17 fg

Best and Worst +/-
Corey Maggette: +3
Andris Biedrins: +2
Ronny Turiaf: -9
DeMarcus Nelson: -12

Team Statistics
Warriors : Hornets
pts - 103 : 108
fg - 36-83 (.434) : 41-82 (.500)
ft - 22-32 (.688) : 19-27 (.704)
3p - 9-23 (.391) : 7-17 (.412)
reb - 39 : 42
oreb - 11 : 8
ast - 18 : 23
to - 13 : 13
stl - 10 : 8
bs - 5 : 6
fast break pts - 12 : 11
pts in paint - 45 : 40


Notes

1. Surprisingly entertaining. If the Warriors could continue to over-achieve and play scrappy, guttsy, inspired basketball, I could care less about the record - just as long as we suck enough to draft Ricky Rubio or land one of the top picks. A little short-term pain leads to much long-term gain (and more profits).
2. Good defense vs. one of the best teams in the NBA
3. Biedrins in foul trouble hurt them the most. We could have used his solid execution down the stretch.
   
4. Jackson played every single minute; it was clear fatigue was a factor at the end; this cannont be a pattern if the Warriors truly want to have a shot at the playoffs
   
5. Harrington was horrible as a volume shooter and missed with a wide open 3 that could have sent the game into overtime.
   
6. Azubuike was impressive - he has taken his game to another level. Amazing how some people did not want the Warriors to match the Clippers' offer.
   
7. Corey Maggette was at his best, getting to the line and converting. Very efficient as usual. Good help on the boards.
8. DeMarcus Nelson as our starting PG reflects a dissappointing state of affairs. I appreciate his energy and heart, but is that the best we got? Only 18 assists total for the team, but only 13 turnovers.
   
9. Good defense down the stretch after Hornets were hitting a high percentage earlier. Too bad the Warriors were unable to execute on offense.
10. Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph did not make it into the game. Would have been interesting to watch considering the Hornets and David West were having their way with the starters. Harrington was having a bad shooting game and not contributing too much on the boards, so why not?
    

Hornets-Warriors 108-103 I CP3 21pts,11ast vs Maggette 27pts
From: 1EDmanLV

HYPOTHETICAL TRADE: Gallinari, Crawford

New York is in a race with New Jersey to clear out as much cap space as possible for the Summer of 2010 in a bid for the services of LeBron James. There are many other big prizes if LeBron heads to Manhatten to play for Jay Z and the Nets, so even if they don't end up with Option 1, clearing cap space is a smart long term objective. One of their biggest contracts is Jamal Crawford that expires in 2011. Currently, the Knicks have an abundance of PG's and could afford to lose him.

Jamal Crawford
Statistics and Game Log

Danilo Gallinari
Draft Express Scouting Report



New York Knicks

Incoming Players
Marcus Williams
Salary: $1,262,520 Years Remaining: 1
Al Harrington
Salary: $9,226,250 Years Remaining: 1

Outgoing Players: Danilo Gallinari, Jamal Crawford


Golden State Warriors

Incoming Players
Danilo Gallinari
Salary: $2,873,520 Years Remaining: 2
Jamal Crawford
Salary: $8,640,000 Years Remaining: 3

Outgoing Players: Marcus Williams, Al Harrington


NEW YORK KNICKS 2008-2009

1. Cap space is the key to the trade and Harrington gives them a deal that expires in time for their big free agency shopping spree in 2010. Warriors may have to take on Jared Jeffries large deal if they want Crawford and Gallinari badly enough.
   
2. Harrington gives them another scoring option in the front court. He's versatile and servicable.
3. Knick fans don't have much patience for Gallinari (who was mercilessly booed on draft night) and his early injuries could be enough for the Knicks to trade him. If it allows them to dump salary, then they may be open to it.
4. Marcus Williams torched the Knicks in Preseason last year, so they may view him more favorably than Don Nelson currently does.
   
5. Marcus Williams has a Team Option in 2010.
   
6. Marbury could be forced to earn his contract by starting at PG/SG (depending on the matchups) alongside Duhon.
   

PG: Duhon/Williams/Collins/Roberson
SG: Richardson/Marbury/Robinson
SF: Harrington/Chandler/Jeffries
PF: Lee/Rose
C: Randolph/Curry/James


GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 2008-2009

1. Crawford is another offensive threat that is more PG than anyone currently on are roster (Nelson not convinced Marcus Williams is the answer).
2. Belinelli and Gallinari together again.
3. Playing time freed up for Wright, Randolph, and Hendrix.
4. Gallinari could turn out to be a tougher version of Dunleavy.
5. May have to take on Jared Jeffries' contract to get them to trade.
6. Core = Ellis/Azubuike/Gallinari/Randolph/Wright/Biedrins/Belinelli/Hendrix. Plenty of young talent to develop
   

PG: Crawford/Watson/Nelson
SG: Ellis/Azubuike/Belinelli
SF: Jackson/Maggette/Gallinari/Morrow
PF: Wright/Randolph/Hendrix
C: Biedrins/Turiaf


Related Articles
Warriors update: Harrington no longer wants to play for Don Nelson - Tim Kawakami
Harrington wants Warriors to trade him - Marcus Thompson II
Harrington says he has some hope for reconciliation - Janny Hu


Danilo Gallinari best mix
From: apofteso




Jamal Crawford - 52 points against the Heat
From: sauhadjj3

2008-09 PREDICTIONS

Titles
Atlantic Division champ - Boston Celtics
Southeast Division champ - Orlando Magic
Central Division champ - Cleveland Cavaliers
Southwest Division champ - New Orleans Hornets
Northwest Division champ - Utah Jazz
Pacific Division champ - Los Angeles Lakers
Eastern Conference champ - Boston Celtics
Western Conference champ - Los Angeles Lakers
NBA champ - Los Angeles Lakers

Awards
Rookie of the Year - Greg Oden
Defensive Player of the Year - Ron Artest
Sixth Man of the Year - Lamar Odom
Most Improved Player - Rodney Stuckey
Coach of the Year - Rick Adelman
Most Valuable Player - Chris Paul

TOP 20: ROOKIE RANKINGS

Here's my prediction of how valuable each rookie will be by the end of the season. I'd rank Randolph much higher, but early indications are that Nellie will not play him so much in his rookie campaign. I hope he does so we can at least have 1 Warrior represent us in the All-Star Game. If Wright plays enough, maybe they could both compete against each other in the Rookie/Sophomore Game.

01. Greg Oden
02. Michael Beasley
03. Derrick Rose
04. O.J. Mayo
05. Mareese Speights
06. Kevin Love
07. Brook Lopez
08. Rudy Fernandez
09. Eric Gordon
10. Russell Westbrook
11. Marc Gasol
12. Jerryd Bayless
13. Anthony Randolph
14. Brandon Rush
15. Mario Chalmers
16. JaVale McGee
17. Roy Hibbert
18. Chris Douglas-Roberts
19. Jason Thompson
20. Danilo Gallinari

NBA POWER RANKINGS

Thought I'd just throw together a power rankings list. With Bynum back, I see the Lakers as the best team in the NBA with the Celtics being a very close 2nd. Hornets will be a force, too, with Chris Paul and a solid starting 5 continuing right where they left off last year. Rockets are stacked and if Artest can stay in control and the stars stay healthy for a change, the Rockets could easily contend for a title.

As for the Warriors, I'm feeling a little more optimistic after reading that Monta is ahead of schedule with his rehab. He may return as early as December 15 which is good news for short term product sales, but probably not good enough for the Playoffs or bad enough for a top 5 pick. Once again, Warriors are likely to find themselves with a late lottery pick. This year we lucked out with Randolph, but next year's draft is supposed to be anemic.

Do your own Power Rankings here:
Rank 'Em: 2008-09 NBA Power Rankings (ESPN)

01. Lakers
02. Celtics
03. Hornets
04. Rockets
05. Cavaliers
06. Jazz
07. 76ers
08. Spurs
09. Pistons
10. Raptors
11. Magic
12. Mavericks
13. Suns
14. Trail Blazers
15. Hawks
16. Nuggets
17. Bulls
18. Heat
19. Clippers
20. Warriors
21. Wizards
22. Kings
23. Nets
24. Bobcats
25. Bucks
26. Knicks
27. Pacers
28. Wolves
29. Thunder
30. Grizzlies

POLL RESULTS: LAST ROSTER SPOT

Who should be given the last roster spot?

Rob Kurz: 18 (39%)
Anthony Morrow: 29 (61%)

Congratulations Anthony Morrow! We want to see your Hot Summer League shooting in a real NBA game, so keep working hard.