SB Nation User Blog: YaoButtaMing

RECAP: Warriors 109, Rockets 113: Ugh!

YaoButtaMing — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 15:41:28 -0000

Valiant effort but imagine if Yao was there!

Ok well that sucked! Not only did it take hours to get to the damn stadium and find parking 2 miles away (thanks to whoever scheduled a Warriors game right next to an A's game which happened to be opening day!), but when the player introductions came on I learned that Yao WASN'T EVEN GOING TO PLAY! Maybe everyone else got the notice but me since I didn't see the sea of Yao jerseys we typically find when playing the Rockets.

In fact none of my favorite players showed up! Here' a list of those who didn't bother to grace us Friday night:

- Yao Ming

- Corey Maggette

- Jamal Crawford

- Monta Ellis

- Marco Belinelli

- Brandan Wright

The fact that we lost by only 3 points is not bad. We played our second line and to lose by only 3 point is not bad. Had Yao played I don't want to think what the score would have been but let's just be happy we can watch the Warriors tonight and move on.

Here's a light recap before the preview for tonight's game.

Jump:

Quick Notes on the game:

There's really not much to write here. For those of you who don't have CSN + but was lucky enough to avoid the traffic, it was an entertaining game that came down to the fourth quarter but we couldn't pull it out. I say valiant effort but in the end we didn't have the pieces to close it out. The best part of the night was watching Azubuike finally have a breakout game and to also see the 42 year old Mutombo still have it against our depleted bench.

We played 7 players. Just 7. That's crazy. And our 7^th player Rob Kurz only logged in 9 minutes. So basically AR, Buike, Morrow and Watson all got to play the whole game which was nice. I would have liked Brandan Wright to be able to play in a game like this to log in long minutes but he was injured. Instead we only had our second lineup to play against a pretty good playoff bound team without their star player. But the Rockets did have Ron Artest we had to contend with and a full bench to help them.

Side Note: How does Crawford score 31 points a couple nights before but somehow injuries himself for Friday's game? We could have used him for the win. I guess Nelly is taking Fantasy Junkie's advice and trying to get a better lottery pick.

Dude, it's Mutombo!

Rockets:

The game was close but we couldn't stop 2 of them. It wasn't Artest that gave us the problems last night it was Mutombo and Luis Scola.

Scola had a career high 28 points and 9 rebounds as he kept punishing us down low in the paint grabbing every loose ball and getting fouled on the way up. Shooting 8 for 10 in free throws, Scola was able to maximize the opportunity off of Warrior mistakes and prevent us from playing fast ball.

Mutombo was a great story. Whether you like him or hate him he was there playing like he was 10 years younger. With the finger waving he irritated us with 4 blocks, 15 rebounds and 10 points. The Rockets didn't need Yao for this game and it was mostly because of Mutombo. Filling in the spots and pushing Turiaf and AR around, he did a great job in throwing off our rhythm down low and controlled Biens to only 5 points (but allowed Turiaf to have 18 points).

Warriors:

With only 7 players suited up we really didn't have much of a chance even though it was close in the end. We didn't have any of our starters and no one to come off the bench to give us a scoring punch. This was a game for our young players to gain experience and have time on the court.

AR played well with 17 points but still can't take over a game. He's got get energy and athleticism but only makes nice plays here and there. I'm waiting for him to learn how to be a complete force and dictate games. I have a feeling that will be another year in the making.

Morrow and Watson did a nice job getting us back from a 14 point deficit in the 3^rd quarter and making it somewhat respectable. Watson had 18 points with 9 assists and was able to control the offense pretty well. But like Morrow he didn't have a high percentage shot. Morrow added 16 points but continued his poor shooting streak. Too late to ask him to get out of his funk. Season is over anyways.

Last night the hero of the match is our Warrior Wonder:

Azubuike had a breakout game and I loved watching it. Shooting 50% from the field and nailing 11 of his 12 free throws, he was the main reason we made it even close. With all our scoring punches out with pacifiers in their mouths, Buike took over the game and scored 32 points. The best part of this was the fact that he was guarded by Artest and Battier, two of the best defensive players in the league. We needed a strong showing by Buike to remind us how important he is to our team and how great he is when we are at full strength. Maybe this was the type of minutes Buike needed to make a case for next year.

All in all it was fun to watch last night but we have another one coming up tonight so Let's go Warriors! With a two game losing streak I'm just hoping we can win one more game. No one wants us to go out with a five game losing streak but we play the Jazz tonight and end with the Spurs and Suns next week. Let's go Warriors!

Open Thread: Warriors vs. Yao Ming – Yaoza Live!

YaoButtaMing — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 04:08:27 -0000

Will we see amazing tonight? Maybe Randolph will have one next year?

Warriors: 28-50
Rockets: 51-28
Tip-Off: 7:30 PM PST
TV: CSN +
Radio: KNBR 1050

Let me just spare everyone from wasting their time and post what ya'll are going to comment anyways ... enjoy:

GSoM Fan: Yao Ming Stinks!
YaoButtaMing: Really? Watch him rein terror on us tonight!
GSoM Fan: Wait, aren't you a Warriors fan? You Traitor!
YaoButtaMing: Of course I'm a Warriors fan ... but I can also respect my favorite player in the league.
GSoM Fan: No you can't. You stink and Yao stinks. Warriors win by 10! Biens and Randolph get 3 blocks on him and Turiaf can single handedly shut him down!
YaoButtaMing: Excuse me a second ... that was funny.
GSoM Fan: Yao is too slow he ...
YaoButtaMing: No really ... I need a second here ... I'm dying here laughing.
GSoM Fan: That Yao video is garbage. Lebron's was better. Even Kobe's.
YaoButtaMing: Rockets need a win to secure home court advantage. They will be looking for the win. Warriors are too inexperienced to handle both Yao and Artest, but it's Friday night and in the Roaracle anything can happen.
GSoM Fan: Hell yea. Warriors will run the Rockets into the ground. Wait for Randolph to posterize him! They are coming off a game against the Kings so we'll be too quick for them.
YaoButtaMing: Don't make me write about Filipino food again!

WARNING: If you haven't heard the A's are playing tonight alongside the Warriors at home. This means traffic will be HORRENDOUS! If you are planning to go like I am please be aware that the A's start at 7pm and the Warriors start at 7:30 so good luck finding parking. You might want to plan ahead. Add Friday traffic to the mix and this will be as enjoyable as an enema.

GO WARRIORS!

YaoButta's predictions:

Warriors lose by 7.
Turiaf, Biens, and Randolph hold Yao to 11 points and 6 rebounds through 3 quarters.
Yao scores 12 points and 5 rebounds in the 4^th quarter.
Morrow shoots out of his slump and nails 27 points for the game.
Artest scores 26 points, 7 assists and 1 technical.
Randolph gets one posterizing dunk on a Rocket. But which one?

Poll

Who would you trade to get Yao?

Everyone and Anyone!

134 votes

Anyone but Ellis and Randolph. They are off limits.

169 votes

Only draft picks. Maybe throw in Belinelli.

98 votes

I would never trade for Yao. Overrated!

154 votes

555 votes | Poll has closed

RECAP: Warriors 106, Mavs 128: When sad, just eat!

YaoButtaMing — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:46:22 -0000

Monta's reaction when asked to play better D!

Right ... clearly we didn't win this one so instead of ya'll having to read the 47^th losing recap of the year gripping about how we didn't play defense or shoot the ball well or shut down player X ... I've decided to make tonight's recap completely pointless and educational all at the same time.

Since I've noticed in recent threads that we have a nice size Filipino community on GSoM, and since I'm an avid food lover, I've decided to explore the realm of Filipino dining. Let me first start by saying that in NO WAY am I an educated Filipino food junkie nor did I grow up out there, but I occasionally get invited to friend's parties or houses where I get to have my only true taste of real Filipino food. And boy is it good! I can tell you the laughs I get when I ask them to take me to "fine Filipino establishments", but tonight let's focus on what little I do know and how it compares or doesn't compare to the Warriors tonight.

Jump:

A smorgasbord of yumminess!

I didn't think the Warriors had a chance. I even posted it in my preview but I was hoping for the best. A little voice in the back of my head was reminding me how well we usually play against the Mavs, but in the end I was too irritated with the day to allow myself a glimmer of hope. In the end the Warriors lost to the Mavs 106 to 128. It was a good old spanking and the only thing I can think of during the game was "how nice would it be if we had a decent point guard"? I think if we did we'd be ten times better. Randolph would have nice passes down low for the alley-oop dunk or perfectly timed feeds that could allow Monta to drive to the hole. But what's the point in arguing something so obvious? And why is the Mavs backup point guard better than any of our point guards? TELL ME!

But enough about that, let's breakdown a couple of my favorite Filipino dishes and see if ya'll agree:

Lumpia:

Everyone loves Lumpia. What's not to love? It's fried, it's crispy, and it's absolutely delicious. These heavenly fried pork spring rolls are common in many different Asian culinary cultures but I'd have to say this is the Monta Ellis of Filipino food. It's one of the main dishes you have to order. And tonight we had a pretty decent serving. Ellis scored 22 points with 5 assists and 5 steals in only 33 minutes of play. He clearly used his speed to his advantage to cut by Kidd and the rest of the Mavs defense but only shot 8 of 19 from the field. He was still able to control Jason Kidd by only allowing him to score 3 points however, how could he NOT control Barea? Who? I know!

Either way it was a decent effort and you know you're going to order this again. In fact you'll probably crave it tomorrow during work when you read this recap. Hungry yet? Let's hope Monta can give us a better serving against the Nuggets on Saturday. (hhhmmm Nuggets)

Sizzling Sisig:

Tonight it was Anthony Morrow who was on FIRE! Sizzling Sisig is one of my favorite dishes which consist of pork marinated in lemon juice or vinegar and seasoned with salt, pepper and other spices which is then cooked on a hot plate. Morrow couldn't be any hotter than tonight when he shot 10 for 11 from the field and 3 from 4 from 3pt territory for 29 points. It was one of his best games in the league and I swear he could have scored 40 if his damn teammates would have passed him the ball more. He was open most of the night. This goes back to my obvious request for a true point guard. Morrow was hitting his shots from everywhere. With a hand in his face or completely open, he drained shot after shot and even went 6 for 7 at the free throw line. I'm hoping he gets more playing time because I order this dish every single time.

Crispy Pata:

Hands down my favorite dish, but you can't order it all the time. I think this dish is a heart attack waiting to happen which is why I consider this the AR dish. He's hot one night and not the next just like Crispy Pata. This dish is either really good or really bad, never in between. Crispy Pata is a deep fried pork dish that makes you hungry for more every bite you take and as shown tonight AR was just the same. He had some nice layups and dunks but mostly he had some nice athletic plays that amounted to nothing only because his teammates couldn't give him a decent pass. Only scoring 10 points with 6 rebounds and NO blocks, I was disappointed with the stats but if you saw the game you could clearly tell how important he is to our team. I liked the hustle. Too bad we don't get enough of the good Crispy Pata every night. That will come with time.

Filipino Spaghetti:

I know I know I'm as "white-afied" as it gets, and yes the overly sugared spaghetti from Jollibee's makes me happy. I can't drag a real Filipino there but hell, every time I'm near the Metreon downtown San Francisco, I just got to have it. This is why I like Captain Jack so much. Sure it's never the best dish on the menu but it's always there and it's always filling and it's always good. The sugar high makes you sleepy later on but when eating it you can't get enough. Just like Jack, he overplays his part and when he's on he's great but when he's off he hurts the rest of the team with too much isolation play. Tonight he wasn't bad but he also didn't produce that much. Scoring only 12 points and 5 assists he was pretty stagnant for the most part but then again he only played 28 minutes. As filling as this dish is you always end up wishing you ate more of something else.

Have you been?

In the end if you didn't watch the game tonight because you were at a Filipino restaurant or at a friend's house eating any of these dishes, then you had a better night then me. The Warriors lost by 22 points and they were really never in it. Playing a back to back game against the Mav's who practically had a week off, this was a no brainer but I would have liked a better showing. Lets hope these dishes can help our Warriors eat hearty for the next two days off.

Rob Kurz! Guy is amazing. He had the lowest plus minus stat of the night with -1. That's got to count for something right? If not then you all know who it is. It's the Crispy Pata baby ... the Crispy Pata (aka Morrow).

ESPN's only picture of Morrow tonight.

Poll

Did the food recap help?

Yes: I'm going to try these dishes this weekend!

111 votes

Yes: Please tell me about Japanese food next ...

90 votes

No: I don't like Filipino food. I like Mac & Cheese!

37 votes

No: I only care about what the Warriors did. Duh!

125 votes

363 votes | Poll has closed

Game: Warriors at Mavs – The Economy.

YaoButtaMing — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:07:46 -0000

Smiley where are you?

Warriors: 25-46
Mavs: 42-28
Tip-Off: 5:30 PM PST
TV: CSN
Radio: KNBR 1050

It's hard to smile when losing to the Spurs last night as it came down to the last few seconds. However, we put up a great fight and showed a lot of guts. Texas is never an easy trip especially with back to back games. Tonight we play the Mavs on my least favorite day of the week ... the dreaded Wednesday. Maybe one of you can tell me why I should be in a better mood. We still have 2 more days till the weekend and I'm stuck at work. I'm probably not even going to get a chance to watch tonight. Boo hoo.

I think nowadays one word can express how we all feel when we are down ... the economy. Let's hope our Warriors can make it entertaining and competitive against a team trying to secure a playoff spot.

GO WARRIORS!

YaoButta's predictions:

Warriors lose by 4.
Randolph posts a double double but only scores 11 points.
Ellis cools down from last night and notches under 22 points.
Maggette is the key factor for us tonight. Maybe even a hero?
Dirk scores 35.

Poll

What's the worst day of the week?

Tuesday

75 votes

Wednesday

42 votes

Thursday

15 votes

Any day the Warriors are not on tv!

212 votes

344 votes | Poll has closed

RECAP: Warriors 119, 76ers 111: Ball Movement Baby!!

YaoButtaMing — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 05:56:25 -0000

Couldn't help but smile tonight!

Who the heck said we lose every time I predict a win? You crazy! I knew we'd win and I knew we'd have a great night doing it. Man was that fun or what? Best quote of the night "ball movement baby!". I can't help but replay the fantastic play in the 3^rd quarter when Turiaf grabbed a pass and swung it to Wright for the open dunk. That right there showed me the Warriors of the future. That right there showed me why we should all smile.

The Warriors did exactly what I thought they would do. They won by 7 points plus one. With the roar of the crowd the Warriors beat up the 76ers to win their last 4 out of 6 games in what I believe is the turning point of the season. True ball movement. Check it out!

Jump:

There's no arguing that this season has been a bipolar emotional rollercoaster for us Warrior fans, but I've got to say, recently they've looked stellar. I'm not sure what changed but I like it. Somehow maybe with all my complaining, they've learned that it's better to play as a team then isolation offense. Do I sound like a broken record? I think so.

But tonight was a great demonstration of team play. It looked as though they took a chapter out of the Kings playbook when Webber was there, making 3 or 4 passes before someone made a shot. It was fun to watch. The Warriors did it with everyone involved. Jackson or Monta would bring the ball up, pass it inside to the forwards or center and then someone would cut in, get the ball back and put in the easy dunk. It was great. You can see it in their eyes. When one player had the ball they always looked to see who else was open before they made a play. Damn Warriors always know how to make me excited about the team during season tickets renewal!

Nellie was it you who asked them to pass the ball around?

So basically I've officially started the "I LOVE BW" fan club. Man I was stupid at the beginning of this year. I completely wrote BW off after the first 2 months. I thought he was good when he first started to get playing time, but when he went out on injury he vanished from my memory. Tonight he showed why our front line is the future of the franchise. How Nellie will incorporate BW and AR at the same time I have no idea, but for now this is fun to watch. Scoring 25 points and grabbing 6 rebounds and a block, Wright helped the Warriors secure the lead by the second quarter and they never looked back. At one point they were up by 20 points and the smooth shot selection and impressive dunks made it one of the best offensive nights we've seen from this guy. The best part is that he shot 10 for 13 and committed only 1 turnover. Since coming back from injury it's only convenient that AR has been sidelined to give Wright a shot at more playing time. Nellie has slowly but surely given him the chance and he's taken full advantage. With 4 minutes left in the game Nellie took Wright out and you can see it in him that he was disappointed and able to play for another half hour. I'm excited to see this guy improve and my favorite aspect of BW is his demeanor. Could be a great fan favorite quicker than you think!

This shot is sweet!

But let's not forget why we won tonight. We won because of what? Yes, that's right. Ball movement. Fantasy Junkie was impressed with Maggette's assists last night and he didn't slow down tonight. Even though he only collected 1 assist on the stat sheet, I swear if the NBA collected "half assists" then he'd have 6 of them. So many times did I see Maggette look for the open man or create a play and then pass it up only to have that player pass it up again for the open shot. I was surprised. I guess I'm used to seeing Maggette just put his head down and drive to the basket. But this time Maggette made it a point to look for the open man. This spreads out offense and when he can't find anyone he can take matters into his own hand. When he plays like this you can see our shot selection goes up as does our field goal percentage. It would be interesting to see if Nellie had something to do with it or if Maggette just decided it leads to better results. He had a productive game with 12 points even though I thought he was robbed a couple times from the refs, but let's see if he can keep it up.

On a side note, I'm not sure if you were at the game or not but halfway in the 3^rd the lights turned out in the arena and we got to play in low lighting for a couple of minutes. That reminded me of how the Lakers lower the lights on the crowd to enhance the scene of the game and I don't understand why no one else does it? Ok enough with the questions.

Jackson and Ellis combined for 35 points as Jackson himself contributed to most of the assists with 9 tonight. He was only one shy of a triple double as he scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Monta had a sick layup between two defenders in the fourth and went on to score 21 points with 4 assists. The weirdest stat of the night was Monta's -2 plus minus. Can someone please explain that one to me? Wasn't he part of the 20 point push? I digress, it was fun to see them both have decent games together and help the young ones get involved.

Turiaf ended the night with 4 blocks. I also have to give this guy credit. He really has a knack of seeing the whole court and made some of the best passes of the night. How is it that he has more assists then our point guard? Fine by me.

Another side note, do we really need Crawford on our team? Does he really bring that much game to our club? Just checking to see the reaction.

All in all it was a great Friday night for me and many others. Maybe it just takes positive thinking and a smile. We have a TOUGH 4 game road trip coming up on Sunday. We play the Hornets, Spurs, Mavs and then Nuggets. Let's hope our new sense of ball movement will help us win a couple of them. Let's go Warriors!

My main man Brandan Wright. You deserved it big guy. Keep up the good work. There's room for 2 future stars on this team if you ask me.

Poll

Should I renew my season tickets for next season?

Yes: BW + AR + Ellis + Biens + Jackson = Playoffs next year baby!

557 votes

No way. Save your money for Filipino food!

289 votes

846 votes | Poll has closed

Game: Warriors vs. 76ers – Smile, it’s Friday!

YaoButtaMing — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 03:57:00 -0000

Which Smiley are you?

Warriors: 24-44
76ers: 34-32
Tip-Off: 7:30 PM PST
TV: CSN
Radio: KNBR

It's hard to smile with a loss to the Lakers last night but we put up a great fight and showed a lot of guts ... cough cough.

As Chris Tucker would say "It's Friday" so let's put on our happy face and get ready to pound the Philadelphia 76ers. I like playing against these guys. Iggy is fun to watch and I always feel as though we should pound them everytime, but we never do! But I have a great feeling about today. It's sunny outside, it's almost lunch time, and I'm ready for the weekend. Let's start it off well with a great win tonight shall we?

GO WARRIORS!

YaoButta's predictions:

- Warriors win by 7 at the buzzer.

- BW impresses me even more. Combined with AR and Turiaf they collect 5 blocks.

- Ellis scores 26 points with 2 assists.

- Maggette impresses Fantasy Junkie even more and collects 6 assists tonight.

Poll

Do you love Friday's as much as I love Fridays?

No one loves Fridays as much as you YaoButta!

46 votes

Heck yea! Because of you I'm taking todays Friday afternoon off!

51 votes

Everyday is a Friday to Warrior Fans (crazy)

89 votes

What? Today is Friday?

60 votes

I prefer Mondays!

18 votes

Friday's are overrated. Saturday is the only day that counts!

55 votes

319 votes | Poll has closed

RECAP: Warriors 119, Mavs 110: Now that’s what I’m talking about!

YaoButtaMing — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 06:10:24 -0000

We want more!

Warriors finally show a little heart and spunk and guess what ... we beat the Mavs 119 to 110 Friday night. The best part was watching our young guys do it all by themselves. With Brandan Wright starting against Dirk, Monta looking as good as ever, and the combo of Randolph and Buike coming off the bench, it was too much for the Texas playoff team to handle. Who knew?

This was the type of game I needed to see, the type of game that put my irritation and grumpiness away for a little while and reminds me why I love the Warriors so much. Let's just pray this develops into a more consistent thing. But for now let's give props to the guys who won the game in our own home tonight shall we?

Jump:

Let's hope it's nothing serious!

First off for the bad news. Andris went down in the first half with what looked like an ankle sprain or something. I'm no doctor but I'm sure we'll hear more about it tomorrow. This season hasn't panned out as plan for Biens but I'm hoping it's nothing serious and he'll be back as soon as possible. Get well Biens!

Now for the good news:

The game was fun to watch. Dallas had a 2 point lead after the first quarter but the Warriors quickly gained control and lead the rest of the way. They did it by hustle and determination. The best part is that they played like a team and I don't remember the Warriors grabbing that many rebounds (40) in a game in a long time.

Monta Ellis: He's been getting a lot of crap recently and for good reason but it was fun watching him play tonight. As days go by it looks as though he's getting his groove back and had a nice game with 29 points, 3 assists and 11 rebounds. Monta was everywhere tonight. Flying past Jason Kidd, running around the screens, he showed the quickness we missed so dearly when he was out. Granted his defense was lacking as Jason Kidd recorded yet another triple double with 21 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, but I'll take that if we win. Too much talk about his depression or in-house fighting with the staff, etc. I just want to see this kid get back on track and become the star we know he can become.

Anthony Randolph: If it takes me bagging on him every single time to get this kind of performance out of him, then I'll do it! I was surprised he didn't start, but I think Nellie knew what he was doing when he had Randolph coming off the bench and playing for 21 minutes. Randolph had a productive game notching 14 points and 7 assists. Even better were his 3 blocks that could have been 5 for the game. In his post game interview he mentioned a competition he has with Turiaf each time to see who can get the most blocks. Imagine a healthy team of Randolph, Biens, Turiaf and Wright blocking shots? Now that's a great thought! It was nice to hear him speak about humility and hard work. That's the type of stuff that makes fans want to root for you. In the game AR did a good job hustling back on D and converting free throws, but the highlight for me was his stat for turnovers ... 0!

Next time just hit him on the head AR!

Brandan Wright: Here's another guy I don't like to give too much credit too, but seeing him come back from injury was nice. I practically wrote him off the team a couple months ago. For that I was wrong. I enjoyed watching him play tonight even thought he only played 15 minutes. Wright scored 12 points and grabbed 5 boards. I still think he has a long way to go but I was pleasantly surprised by his performance. Why Nellie started him I have no idea but it will be interesting to see how much playing time he gets for the rest of the season and whether or not he'll start other games.

Turiaf & Buike: The perfect role players. Turiaf came in when Biens went down and helped Randolph control the paint with blocked shots and important rebounds. On the offense Buike shot the ball well scoring 14 points and grabbing 4 rebounds. With Maggette out for the game these two guys gave us a deep bench to rely on and control whatever the Mavs threw at us. Terry and Singleton from the Mavs also had a nice game off the bench but in the end couldn't help their starting lineup like ours could.

Warrior Wonder: Lastly, I have to give the Warrior Wonder to Stephen Jackson. My last recap and preview I called him out for his inability to lead this young team and not teach them how to keep their composure and close out games. But tonight he did just that. With some nice stats of 31 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds, Captain Jack did an even better job of keeping the Warriors from losing this game. The Mav's were pressing and trying to break the 10 point deficit in the fourth, but in the end it was Jackson that controlled the game and kept our lead. With 3 minutes to go he forced a 3 point foul off of Jason Terry that basically took the wind out of the Mav's sail. I know it's hard with such young players, but this is the type of performance I expect from Jackson every night. He doesn't have to score all the time, but he needs to lead by example and spread the ball around. Without a true point guard, we need all the assists we can get and tonight Jackson was a big one.

all images via a.espncdn.com

Open Thread - Warriors vs. Mavs

YaoButtaMing — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:35:11 -0000

You telling me we can't beat this?

Warriors (W-L): 22-42

Mavs (W-L): 40-25

Tipoff: 7:30 PDT

TV: CSN, CSNHD

Radio: KNBR

Remember when Mavs vs. Warriors actually meant something? Remember when we would waive the yellow towels and sport our We Believe shirts and try to drown out Dirk and their crew at every timeout? Feels like that was 10 years ago.

Tonight we can somewhat reminisce with the Mavs in town but here is what is on the line for both teams:

Mavs - Need to push up the playoff ladder to have a chance so this is a must win for them.
Warriors - Nellie needs to groom his young guns so this an opportunity to see how we fair against a good team.

Outcome: On paper it looks as though the Warriors will lose by a lot. I'm talking about double digit "lot". But here's the thing. The Warriors always bring their A game when playing the Mavs. I don't know what it is but we always seem to have an edge against them. I think it's the Nellie factor and I'm happy for it! I think we have a fighting chance but for superstition reasons I'll contradict myself in the predictions section. I actually believe.

GO WARRIORS!

Predictions:

Warriors keep the game close ... within 12.
Dirk starts slow but ends the night with 24 points.
Monta is able to run past Kidd and create 20 points and 2 assists.
AR disappoints me again.
10% of the crowd wears their "We Believe" Shirts.

Poll

There is traffic on I80. The game is about to tip off and Monta is stuck in traffic. He’s 4.5 miles away but the highway is a parking lot. How does he make it to the game on time?

Gets out, runs to game like frogger on the freeway.

78 votes

Pulls out a Moped from his trunk and rides between cars.

405 votes

He doesn't. He gets on bart but misses his stop. Genius!

106 votes

589 votes | Poll has closed

RECAP: Warriors 91, Pistons 108: Thomas vs. The Warriors debate #1

YaoButtaMing — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 16:59:53 -0000

Originally posted on Mar 7, 2009 9:15 AM PST

The Piston's didn't have the answer (AI) ... and neither did we! Losing by 17 points last night was irritating and predictable. I thought we'd lose by half of that but when you have the starting lineup of Kurz, Turiaf and Randolph, you've got to expect a negative +/-. I just wonder how many of you actually watched the whole game? Coming off a cranky preview, I'm in NO better mood for writing this recap so I decided not to dwell on the game but make this a little more enjoyable by debating the following:

Thomas the Train is more entertaining to watch then the Warriors.

By YaoButtaMing

To see my opinion please take the jump.

Jump:

Seeing as though we have a game coming up this afternoon, I'll make this short and sweet and introduce the first part of a many part series debating which is more fun to watch then the Warriors. Today I'll focus on a little program that has entertained, educated, and warmed the hearts of millions around the world ... Thomas the Train.

If you have kids, are a kid, or just remember playing with trains at some point in your life, then you probably have come across a blue train with a happy face that made your day. Thomas the Train is a huge hallmark for kids growing up, as with the Warriors, but in today's time I find Thomas to be a little more entertaining. To better explain let's compare an episode of Thomas the Train to the game last night with 4 simple points:

Point #1: We don't end up Crying:

Thomas the Train has a knack for hitting all our emotions. At first we are happy when he comes on the screen, and then the adventure begins and we are scared for what lies ahead. We then encounter others along the road and rail and we feel curious. Throw in a little comedic incident and in the end we are always happy for the adventure was worth the trip.

On the other hand our Warriors seem to always have a crappy ending this season. Sure a road trip starts off well like a win in Minnesota but to then end with an average of 20+ point loses only makes you want to cry. Not every story can have a happy ending but I'm beginning to get depressed here. Randolph had a decent game last night with 17 points and 8 rebounds, but I'm still not convinced. How does Kurz and Turiaf scoring 4 points apiece help our chances? How does our PG CJ Watson only have 1 assist?

Someone please show Randolph how to smile.

Point #2: You learn something every time:

Even as an adult I can take an episode of Thomas the Train and realize that there is a little golden nugget of truth hidden beneath the adventure to pass along to friends and family. When Thomas's friend got stuck underneath an avalanche of snow, Thomas tried to pry him out all by himself but we quickly learned that it takes teamwork to get him out. By gathering up his other friends and the town's people, they were able to save the buried friend in need.

Last night the Warriors were not successful in learning this lesson. Having only created 16 assists for the game, it did not help the Warriors when they collectively shot a dismal 38% from the field and 33% from behind the arc. Granted Crawford had 8 assists (which must have been his career high) but the rest of the crew averaged only 1. We also learned that when you want to sit your starters you have to come up with good excuses for the stat sheet. Last night Maggette had a sprained right ankle, Jackson had a strained right hammy, Azubuike had a back strain, and Biens was out with personal reasons. I'm hoping Biens is ok and wish him well.

But what on earth did we learn from the Warriors last night? That when we don't have our starters we ALSO lose? Anyone?

I've learned what here?

Point #3: You are always entertained!

Have you ever been bored watching Thomas? Not really. Every episode shows a new set of friends and circumstances. With nice scenery in the background and obstacles to overcome, Thomas always uses his wit and charm to overcome them. And what's not to love about trains? They carry big loads or small loads through mountains and valleys. Will he make it or will he fall behind? Lastly, the endearing smiles and faces on each of the trains have you wanting to see more.

ESPN Reports: "We got into a gun fight and we had a knife," Golden State coach Don Nelson said.

Now THAT'S entertaining. I love Nellie. Great to see he still has a sense of humor with all this losing. As a rabid Warrior fan I love watching the games but lately it's unbearable. I do like seeing our young guys progress but when you watch a snippet of other teams play and then go back to our game, you can see we are WORLDs away from becoming a decent team. The first quarter alone we were down 17 points and then 23 points by the half. Not very entertaining to me. The only highlight of the game was our free throws. If it wasn't for Jermareo Davidson (why we play him is beyond me) then we would have been 21 for 21 for free throws. As a Warrior fan that's crazy. Instead, the only highlight was watching Randolph get 47 minutes to play and Crawford scoring 25 points ... YAWN.

If they're not entertained themselves, what chance do we have?

Point #4: Do I need another point?

Let's just transition to our next preview shall we? Bottom line we lost to a much better team and we played out second string. We weren't planning on winning, but maybe showing a little heart which I'm still waiting to see.

I hate doing this but Crawford gets my nod for only 1 reason. 8 assists! I get angry when our guards can't produce more than 4 assists a game, but last night he doubled that to go along with 25 points and 5 boards.

Poll

Are you convinced? Who's more fun to watch?

Yes! I see your point. Thomas is more fun to watch.

52 votes

No! Warriors all the way baby!

139 votes

Um, I prefer the show "The Real Housewives of Orange County"

51 votes

242 votes | Poll has closed

Game: Warriors vs. Pistons – 2008 season = Train wreck!

YaoButtaMing — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:21:04 -0000

Yep! We're a train wreck alright!

Warriors: 21-40
Pistons: 30-29
Tip-Off: 5:00 PM PST
TV: CSN
Radio: KNBR

Up down, left right, play or don't play. This season is a complete train wreck. Lucky for you I'm a little nicer then my friend Fantasy Junkie. If you didn't think it could get any worse then check out Fantasy Junkie's recap from Wednesday night, showcasing the butt kicking we endured against the Bulls. In fact it was more depressing then a typical butt kicking, that one looked like it hurt.

However, as nice as I am I'm a little cranky today. Did anyone hear Nellie on the radio yesterday? Am I the only one who's completely irritated with this season now?

Call me a late bloomer but hit the jump for the reality of the situation:

YaoButta's Predictions

Warriors lose by 9.
Randolph has 1 nice play, then sits the rest of the game.
Ellis doesn't even attend the trip to Detroit.
Hamilton and Wallace combine for 55+ points.
I change the channel by the 3rd quarter to watch Family Feud.

- This Season is a complete waste of time. No growth or chemistry. We are not good enough to make the playoffs but we are not bad enough to rebuild this team.

- Randolph. I'm over you. You are a bust. I'm tired of seeing and hearing you whine and complain about playing time or injuries. I'm also tired of seeing one nice play from you and then have to watch you show boat for the next 2 minutes. Grow up!

- Monta, you ruined our season. You signed a huge contract, became the face of our franchise and then you lie about a stupid stunt you pulled causing you to end our season and yours. Grow up!

- Captain Jack. I'm calling you out man. Are you telling me this is the best that you can do? I'm not talking about individual stats, I'm talking about trying to bring the team together and play for a purpose. How many excuses can you make? Grow up!

- Warrior players in general: How can you show your face to the best fans in the NBA and show no to little heart? I'm more inclined to root for the Bobcats then I am for the Warriors now because at least they show some heart! Grow up!

Someone please calm me down. Tell me I'm wrong and explain to me why it's worth rooting for a team who shows NO emotion and has NO respect to their fans? Tell me! I'm not trying to become negative here, but I woke up today as a season ticket holder and realized a winning season won't happen in the next 8 years! As a die hard fan I'm sick of these results. Does it really matter who we play tonight? Nellie has confirmed we are playing our young ones more, so clearly winning is not a priority. Whoever comments on tonight's game and gives me the best reason to have hope for this season, gets a shout out on my recap.

Poll

YaoButta = Too Harsh on the Warriors today?

Yes: You're just cranky because it's Friday and you're stuck at work.

92 votes

No. My sentiments exactly.

138 votes

Um. Thanks for stating the obvious there buddy!

139 votes

369 votes | Poll has closed