The Future (Warriors 117, Griz 86)
We should have expected this. Just when the Warriors looked like they had run out of ways to make us believe, they manage a few sparks to rekindle the faithful. Memphis is one of the league’s worst, so the mere fact that the Ws got a win isn’t much to celebrate (although we now need every single one). The real excitement Friday night came from the glimpse into our future, regardless of whether we pull off another miracle run into the playoffs. Baron and Stephen were content to set the stage. Andris, Monta, Kelenna, Marco and Brandan stole the spotlight. With Harrington and Barnes still missing in action, could we now get the bench production Nelson has desperately needed all season from the last place he ever expected to find it? Set your alarms for Sunday morning to find out.
So, what happened to the stagnant mess passing as the Warriors earlier in the week? The Griz obviously are nowhere near as talented as the Spurs or Mavs, but they’re capable of big games as they demonstrated in LA last week. The huge discrepancy between the Warriors play in Texas and in Memphis can’t be purely dismissed as an issue of opponent quality. The other obvious excuse - fatigue - also doesn’t completely fit with Friday’s results. The Warriors got just as much rest between Sunday’s and Tuesday’s games as Wednesday’s and Friday’s match-ups. The biggest difference between the Texas games and the Memphis win, to my eyes, was that our worn out, broken down players (Davis, Jackson, Harrington) didn’t try to take the team on their shoulders. By setting the stage for complimentary players - Biedrins and Azubuike in particular - they were able to do more in their diminished states. When the talent differential is bigger between our second-tier guys and the competition, this strategy will be tougher to pull off. Against Memphis, however, it worked like a charm.
Based on this theory, the Texas disasters were as much mental as physical. Yes, Baron and Stephen are worn down, but they need to recognize their limitations and adjust accordingly. That means passing the ball around rather than pounding it, working harder for mid-range shots rather than quick threes, and playing a bit more conservatively on defense to avoid committing to a situation they lack the explosiveness to back out of if necessary. Credit should go to Nelson as well for putting his best “gamers” besides his captains in a position to succeed. Andris always has nice bounce-back games after poor performances and continued the trend. Kelenna has shown a fearlessness with big shots and hit plenty of them early against Memphis. Finally, both Belinelli and Wright demonstrated during the summer league and college respectively that they know how to make a splash when thrust into the spotlight. Opting for the youngsters over Barnes, Harrington, and Croshere not only brought fresh legs but some much-needed adrenalin to a team teetering on the brink. It may be too little too late with Davis and Jackson grinding to a halt, but Friday’s unexpected contributions can only help us in this desperate chase.
Some player thoughts:
Biedrins - Andris worked the pick and roll like he always does. Two things changed against Memphis. First, Baron made a special point to find him when plays broke down. Andris has good enough hands that he can be a safety valve. The team’s instinct when they get in trouble is to look outside, but sometimes there are missed opportunities around the basket. Andris made the most of them Friday. Second, Andris showed off his footwork against the Griz’s slower big men. Whether spinning past them on a drive or shifting as the ball moved on the perimeter, he seemed to have a spring back in his step. In the midst of this week’s depressive episodes, we’ve also missed his amazing run from the line. After making over 10 15 straight in previous games, he went 5-6 for the night. It’s a minor point, but if Nelson comes to trust Andris on the line it’ll make him a safer bet for late in close games.
Azubuike - Kelenna took a turn as one of Nelson’s undersized power forwards and delievered a superior performance. Unlike Pietrus, who exploits his quickness in the role, Azubuike used his strength to hold off some of the Griz’s frail big men. On offense, he opened up the court by hitting his early outside shots. The extra space allowed Monta and Andris more room to get to the rim. The rest is history. I still think Kelenna’s knee was hurting much more than he let on in the middle of the season. I can’t blame him for keeping quiet since it is a potential contract year for him and no one likes a second year player with bad knees. Whatever the explanation for his dip in performance, it’s great to see him back to early season form.
Belinelli - Nelson apparently thought the match-up with Navarro was a good one for Marco, but once on the court he quickly showed how much he has improved over the season. He’s bulked up since November and gained a better sense of how NBA offenses space the court. He’s not getting caught napping on his man and is playing aggressively, particularly when it comes to fighting through screens. His shot? Still as wild and sweet as ever. Nelson’s willingness to throw Marco against a zone and Marco’s success in shooting over it are encouraging signs, both for the short and long term.
Wright - I’ll admit that while I loved Wright’s shot-blocking and energy, I had my doubts that he could find a way to contribute on offense this season beyond put-backs and breaks. Friday, for the first time, he showed just how many offensive moves he can deploy. From a sweet 14-foot jumper to a sweeping drive across the lane, Brandan not only created his own looks but seemed totally comfortable doing so. Given Nelson’s reluctance to play two non-scorers on the floor at once, Brandan’s success may open the door to minutes alongside Andris. We will never have the pounds to push out the Boozers and Duncans of the league, but Biedrins and Wright stretched out in front of the basket will at least provide a higher degree of difficulty than Stephen Jackson fronting them.
Ellis - We’ve become so accustom to Monta’s stunning finishes at the rim and dead-eye mid-range jumpers that his mortal play the past few games looked like a slump. Friday, he was back to being super-human with an 8-12 night from the field. Some of the credit goes to Monta, who seemed to have a bit more spring in his step, but the biggest factor was the spacing on the court. While the Griz pulled out to try to cover the Warriors shooters, the Spurs and Mavs packed the lane. If we could have hit any outside shots against the terrible Texas twosome, the games might have gone differently. With no more back-to-backs, here’s hoping Monta can keep his explosiveness at the level we’ve come to expect.
Davis - Baron continues to struggle offensively but finally got back to moving the ball. The plummeting assist numbers the past few games aren’t solely on his shoulders, but it was great to see him act more decisively and avoid dead-end post ups. Memphis’ awful defense made it awfully easy for him to carve things up, but for confidence reasons alone, I’ll take it. As for Baron’s body, it looks like he’s hit the wall. The explosiveness is gone, he walks whenever he can, and Memphis’ stable of point guards were going around him with regularity. His body may no longer be willing, so his mind needs to adapt. Friday was a step in the right directly.
Jackson - Cap’n Jack finally hit a shot or two (or six), but it’s clear he’s struggling to compete physically as well. He tried to do too much in Texas but was content to play a complimentary role in Memphis. To run the table the rest of the season, the Warriors likely need him somewhere in-between. Again, it will be a mental challenge for him to adjust his game so he doesn’t attempt things his body won’t allow him to do, but does find a way to get into the mix at both ends of the court. If anyone is up for the task, it’s Jax. Regardless of how things end up, I give him a ton of credit for playing through obvious injuries and pain without so much as a peep to the press.
Harrington - Al has a classic “trying too hard” game. He expended a lot of energy down in the paint - which is good in theory - but seemed out of control most of the time as a result. Harrington always plays his best when he hits a few outside shots early to get into the flow. With his banged up thumb it’s unclear whether that’ll be an option for a while, so he needs to find other ways to contribute. Friday night he looked a lot closer to Matt Barnes circa early March than the Al Harrington we need to get to the playoffs.
Barnes - While Jackson has largely been able to transcend his reputation as a trouble-maker this season, the refs still presume Barnes is guilty. Friday’s flagrant foul didn’t look like anything beyond the normal push-and-shove players use to get through screens, but the ref didn’t give Barnes the benefit of the doubt. I’d usually complain about a shortened bench against New Orleans, but given Matt’s play this season it’s hard to argue his absence will make much of a difference.
Watson - Last but not least, CJ once again showed that he’s at his best when being aggressive on offense. He certainly wasn’t shy during garbage time and had no reason to be given his hot hand. With Baron likely needing rest in the second and third quarters of our remaining games, I’m expecting to see more from CJ in the near future. He’s nothing spectacular, but there have been very few moments when his presence on the court has hurt the team. Under the Troy Hudson back-up point guard standard, we’ll call that a success.
Friday was just another twist on the rollercoaster that has been the Warriors’ season. I don’t think the depression following our two Texas losses was overblown. It’s hard to overstate how important the Dallas game was to our playoff chances. Still, the win in Memphis reminds us that we’re not the Spurs or Suns, with only a year or two window before we go back to the drawing board. Whether we make it to the promised land or not this month, the Warriors are a young team full of potential flirting with a 50-win season. We’ve made plenty of mistakes this season, but Memphis provided a good reminder that things could be much, much worse.
It ain’t over. The dubs are now only half a game behind Denver and one game behind Dallas. There’s hope.
This win was amazing. It was the Grizzlies, so it was to be expected, but the way they got it was exciting to watch. It was amazing to see Belinelli step on the court in the first quarter and then drop in 13 points by the end of the game, not to mention great games by Biedrins, Azubuike, Watson and Wright. It was also nice to see Jackson having a bit of a bounceback game. The best part is that all of these highlights added up to a huge blowout win, and (just checked NBA.com) the mavs lost to the lakers to throw another little bonus on to a great day for the warriors(despite Barnes upcoming suspension).
Does anyone actually believe that suddenly Andris, Brandan, Belli, and Bukie have become such good players? The change in chemistry and the result in Memphis was more the result of redistributing the playing time and putting the young studs out there instead of sticking with Baron, Jackson, and Harrington no matter what.
Warrior fans have been robbed all year by our old school coach who has doggedly refused to give ANY meaningful playing time to two superb rookies with unlimited upsides, limiting Biedrin’s minutes to matchup hunches, and running Bukie in and out of the lineup with no clear plan.
The core for the future–the four mentioned–have also been delayed in growth for next year and beyond.
The flow of the game was completely different v. Memphis. Instead of the usual one-on-one fiascos we saw real ball movement, and not just from BD and SJ. Ball movement is NOT just about assists. It’s much more organic than that. I see Brandan and Belli as key to that. Isn’t it beautiful to watch Brandan board and head up the floor? Nelson has been unable to see what an upgrade he is over Harrington (who must be moved in the off season for any chance at improvement next year, freeing up floor time for much better players in the future). Brandan and Belli= excitement!
The Warriors need to think long and hard about whether they want to re-sign Baron Davis. If they do sign him, they determine the kind of play we’ll be seeing for years to come. Baron against the world. Cut him loose. Now that TJ Ford is back in the starting lineup in Toronto, pry Jose Calderon away and let’s see a team with unlimited potential…maybe not immediately, but for the future.
The future is NOW! Or at least next year.
Many fans who post on this blog have figured all this out. Too bad the coach still doesn’t get it.
nope: #1″The dubs are now only half a game behind Denver and one game behind Dallas.”
They are a half game and one game behind BEING TIED with Denver and Dallas which means LOSING to them with the (no) tie brakers.
Future thought: Let’s see how Monta and Marko develope next year. If they continue their current progress, I’ll let them and Jax take over the back court, and next summer trade BD and his $17M contract for a dominating big man.
Although none of the above 3 is a pure PG, they all have decent ball handling and passing skills. As a PG Monta will even more unstoppable by opposing PGs, and Jackson will be more effective at the 2 then the 3.
Harington, who’s not effective under the boards anyway and cannot guard PFs, can slide to the 3 with Barnes/MP/Kaleina, while the new $17M big man, AB and Wright will he great front line.
How ’bout that?
Nothing would be worse than winning 50 games and missing the playoffs on a tie breaker while a team 6 games under .500 makes the playoffs in the leastern conference. There should at least be a 1 game playoff with the tie break winner getting home court.
Can someone wake up Stern and seed the teams 1-16 regardless of conference? I’m sure everyone one in the country is looking forward to the Hawks-Celtics, Detroit-Toronto and Orlando-Washington match-ups.
That’s a great point about Baron and Jackson having broken down physically but still insisting on a heroic role in these pivotal games, which they aren’t capable of as they were a couple of months ago. The conversations in the locker room would have been fascinating to document as a psychological study. Did Nelson demand that the two of them change their approach? Were Baron and Jackson resistant or fully cooperative? Did they come to these conclusions by themselves?
I found it interesting that after the Dallas loss, Al Harrington was quoted as saying that threes are part of their team game, but after missing a couple, they needed to get in closer before shooting. Baron said that they had to be unselfish, share the ball, and set each other up. Jackson simply said that he needed to play better, then they would win. Jackson sounds the least enlightened, though maybe he realized more than the quote indicated that a change in team approach was needed. Certainly all the guys played team basketball tonight and it was a beautiful thing.
Whenever the Warriors are facing a zone defense that makes it difficult to drive, I’d like to see Belinelli and CJ Watson get a shot as long range options with some hope of connecting. Hopefully keeping Marco on the bench all this time hasn’t made it impossible for him to get his sea legs in the few games remaining.
#3 James Online.
Excellent summary…
You managed to summarize in one post what a lot of us have been begging for all season - player development!
This off-season should be full of fireworks because it is clear that there are a lot of pieces to build around but that elusive PF still dodges us…
shout out to Adam as well.
you left no stone unturned on this recap.
especially loved the summary on Barnes. it’s almost tragic how right you are…
Passion Man- it’s Marco and Kelenna by the way. Sorry it just bothered me that you butchered Kelenna’s name there. I disagree with the thought of trading Baron; he is the clear leader of the team, and he is our go to guy in the 4th quarter. Until Monta starts showing up in big games, I still want Baron around. And plus, Monta and Marco can guard only 1% of the guards in the league.
Here’s hoping that Elton Brand will take a pay cut to play for a contender that needs him.
Must win on Sunday or it is over. They won’t win a road game in Phoenix so Sundays game is do or die. Denver has an easy schedule so the W’s can’t afford to lose another game. 51 is the magic number.
I think the rekindled chemistry between the players like Davis feeding AB is due in some part to having a little time to practice. Hard to get team flow going when you’re on brutal out of state back-to-backs. Not enough practice time.
Cheers to a good night!
May Artest punish those little Nuggets tomorrow into a sweet loss.
For tomorrow only: Go Kings!
9. I thought the same thing about Phoenix until I heard it was there last game or 2. It’s possible they might throw the game more or less to save juice for the playoffs.
I predict a win in New Orleans. I feel it.
Any loss now and it’s over. We’ll see.
I’m a fan of the old Barnes. Too bad about his huge slump and suspension. It’s been said that he took it hard when his mom passed and hasn’t played well since. I don’t mean this in a disrespectful way but they should pump him up with antidepressents and get him to care again. It’s been too long. He needs to get back in the game.
We could have used a few more blowouts like this during the season to rest the starters and get the young guys on the floor. Unfortunately the Warriors blew some big leads and thus the opportunities to do so. It’s important to do that occassionally-as we can now see the results of having to go full out every night to get a win.
After tonights game, I’ll stand by my opinion that AB has been underutilized this season. I agree he has very limited shooting range, but he does have scoring moves close to the basket, good ones, and because the W’s made a consistent effort tonight to get him the ball, he was able to show what he can do. His performance tonight was even more remarkable given how few chances he has been given to develop his low post skills in real games this season.
For me that case was closed by AB tonight. He can score if down low if given the opportunity. I believe he has been consistenly underutilized, to his detriment and the detriment of the team, all season by a coach that underutilizes and undervalues big men in general.
I hope the W’s keep him, but again I would be surprised but not shocked if Nelson argues that the cost for a big man with very limited shooting range is not a good value and fit for his system.
Imagine the W’s if we had used our bench all season, going full tilt every minute of every game, giving BD, Jacks, and Monta a normal amount of breaks, keeping them fresh for the end of games, for the season, and the playoffs.
If only coach Nelson had the ability to see the promise and opportunity of his young players for this season (not just years beyond), CJ, Az, Bell, BW, and even POB, and the value of their development to the team this year and beyond, instead of being ruled by his fear of losing into overplaying BD, Jacks and Monta to the point of mental and physical exhaustion.
People claim playing the bench might have cost us wins. But how many games were lost because BD was tired in the 4th? How many games lost because BD and Jacks had to slow things down and take it easy during long parts of the game, instead of pushing the tempo, in order to pace themselves for the prospect of playing 46 of 48 minutes? How many games lost because capable young players sat on the bench while starters were allowed to continue to play when it was obvious that their shot wasn’t there? Isn’t there a cost also to starters shooting a combined 3 for 24? Isn’t there a cost to starters in an uptempo offense walking the ball up the court for a quarter or two, failing to pressure defensively, and in the process giving up 20 points to the other team, only to have to try to turn the tempo back up in the 4th to come back and try to win? Isn’t there a cost to sitting bigs on the bench while 2nd tier big men on opposing teams have career games against us? Isn’t there a cost to being outrebounded by 20 boards in a game while capable young bigs sit on the bench? Isn’t there a cost to playing AH at center, when he really should be playing SF, and playing Pietrus at PF, while BW, POB, and even AB ride the pine?
Coach has been so afraid to lose a game, that he failed to take advantage of the potential of his young players to contribute to the team this season. To create a team that not only could make the playoffs, but which had so many capable players in its rotation it would be nearly impossible to stop. Up tempo, 48 minutes, pushing it on offense, pressing on defense, no chance for the opposing team to rest, forcing them to play our style, forcing them to go deep into their bench. Instead of doing that in just some games, and in some parts of some quarters of games.
Imagine a team where BW, Bell, AZ, CJ and even POB made contributions and could be part of the rotation every game, along with Croshere, Pietrus, and Barnes, helping us push tempo for all 48 minutes without wearing down BD, Jacks and Monta.
Coach Nelson deserves the credit for getting this team to where they are, a quality competitive NBA team, but also the blame for not overcoming his own fears in order to trust his young players enough to play them even a few minutes per game. In the struggle between his fear and mistrust of young players, and the opportunity to build and develop them into players that could contribute to this team, this year, coach consistenlty chose fear.
It was interesting listening to Nellie on KNBR today, or was it yesterday? He said that after the Texas massacres that the team was “tired.” He said that he would have to play the rookies some. he had no choice. He said the logical person to think of was Wright. He mentioned how he looked out on the court before the Dallas game and saw how they looked so big and all and then “out came our little guys.”
Pretty amusing guy, Nellie.
Funny, I think I remember a game back in the dark ages of this season when there was a roster mistake and he had to play the bench, right down to POB and KP. They did pretty well in the third quarter, and the starters got all excited and came back in with renewed energy and excitement and cleaned house.
Then there was the big comeback that the bench was doing against someone. He put the tired starters back in and they fell flat. There have been other signs.
So what will come of tonight’s events? The Hornets are a much better team, but does that mean back to plan A?
Al’s hand is wrapped up. He admits he can’t shoot but wants to help the team. Barnes has gone psycho. Pietris is out. BD and SL are the walking wounded warriors. Ellis may or may not be back after being inspired past his problems tonight by his family in attendance.
Tonight we didn’t have to watch Al play center or the usual dribble around and shoot game because Nellie was forced to get back to passing play the subs- albeit against a weak foe. Not much matador defense. Fresh players coming in and out- well some of them were fresh.
We saw some mistakes, but there was no one left to play so the rooks got a chance to learn and show their stuff.
What now?
For those of you who still think that the rooks need more practice time and not game time, I hope you saw what I saw tonight. They were learning and adjusting right before our eyes. You have to play in games to learn the NBA. You have to play enough consecutive minutes to make mistakes and make good plays. You can’t be looking over your shoulder all the time for the hook.
OK, at least we got to see them once in an almost non small-ball game, although with all the injuries, etc., we are pretty small anyway. And the game meant something. And they didn’t fail. It was fun to watch and put a smile on our faces.
I’m thinking that the basketball gods are still trying to get through to Nellie- maybe so he can get that championship that has eluded him. I’m not saying it will happen this year, but maybe if he started looking outside his box and gave up some of the stubborn, controlling stuff, he might get something back for having some faith and being supportive, rather than so critical.
Kudos to the coaching staff for obviously working hard with the young players all year. AB has some new moves and is learning fast. Ellis developed his deadly midrange jumper instead of casting up 3s. BW showed some different shooting skills tonight. Belli played some D and spotted up. CJ just lit it up. They play a lot in practice together against a pretty good team, so why not?
That is my little take. As a performer (at a high level) and a teacher (at a high level), I find that one gets better results by believing in people rather than trying to impose one’s will on them. Nelson has a lot of good qualities. Maybe he can add a little humility and faith to his list. Believe it or not, these qualities are often rewarded.
Oh, and by the way: Visit the Oracle. Right on point.
Oh, and by the way, did I mention to read #24 until you get it. Best post ever, this year. Thank you, oh mighty Oracle.
Darn, I meant #19. I’m going to bed, happy.
Call me crazy, but all year I’ve been wondering if POB could contribute at power foward. I know somewhere along the way someone probably posted this thought, but frontline of AB, POB and BW… with BW improving jump shot, and POB can score away form the baskit, I think we can protect the paint a lot better with all that shot blocking/changing length, and better rebounding. Of couse we want have any three point threat, unless you subtract Baron, and add Marco, with Monta at the point. just a thought/dream.
I hope someone already pointed this out, but how could you screw up how many free throws Andris made in a row by that much. It was 15 before he missed in Dallas. I’m normally so on board with your write ups, but sometimes you remind of my roommate who misses big chunks of a game while doing god knows what in his room after he gets back from work and acts like he has been watching the whole time.
I just went back and saw you said over 10, but how could you not know 15 was the number. Fitz said it a couple times tonight and they mentioned it on ESPN on Wednesday. Unless you’re traveling with the team and been watching these last few games in person there is no excuse for not knowing the exact number. No more mistakes like this please. I like reading your posts, don’t force me to stop reading them.
Passion Man- What superstar bigman do you hope to get for Baron? Im thinking that for Baron, you get someone in the Josh Smith/Marvin Williams range. Does that sound like a good trade? You won’t get a player like Brand, thats for sure. Baron is worth more to us than to anyone else.
Also, do you really think that Monta can run the point? Wouldn’t it turn into a 1 on 5 situation with the rest of our players standing around watching? I think the ‘Nelson should play Monta at PG’ argument died about 6 months ago.
A very interesting game in many respects and as real glimpse at what the future might hold. After watching the W game, I tuned into the Laker-Mavs game. The parallel between Marco and Sasha are quite evident. I’ve been supporting Nellie all year on his decision-making and bringing the rooks along slowly. However, when I see Sasha, at this point in the season, playing meaningful minutes and contributing to the Lakers success, I can only lament on how important Marco would have been right about now.
Funny how Nellie always mentions MB, BW, and CJ’s liability on the defensive end as to why they haven’t gotten on the court. Sure BW is thin, young, and still learning. But his presence on the court, energy, and ability to rise up around the rim is EXACTLY what this team needs. Will he make mistakes? Sure. But but who doesn’t.
As I have said all year when Nelson passes the ball inside to his big players like Biedrins instead of playing midget ball he will win. I also have said that when he plays his young big men he will win. I.e. Wright. And when he plays his rookies. He was not afraid and did all three, and they all came up big. This is the key for Nelson, especially feeding the ball to Wright and Biedrins. More inside power play instead of SNSB (Stupid Nellie Small Ball).
It’s a shame this does not come to Nellie naturally, only when he is forced to do it when the rest of the team is tired or injured. If this is something he actively pursues they will win. If it is an afterthought, as it mostly is with Nelson, then they are doomed to the fate of SNSB.
My other disappointment for this column has been how Adam has been so oblivious to these points. A very intelligent man who writes a good column, but always missed the heart of the matter. We can all learn, however, can’t we?
Bottom line: keep playing and feeding Biedrins, Wright, and even POB. Big men creating balance, over an all midget team.
Shouts out to Oralcle & the Tactitioner.
Even though the Ws have brought us enormous excitement this year, it will be very upsetting they don’t make the playoffs. Nelson will have to be accountable, for not having the confidence to let Wright and Belinelli contribute all season, as they did last night. This team is too talented to not be in the post season, and if they do somehow get there, Nelson needs to allow those two contribute. Playing BW along side Biedrins in the post season, may cause other teams to adjust their own game plans. Also, go inside to AB and BW a little more. Playoffs are a time to surprise teams, Plus, the Ws have no reason not to try something different being that they’ve proven that they can’t beat the half-court offensive teams.
Let’s call POB up and play him against Chandler and West a bit.
No Barnes, no Pietrus (?), Al has gone missing, leaving BWright and Beans to play while Perovic threatens to come in and fall on someone. That guy is not athletic. Why are we paying him so much money next year again?
Time to admit it folks. The Warriors have to win every game from now on and either or both Dallas and Denver have to lose to some crappy team or teams for us to make the playoffs. So, rather than rail about “what if” and “shoulda, coulda, woulda”, we should relax and feel good about a 50 win or close to 50 win season. My prediction, Utah, Lakers if Bynum is healthy and productive, or Phoenix vs. Celtics in the finals. Whomever is in the 8th spot, Dallas, Denver, Warriors, won’t get out of the first round.
Tactitioner:
This wasn’t the 73 Lakers; it was a very bad Memphis team. And while I agree that more playing time earlier in the season would have helped develop the younger players, let’s have some perspective about the actual quality of these players.
Perspective just canned all hope Adam tried to rhetorically insert by marginalizing the epic suck of Memphis last night.
We didn’t do anything, they just missed and sucked and didn’t defend. At all.
Lose tomorrow and it’s just about fork time.
Better bring a better game than last night, Jack and Baron had assists but still looked terrible overall, especially shooting. You think they’re not getting major face time on ABC? They’d better not bring a fourth crappy game in a row. Al can stay home next year.
Word #32; if we’d been “developing” big men all season we’d be talking about ping pong ball position, not playoff seeding right now.
We have the record we do because we are able to thwart the NBA status quo, occasionally. It is not a recipe for a championship, but has worked tremendously in getting out of the gutter and becoming competitive. Plenty of work to do to get better, but somehow I just don’t see POB as a cornerstone, or even a regular contributer, on any very good, deep playoff team.
People forget; Andris had surgery not too long ago and that has affected his ability to play.
Peeps like Tact talk about Brandon as a big, Harrington as a small, though they’re both the same height and Al’s got more bulk. Inches don’t win games, basketball players do, talent does.
The worst case scenario remains the same; miss the playoffs, lose Baron (and others including Barnes, Pietrus, Azubuike and coach). Then maybe we get a high draft pick (through luck or a trade, don’t forget our $10 mil exception) and we start building on what is by most accounts a more reliable and conventional squad for the future (adding Derrick Rose to Monta, Marco, Brandon and Andris and hopefully Kellena, for example, would be a sufficient consolation prize).
Anyhow I still think we’ll squeak in, but even if we don’t we retain viable options (which is highly unusual for this org).
Mano has apparently never seen Brandan and Al next to each other. Or seen Brandan play. Ever.
Appearances, like CC’s constant negativity streak, can be deceiving.
My only point being; it’s not small ball or tall people that make a great team, it’s a solid mix of talented players. I mean it’s basketball, of course you’ve got to have some big peeps, but our mix of talent is better now than at any point in the last 12+ years, and I think we have the means to improve, regardless of whether we make the playoffs, and even if we do. Haven’t seen that kind of flexibility in my squad for a long whiles is all.
And damn 6′9″ is just not small in my world y’know?
One win against the Grizzlies (who mailed it in a long time ago!), and everyone seems to think that Nelson has been wrong the entire season about the rotation and the readiness of the rookies? That’s pretty extreme IMO.
One win against the Grizzlies (who mailed it in a long time ago!), and everyone seems to think that Nelson has been wrong the entire season about the rotation and the readiness of the rookies? That’s pretty extreme IMO.
Here’s an article debating who will be the team left out of the playoffs.Slightly different take.
http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/04/03/fanhouse-debate-which-team-in-the-west-will-miss-the-nba-playof/
Bucky, I tend to agree with you. Both of you (37 and 38). P-)
I agree with all the frustations regarding distribution of playing time. Nellie refused to take Baron, Jack and Monta out:
-in close games for fear of falling behind
-when faced with double digit deficits for fear of falling further behind
-when the team had a double digit lead for fear of seeing the other team mount a comeback
Essentially there is no good time in Nellie’s mind. He should take a look at the way Phoenix uses Nash. They realize they only have a certain number of minutes from Nash every night and use him accordingly.
But even with all the negativity surrounding playing time, this team is still likely to win 50 games. 50! I think we need to have some perspective and realize how successful this season has been against a ridiculously tough western conference. Any other year we would be resting players in the final games to get ready for our first round matchup (likely as a 4-5 seed). Could it have been better with more rested starters? Possibly. Would I have taken 50 wins if offered in October? Definitely.
I still wouldn’t be surprised if they run the table and make the playoffs. That’s just their style. Hopefully the league isn’t deprived of a GS-less playoffs.
Mano has apparently missed Cohan being the biggest (and most accurate) predictor of team success in recent weeks.
WARRIORS 08!
Missed? Well didn’t “miss” Cohan patting his own back excessively, speaking of himself in the third person or inviting GHC for another intrusion of documented reality in regards to the self induced paranoid fantasy known as “Fauxhon tha Accurat Predictah”.
Yeah and 08 is present intense actually, with our backs against the wall, just how we feel most comfortable really.
Hope they have a curfew in the Big Easy tonight eh?
For a group of seemingly knowledgeable fans all these “Get rid of Baron” notions are ridiculous. We win one game against a very bad team w/ our bench and we’re all quick to say that Monta, Belinelli, Wright, and some make believe stud PF that some team doesn’t want will take us to the promise land.
2 really dumb arguments:
We would have won 50 last year if the trade had happened sooner. So 50 this year is not such a big deal at all. If it was, not so many teams would be getting there ahead of us. This is such a ridiculous argument. Yes, there has been improvement but it is not as much as it seems because of the weakness of the East and the NBA in general past the first 10 teams or so. It is a mirage. There is only one really great team in the NBA right now and that is Boston. There used to be 3 or 4, at least.
And the other stupid argument is about how we wouldn’t be winning so many games if we had played the subs more. That is just quoting the party line. It has been refuted so many times in here that it is painful to read it almost every day. Read #19 again. Some of you just don’t get it.
We are pretty much where we were last year at this time only with fewer healthy players. AB and ME are better, as they should be. Others are worse, or have been most of the season. Stats are deceiving. What counts is what is going on on the court, and those of us who are not putting our heads in the sand or just reading the stat sheets can see perfectly well what that is.
I’m well aware that we beat a scrub team last night, but what went on on the court was that we saw some players who could have helped stem the tide of fatigue if they had been used properly. I don’t really care about POB because I don’t think he will ever amount to much, but the small ball parade without enough players to carry it out is obviously not going to take us any farther than last year. That is the point.
We have a team that is ready for the next level, with a couple of additions and some different philosophies put in place. Stay tuned until this time next year to see if we are not in the same place again.
Mano apparently missed the part where he/she can’t resist trying to one-up the Cohan.
Good Luck!
Warriors 08-09
Jazon 44 again rendering Adam’s lone bright point moot– Hey, Memphis isn’t that bad, you guys! There’s still hope for our dominant contender basketball team!
[We WILL make the playoffs, that I guarantee]
In my opinion Nelson’s strategy of playing his starters to exhaustion and being afraid that his subs (Wright, Belinelli, POB, AJ Watson) would cost him games is another example of “prevent defense”: that is, playing not to lose. Many very smart football coaches stop pressuring the quarterback and happily give up short pass after short pass with two minutes left in the game. Frequently the other team drives down the field and is in position to win. When the Warriors get way ahead at halftime, Baron slows down the game, consistently waits until 20 seconds are off the shot clock, and throws up a clunker. Before long the other team is back in the game. In last year’s hockey playoffs, the Sharks would try to nurse a one goal lead through the last period, tossing the puck deep and then retreating into good defensive posture: recipe for giving up the tying goal. Nelson’s fear of rookies, especially his fearful refusal to give them a few minutes of playing time during the season here and there, falls into the same category. Do what seems safe and logical to protect a lead or playoff standings, and that lack of aggressiveness - that lack of courage - that lack of cojones - may cost you the prize.
Awww…ball movement what unique concept…even if it was against the Memphis JV’s
Hey Tired the point u make @#20 that jumps out for me is “…you get better results out of people by believing in them…” Here’s where IMO Nellie has missed the mark somewhat. He’s bascially afforded that believe in BD, Jax & Monta…Essentially he’s conveying the notion of we can only win if you guys perform well. What vibe does that send to the rest of team?? Those three players, by transference, aren’t going to trust the other players either. Hence the hero complex comes into play & the ball stops moving.
How can a player have confidence in himself if the coach is projecting you to fail???
I believe it was Wilson a few threads back that said “Nellie’s a great coach with a blind spot”…the basicly sums it up.
I guess only us old guys can see what is going on here. Good points.
Thank you Mano, Perspective and Bucky. As for the rest… drivel. The rooks cavorted in a blowout against a d-league team, and all of a sudden, all those extreme facials the ragdoll took this season never happened. All the times he was thrown to the floor. never happened. All the times the Steve Blakes of the league stuck layups in his grill. never happened. All the times he was guided under the hoop, out-rebounded and DONKED on. never happened.
Belinelli has a decent offensive game — against d-league teams. On defense there’s no worse off-guard in the league: try and think of one player (OK, maybe Giricek). Who would you geniuses have benched to get him into the rotation? Jackson? (Impossible, our defensive stopper) Monta? Buike? Pietrus? All those guys except Monta are lock-down defenders. So I guess Monta is the answer. Bench Monta! Nelson is an idiot!
Two bits of analysis were particularly amusing:
#25 “The parallel between Marco and Sasha are quite evident.” It always amazes me how most fans only look at one end of the floor. Do you really think that Marco could pick up JKidd full-court and face-guard him the whole way, the way Sasha did the whole 4th quarter of that game? Put down your crack pipe, please. Also, please note: Sasha has been firmly planted on the Laker bench for 3 years, being developed. FIRE PHIL JACKSON!
#20 “Kudos to the coaching staff for obviously working hard with the young players all year.”
But Don Nelson didn’t have anything to do with it. He doesn’t know how to develop young players.
Now, please recite this mantra to yourself, to prepare yourself mentally and spiritually for the impending bloody disaster that will be the ragdoll trying to guard David West:
“IT WAS MEMPHIS. IT WAS MEMPHIS. IT WAS MEMPHIS.”
But, perhaps Don Nelson will show the wisdom and the mercy to spare us this sight. Sometimes, by accident, he does the right thing.
Finally Nelson is doing what everyone expects him to do as a coach. However, I will not be surprised if he comes back to his old style of playing only 6-7 man leaving the youngster on the bench with the old excuse that he needs a W.
FeltBot made a great point about Vujacic’s defense on Kidd in the 4th quarter. Although I’m glad I will never have to play against Vuajcic because he might be the most annoying defender the world has ever seen (on par with Bowen), he brings a lot to the table on the defensive end in addition to deadeye shooting. At this point in all of their careers, Belinelli and Monta on the court at the same time with Wright behind them defending the rim would look about as awful defensively as Memphis did last night. Could anyone imagine those three combined being able to keep CP3 out of the lane? I personally cannot.
Like it has been mentioned countless times before, Nelson has never been opposed to playing young players in situations in which they can contribute. For extremely speical rookies, he will give them starters’ minutes and let them run. Otherwise, he plays them in favorable matchups where they can excel. I don’t see how players doing well under the circumstances in which Nelson believes they can best succeed (i.e.: against the Grizzlies!!) is somehow proof that Nelson doesn’t know what he’s doing with young players.
word.
Hey Felty @ #51…
What about all your man-love for Matt Barnes, you forgot to mention him?…you usually compare his deeds to BW…Must have been a slight omission, huh?
Always enjoy all your “Look at me” posts!
Barnes struggles come down to his outside shot, which is a pity. Nelson simply won’t play him if he’s cold.
However, he always gives full effort on defense and on the boards. I think he’s one of the Ws best and most inspiring defenders, who never backs down, or lets himself be backed down against bigger players. You think the ragdoll has those qualities?
Feltbot:
Your best post of the year = #54
Short, to the point, and covers everything at once.
Barnes’ “full effort” has him suspended tomorrow.
Marco takes a lot shots and takes them quick.
This is the first time I can remember him hitting a fair chunk of them in NBA play.
Can anyone verify this?
Not ready to buy into him yet, especially against a team vying for the #1 pick in the draft. Willing to give him a chance next year though.
Mr feltbot…
Fair point…if young Brandon can “learn” to play with Matts aggression & fearlessness then you’ll have a player…I’m willing to give him time to grow into that…
Without calling names…
It seems that some of us do not realize that a coach is responsible for having the roster that will help him to win games. If some of the players are not good enough to fit the characteristics of helping the team, then they should be traded for players that will help the coach to win games.
I do not mind if the coach make mistakes in the process of improving the team but I would hold him responsible if the coach does nothing after discovering that a player or players will not help the team to succeed.
If the youngster has been discovered to have faults beyond repair then they should be traded but so far this has not been the case.
Nelson has tried to bring Chris Webber but he could not play. It would have been much better for the team, for Nelson, and Matt Barnes not to play because he is not longer last year player. Nelson has done very little for improving the bench.
Yes, I do hold Nelson responsible for overplaying the core team and not allowing playing time to the bench or not being able to replace his bench with other players.
It is not enough to bring the faults of some players or keep it quiet. It is worse do nothing about it.
We are the NOW American society aren’t we? I believe we are building a team here. It does take time.
Alberto, I do not feel as if your post #60 contributed much to the discussion because it was confusing. Your advice is that if a young player cannot contribute right now he should immediately be traded? I believe that young players can be worthwhile on the bench now, improving in practice, and contributing in future years (of course if they’re ready to contribute now, they should be playing!)
Why don’t the Lakers fire Phil Jackson? (Yes Im being facetious). How many years has it been since the Laker have obtained a ring? Ummm, those little rinky-dinky Warriors seem to have gone further in the playoffs than the Lakers last year. Why aren’t all you screamers calling for the canning of PJ?
Sorry I couldn’t resist.
Now, I think I’ll go get a life. It’s a beautiful day.
Bucky, do you believe that 6-7 players will be enough to make the playoff? Why do we have the other 7 players? As I said before, it is insane for a coach to overplay 6-7 players an expect something good to happens.
I also says that: It is better to lose a season knowing how the bench plays than lose the season and not knowing how does the bench plays.
I also mentioned before how well Detroit has developed their bench. Some coaches do well developing their bench other do not.
It took 76 games for Nellie to find a favorable matchup for Marco but that is why he is a coaching genius. Playing a deep bench like this would never have worked earlier in the season and it is a shame that it took this long to finally click in practice. Credit goes to the Dubs coaching staff for getting the rooks to a point where they are ready to start developing in NBA games.
For those that doubt, Nelson is the best coach that the Warriors have had over the past 20 years. Given the legendary coaches on that list, that is truly saying something so stop the criticism. For those questioning how Nellie has handled the rooks, “He disagrees thoroughly with the widely held notion that his teams are the places were first-round picks go to die — that rookies are destined to fail, at least in the short term, under his tutelage.” (Oakland Tribune)
Since he said it and it was printed in a respected newspaper, it must be true.
Willy - Check the scoreboard.
Phil Jackson 9
Don Nelson 0
Scott - Thanks for the fact check on Andris’ free throws. As for my inability to remember ever single stat tossed our during a game, I’ll plead humanity. This is a side gig and sometimes the facts that earn me a paycheck crowd out in my brain the facts for the blog. I hope my slight by generality to Andris won’t chase you away from the blog.
Alberto, all I was saying in regard to your comment was that I didn’t feel it was very clear. I felt like you were saying that bench players were only valuable if they played in games, and if not, then they should immediately be traded. I believe that young players can be valuable for the future, even if all they’re doing right now is sitting on the bench. I believe that they should be played when Nellie thinks it gives the team the best chance to achieve its goals (and those goals should be worked out with the front office: to what extent young players should be developed at the expense of probably losing a game here or there.) I believe that the Warriors’ overarching goal for this regular season was to make the playoffs. Since the West has turned out to be so much harder than anyone could have imagined, Nelson has realized the importance of every single game in terms of making the playoffs.
With regard to these comments of yours, “Bucky, do you believe that 6-7 players will be enough to make the playoff? Why do we have the other 7 players? As I said before, it is insane for a coach to overplay 6-7 players an expect something good to happens.
I also says that: It is better to lose a season knowing how the bench plays than lose the season and not knowing how does the bench plays.”
I feel that Nelson honestly thinks that playing Baron, Jax, and Monta tons of minutes gives the Warriors the best chance of making the playoffs, and I believe that he shares my opinion that making the playoffs is by far the #1 goal of this regular season. Therefore, if Nelson thought that playing the bench extensively would have cost the Warriors even one or two games this year, then I agree with Coach that he shouldn’t have done so. You make it seem as if the only two options are “lose a season knowing how the bench plays” and “lose the season not knowing how the bench plays.”
What if instead the two options really are, “Make the playoffs while playing Baron and Jackson overwhelming minutes” or “Miss the playoffs and test out the bench.” If Nelson thinks that those are really the two outcomes for the Warriors, then I wholeheartedly agree with him keeping the bench players sitting down. The young players are still developing in practice either way.
Michael Jordon and Shaq.
Team Kobe: zero.
How many years has it been since the Lakers got a championship WITH Phil Jackson?
How many years has Nellie been the W’s coach?
Just checking.
Nelson and Mullin got the last few Mullin signing mistakes out the door and have weeded out the Mullin drafting mistakes to keep Biedrins and Ellis and land a promising toothpick named Brandan.
None of these are Mullin signing mistakes yet but two might be this Summer.
Belinelli can’t be evaluated yet.
Other than that, it’s duct tape and fairy dust with a 29-year-old Baron “Glass Jaw” Davis and a 30-year-old Stephen “I have a permit for that” Jackson.
Livin’ the Dream. We Believe!
Best Case Scenario: By any means necessary, Warriors make the playoffs.
Worst Case Scenario: Warrior miss the playoffs and have a season where B-Wright, Marco, POB, and Kosta do not maximize their development.
Those who don’t understand my point will tell me all of PJ’s credentials.
Now I’m really getting a life. Take care all.
cohan: i actually agree with your sentiment about how duct tape and fairy dust with baron/jax is our best chance for the playoffs and our best chance to win once we get there. although, unlike you, i think that those 2 players are so special, even when banged up after a long season, that I really do believe!!!
clipping service: best case scenario is actually: warriors make the playoffs, win 4 series, and bring hom ena NBA championship. watch sunday’s game. if we can beat NO at NO, then we can beat any team in the west in a series (except maybe the jazz, who own us). is the development of the young players really more valuable than a legitimate chance at a championship? if you think that, maybe you’re also one of those fans who likes the NFL draft more than the actual season. the goal is to win games and championships, and the warriors have a legitimate chance to do so this year!!
You are right Willy, I would rather have Don Nelson than have celebrated my third consecutive championship six years ago. My bad.
Bucky: That is some strong Kool-Aid but I would love a glass. Let’s make the playoffs first and then we can talk championship.
Clipping Service: All I’m arguing is that if we make the playoffs, we have a legit shot to win the title. I don’t think that believing the W’s are better than the Hornets is too much Kool-Aid, and if we get the 8, that looks like our first round matchup. Then, after that, I’d say the W’s would also almost surely beat Houston, probably beat Denver/Dallas, Phoenix, and have an OK shot against the Spurs/Lakers if Bynum doesn’t heal well, and then probably lose to the Jazz and the Lakers if all their big guys are healthy. We’re obviously not title favorites, but we could start with a winnable series from NO and see where the matchups take us. It’s not as if the W’s are going to be facing a 67-win team in the first round this year, anyways…
Bucky, I guess we differ with each other and it is fine with me. Everyone has a right to have an opinion.
I love Nelson as coach for what he has done with the team. However he has a blind spot. I come to realization that he will not change the way he is.
I believe the Warriors have a pretty good roster and the bench could have done wonders for the Warriors with the proper coach.
That’s fair, Alberto. The way that Baron and Jax seem to have lost a lot of their explosiveness from the beginning of the year, either due to injury or fatigue, is certainly reasonable evidence to support your argument. I’m interested to see how they both perform on Sunday against the Hornets. I’m thinking (and hoping!!) that Baron pulls something special out since he’s going against CP3!
Nelson in today’s paper: “I had a fear that Belinelli and Wright might cost me a game if I played them, and now I think I’m going to have to play them to win. We need more depth, we’re getting a little tired, so I thought I’d give them an opportunity.”
Feltbot Bucky: “What an idiot comment! Nelson’s the smartest coach we ever had and would never make personnel mistakes. Oh, wait. That was Nellie talking, not one of the dumbass posters here. Never mind.”
No better example of actual game time needed to get comfortable than the fact that the first two times Belinelli touched the ball he committed turnovers. And he’s s very good ball handler. So if even Nelson has come to realize two things we’ve been saying for months: 1) that he’s going to need to play the reserves at crunch time here and 2) some of the reserves can really play and offer talents otherwise lacking, what does that say about his game plan that they aren’t going to be as good as they would have been if given more game day experience?
I’m on the side of the glass is half full, more than half full. We still have a legitimate chance for the playoffs, we are seen by prospective players and coaches as a team on the rise, we have a good core to move on next year. My only concern is Nelson’s influence on the future,with Mullin, and the others in the front office. We need a slightly different direction, maybe with different key players, and probably with a different playing style ( one based on a proven formula for success, like brawny inside players to complement the gazelles). I don’t know if Nelson would be flexible enough to work in that direction. But Nelson has done a great job in building a team cohesiveness, for lack of a better term, and that trumps a lot of superstar underachievers, which could happen with another coach. So I’m just going to sit back and hope for the best.
Wilson: Were you putting words into my mouth? I don’t appreciate it, because I agree 100% with what Nellie said in that quote. I believe the best chance to win as many games as possible was to try and ride Baron and Jax all season and hope they could handle it. Now, if Nellie truly believes that circumstances have changed and they have lost some of their ability to maintain dominance for 40+ minutes a night, then of course, the bench should be utilized now!! It would be crazy to try and play the same rotation if Baron and Jackson not looking nearly as explosive as they did earlier this year is truly what’s happening, and not that they merely had a couple of bad game against the Spurs and Mavs.
And Nellie’s “fear that Belinelli and Wright might cost me a game” seems to be supported by Belinelli having two turnovers in his first two touches. Since last night was no doubt a “gimme game” because the Grizzlies have quit on the season, and there haven’t been nearly any gimmes this season at all (especially since lots of supposed-to-be-blowouts stayed close), if Nellie thought that Beli/Wright would have blown games, then he shouldn’t have played them IMO. Now, though, if Baron and Jax really aren’t the same, then he definitely should play the bench and hope.
Buckster: Let’s face it. You agree 100% with whatever Nellie says in ANY quote. That’s the problem. Just because Nelson is good at many aspects of coaching doesn’t mean that he isn’t abysmal at one or two.
Do you really not see that the reason that Marco played out of control in the beginning was that he was suddenly thrust into the playoff hunt spotlight? He’s a very good ball handler and passer and yet he looked like a chicken with his head cut off until he settled down. Wouldn’t have happened if he had been getting a little playing time. And remember that when he came in, the game was still in doubt, the lead was not out of control, so that was not garbage time at all.
See, these scenarios that many of us have been predicting - starters getting exhausted, Brandan should play, Belinelli should play, C.J. can play - are slowly but surely coming true. We’re not complaining because we like to complain, we’re complaining because we see missed opportunities.
Fair, Wilson, I respect where you’re coming from, and as I mentioned to Alberto earlier, if Baron and Jax truly are breaking down and didn’t just have a couple of bad games against the Spurs and Mavs, then that certainly is evidence to support the “bench should have played earlier” hypothesis. The problem is that we can’t go back and do a hypothetical to see how the bench would have produced in real situations. IMO, it’s difficult to extrapolate that Beli/Wright/(even POB lol!!) would have excelled in larger minutes given their performances against only opponents that Nelson demeed to be their best possible chances to succeed! (And please, don’t act as if last night’s game means more than a tiny, tiny piece of evidence. The Grizzlies have quit on the season, last night was barely a real game.)
Where I disagree with you is when you say, “See, these scenarios that many of us have been predicting - starters getting exhausted, Brandan should play, Belinelli should play, C.J. can play - are slowly but surely coming true. ” because I believe that circumstances have changed. I don’t think that the fact that the bench should be playing more now therefore means that they should have played earlier. Maybe, maybe not. It’s difficult to know whether the bench (and i mean the deep bench aka Beli/Wright, since Azubuike was hurt for much of the year and Pietrus was inetentionally trying to get traded until the deadline, they’re not good examples) would have come up huge when we needed it or choked under pressure is unknown to me.
When I don’t know the answer, that is when I defer to Coach Nelson. It’s not that I believe everything he says, it’s that when in times of doubt or times I don’t know the answer 100% with my own eyes that I tend to trust his decisionmaking.
Alberto says if players have faults beyond repair they should be traded, as though there’s a big market out there for just that. We’re palying the cards we were dealt and doing fairly well, better than could be expected. And we’re right there. It’s a freakishly good conference. AH has been playing poorly - but he’s working like mad under the boards. AB must have read the blogs the other day. Kicked ass.
And who’s to say that line drive outside shot might not start working fro 10 to twelve feet?
Geez Bucky (and others),
You can’t just say the same things over and over and expect people to suddenly come to your way of thinking.
2 turnovers for Marco doesn’t make your point. In fact it is just the opposite. If the players are just not played or yanked because of a couple of mistakes- caused of course, by lack of playing time- then they can’t improve, can they? If you watched the game you saw the younger players come in and gradually get into the game and then really start to excel. Last night’s game may have been a gimme game to you, but it wasn’t to someone like Nellie. He only played them because he had to and he made all of his excuses for failure ahead of time.
I know that we live in a culture of instant gratification, but do YOU believe, honestly, that the best way to get to the playoffs and beyond was to just go flat out every night with a few players? Does that really make sense to you? You say He said he was HOPING it would work out. What does that tell you? Hoping? Now “circumstances have changed?” The circumstances haven’t changed. The outcome was not what he wanted, what he HOPED for, but that outcome should have been expected all along.
How long would you, Bucky, go with “hoping”- in your job or your family issues? I am not picking on you, I am just asking. I have a landlord who thinks he is expressing his love for his 24 year old daughter by giving her a place to live for free so she can straighten out her life. He takes care of her two little girls too. The only problem is that she is a drug addict and a thief, so it only makes her chosen life easier. He is in complete denial because of his “LOVE.” She will end up in jail or dead, or both.
The reason Baron and Jackson are in the state they are is BECAUSE he rolled the dice with running them into the ground. He didn’t make his point. He crapped out. The odds are similar in both cases- well, actually Nellie’s odds at dice would have been a lot better.
Just answer this. How many times were Baron and Jackson and even Monte able to sustain 40 plus minutes a game at the pace that small ball needs to work? In case you lost track, the answ