SB Nation - Raja Bell

Some Thoughts on Kobe & Shaq

Josh Tucker — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:01:03 -0000

A few days ago, as you all remember quite well, Kobe Bryant hit this ridiculous game-winning bank shot over Dwyane Wade to beat Miami and keep the Lakers' winning streak (now at 9 games) alive. It was incredible, and yet, because it was Kobe, completely unsurprising. I was out of my mind, and yet, because it was Kobe, I should almost have expected it. It was an amazing shot, and yet, because it was Kobe, not a shocking one.

For me, as for many Lakers fans, the experience went beyond that single shot. In the day or so that followed, I found myself mentally reliving many of Kobe's previous buzzer beaters. Two of my favorites, of course, are the double-whammies versus Portland and Phoenix — in both of which, Kobe first ties the game at the buzzer to send it to overtime, and then, at the end of overtime, hits another shot at the buzzer to win it. (Side note: I wonder how many other players have hit two buzzer beaters in the same game, on more than one occasion? Anyone know?)

Suddenly, something occurred to me. My wife, who often watches Lakers games with me (lucky man that I am), had probably never seen either of those shots (or rather, pairs of shots). We got married in late 2006, and it was only after that that she started watching with me. So, of course, I called up YouTube and played them for her.

That's when I noticed something — something different about Shaq and Kobe...

Back in May of this almost-over calendar year, the NBA was busy applying fancy editing to some of the more dramatic moments in NBA playoff history, and the results were awesome. You had Dr. J's reverse layup, Larry Legend's inbounds steal, Magic Johnson's baby skyhook, and of course, Kobe's clutch alley-oop pass to Shaq.

When the Kobe-to-Shaq commercial ran, Jason Kottke noticed something about the play:

Bryant creates 95% of the offense here by crossing Pippen over and throwing a perfect lob to O'Neal. O'Neal throws it down and the camera follows him as he heads down the court yelling in celebration, totally blowing right past Kobe, who has his hand out to high-five Shaq. Kobe half-heartedly grabs at O'Neal's forearm as he passes; Shaq doesn't even notice.

Henry Abbott picked up on Jason's observation and ran it on TrueHoop, referring to it as "Where Amazingly Sad Happens."

Watch the video at the top of this post, and you'll see what they were referring to. Here's the unedited version, which further reinforces Kottke's point, making it even more clear that Kobe, not Shaq, is responsible for this play; Shaq was open for the lob because Kobe drew four defenders (Derek Fisher was keeping the fifth one honest).

Kobe created that play for Shaq. Kobe deserves most of the credit; all Shaq did was cash in on an incredible move and a gorgeous pass by Bryant. In fact, it's worth pointing out that in this situation, Kobe did what Magic didn't — pass the ball to his open big man. In light of Kobe's reputation as a supposed ball-hog (7 assists in the triangle offense, anyone?), even that is worth something — especially since Kobe had enough space to take the shot himself, and a free-throw jumper is almost automatic for him. But he made that pass, found his open big man, and created the biggest play of the game.

But what's Shaq's response, when the momentous play is completed? It's certainly not to show any appreciation to his very deserving teammate. Instead, he turns and points to the home crowd as he runs down the court.

It's as if to say, "I've done it! I've all but won us the game — give me the glory!" He's too busy exalting in his greatness and soaking in the adoration of the fans to even notice Kobe, let alone thank him. The star of the game, as Kottke also points out, was Kobe, who had 25 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 blocks in the amazing comeback, as compared to Shaq's 18/9/5/1. The credit for the pivotal play belonged to Kobe. But there's Shaq, taking all the credit.

Watch the unedited video again. As Kottke points out (the dude was full of insights), it shows Shaq finally finding Kobe for a high-five, long after the play is over and he's sought out and received his props from the fans and his teammates. Kottke points out that "it's a brief moment; they slap hands and go their separate ways, foreshadowing Shaq's departure four years later." To me, it looks like more of the same from Shaq — his body language says, "High five me for that awesome play I just made." (To his credit, Kobe does just that.) Not that there's anything wrong with that, when it's deserved; players do that all the time, when they've just done something awesome. It's just that, in this case, it should have been a high five, or even a hug, that said, "I'm high fiving you for that play you just made."

Kinda like this:

Having been blown away by Kobe's game-winner over Miami, and having gone back to relive this previous clutch Kobe moments with my wife, I noticed something that reminded me of Jason Kottke's and Henry Abbott's observations regarding the Kobe-Shaq alley-oop.

Kobe deserved more credit for his game-tying floater than Shaq did for his alley-oop dunk. Unlike Shaq, Kobe created his own shot, and it was much more difficult. The presence of mind to know how much time was on the clock, and to know what kind of shot he could get in that time, was incredible. That left fake before he goes to the right around Raja Bell is simply brilliant. The twisting floater over Diaw to avoid the block was as perfect as it gets, and a very tough shot found nothing but net. As one commentator puts it (sounds like Hubie Brown, maybe?), "This is a miraculous shot."

But incredible as that shot was, it never would have happened without Smush freaking Parker's (!!) strip and deflection. And Kobe knows it. From stripping the ball without fouling, to dancing along the sideline while chasing a loose ball, to the presence of mind required to calmly make the controlled tap to an already-breaking teammate (Devean George), Smush Parker was, quite simply, playing way over his head. It was a brilliant, savvy, smart play that set up Kobe's shot. Get this right, folks: Kobe may have tied the game, but it was Smush Parker who saved it.

And Kobe knows this. He's just sent the game to overtime, and the crowd is going nuts for him, and he could care less about any of that. Instead of celebrating his own incredible shot or soaking in the crowd's mind-numbing adoration, he makes a bee-line for Smush. There's no simple high five here, no quick butt-smack. He freaking smothers the kid, and doesn't let go of him until Smush knows that he was the man on that play. Even after his teammates catch up and mob Kobe for making the shot, he still doesn't let go of his boy.

Smush Parker didn't put up 25/11/7/5 on the game. In fact, he was pretty bad on the night, going 2-12 for 5 points, with 3 rebounds, only 1 assist, and 5 fouls (and no free throws of his own). As hindsight has made so very clear, it had to be frustrating for Kobe to be playing the mighty Suns alongside a player of Smush's caliber (not to mention Devean George/Brian Cook and Kwame Brown, who, together with Smush, composed 3/5 of the Lakers starting unit). But in this moment, none of that matters, because as far as Kobe is concerned, Smush is the hero of the moment, and he makes sure his point guard gets every ounce of the appreciation he deserves.

Now, don't take this as being some sort of end-all point to completely settle the argument — but doesn't it seem a bit off to you, in watching these two plays, that Kobe had the reputation of being such a bad teammate, and Shaq, such a great one? Certainly, Kobe has had his flaws. But, as this video session suggests, perhaps it's not nearly so cut and dry — perhaps Kobe was never as bad as he was made out to be, and perhaps Shaq was never as good.

Just some food for thought, for the next time the Shaq-Kobe "relationship" comes up.

Game 20 Preview: Oklahoma City vs. Golden State

Zorgon — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:34:20 -0000

More photos » by Don Smith - NBAE/Getty Images

Last time we met, the Thunder won on a last second buzzer-beater by Jeff Green. It was also one of Desmond Mason's final games playing for the Thunder, before he busted his knee for the year.

Browse more photos »

This also counts as an open thread, so feel free to post your thoughts during the game here.

Time: 7:00 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma, Comcast Sports Net Bay Area

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1)

Enemy Blog(s): Golden State of Mind

Backstory: Ah, the time has arrived.

It's my favourite time of year. The time of year where I get to cheer on my favourite team in the NBA against a crowd of enraged fans as they lose miserably against my other favourite team. I make a lot of enemies in the process, but a Thunder-Warriors game, for me, is truly a great spectacle to behold. No matter what, I win, and I always have a lot of fun. And, I know there are those of you who think I'm a traitor for cheering against the Thunder, but I don't care. I've been a Warriors fan ever since I was a young one, and they will remain my favourite team through thick and thin. I love the Thunder almost equally as much, but they'll just never take the place of the Warriors in my heart. You could lecture me all day about how they've been the worst team in the NBA over the past 15 years (correct), how the organization stinks (correct), how the players are punks (wrong), how Oakland is trashy (wrong), and how much better the Thunder are. But the fact remains that they're the team I was raised on, the team that has captured my love, and the team that I'll watch until I die.

And before I go on to the actual preview, I'd also like to give a big shout out to Golden State of Mind. I've been a loyal member of their community since they first moved to SB Nation and Mike Dunleavy and Derek Fisher were bricking treys on a regular basis. It's a huge honor to be on the same network as them, and a dream I've always had.

But, enough personal asides. Let us get to the analysis.

Who are the Warriors? Well, they're a very two-faced team. When they play well, they're a team with excellent ball movement that can drive the ball into the post when there are no open shots, and a team that can also run down the floor, and knock down the first open shot they get. When they play badly, oh man, do they play badly. It usually consists of a complete lack of scoring combined with them shooting bad, completely guarded jumpers within the first few seconds of the shot clock, leading to large deficits. It's usually a result of exhaustion and a lack of big men. You might think that the bad Warriors show up more often than not, and they do, but it's not because of a lack of talent. This team has seen more injuries than the Mexican Army as they tried to take the Alamo. 3 of their big men, Biedrins, Turiaf, and Wright are all out with injuries. Both of their off-season acquisitions, Devean George and Speedy Claxton, are out as well. Heck, even Raja Bell, who came in a trade, has needed hand surgery, and to make it all complete, Kelenna Azubuike was out with surgery, and Anthony Morrow was recently out to attend a funeral. This left the team with 8 active players (including Forward Chris Hunter, who was called up from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants out of desperation). This is nothing new for the Warriors, as Azubuike himself was a D-League find in a similar time of trouble. Rather, it is just another chapter in the book of a team of injuries, bad draft picks, bad management, bad coaching, and just overall futility. Anthony Morrow will be back for tonight's game at the Ford Center, but Don Nelson won't make the trip. Can a team of 9 guys and an assistant coach overcome the hungry Thunder?

Well, anything is possible. The Thunder are coming off of a bad loss against the Celtics, but that's the exception rather than the rule. They've been known to put the lower-echelon teams when they've needed to, but they've also been known to play them tight into the second half. When you've facing the Warriors, who are capable of going on huge runs all at once, it's a dangerous thing to do.

Below: Matchups, Prediction

Matchups:

Center: Nick Collison vs. Mikki Moore (Possibly Anthony Randolph)

Mikki Moore did well in garbage time against the Thunder last year when he played for Boston, but I wouldn't expect a repeat performance tonight. He's been useless in every sense of the word when he's played for the Warriors, missing open layups, fouling far too often, and not rebounding as much as they'd like him to. There are very few matchups where Nick Collison can legitimately eat someone alive, but this is one of them. Expect at least a double double.

Power Forward: Jeff Green vs. Vladamir Radmanovic (Possibly Anthony Randolph)

Again, this matchup provides a huge advantage for the Thunder. Jeff Green always beats power forwards that are smaller than him, and then though "the rad man" is 6'10", he's a defensive and offensive post softie. He'll hit a few threes and grab a couple of rebounds just because of he sheer amounts of shots being taken, but don't expect him to put up nearly as good of numbers as Green will.

Small Forward: Kevin Durant vs. Monta Ellis

Well, this is a matchup I never thought I'd see in my day. Kevin Durant against Monta Ellis? It will never sound right in my head, but apparently, it's about to happen. As they're both mains scorers for their respective teams, and seeing as how neither have excellent defense, expect a huge scorefest tonight from both players, with Durant racking up more rebounds and blocks and Ellis racking up more assists and steals. Sounds kind of obvious, but what else am I supposed to say?

Shooting Guard: Thabo Sefolosha vs. Anthony Morrow

Anthony Morrow can score from all over the floor, but he's mainly a shooter. That being said, he'll probably perform a little below par if he has to play against Sefolosha, since Sefolosha closes out on shooters pretty well. He won't be shut out though, because he'll probably be on the floor for some of the time Sefolosha will be on the bench, and it's hard keeping such an elite scorer down.

Point Guard: Russell Westbrook vs. Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry has been one of the leagues best Rookies this year. Widely considered to be the Warriors future Point Guard, he can score from anywhere on the floor and pass it smoothly to the right guy with the style and grace of a veteran. Russell Westbrook can do that too, but without the great shooting.

Battle of the Benches:

The Warrior's bench, while depleted, is better than you think. Hunter is pretty useless, but Maggette is great at getting to the line when he wants to, and C.J. Watson scores well in spurts. Most importantly, Anthony Randolph, coming off of a 28 Points, 13 Rebound, and 5 Assist performance against Orlando, looks poised for greatness. He's the Warriors best kept secret, and easily owns anybody we have on our bench, including Ibaka, Wilks, and Harden.

Coaching and Intangibles:

The Warriors don't have Don Nelson, who has known to be a bit silly with his player management, but they will get tired. Not because they've had 5 games in their last 9 days, but simply because they play such a tiring game and only have 9 guys to play it. It can be evidenced by the Magic suddenly and dramatically going on a 15-0 run at the end of the last game while the Warriors were firing up well-guarded duds. On top of that, they have a horrible record, and they're playing in the Ford Center. Most everything is on the Thunder's side.

Bottom Line:

I would shout with joy if the Warriors won this game, but it's just not going to happen. They've made big runs against every team under the sun, but shown a huge inability to close those same games. Also, most of the teams they've been able to compete with have consisted largely of outside shooters, while the Thunder are mainly a inside scoring team. All in all, it will be close for a while, but the game will end quietly, with most of the fans filing out with 3 minutes to go and the Thunder having won by 10.

Prediction: Oklahoma City 122, Golden State 112

How do you think the game will go? Vote in the Poll!

And, again, feel free to drop any comments you might have during, before, or after the game below. I'll be in the Ford Center cheering the team Warriors on, but I'll be back to write a recap later tonight. Go Thunder WARRIORS!

Poll

Who's going to win tonight?

RECAP: Warriors 118 Magic 126 - So much for my early XMas Present

R Dizzle — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:04:09 -0000

Where you at Ronny? We got a dance off coming after this game!

Final Boxscore | Warriors Web Links | Open Thread (1100+ comments)

Final - 12.5.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
Orlando Magic	42	30	25	29	126
Golden State Warriors	33	31	36	18	118

Complete Coverage >

Oh Warriors, how you break my heart. I gotta be honest - I wasn't even going to watch the game. I was just going to watch the replay today (Sunday) on League Pass, fast forward through the Magic dominating us and then come up with some kinda recap.

You can't blame me for that. Let me go back and take a quote from my preview.

5. The Warriors are missing these players - Brandan Wright, Kelenna Azubuike, Raja Bell, Anthony Morrow, Ronny Turiaf, Andris Biedrins, Anthony Randolph, Speedy Claxton, Devean George.

6. The Warriors will play these players tonight - Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, Corey Maggette, Chris Hunter, Mikki Moore, C.J. Watson, and Vladimir Radmonovich.

How in the world were we supposed to win with that? In fact, how were we supposed to be even close?

So I went on with my night...did what I had to do. Like an idiot, I decided to briefly check the score during the 2nd quarter.

I check the score, and what do I see? Warriors are down by 15. (I got rhymes son!)

Surprise surprise R Dizzle. Box Score at that point? Nothing out of the ordinary. Monta with the most points, AR just got in and did a few things, Vlad Rad looking half decent.

But there was an interesting number. Dwight Howard like 3 fouls already. Weird. Maybe we were doing something right? Getting him into foul trouble early? Gortat too?

Naw naw, we still had no chance. Vinsanity was playing out of his mind. Get it? Visnanity? Playing out of his mind? I'm so creative.

The Magic kept scoring more 3's at a rate faster than I was eating Xmas Cookies. We had no chance. None at all.

So I said "whateves." Got back to the task at hand. Decorating my Xmas tree. It was dope. I had warm hot chocolate (what else would it be? cold hot chocolate?), the N Sync Christmas Album playing in the background, cool ornaments and I was hanging with a lil special someone.

You gotta love the holidays! Fun filled times. I mean jeez, look at my tree! (I got rhymes son!)

But something was missing. The night wasn't right. I had to be honest with myself. I can't just "not watch" the Warriors because they're guaranteed a loss. No, I must enjoy the bad times, I must find some pleasure in it all.

So I turned it back on at the beginning of the 2nd half. Something was different this time around.

Sure Monta was doing his thing - playing at an All Star level. Vlad Rad was doing his thing. Curry was getting his Butter on (Butter Chicken anyone?) and handling the ball silky smooth. But there 2 things that stuck out to me at that point.

1. Dwight and Marcin were in foul trouble.

Very key. Without their two big men, they were forced to play Brandon Bass at center. We didn't really have one at the time (don't try to tell me that Mikki Moore or Chris Hunter are great substitutes) so we could play small ball.

Yes, classic Nellie ball. Put a 4 at the 5 position (Vlad Rad) a 3 at the 4 (Corey Maggette), put in guys that "have the ability" to score (Monta, Randolph, and Curry) and run run run run run.

2. Anthony Randolph was "different."

Define different you say? Can't put my finger on it. Something was just..."different." Sure I can throw out numbers but really, what difference does THAT make? It can't really describe what was becoming of Mr. AR. It was just "different."

Maybe finally living up to his "potential?" Not being "out of control?" "No one on the corner had swagga like him?"

Who knows - but at least he wasn't being his usual "Tigger self."

I had to watch the game. I just had to. I had a feeling, or was it more than a feeling, that I had a chance to see something special. Let me quickly summarize what I said in the next 15 minutes of my life.

"We have no chance."

"Wow that was pretty."

"Wait, how did he..."

"We're closing the lead."

"Ooooooo"

"Aaaahhhh"

"NO way is this happening."

"No, really, NO WAY IS THIS HAPPENING."

"That Monta - he's so acrobatic."

"Wait, what's with Anthony Randolph?"

"How is playing like that?"

"Where has been all season?"

"No really...what's going on."

"It's the end of the 3rd and we're up by 5."

"WTF MAN?!?!!??!"

This is why he's hot. This is why he's hot. This is why, this is why, this is why he's hot.

"WTF MAN?!?!?!" - indeed. The "impossible" was happening right in front of our eyes. We had a team with 8 guys. We were playing the Magic. Yes, the Magic. The same Magic that were the Eastern Conference Champions. The same Magic that manged to get BETTER over the off season.

It was happening. Monta Ellis was playing at an All Star level. He was leading the team. Curry was getting his PG on and handling the ball well. Corey Maggette was slashing in the line, playing strong. But most of all - Anthony Randolph was becoming something special right in front of our eyes.

I was going to be able to put my first present under my new Christmas tree. I was going to see the Warriors do the impossible again. I was back to believing.

IT WAS GOING TO BE AN EARLY CHRISTMAS.

But no, I was wrong. Not too get too depressing but essentially things didnt' come together. Call it being a young team. Call it being inexperienced. Call it playing against a better team.

Whatever you want to do - truth of the matter is we got destroyed in the last 5 minutes. The Magic made it one "Magical" night.

Hey, but like always - let's refer to the one thing I had right in my preview.

FICTION

1. The Warriors will win tonight. (That is all...)

Hooray...

Thanks for NOT giving me an early XMas present guys...

But hey, one question. How in the world did Matt Barnes for from this

To this

Who else? Anthony Randolph. 10-23 shooting, 28 points, 13 boards, and 5 assists.

Two things popped out to me from AR in this game.

1. He still can't crack a smile.

Seriously, when is this kid going to be happy? He was scoring left and right, making crazy passes (that dish to Monta was nuts) and he still looked like he was about to cry.

The only time I saw him smile was after he fouled Matt Barnes in an attempted block.

...what's up with that?

1. He's living up to his "potential."

Yeah great stuff. We all know where the hype is and what it's about. But please just do me one favor. For my Christmas gift, just please make sure that

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD YOU DO THIS AGAIN!!!!

Oh ya, one more thing....

IT'S ALMOST TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!! YAY!!

All about Holiday Cupcakes!

Poll

Which was a tougher loss this week?

GAME THREAD #19 - Warriors vs. Magic - Superman that..

R Dizzle — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:36:43 -0000

My arms are this big - I swear.

Warriors: 6-12

Magic: 15-4

Tip-Off: 7:30pm

TV: CSN Bay Area

Radio: KNBR 680

Blog Buddy: Third Quarter Collapse

Alright so things aren't going so well. We lost the last game to the Rockets by a stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid (I think you get the picture) play and it was heart breaking. Monta's been scoring out of his mind but also giving up turnovers at a rate that is out of his mind. Yay.

But hey, at least we get to see another great Warriors game tonight. We're going to finally have a full roster...right?

Right?

What's this? IQofaWarrior says...a big fat N-O.

Sigh...

FACTS

1. The Magic are tied for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

2. The Magic will set a new team record with 7 consecutive road wins,

3. Don Nelson will miss the next 5 road games.

4. Anthony Morrow will miss tonight's game.

5. The Warriors are missing these players - Brandan Wright, Kelenna Azubuike, Raja Bell, Anthony Morrow, Ronny Turiaf, Andris Biedrins, Anthony Randolph, Speedy Claxton, Devean George.

6. The Warriors will play these players tonight - Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, Corey Maggette, Chris Hunter, Mikki Moore, C.J. Watson, and Vladimir Radmonovich.

7. Mickael Pietrus was one of the most fun Warriors players. (See Below)

8. The Warriors are in desperate need of some magic "health" potions.

9. Mickael Pietrus, Matt Barnes, and Adonal Foyle will all get standing ovations when they step on the court (if they do).

10. This guy (pictured below) will Superman the Warriors.

FICTION

1. The Warriors will win tonight. (That is all...)

Poll

Who is your favorite ex-Warrior on the Magic?

RECAP: Warriors 111, Mavericks 103 - Wait... what just happened?

R Dizzle — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:39:12 -0000

Wait...what? Did that really just happen?

Let me check the Open Thread.

OPEN THREAD - Warriors @ Mavericks - Time to Get Smart

Nooo...no way did we just beat the Mavs...did we?

Ellis, Morrow lead Warriors past Mavericks 111-103 [Yahoo Sports]

Yahoo says we did. What about Mavs Money Ball?

Mavs Lose at Home to Six Warriors: Rick Carlisle Postgame Quotes [Mavs MoneyBall]

Ok ok...I still don't believe it. It's not possible. The Mavs were 10-3. Dirk was having an MVP type year (ughhh...). We had 8 active players - 2 of which were injured. We had young players.

Did we really just win?

Let me check to see what my man IQofaWarrior dropped in the Warriors Web...

Warriors Web: Warriors 111, Mavericks 103- Monta Ellis + Anthony Morrow + Stephen Curry score 82 points, Mikki Moore + Vladimir Radmanovic grab 23 rebounds

I still can't believe it...

Final - 11.24.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden State Warriors	25	25	28	33	111
Dallas Mavericks	27	27	28	21	103

Complete Coverage >

WE WON.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?!?! FACTOR = 3

Again, I'd like to bring your attention Figure 1 (pictured below).

Now I must admit, when the game started I was basically yelling at my laptop at the top of my lungs (and subsequently getting yelled at by people around me at the library). It was literally turnover after turnover after turnover after turnover after turnover...you get the idea. If I recall correctly (someone tell me if I'm wrong) it was close to 6 TO's in the first 5 minutes of the game. Sloppy sloppy sloppy!

But then, guys got smart, Keith Smart, that is, and decided to minimize turnovers. Let's be real, 21 turnovers is waaaaaayyyy too much (especially dumb ones) but it doesn't really matter when the Warriors can rack in 15 steals.

Question

Hey GSoM, I gotta question for you.

It's a brain teaser, but maybe you can get the answer.

You gotta think about it real hard though.

What happens when you play a FULL NBA game with these 6 players and this coach?

Stephen Curry

#30 / Guard / Golden State Warriors

Height: 6-3

Weight: 185

Born: Mar 14, 1988

College: Davidson

Monta Ellis

#8 / Guard / Golden State Warriors

Height: 6-3

Weight: 180

Born: Oct 26, 1985

College: None

Mikki Moore

#33 / Center / Golden State Warriors

Height: 7-0

Weight: 225

Born: Nov 04, 1975

College: Nebraska

Anthony Morrow

#22 / Forward / Golden State Warriors

Height: 6-5

Weight: 210

Born: Sep 27, 1985

College: Georgia Tech

Vladimir Radmanovic

#77 / Forward / Golden State Warriors

Height: 6-10

Weight: 235

Born: Nov 19, 1980

College: Serbia & Montenegro

Anthony Randolph

#4 / Forward / Golden State Warriors

Height: 6-10

Weight: 205

Born: Jul 15, 1989

College: L-S-U

The answer to come later.

For a hint, check out this SB Nation article.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Now it's time to play another game. It's called...

I SPY - WARRIORS EDITION

Monta Ellis

I spy...Monta Ellis

This one picture depicts his game as of late.

Examine it closely. Real closely.

I see ELLIS TO THE RIM.

It's like he was Moses - parting the sea of the Mavericks players. Going to straight to the promised land that is the basket.

It's like he understands what it means to be a leader, and he's taking charge and doing what he needs to.

Look at his stats! 48 minutes (the whole game), 4 boards, 4 steals, 8 assists. He does need to work on those 11 turnovers though.

Talk about playing a full game...

Anthony Morrow

I spy....Anthony Morrow.

This one picture depicts his game as of late.

Examine it closely. Real closely.

I see a 2nd year player that's expanding his game.

I see our future small forward with an ability to shoot (6 three pointers? Really? I mean..REALLY?!?!), pull down boards (9) and even distribute the ball (5 assists).

I see tenacity.

But most of all, I see pride. I see power. I see a bad-ass mother, who don't take no crap offa nobody!

I had to work the Cool Runnings in!

Stephen Curry

I spy...Stephen Curry.

This one picture depicts his game as of late.

Examine it closely. Real closely.

Yes, he's young, but he ain't scared.

He's got the rest of the NBA wondering where he came from. Look at Dirk. Look at JKidd. They just don't get it.

How can a rookie like him start, shoot 50% off the floor, toss out 6 dimes, AND have clutch shooting at the end of the road game?

Must be all the butter chicken.

Last but not least...

Coach Smart

I spy...Coach Smart.

This one picture depicts his coaching as of late.

Examine it closely. Real closely.

I see a coach that can take our young guys to victory. I see a man that's willing to draw a technical foul on a terrible call. I see a coach that our young players really respect.

He was ready to take over Nelly's coaching position when he was needed. He says the right things.

"Coming into this game, we had nothing to lose," said assistant coach Keith Smart, who filled in for Nelson. "The worst case is they blow us out and we move on to [Wednesday night's game in San Antonio]. But our guys have a lot of character. They played hard together and made the right decisions."

Smart dedicated the victory to Nelson, watching at home on TV."This win went out to our man in charge," Smart said. "Our guys pulled together for him. He instilled a lot of the qualities in all of us."

Now I'm not going to start saying all this "FIRE NELSON! WE WANT COACH SMART!" stuff...but I will say, it was nice to get a fresh look off the bench.

I don't want to credit all of the success yesterday to Coach Smart - it goes to a lot of players (more on that later).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Answer

What happens when you play a FULL NBA game with these 6 players and this coach?

To my earlier question. There's a simple answer.

A WIN.

I gotta be honest. This one was pretty rough. I could have given it to Coach Smart. I couldn't have given it to any one or all of our Big Three - Monta Ellis, Anthony Morrow, and Stephen Curry. Hell, I could have even given it to Vlad Rad for playing a full game and contributing.

But no, I think I'm going to dedicate last night's game to my favorite ex-player.

Yes, that's right - he gets yet another Warrior Wonder award.

Why, you ask?

Well it's simple. Things have just been a bit different without him around. Monta's been able to fill the role of leader (which he's suprising doing well in), there's more ball distribution, less dumb mistakes.

Everyone just seems a bit happier. Things seem to be working out a bit better.

Ya know I got nothin but love for ya Jack.

Poll

Think Don Nelson should move to a consulting position?

YES, Time to get Smart!

472 votes

NO, Nellieball forever!

80 votes

552 votes | Poll has closed

Why You Should Watch, Part 1: A Suns Fan's Cheat Sheet to the Rest of the League

Mike Lisboa — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:00:40 -0000

Coach Gentry cheers on the Suns at every game. You should, too! (Photo by Max Simbron)

View full size photo »

The Phoenix Suns are 11-3 and heading into a December full of must-watch games against top flight NBA teams. No Suns fan worth their salt is going to miss a match-up against the Lakers or Spurs or Mavericks. Those teams have been lifelong (or at least decade-long) nemeses to our beloved Suns and each of those games is like a basketball rite of passage.

But what about the rest of the League? Why should you watch the Suns beat up on the Timberwolves or Bobcats? And what about those random teams that never get any pub way out west like the Bucks or the Nets? Below is part one of list of things to look for and reasons to watch our Suns play every team in the NBA. Feel free to print it out and keep it on the fridge next to your official Phoenix Suns schedule or next to the remote so you can crib from it on gameday. Also included is each team's SBNation site if you'd like to learn more about them.

But mostly you should watch because it's the Suns!

Atlanta Hawks, Peach Tree Hoops: Another early season surprise, just like The Suns. The obvious angle here is former Sun, Joe Johnson, aka Daisy Buchanan aka The One That Got Away. While in past seasons, one could have argued that perhaps he was the only reason to watch the Hawks, this year Atlanta done went and put together a ball club. Josh Smith will put you on a poster after rebounding your miss that he nearly blocked on the other end and Jamal Crawford will go from 0-15 points in the blink of an eye. This is a fun team that, like the Suns, seems poised to make an unexpected run at an assumedly superior division rival (the Orlando Magic).

Boston Celtics, CelticsBlog: Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce. For me those are reasons enough to watch them. For Suns fans, KG represents an alternative dimension where the Suns won the trade lottery a few years back and miraculously transformed into a defensive championship-winning machine. Ray Allen was a Suns assassin with the Sonics seemingly ending every contest against the Suns with a 3 as time expired. And Paul Pierce is the The Truth. Probably a little underrated around these parts, Pierce is a ferocious competitor and maybe the 3rd most important Celtic in history behind Bill Russell and Larry Bird. However, time is catching up to the Big 3 and this may be the last chance to catch them before they retire/go their separate ways. Oh, and for added Suns angles, former Sun/Sun Devil Eddie House is always conscienceless good times firing 3s off the bench and Rajon Rondo causes some current fans to look at Goran Dragic coming off the bench and cut themselves since he was in fact a Phoenix draft pick that the Sarver and company sold on eBay back in the day.

Charlotte Bobcats, Rufus On Fire: True story: I nearly canceled League Pass after coming across a Bobcats/Nets game a couple weeks ago. It was eye murder. That said, there's some fun to be had here. First, you can boo/cheer Boris Diaw as you see fit. Watching him play waffle croissant frustrate another team is much more liberating without worrying about how his 9 milli a year is affecting the Suns' cap situation. Raja Bell is gone, but in his place is former Suns division rival Stephen Jackson who should up the excitement quotient in the Queen City. And if you though Mike D'Antoni had a thing against young players, you can practically see the Charlotte faithful's collective head getting ready to explode as rookie lottery pick Gerald Henderson continues to ride pine even in garbage time.

Continued after the jump...

Chicago Bulls, Blog-A-Bull: Joakim Noah will make you eat your words. Derrick Rose is going to be a very good point guard for a very long time. Vinnie Del Negro has one of the best tans I've ever seen. He's the NBA's answer to George Hamilton. If you want something of a Suns angle, John Salmons shunned the Suns leading them to eventually sign Marcus Banks to one of the worst contracts in Suns history AND Luol Deng was also a one time Suns draft pick. Alternately frustrating and fantastic, there's a lot to watch any time these Bulls take the floor.

Cleveland Cavaliers, Fear The Sword: Little known fact about these Cavs... just kidding. If ever an NBA team suffered from overexposure, it's this year's Cavs. Whether or not, Shaquille O'Neal puts Cleveland over the top or drags them under, LeBron James' presence makes Cleveland must-watch basketball every time he takes the court... at least for another few months.

Dallas Mavericks, Mavs Moneyball: Well, well, well, if it isn't a rejuvenated Shawn Marion back in the Western Conference! With Jason Kidd and Tim Thomas on the roster, that's 3 former Suns who could make life miserable for their ex-team. Then there's notable Suns killer and former Wildcat Jason Terry who gets all Bill the Butcher on the Suns every time they play. And of course, Dirk Nowitzki is a straight up animal. New to the mix this year is rookie Frenchman Rodrigue Beaubois, who might be the only 6'0" player in the NBA with a go-to alley oop play drawn up especially for him. So, yeah, watch these guys.

Denver Nuggets, Denver Stiffs: This is quite simply an electric basketball team. Defensively suspect perhaps, this Nuggets team is simply terrifying on the offensive end. Carmelo Anthony's most dangerous spot on the floor is, well, the floor. From the baseline to the top of the arc, he is making opponents lives miserable this season. Off the bench, rookie PG Ty Lawson is quickly making a name for himself as a capable and dangerous back-up to Chauncey Billups' unwaveringly steady hand. These cats are slick and worth watching any time they take the floor.

Detroit Pistons, Motown String Music: The most exciting development in the world of Dee-troit Basketball is Will Bynum's transmogrification into the explosive substance, Bynumite. And he's a former Wildcat, too! Also, the Suns whupped them handily so they're good for the occasional Alando Tucker sighting. And I <3 a healthy Rip Hamilton.

Golden State Warriors, Golden State of Mind: There's a lot to like here: Steph Curry, Anthony Randolph, Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrens and hey -- it's Raja Bell! I was a big Anthony Morrow fan at Summer League and after one game, even D-League call-up Chris Hunter is making some noise. The problem is with Don Nelson running the show mailing it in, you never know what version of this team you're going to get. As a Suns fan though, with 14 games worth of hindsight, try and figure out how that rumored Amare trade would have worked out this season (my 2 cents: not well).

Houston Rockets, The Dream Shake: No T-Mac? No Yao? No problem. Sort of. After a hot start, the Rockets have cooled off to the .500 level in their last 10 games. What they lack in star power, the team is attempting to compensate for in effort and ingenuity. While that combination may make for a middling season, it also makes for smart, hard-fought basketball games that the Suns will have to earn.

Indiana Pacers, Indy Cornrows: Because Danny Granger is the brightest star you've never heard of. While off to a bit of a rough start in 2009, Granger is capable of taking over games and should not be slept on. Also, Tyler Hansbrough will help you find your dog.

Los Angeles Clippers, Clips Nation: This is a team on the verge of... something. They've got a solid if unspectacular commingling of veteran and youth presence in the starting line-up and on the bench and it will only get better once Blake Griffin joins the mix. Boom Dizzle and Eric Gordon make for an above average (and occasionally dynamic) backcourt. Chris Kaman is playing as if he is actually from another planet this year. Marcus Camby is ol' reliable and Craig Smith and Sebastian Telfair are providing serviceable minutes off the bench. In short, these Clippers are ready to break out of the cellar and into the NBA middle class, but they won't because Mike Dunleavy is a terrible, terrible coach. So why should you watch? For the novelty of seeing a team whose locker room cancer is actually roaming the sidelines in a suit.

Los Angeles Lakers, Silver Screen and Roll: "Hate Leads to Suffering; Or, How I Learned to Stop Suffering and Appreciate the Los Angeles Lakers." I'm not sure when I stopped hating the Lake Show, but it's a relatively recent phenomenon. There's just too much good basketball happening when they're on the court. Kobe Bryant is the pre-eminent basketball technician in the league right now. Pau Gasol might be the most sophisticated power forward in the NBA. Andrew Bynum is morphing from man-child to man with each passing minute on the court. Lamar Odom is the Ghost of Earl Clark Future and Ron Artest has gone from dangerously crazy to lovably eccentric with a change in area code. Oh, and that guy on the sidelines has 12 rings (2 as a player... haters) to legitimize any complaints of "Fakerism." For weaknesses, Derek Fisher is showing his age and then some and that bench is the basketball equivalent of Russian Roulette (there's about a 1 in 6 chance they will cost the Lakers the game). But you know, watch for the hate. It feels good, doesn't it, young Skywalker?

Memphis Grizzlies, Straight Outta Vancouver: Because Allen Iverson is must-watch basketball! Watch these guys so that 2 years from now you can say you were there when... Rudy Gay announced his presence with authority, O.J. Mayo came into his own, Zach Randolph quietly resucitated his career, Marc Gasol began working his way out of Pau's shadow, Jamaal Tinsley was brought into stabilize (!) a team's roster, and Hasheem Thabeet began fading into obscurity. It's kinda like watching the X-Files before the X-Files was cool (and that also started in Canada!).

Miami Heat, Peninsula is Mightier: Because if you don't watch, Dwyane Wade will throw himself at you and you WILL be called for a foul. While it's easy to mock Wade's penchant for reckless drives and refs tendencies to bail him out, it's impossible to argue that he's not a hardwood hurricane when this team needs him to be. Without Wade, this team's win total is somewhere in the 30s, but with him, they're a dangerous playoff foe... which isn't to say there isn't some talent around him. Udonis Haslem defines "unsung hero" outside of Miami-Dade County. Jermaine O'Neal and Quentin "P90X" Richardson are both having mini-renaissances this season and youngsters Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley provide inconsistent if effective support to their leading man. But mostly, it's all about Wade being a force of nature that you can watch from the comfort of your home without worrying about losing your home in the process.

To be continued....

Around the League #1

Dave — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:05:37 -0000

Welcome to a new, hopefully semi-regular end-of-week feature we're trying called "Around the League". Things being what they are, I get so caught up in talking Blazers that I seldom have a chance to address things that go on beyond our confines. In these posts we'll do exactly that, plus mop up some Blazer topics that we didn't have time to treat in earlier conversation. My intention is not to play the expert here as much to share opinions which could lead to interesting discussion. So away we go!

Get Well Paul Allen

The most important real-life news out of the league this week came from our own franchise, as Blazers owner Paul Allen was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. There's nothing revolutionary we can say about this other than facing any kind of cancer makes for a tough fight but we know Paul Allen is a tough fighter. However I'd like to add my personal well-wishes, however humble they may be compared to what is needed.

Things like this transcend our normal relationships. We know you because you're the owner of the Blazers, Mr. Allen. We appreciate you because of what you've done for (and with) the team over the last two decades. But even though a life is measured by one's accomplishments it cannot be wholly defined by them. It's time to show support for Paul Allen the human being...not the billionaire, the final decision-maker, but the person. No matter what happens with the team, the season, or anything basketball-related we support you, Mr. Allen. We are with you, sending our hopes and prayers in your direction, and if ever you doubt that you need but ask. I'm pretty sure thousands of pick-me-ups are at your fingertips anytime, day or night. Thank you for being who you are. Strength and peace be with you in this struggle.

Thoughts and prayers also go out to others in our Blazersedge and greater Blazers community who are also fighting this fight.

Click through for a bunch more topics.

Whither Allen Iverson?

Everybody outside of Tennessee knew that signing Allen Iverson to the Grizzlies ranked right up there with clamping your tongue to live jumper cables on the Good Idea Scale. Few anticipated his tenure in Memphis would be this short. He's just cleared waivers and is available to anyone who wants him. Should anyone bite?

I don't believe Iverson is a wholly toxic player, even now. He has some game left and could be an asset in the right situation. You just have to realize that he's going to be super-mega-nuclear toxic if both of these situations are true:

1. You don't plan to play him 38 minutes per game. And...

2. You're not going to win 50+ games.

Memphis acquiring him was three-O's stooopid because they're developing young scorers and ball-handlers already and they were going to be on the low end of mediocre no matter what Iverson did for them. The amount of ball-handling time he requires when unchecked would have killed them. The amount of losing they were going to do didn't give them any leverage to say him nay. However this does not apply to every team equally.

If you're a lousy team that just wants to run the AI Show, complete with caustic interviews and 32 shots per game from him, by all means go ahead. You might at least sell some tickets. You'll certainly generate some national media attention. But that avenue is pretty much a waste of everyone's time. The more intriguing possibility would be a team with a strong identity, perhaps a firmly-ensconced superstar already, who could legitimately tell Iverson to play along or take a hike. The team would also have to be on a straight road to the deep playoffs even without Iverson. Obviously it would also require 30-ish minutes to play him. He's not going to play along entirely, of course, but if his runaway self-absorption could be kept even halfway in check he could give you something. He might be willing to pick up an oar for a year in order to get back to the Finals and have his name associated with winning again.

Keep in mind that at this point he's a relatively cheap experiment as well. You can probably have him for the minimum required. At that rate there's no reason to rue cutting him if things don't work out. I'll be interested to see if anybody, even one decent team, takes a chance. The hot rumor is the Knicks but were I them I really wouldn't bother. It's a total Isiah move. The only way it could be more so is if they immediately offered him a multi-year, eight-figure deal. They don't have the infrastructure to withstand Hurricane Allen. We'll see what happens.

Meanwhile, Back at the Hall of Justice

Having booted The Flash out of the Superfriends for being not-so-friendly the Grizzlies took a chance on The Green Lantern, a.k.a. Jamaal Tinsley. Tinsley is more of a true point guard than Iverson was. But he's had off-court problems, injury problems, attitude problems, and last I heard wanted to be more of a scorer, except he lacks any visible capacity to score. One of the things that made him special in his prime was his defense. Defense equals effort. Effort is often hard to eke out of guys with attitude problems when they're not being featured in as prominent of a role as they'd like. So you can probably strike that off of the list even if Tinsley gets and stays in playing shape. So what did we end up with? Half of a point guard with all of the potential problems. My only conclusion is that Memphis management hates Lionel Hollins. With a passion.

Speaking of Attitude Problems

The trade of the week was the Stephen Jackson-Raja Bell swap between Golden State and Charlotte. (Plus players to be named later. Ooops! My bad. They were named already. Vladimir Radmanovic and Acie Law. Neither of those players is going to be named much later.) Color me underwhelmed by the deal. On the surface it makes sense, as the Bobcats desperately need more offense and the Warriors haven't even heard of defense. But Bell is injured and even if he weren't it's pretty hard to champion an entire defense from the shooting guard position when you're the only one playing defense at all. A center might do it. Maybe even a power forward. But Bell is going to be sticking his finger into a hole the size of Crater Lake. He's probably just going to get wet. And the fact that the Warriors were willing to part with Jackson for damaged goods should tell you something about where he is right now. The wrong-est move in all of this was signing him to a secure contract. You got some pretty good play out of him when his deal got short. Then you went and gave him four years of license to Jax you up. Smart.

LeBron Changes Numbers

I know it's old news but I never weighed in officially. This Jordan #23 thing is silly. Michael was a great player for one team. He should be honored to the moon by one team. The rest of us can remember him every time we play that one team. Michael changed the marketing and coverage of the NBA and the change in marketing and coverage led to a whole raft of new hoop dreams for a new generation. I understand that fully. But that's not why you retire jerseys even in one town, let alone in all of them simultaneously. You could make a stronger argument if he were the all-time scoring leader by a huge margin but he's third on the list. You could make a stronger argument if he was the most prolific stat guy ever but there was Wilt. You could make a stronger argument if nobody in history won nearly as many championships as he but you have vintage Celtics waving seven blinging fingers at you. Besides if you're going to count championships you better retire Pippen's number league-wide alongside Michael's. They never won without each other. The fact that LeBron is changing his number to that of Dr. J and Bill Russell only makes the fallacy more evident. They each had a pretty big impact on and off the floor. This is just like somebody saying that U2 should be forever enshrined above all bands because they were the defining group of a generation and more. That may be true but the impulse is also, by definition, generational. People from an earlier era are going to start asking about the Stones and the Beatles then. People before them will latch onto Elvis. Who was really the greatest? Each generation has its argument and its claim and that's the way it should be. There might not be another Michael, but there will be somebody else who impacts the league as strongly in a different way. Let them be compared and debated without attempting to freeze our moment in time and labeling it the greatest of all conceivable times.

AROUND THE SITE...

Part of this feature will be addressing topics that have gotten some play in the comments and sidebar. To wit:

Is ~~Marc Stein~~ DOH! Bill Simmons a Tool? (Sorry, Marc.)

Maybe, but he probably doesn't care. In the old days of professional wrestling people cheered the good guys and booed the bad. This is how each made their money. Then people smartened up to how the game worked. Nowadays a great bad guy is as likely to get cheered as booed, simply because people appreciate how good he is at being bad. We probably need to smarten up to the media circus as well. Anybody who gets you riled up is making bank off of just that. If Simmons is good at cheesing off Portland fans it's because he relishes it. If you like that kind of thing then by all means get cheesed and have fun with it. If you're really angry and want to take action, ignoring it is the best thing you can do. Cheers are good. Boos are good. Silence is crushing.

Would Gerald Wallace Make a Good Blazer?

Yes and no. He's definitely that kind of crazed, charging bull that this team lacks. He's also the kind of crazed, charging bull that will want to start at small forward. In the short term that's not a problem, but Nicolas Batum might be just as valuable in the long run. Plus he'd be expensive to get. On the other hand you wouldn't have to worry about rebounding anymore. On the other hand he might have to moderate his game with age and as soon as he starts shooting jumpers instead of driving the lane he's much less of a player. If the Blazers did get him I think they'd need to concentrate on two things at the point guard position: distance shooting and the ability to run. You'd depend heavily on the frontcourt to beat everyone up and reserve the backcourt for running and shooting. Everything else would take second-fiddle. I don't think that point guard is on this team right now. I think Andre Miller and Jerryd Bayless specifically don't fit that mold. So you'd need to plan another move sooner or later. Given all of that, it's not likely to happen.

Any Chance the Blazers are Ready This Year?

This question was posed by jksnake in our live chat but he posed it at quarter-after-midnight when I was on my way out the door. Specifically he wanted to know what I perceived the difference to be between this year and next, since I've opined that the window is still shut this season but it starts opening thereafter. Is it just an experience difference?

Experience is part of it...not just experience in the league but experience playing together. We haven't even got a regular lineup right now. Even without injuries we'd still be juggling that. Players are starting to trust each other and are learning to work together but it's still a work in progress. Frankly when they get under stress things tend to break down still instead of the team stepping up. One or two guys might bail us out of trouble but five together can't. The playoffs bring a ton of stress. It's more intense, sustained, and targeted directly at your weak points. The team should be far more settled by the time they reach the post-season but in reality you have to learn your lessons all over again once you get there. Teams that are learning might win a series or even two but they won't win four. Next year we should enter the year knowing what we've got. We may see a couple roster changes but they should be specific and hopefully only in one critical area instead of the three or four we're juggling now. Next year we'll also have more playoff experience and a better idea of what going deep is like (knock on wood).

The other critical factor is Greg Oden. You can already see what a monstrous difference he makes for this team. But in basketball terms he's just taking his first steps right now. He'll need to make more of a difference more consistently for the Blazers to march to a title. It's too early to pin that much on him. He's still getting in regular foul trouble, feeling his way around the offense, rushing shots, turning the ball over, and a ton of other little things that he'll need to work on throughout the year. He'll be good come playoff time but he won't be great enough to make the difference we need. Next season the expectations get higher for him.

Finally, as I always say when these things come up, you can tell we're not there by how we have to envision making it. "We match up better than most against the L*kers. We should be able to take San Antonio this year. If we can get by or avoid the Nuggets we should have a chance." You can switch around the names in those various sentences however you wish. The fact remains that if you have to say those things you aren't the dominant team. You don't want to be the team that plays the L*kers well. You want to be the L*kers. This kind of talk screams Minnesota '03-'04, not L.A. ‘08-'09. Name me a team that's won it all recently that came into the season thinking they might have a chance instead of coming into the season knowing they were going to win. The L*kers knew. The Celtics knew. The Spurs always knew. Shaq and Wade's Heat, the Pistons, Shaq and Kobe's L*kers, both sets of Michael's Bulls...they all knew too. This is NOT to say that there's one, predestined team each year. It's perfectly possible for multiple teams to come into the season knowing that they're going to take the title. Only one of them turns out to be right, but the others still had that confidence and attitude. (Drexler's Blazers knew in '90-'91, for instance, as did the '99-'00 ‘Sheed-led squad.) You probably have to go back to our own '89-‘90 Blazers in their first Finals before you can find a sneak-ish team. But even they had an inkling what was going to happen when they got Buck Williams. Plus their situation was much different, staffed as they were by veterans in their early, but legitimate, primes. (Porter was in his 4^th year and Duck his 3rd but Clyde was in his 6^th, Kersey his 5^th, and Williams his 8^th. Between them the starting five had 23 combined years of playoff experience. The current Blazer starters have 11 combined and 5 of those are Miller's. I'm not sure the entire squad put together has much more than 23.) The Blazers aren't even at the point where they know themselves yet, let alone knowing that they can dominate the rest of the league no matter what comes. That'll take time. It's actually pretty bold to think that it has a chance of happening next year even. But this team has always been a little ahead of the curve.

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)

Daily Links 11/19

FLCeltsFan — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:54:58 -0000

Herald Rajon Rondo ignites surge past feisty young Warriors
Rajon Rondo quick to forget
Heave escapes Kevin Garnett
Nellie plugs along
Knicks nix Pacers to snap skid
Comcast to offer Celtics on-demand programming
Globe Garnett on the Warriors post game
Post-game quotes from Perkins, Allen
Updates from the Garden: Celtics vs. Warriors
In NBA lore, Nelson never comes up short -
Garnett on the Warriors post game
Post-game quotes from Perkins, Allen
Washburn: Celtics need to step it up for Orlando
Doc: 'That team scares the hell out of you'
Rivers assumes 3-point stance
Video of KG's half-court shot
Celtics man up for win

CelticsBlog     A Late Run Is Enough
Third quarter saves Celtics from Warriors
MetroWest Daily   Celtics 109, Warriors 95: C's ride Rondo to win
Celtics Hub   Doc to Sheed: Cut the 3s
Bullets: Anything but a Blowout
Step Aside and Avoid the Train Wreck: C’s 109, Warriors 95
Loy's Place     Comments from the Other Side - Warriors 11/18
Examiner    Depleted Warriors finish trip with pair of losses, but renewed enthusiasm
LeBron James in the NFL? Why not?
How to Watch Sports    Exploring NBA Contracts Based on Performance, Rather Than Potential
Basketbawful    Taken for granted
Celtics.com    Comcast, Celtics, CSN Unveil Expanded Celtics On Demand Library
Ford Keys to the Game: Warriors at Celtics
NBA.com    Celtics overpower outmanned Warriors in second half
THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE NBA DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE
ESPN   Hawks win Sixth game in a row
Rondo floors it
For KG, a buzz but no buzzer
Well-traveled Moore back in Boston
Weary Warriors battling more than Celtics
Opponents making their point with Boston Celtics defense
Celtics 17   Can the Boston Celtics Regain Their Dominant Defensive Effort?
Turning to What We Already Know: Sifting Through the Ridiculous and Poking the Dragon (Warriors Pregame)
Golden State Falls as Celtics Steer Themselves Back on Track
Red's Army    Your KG Face of the Day
I've never felt worse about a 14 point win...
Comcast SportsNet    C's vs. Warriors: Live from the Garden
Celtics Golden against Warriors
Perk plays role of unsung hero
Loscy    A new joint venture: The Doubting Thomas Award "
North Station Sports    NSS Live Game Chat: Warriors vs Celtics
Rondo Rallies the Troops, Celtics beat the Warriors 109-95
Celtics Town    Running Diary: Rondo, Rondo, Rondo as Celtics overcome Warriors
Hardwood Houdini   Celtics Work SOME Kinks Out- Still Have Work
Lex Nihil Novi    9-3: Celtics 109, Warriors 95
Utah Stops Celtics' Streak at 9 83-84
Something Still Ain't Right
CelticsLife     Celts STILL Not-so-good, but outlast Warriors and their 4th grade star
Celtics/Warriors Post Game Videos
Celtics 109, Warriors 94 Highlights
Gino's Jungle     Celtics Wake Up In Second Half To Defeat Warriors
Celtics Stuff Live    Gang Green: Season 3, Episode 5
Mercury News   Warriors notebook: Ronny Turiaf listed day-to-day
Warriors' Raja Bell plays through pain in loss to Boston
Green Street    Wallace looks back on Pistons Pacers Brawl
Donny Basketball
Danny Ainge on the Big Show
Can Celtics finish?
Fast Break: Celtics - Warriors
Allen takes on second generation of shooters
Slam Dunk Central    Raging Rajon Has Double-Double; Celtics Defeat Warriors 109-95
WEEI    The Three Pointer: Celtics Run Away From Speedy Warriors
Danny Ainge on WEEI
SF Gate    CELTICS 109, WARRIORS 95 / A loss, but not feeling defeated
Ratto: Warriors put the 'free' in free fall
Shorthanded team fall short in Cleveland
Golden State Warriors : Game 10: Warriors at Boston (halftime)
Bleacher Report    NBA Top 10: If Players, Coaches, Execs, and Fans Had Theme Songs...
Reign Him In: LeBron James' Ego Threatening to Ruin a Wonderful Thing Reign Him In: LeBron James' Ego Threatening to Ruin a Wonderful Thing
Telegram    Rondo still can’t toe the line
Allen helps Rondo from line
Celtics snap out of skid
NESN    Rajon Rondo Still Making Big Plays Despite Free-Throw Woes
Celtics End Two-Game Skid, Whack Warriors 109-95
Live Blog: Celtics vs. Warriors - Boston Celtics
Ray Allen to Host 'Ray of Hope Foundation' Benefit at The Lansdowne Pub
Motown Sports Revival     How to win an NBA Championship
CT News    Rondo Solves Warriors: Saves Celtics in 3rd
Dimemag    Kevin Garnett’s 75-Foot Shot
Back in the Mix
5 Suitors For The Inevitable Monta Ellis Trade
Summer 2010: Chris Bosh to the Nuggets
Patriot Ledger     CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Losing streak ends at two after first-half struggle against Warriors
Celts' Rajon Rondo finds his rhythm
NY Times    Seeking Shake-Up, Knicks Mull a Bid for Iverson
ProJo    Celtics outscore road-weary Warriors, 109-95
Celtics-Warriors in-game update: Celtics up by one at halftime
Celtics-Warriors final: Celtics rout Warriors, 109-95
Celtics journal: Aigne says latest trade rumors are false
Celtics not interested in trading for Nocioni
Celtics-Warriors pregame: Celtics looking to snap losing streak
TSN    Celtics snap short losing streak to thump Warriors
Sun Journal    Some Red Claws pinching themselves over opportunity
Chicago Now    Joakim Noah; top 3 center in the NBA
Dueling Couches    Perkins Calls Celtics Practices "Sloppy"
BetUs   NBA Lock Alert – Stunned Celtics Host High-Scoring Warriors
Luxist   Chris Webber's Restaurant Shuts Down
Hardwood Paroxysm    The Celtics Have A Coupon For Average Combo-Forwards And They Would Like To Use It
PRNewswire    Comcast, Celtics, CSN Unveil Expanded Celtics On Demand Library
SportsRadio Interviews Ron Artest on tossing Ariza’s shoe off the court the other night
Slam Online   When The Game Was ‘Theirs’
Chris Bosh Contemplates Life in Miami
Yahoo    Phil Jackson jokingly blames Pau Gasol's injury on 'CSI: Miami' - Ball Don't Lie
Hoopsworld     Notebook: Bryant Back to Form
4 Sports Boston    The Resting C’s: Domination or Abomination? 4 Sport Boston

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

Fantasy Junkie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:36:39 -0000

I'll take a Bud Light!

Open Thread (~1400 comments)

Final Boxscore

Blog Buddy: Celtics Blog

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

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

Hit the jump for some thoughts:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poll

Pick your Warrior Wonder for this game

Stephen Curry

136 votes

Monta Ellis

72 votes

Corey Maggette

377 votes

Anthony Randolph

76 votes

661 votes | Poll has closed

Third quarter saves Celtics from Warriors

Jimmy Toscano — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:04:33 -0000

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

Rajon Rondo came alive in the 3rd quarter, propelling the Celtics to a victory.

Browse more photos »

The Boston Celtics entered the night ranked second in the league in points allowed per game, at 88.3. The Golden State Warriors entered the night ranked first in the league in points per game at 111.2. Something had to give, and thanks to a third quarter effort that saw the Celtics go on a 12-0 run at one point, the Celtics prevailed, 109-95.

The Warriors matched the Celtics for the first half, to the surprise of many. Sure, they can score, but they also rank last in points allowed per game, at 113.7. For that reason alone, it was a surprise that the Celtics only led by one point at the half.

"We just know we are a better team as far as being solid and consistent," said Kevin Garnett. "The captain (Paul Pierce) here knows how to pull everyone together and just talk to us about what we need to do to go out in the second half and I thought we followed his lead and followed what he said to us and took it to heart versus personal and applied what he said to the game and it was beneficial and much needed."

It may seem to many that the Celtics are playing "down" to their opponent. Cases in point are the squeakers against Minnesota and New Jersey, and the loss to the Indiana Pacers. Other times, they stray away from their game or fall into the trap of playing at the opposition's pace. The Suns came in and played their style of basketball, creating problems for the Celtics, and the Hawks came in simply determined to beat the Celtics.

"I just feel like, you know, we beat ourselves when we come in with a lack of energy sometimes," said Kendrick Perkins, who had 15 points and seven rebounds on the night. "You know, breaking our defensive rules; we just beat ourselves. I just feel that we need to stick together, stick to the game plan, and do it hard as we possibly can. The rest will take care of itself."

It is also evident to coach Doc Rivers that his team isn't quite playing from start to finish yet. Too often have the Celtics starters come out flat to open the game, sometimes even relying on the second unit to right the ship. The same could be said tonight, when talking about the difference in play from the first and second halves.

"Well, we had to play better in the second half," admitted coach Doc Rivers. "You know, honestly, we didn't play very well in the first half. So, you know, again, we're just working. We're going to get better. We have to become a 48-minute team, and that's what we're talking about a lot right now."

Asked what got the Celtics going in the second half, Kevin Garnett responded by saying, "(Rajon) Rondo. I thought he changed the momentum of the game. I thought he was a lot more solid than the first half. He consolidated the ball, he was aggressive, he picked up the energy, started picking up full court. He just changed the whole momentum.

Rajon Rondo scored 12 third quarter points on his way to 18 on the night. He also dished out 12 assists.

"The thing that changed the game, I thought that Rondo started getting aggressive, started attacking the basket," Kendrick Perkins said. "It changed the whole game. Every time he attacks, it opens up the floor for everybody else."

"It seemed like he was a little frustrated in the first half for whatever reason," Perkins continued. "Then he came out in the second half, and that was the Rondo I'm used to seeing. He was attacking, finding guys, dunking on people, and just back to his old self."

The Warriors came into the game with only seven healthy players, Raja Bell being the eighth player to play, even though he is scheduled to have surgery on his wrist in the near future. One of the Celtics' game plans going in was to feed the ball down low, as the Warriors were undermanned and undersized.

"That was the focus of the game", said Paul Pierce, "you know try to get the ball inside, knowing how small they were and undermanned so we wanted to take advantage of that, get the ball to Kevin (Garnett) and Perk (Kendrick Perkins) as much as possible in the post and they were able to score inside and make plays."

Paul Pierce scored 19 points tonight, and passed Isiah Thomas for 48^th all-time in scoring, at 18,824. If Pierce can score eight points on Friday night against the Orlando Magic, he will pass Chet Walker for 47^th all-time.