SB Nation User Blog: dj fuzzylogic

Bowing to Body Clocks, N.B.A. Teams Sleep In

dj fuzzylogic — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:14:35 -0000

Bowing to Body Clocks, N.B.A. Teams Sleep In

For all of you insomniacs like myself, anything related to sleep and performance (in all senses of the word) is extremely important to my daily round on the world-wide-web. Here is a short but interesting NY Times article about the origins of the NBA 'morning shoot-around' and the recent coach resistance to it for the sake of player performance and health. So for all you kiddies playing CYO ball, get plenty of rest before those 9am games!

GAME THREAD #24: Warriors @ 76ers - Will the 76ers show the Warriors some brotherly love?

dj fuzzylogic — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:46:25 -0000

(It's sweet to see Monta giving gifts out during the holidays, but lets hope he and the rest of the Warriors can give us fans the gift of a win tonight)

Warriors: 7-16

76ers: 5-18

Tip-Off: 4:00pm

TV: CSN Bay Area

Radio: KNBR 680

Sbnation Blog Buddy: Liberty Ballers

Happy Monday Warriors nation.

It's the beginning of a new (work) week. It's the holidays. The San Francisco 49ers are playing Monday Night Football.

Not only do you have variety, but if the Warriors are sucking, you have options for other entertainment during the evening. Unless the Niners are sucking, too, then, damn, we're out of luck.

The Warriors are at the end of their road trip and just in time. They're facing the Philadelphia 76ers, who struggling equally. But crappy teams, sans the New Jersey Nets, seemed to find a way to break out of their funk. Will the Allen Iverson versus Monta Ellis showdown tonight be like watching mirror images battling each other? Derrick Rose seems to think so.

Who will come out on top? Click for some predictions.

The Warriors are severely undermanned and under-talented. The 76ers, on the other hand, are somewhat more talented on paper, but with some mismatching parts. Which is the bigger problem though? The Warriors lack of depth looks like its become a bigger impediment than ever, especially as it forces Monta to dominate the ball leading to unforced turnovers.

Allen Iverson has been pretty average since rejoining his former squad, but I can guarantee that he will temporarily break out of his funk for one night to show us some of this:

Predictions:

Warriors by -7
Monta Ellis has 34, but also 9 turnovers.
Stephen Curry has 15 points and 7 assists
Elton Brand plays like he's in his twenties again: 28 points, 19 rebounds, and 4 blocks
Allen Iverson gets tripped up for the 3rd game in a row, this time by Monta on a crossover.

(Monta Ellis this time around?)

What are your predictions for tonight's game?

Former Warrior Derek Fisher is on the wrong side of a Slam poster insert

dj fuzzylogic — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:20:56 -0000

Former Warrior Derek Fisher is on the wrong side of a Slam poster insert

Arguably, the awesomest dunk of the week... for Warriors fans at least.

RECAP: Warriors 105, Nets 89 - Mikki Moore's tenacious dunks and post-dunk celebration rallies the youngins'

dj fuzzylogic — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:56:38 -0000

Originally posted Dec 9, 2009 9:22 PM PST

(Floyd Mayweather looks excited about the opportunity to sit courtside. He probably didn't get the memo who he was watching, though)

Professional sports, particularly Warriors basketball, have a huge toll on my emotional well-being. Watching the Warriors self-destruct night-in-night-out against the NBA's worst ruins my evenings a majority of the time. I curse at the television. Make groaning sounds, in the most unerotic possible way. I usually have to have a beer by halftime just to calm down the nerves of watching turnover after turnover.

Well, lucky for me the Warriors played, arguably, the worst team in the league tonight. Meaning? Maybe I can fall asleep easily without replaying all the blunders that I was witness to.

Anyway, tonight's recap retells the story that was the clash of the anti-titans of the NBA. However, it will be told through the emotional highs and lows that the Warriors put me through. Instead of focusing on the game, we're going to analyze the game through my feelings...

Preview/ Game Thread: Please don't be Nets win #3

Warriors Web Links: Should have won, and we did

Warriors vs Nets boxscore

Warriors vs Nets coverage

Pregame: Apathy.

It's 58 degrees in my apartment and I refuse to turn on the heater. Why is the bay so cold?

Watching the pre-game show, the Izod arena looks as empty as school on a Sunday. I think I've seen WNBA games more packed than this (barely). You would think that all the business deals going on in the Nets' background could spice things up a bit. Heck, you got Jay-z bankrollin'? How can a team with so much extra-basketball influence have so little to offer? Hey Jay, how about pulling some of your star power and getting Memphis Bleek to rap the national album? Or why not perform "Empire state of Mind" at half-time...y'all will be in Brooklyn in no-time right?

I wonder if there are more Warrior fans watching this game on TV then there are fans in the Izod arena.

First quarter: GROAN.

Less than a minute in, Monta's first turnover. 92 down, 264 to go to break Artis Gilmore's record. C'mon Monta, give us Warrior fans something to believe in!

One minute later - heavier and louder GROAN. Monta dribbles into a crowded paint and attempts to pass through Boone and Brooke Lopez. Unless Monta is Superman, he's not going be able to push this ball though 500 lbs of flesh.

One of the great things of watching two bad really bad teams is how quick they get up and down the court. You would think it was the ABA with all the run outs each team is doing with each missed shot. The worst thing(s) about watching two really bad teams is how many missed shots, ill-advised passes, and guys flopping around on the floor there is. How many more passes are we going to see bounce off someone's back tonight?

Brook Lopez is deceptively skilled, but also full of contradictions. He got picked 3 times in the first 6 minutes. But he recovers and has the grace to move around the Warriors bigs, EASILY. I'm thinking he might be the end of the Stanford big man "bust" that includes a long line of gentle giants, Tim Young, the Collins twins, and Curtis Borchardt. Brook Lopez has game.

The non-existent ball movement makes me think the Warriors are playing hot potato. They are chucking the ball wrecklessly and Monta and Stephen Curry are both missing wide open jumpers as if they're shooting jumpers with blindfolds. Hmm, I wonder if I can catch the end of Rachel Ray's 30 minute meals right now... Man, Warriors are this bad that I'm considering watching the super annoying Rachel Ray.

Third GROAN of the quarter. Great heads up move by Anthony Randolph to save CJ Watson's blocked shot. Here we go.... WHAT!? CHARGE?? Oh Monta, why are you reverting back to your old ways of trying to run everyone over? I can't believe I'm watching this game right now.

(Harris: "C'mon coach, I know the 'pull-my-finger' trick...)

2^nd quarter: Elated...

Hmm, the Warriors end the quarter on a short run. Maybe the Warriors won't lose after all?

Is it me or did Trenton Hassell gain some weight since his Timberwolves days? Looks like Trenton Hassell's been hitting up the Shawn Kemp School of weight "training" in the off-season.

Anthony Randolph is looking good on defense. Good to see him active but not falling on people to get a block. Maybe Keith Smart slipped a sedative into his Gatorade before the game?

Alright, here we go. The Warriors are starting to run and CJ Watson is getting into the passing lanes easy.

Andris Biedrins is sitting with Fitz and Barnett for some color commentary. Biedrins looks good in his suit but that weird hoop earring doesn't quite fit. May it's a European thing.

The Warriors are racking up steals like they're Ricky Henderson. The boom and bust of the Warriors offense depends on these steals.

Wow, what's up with Randolph playing so even -keeled? Usually after a few excellent plays, Randolph is jumping around making dumb fouls. Hmm, I wonder what's going on in his head when he gets the ball.

OOOH!! Randolph is hustling! Great to see him giving the Warriors the energy they need on both sides of the floor. He and Radmanovic are doing the intangible things that the Warriors need: grabbing boards, running the floor, some nice weakside defense and, most importantly, covering the mistakes of Monta Ellis. Wow, still no yelps or facial expressions. What's happened to him? I'm beginning to think Keith Smart is better at getting to his players than Nellie.

(The only way the Warriors could stop Brook Lopez)

Biedrins is still talking to Fitz and Barnett on the sidelines. He is discussing his friendship with Ronny Turiaf (France) and Radmanovic. The "European Union club" as he calls it. Can we expect to see this on a t-shirt? Maybe the next Tony.psd? Wink wink? Just playin' Tony.

Randolph is everywhere!!! Plus the Nets look like the Warriors on their bad nights. The lazy passes getting picked off and wide open driving lanes are making me realize why they were 0-18. They're not getting back on defense in typical Warriors fashion. Too bad the Warriors are picking up ticky tack fouls, which is keeping the Nets in the game.

Question: Are the Warriors better when Monta ISN'T shooting all the time? At this point in the game, Monta has been a non-factor, scoring-wise. The ball is moving a lot more and the other Warriors are getting involved ... and hey! They're actually winning, right now? I'm not suggesting the Warriors are better without Monta. That would be completely ridiculous. But its nice to see the other Warriors trusting in each other when Monta isn't trying to mimic Stephen Jackson in his shot selection and his complaining to the refs.

OK, I've had enough of watching Randolph fouling Lopez. It's clearly not Randolph's fault that there is a bad matchup. Where's Chris Hunter?

The Nets are blocking out as "well" as the Warriors as Randolph gets a follow-up dunk to a missed jumper. I am feeling at ease now...

CJ Watson is definitely the front runner for Warrior Wonder by the way he is getting steals and converting layups at the other end. His anticipation in the passing lanes is beautiful.

Wow, that last play of the half was beautiful. Heck, it was SEXY. I'm surprised that Monta gave up the ball to Curry and let him thread that pass to Watson for the open reverse under the hoop. Now THAT was the best closing of a quarter/half I have ever seen from the Warriors. Can we see the ball NOT in Monta's hands at the end of the half?

(Curry and Moore are both impressed by the dunk. What kind of shoes are those?)

3^rd Quarter: Hungry

Early on , we see a power move by Mikki Moore dunking over Brook Lopez! I love the post-dunk intensity ala Kevin Garnett, but is it really necessary or kosher for Moore to throw signs when they're playing, arguably, the worst team in the league? That would be equivalent to bragging that you got Susan Boyle's digits.

Looks like the Warriors are finally hitting the offensive boards. Why are the Warriors so afraid to grab rebounds? I miss Biedrins.

My girlfriend: "That guy (Radmanovic) looks like Wolverine. But uglier."

Wow, an Ill-advised shot by Monta, again. Nice move slashing to the middle and trying to lay it up over Lopez, except way off target. Sigh. I ask again, do the Warriors score better when Monta has the ball in his hands LESS? There's seems to be a lot more scoring this game when he isn't trying to score on every single possession.

I am still waiting for dinner to finish cooking... hungry. I wonder what NBA players eat before games?

Towards the end of this quarter, the Warriors frustrating play is finally getting to Fitz. He sounds like he's about to yell at Morrow post-game after seeing him commit his bazillionth turnover of the game. That's what I love about the Warriors color commentary; they never gloss over the Warrior blunders.

Damnit. The Warriors are starting to look complacent out there and there are still 6 minutes left in the quarter. It's like Cinderella and the clock struck twelve. The Warriors' chariot of marvelous game play has transformed back into the pumpkin of bad shots, dribbling into crowds, and porous defense. Are the Warriors trying to lose? Are they trying to throw games like Tim Donaghy?

Whew thank goodness for players like Josh Boone. Boone shoots freethrows like he doesn't want to be there. It's almost like he can't wait to get over with by how rushed his shots are.

(Mayweather: "Damn, I thought the Nets gave me the gift of a superstar..." Mayweather's friend: "Dude, I though we got tickets for Madison Square Garden...")

4^th Quarter: Satisfied

Great feed by Cj Watson to Maggette (no look) to start this quarter. Watson is definitely the Warrior Wonder for tonight...either Watson or the Net's terrible defense. Whereas Ellis and Morrow are looking like the Warrior ‘blunders' with the turnovers they are accumulating together. Can't complain though that Keith Smart lets his players work through these problems in the flow of the game.

Commercial break: "Give the gift...of a super... star... this holiday.. season" ...whew, I never get tired of that commercial. How many takes do you think that took for Monta to say that? Also, does anyone else think its weird that Monta is basically trying to sell tickets to see Kobe and Lebron? Do you think opposing teams run the same commercials and say that about Monta when the Warriors are about to come to town?

Ball movement! Thank goodness, the Net were within 7 but the crisis has been averted. Monta is finally scoring, but not forcing the issue. I'm more pleased that he's using his speed to benefit his teammates by hitting them with open shots.

Thank goodness the Nets cannot shoot threes. Can the Nets poor three-point shooting be the Warrior Wonder for tonight?

Question of the night, why is Sean Williams getting more playing time than Terrence Williams? Every shot of Sean Williams face as he checks in, gets fouled, or fouled someone is look of "........." or "What am I doing here?"

Mikki Moore TRULY has the best dunks. AND best post-game dunk celebrations. After two great passes from Monta, he's cheering like the game was on the line as opposed to being up 13 against the worst team in the league.Gotta love that intensity though.

I have to give it up to CJ Watson. Watson's 15 points in the second quarter, half of those off great anticipation on defense, really jumpstarted a sluggish Warriors team.

RECAP #16: Warriors 126, Pacers 107 - The Evolution of Monta Ellis, he's getting the superstar calls!

dj fuzzylogic — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:38:53 -0000

(Monta, while diving for loose balls, makes a plea to the fans to vote for him for this year's all-star game)

Monta Ellis is making me eat my words. And it has never tasted so good.

I have blasted Ellis time and time again for being a one-dimensional player his first few years in the league: Ellis lacks a left hand. Ellis is a terrible dribbler and passer. Ellis only knows how to drive in straight lines. Ellis doesn't help little old ladies cross busy streets. And the list goes on and on.

But for the 5^th night in a row, we're all witness to Monta's phenomenal evolution from "potential" to leader, lockdown defender, and a very strong candidate for an all-star appearance this year. Monta's incredible 45 points paced the Warriors tonight and his 7 point outburst in less than a minute during the beginning of the fourth quarter reminded me of that dominance that I only see from...dare I actually say it.. superstars like MJ, Dwayne Wade, and Lebron James? And I say this ALSO because he went shot 16 free throws meaning he's getting those superstar calls, like a superstar! Or Kevin Martin to say the least.

Okay, I know this may sound ridiculous to say. Almost as ridiculous as say all the weirdo love for 49er QB Alex Smith and his solid play against the worst above .500 team in the NFL. The Warriors win over the Pacers could be of an equivalent battle of suckiness. But Monta's ability to rally the rest of the troops in a very surprising come-from-behind win and trusting his teammates to make plays shows us a lot of his evolution as a player. Disposing of crappy teams is a step in the right direction for Monta and the rest of the Warriors, right?

Final Boxscore: Pacers vs Warriors boxscore

For the Pacers perspective of the game: Indy Cornrows

From jump, this game looked bad. Dunleavy's tenure with the Warriors bad. Missing wide open shots, mishandling the ball on passes and off the dribble, and a few pretty embarrassing posterizing dunks by Dahntay Jones and company on our weird ensemble of Warriors, which Jim Barnett mentioned at one point during the game, had only 1 drafted player.

It was so ugly that Dunleavy in his second game back from his career-threatening injuries was able to score an extremely efficient one point per minute in the first half and he had 10 points by half time. The Pacers moved the ball well and the Warriors scrambled to cover the open man. The Warriors, on the other hand, moved the ball, too, except into the hands of the Pacers. I learned a valuable lesson in this first half, spin moves in traffic, with three to four players surrounding you, will most likely leave you picked.

But Monta continued to pace the Warriors, or at least keep them from getting blown out completely. Stephen Curry is going through some growing pains right now and his shaky handle lately makes me wish Monta will handle the ball handling duties full-time (that feels weird to say). Plus, he had no chance of staying in front of TJ Ford (and Ford seemed to know that), which illuminates the struggles that Curry tends to have right now staying in front of smaller quicker points or anyone at that.

(Morrow respects the game as he worships the basketball itself. Or he's employing some under-hand shooting techniques of Rick Barry)

VladRad looks great on defense and on the boards, but like Morrow, a lot of times looks best as a spot up shooter. But even with all the offensive inefficiencies in the first 24 minutes, Monta, like Moses, "parted the red sea," as Barnett kept referring to the Pacers poor defensive execution against the driving Monta.

As the offense sputtered, Monta took the situation into his own hands and continued to attack the basket to get some easy buckets from the foul line (14 out of 16) even as they packed the paint.

But it wasn't just his amazing offensive display (23 points in the first half) that was so impressive, but his ability to accumulate steals (5 total and nearly averaging 4 per game in the last 5 games) and stay in front of Danny Granger. It's definitely this growing commitment to defense that makes me think that Monta is more than just a scorer on a terrible team.

(Monta had Granger's number all night... literally!)

In the third, Monta finally got some help from his bench as CJ Watson picked up some of the scoring load. CJ Watson showed us some of his all-around game, too, creating turnovers and scoring opportunities for teammates. Watson shot a blistering 70% from the field but also had 6 assists to go with it. Just goes to show how good the Warriors can be when they pass. But just as important, the three steals that Watson had, somewhat problematically, shows how reliant the Warriors offense can be when it relies a lot of times on fastbreak points.

Watson's scoring seemed to create defensive havoc on the Pacers as they struggled to cover two scorers. But this seemed to open everything up for the rest of the Warriors as Morrow finally found his shot and Corey Maggette finally found a way to score.

(TJ Ford tells his teammates during the game: "Monta is GOOD! I can't defend him at all!")

But what was probably most exciting about the Warriors play in the second half was the increased amount of ball movement and willingness to distribute. As much as the players, beat writers, and even fans have been suggesting about the improved team-work, this game was emblematic of this new "culture of sharing" that the Warriors have slowly begun to embrace. I almost laughed seeing Maggette go scoreless in the first half with several times not even looking to shoot the open 10 footer, instead trying to feed his teammates with the hot hand or wide open look. As CJ Watson began to take over midway through the second half, it was a pleasant surprise to see Monta take a back seat and trust his teammates to pick up the scoring slack. I'm sure he welcomed the burden off his shoulders as well.

(Warriors defense at it's finest)

So is there any bad news?

Well, we all know about Anthony Randolph's sprained ankle, which he injured away from the ball as he tried to plant himself for a rebound. Let's hope he heals quickly. But honestly, what's up with Randolph's inability to stay off the floor? By off the floor, I mean he's constantly falling down getting out muscled by the big men in this league. OR his footwork on offense is so terrible that he's always falling down after a spin move. OR getting knocked over when his weak shots are blocked on layups or dunks. Honestly, this guy, as Atma Brother #1 mentioned several times, needs to work on his core. Or maybe, he needs to do some yoga like Antawn Jamison.

The first half exposed some of the worst parts of Warriors basketball and the inconsistencies of this young team that at times looks like it really is nothing more than d-league studs. This isn't to say that we don't need Chris Hunter's help on the interior. He is by no means the solution to all our rebounding woes, but his big body and thunderous dunks with the two hand slaps on the backboard give this team a little swagger that it's sorely missing. Also, why doesn't Chris Hunter smile at all during the game? Even when he has tight dunks during a momentum upswing? Perhaps worried he might be back in the d-league in a quick minute? Or perhaps Poland or Belgium for that matter? At any rate, I can confidently say we all appreciate Hunter's current role on this team.

Warrior Wonder for today is a no brainer. Monta Ellis accounting for one-third of the Warriors points on 50% shooting is phenomenal. Warrior Wonder #2? CJ Watson. Having another scorer and playmaker opened up the game for everyone. But honestly, what's up with his haircut right now?

Game Thread #16: Golden State Warriors vs. Indiana Pacers - Do you remember the times...

dj fuzzylogic — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:35:29 -0000

(What if Mike Dunleavy Jr. picked hairstylist as his career instead of NBA player?)

Warriors: 5-10

Pacers: 6-8

Tipoff: 7:30 PST

TV: CSN Bay Area

SBNation Indiana Pacers blog: Indy Cornrows

If there was one game this season to watch, I would say this one would be it.

Why? Well, given how the fate of this season has seemed to play itself out already in the first 15 games, I would say this game has value....historical value.

A game like this marks the return of two former Warriors who were run out of town, which subsequently brought us the unforgettable "We Believe" Warriors. A long time has passed, but the follies of a young Mike Dunleavy Jr. bricking wide-open jumpers or getting poster-rized trying to draw a charge will forever be burned into our memories. And since Dun and Murph parted ways with the Warriors (and vice versa), both have found success in their own ways (dare I say Murph is a MVP in the "fantasy" world of fantasy basketball?)

Fortunately, Mike Dunleavy Jr. wlll actually be playing today, so all of us Warrior fans can wax nostalgia this evening. Boo if you like. I know I will be from my couch at home.

This game should be interesting as both teams' offenses like to get up and down the floor and they definitely got some shooters in Danny Granger and Troy Murphy.

Predictions:

Warriors by 7
Monta Ellis - AT LEAST 27 points tonight.
Danny Granger - 34 points and 13 boards
Stephen Curry finally has someone to pick on in this league: TJ Ford (damn you TJ for ruining the beginning of my Fantasy bball team this year).
We'll see at least 3 of these:
Troy Murphy gets a standing ovation.
Mike Dunleavy Jr. does not.

What are your predictions for today's game?

RECAP: Warriors 108, Blazers 94 – Great way to start a weekend

dj fuzzylogic — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:03:49 -0000

The Warriors have found the big man they've always wanted.

Chris Hunter, formerly of the D-league as of earlier yesterday afternoon, started the second half of the Warriors win over the Portland Trailblazers and shutdown Greg Oden. This definitely secured the win as without Hunter's defensive presence in the paint, the Warriors might have been down by as many as a dozen or more like the first quarter where Oden dominated and helped the Trailblazers race out to an early lead.

The Warriors haven't had this stellar of a debut by a big man since Marc Jackson, jokes Atma Brother #1.

Hunter's defensive presence, however, reflected a larger team effort from the whole dubs squad where defense might have been as important, for once, as scoring.

For more, see what the good folks at Blazers Edge have to say about the game!

SBN Nation boxscore

Warriors Web- Post Game Links

Final - 11.20.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
Portland Trail Blazers	37	15	23	19	94
Golden State Warriors	29	27	27	25	108

Complete Coverage >

Chris Hunter is now part of a proud line of D-league studs that have found their roots in the NBA through the Golden State Warriors academy of basketball. Like those before him, Hunter shows a surprisingly steady game and solid fundamentals. The Warriors, surprisingly, ran an isolation for him against Oden, which he hit an open jumper on his first shot attempt, a fadeaway over Oden's Mr. Fantastic stretched arms. He then hit a cutting Curry with a nice bounce pass into the lane which led to a wide open jumper in the corner by Morrow. Within his first 6 minutes of playing, you would have thought this guy had been playing with the Warriors for a while. Or maybe this is really suggestive of how skimpy the Warriors playbook is? At any rate, I'm seeing some nice things from this University of Michigan alum. This might be might be the proudest I've ever been for that school, which I and R.Dizzle currently attend.

Anyway, our new #31 is a far cry from our old #31.

But things weren't looking that great. From jump, I thought this game was about to be a disaster. Maybe it was ominous clouds and stormy weather all day. But before tip-off, things already didn't feel right. Usually, coming to the Oracle Arena is equivalent to hitting up the hottest club in the east bay. Good looking women decked out in the voluntary dress code of Warriors gear, fly sneakers or heels, and a beer. The quality that we're used to was not quite there...yet. Oh yea, and then there was that Greg Oden guy too.

Anthony Randolph looked completely helpless against him on defense. Steve Blake was even tearing into the Warriors, backing down Curry repeatedly on the block or shooting over him.

As if this wasn't insulting enough, the Dreyers ice cream up in club 200 cost $6.00 a cup. That's exactly two times the price of the Loards ice cream across the street from my house. The ice cream was good, but this was just reflective of all the ugliess at the Oracle - on and off the court. Damn you Cohan.

Luckily, things changed quickly in the second quarter. Oden in foul trouble paved the way for the Warriors to, intelligently, attack the basket. Monta Ellis did what he does amazingly, which is getting to the hoop. Stephen Curry did what Warriors SHOULD do more often, which is getting Anthony Morrow involved the best way Morrow knows how: hitting open jumpers. The steady balance of inside outside definitely kept the Warriors in the game during the second half.

You know who also kept us fans in the game? The Warriors Girls. Susan Hovey (choreographer and dance director) looks like she's assembled the best line-up since 2003-2004. The WG's rockin' their white-on-white booty shorts and crop top/sports bra get-up was a nice touch. Susan Hovey is finally promising us what she originally came here to do: establish more "Pussycat Dolls" type entertainment. The cheering stinky dudes sitting dudes next to me hogging the arm rests wildly cheering attests to the fan appreciation of Hovey's efforts on her end (Riley could learn a thing or two). Also, yesterday was Hovey's birthday, so everyone please wish her a happy birthday if you can via GSoM.

But it seemed that the Warriors last night lived and died by Dennis Rodman's wise words from Double Team: "Offense gets the glory, but defense wins the games." As awesome as Monta's and Morrow's offensive stats looked last night, it was really the collective hustle on the boards (sans Oden on the floor), smart help defensive by Vladimir Radmanovic, and Monta's man-to-man defense on Brandon Roy that helped seal this victory. Radman was all over the place on defense, but not like Randolph (we'll get to that in a second). You could see him doubling down in the paint when necessary. He was often the first person to try to defend a wide open man. He was even crashing the boards when Randolph struggled to get position against Pryzbilla. The best thing about Radman? He shot .500 and not one of those attempts was a 3-pointer. Talk about efficiency.

Maybe playing with Kobe back in the day actually paid off?

As the second quarter came to an end and the Warriors raced out to a short lead, Oracle started looking like the hot spot for good looking people that I always knew it to be. Maybe they showed up late. Or maybe I was just in a better mood.

Anyways, the third quarter featured Hunter and his ability to contain and frustrate Oden in ways that Randolph and MIKEY clearly weren't able to, which proved to be the difference maker, in my opinion.

Monta showed me (and Atma) a defensive side of him that he wants everyone to know. He clearly put his back into it for once -- a new defensive stance perhaps? Of course, in the process, he manages to publicly and passive aggressively diss his teammates:

"It definitely gets overlooked," Ellis said. "I hear people say Monta can't play defense, but if you go back and look at the tapes, you don't see Monta getting burned. I can do that day-in and day-out." (Yahoo! recap)

We would like to see that. And more of that impressive court awareness that led to 6 steals, several off intercepted passes either cross court or on the break.

But sometimes I can't tell whether Monta's offensive dominance just means he's a glorified Ben Gordon. Meaning, a lot of times it just looks like Monta has some major tunnel vision and already knows he's going to shoot it before he even gets the ball. Monta's game has grown a bit on both ends of the floor, and I wonder if there is more to come as the season progresses.

And Hunter's ability to play steadily clearly highlights Randolph's inefficiencies and mental lapses as a young player. His two offensive fouls calls on wild drive to the hoop don't quite capture the problems of his game like when he battled Stephen Curry for a rebound to the point that he knocked the ball out of bounds off of Curry. After a tremendous defensive effort by Randolph to prevent the Blazers' second chance points, which had hounded him throughout the first half, Randolph managed to tap the ball out away from his opponents. You have to love his hustle to try to corral the ball in. But plays that make you groan and wonder if this kid will get it together or if he's just regressing into bad habits. I won't get into it much more, but Hunter's 2-2 from the field reminds you, or possibly makes you want to forget, Randolph's 4 bricks all within half a foot from the basket. This guy needs to learn some tips on how to finish in the paint, quickly.

The Warriors lead hit twenty deep into fourth quarter and when the buzzer rang, you would have thought the Warriors just won the championship with the confetti falling from the sky. Why make the janitors' job more difficult?

Tonight's Warrior Wonder has to go to Chris Hunter. While the obvious choice is probably Monta or Morrow, I chose Hunter based off his ability to step in and make a difference instantly in his limited minutes. He was so good that the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Can we expect him to start the next game?

RECAP: Warriors 125, Bucks 129 - At least we were entertained...?

dj fuzzylogic — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:38:26 -0000

(Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Warriors contribution to the development and fandom of the NBA industry should not be overlooked. The number of D-league success stories that have passed through the Warriors system is a testament to the NBA's attempt at creating more career opportunities for players. The number of stars that have began their careers at Golden State shows how much the Warriors can -- at times -- evaluate talent. But more importantly, without the Warriors, we wouldn't have exciting games like last night, watching young rookies transition into rising stars in a matter of 48 minutes. The Warriors are the reason why the "NBA is Fantastic!"

Okay, I'm just being facetious... but you know it's kind of true. Anyway...

Even though the Warriors lost this game, there is much to love about what we saw from last night...

Warriors vs Bucks boxscore

Recap: Bucks 129, Warriors 125 (aka the Brandon Jennings show) [Brew Hoop]

Final - 11.14.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden State Warriors	30	27	26	42	125
Milwaukee Bucks	21	28	43	37	129

Complete Coverage >

The most obvious thing to love: Brandon Jennings second "debut" in two games. After going for 32 and 9 against title contenders, Denver Nuggets, Jennings tops that by showing an amazing arsenal of moves from the inside and out. Floaters over giants, freezing opposing pgs with hesitations then blowing past them for easy layups, rainbow threes...this kid can do it all. In his 5 assists, Jennings showed what has been missing on the Warriors since Baron Davis left: A point guard who can see the floor, get in the paint, and lead his open man. It's only been about 10 regular season games, but will we start including Jennings in discussions of elite point guards by the all-star game?

Love: Curry vs. Jennings mini-shoot out. While Jennings clearly dominated, Curry showed that he could hold his own. Like Jennings, Curry has a couple crossovers which led to easy 15 foot jumpers. You kind of wonder why the Warriors didn't go him more given that he had the hot hand early on. During the stretch of the third when the Warriors couldn't score on the zone defense, I was thinking how helpful Curry might have been had they brought him in earlier.

Like Jennings, Curry plays the point under control... or at least more so than anyone else trying to front like a point guard on the Warriors. Unlike Monta, Curry tends not to put his head down, driving straight to the hoop only giving it up in the event that he needs to get bailed out when 2 big men have closed in on him. The unpredictability of his hesitation moves on dribble drives either gives him just enough space for a jumper or draws defenders in. Check the end of the clip above where he picks Jennings, then while driving to the hoop freezes Jennings with a fake crossover. AMAZING!

Love: The return of the fundamentally-sound big man. Bogut may be considered a racist, but the dude has some nice footwork and a great touch in the paint. Granted, the Warriors big men weren't necessarily much resistance, but there's a lot to like about this guy's inside and outside game. We're beginning to see some of this in Randolph, too. There's a lot to appreciate about shooting .500 and having 0 turnovers.

Love: Monta's left hand. Wow, he finally realized it exists? Last season we would never expect Monta to finish with his left, even in traffic. This season, we've seen Monta tear up defenses (soft ones like Milwaukee) going both directions...even changing directions! "The Mississippi Missile" maybe not be the best nickname, in my opinion.

Love: Under Armor gear! And Jennings work-ethic on camera

Now it's time for...

I'll have to give it up to Stephen Curry. Okay, it's pretty obvious that I'm on his jock a bit too much. And there's nothing "Wonder"ful about him picking up 5 fouls in 26 minutes. But Curry showed me that we might have a point guard of the present (notice how I didn't say future). The fact that he doesn't always drive in predictable straight lines a la Maggette, Jackson, and at times Monta pleases me... as it should please you!

For more on this game from the perspective of the winners (though we're all winners when a fun game like this happens...), check out our colleagues at Brew Hoop!

GAME THREAD #9: Warriors @ Bucks - Midwest Revival

dj fuzzylogic — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:09:49 -0000

A Milwaukee Bucks fleece blanket to stay warm for the holidays? (more details, e-mail Howard Leibowitz at ahhsew@aol.com.)

Warriors: 3-5

Bucks: 4-2

Tip-Off: 5:30pm

Radio: KNBR1050

TV: CSN Bay Area +

Blog Buddy: Brew Hoop

Which Warriors team will show up today? The one that blows out teams by twenty (YES!) or the one that gets blown out by twenty (groan...)? If I were to use the word "consistency" as the Warriors have used to this season thus far, that means we can expect them to lose tonight since they won last night. BUT, this means we can expect them to win the next game!

They're up against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight, a team that is surprising people possibly more so than the "We Believe" Warriors from a few years back. You better believe Howard Leibowitz is selling major fleece blankets this season because of Brandon Jennings impact on his team. Bucks fans: Get yours today!

So I was checking out the Bucks roster and noticed they have a squad full of second round picks, decent-to-good college players that fell to the second round given that they were once one-dimensional players college players. Given the numbers of players on their squad that have either fallen off or was never quite relevant in the first place, who can we expect to have his "Warrior Killer" moment of his career? Will sharpshooting rookie Jodi Meeks go Voshon Leonard, unconsciously dropping 30 on the dubs... in the first quarter? Or maybe defensive specialist Luc Mbah a Moute will magically transform into Michael Jordan for one night? Or will the first Taiwan born NBA player, Joe Alexander, finally get off the bench and live up to the upside?

Anyway, point being, its most likely a Warriors off-night, so I hope you got your fantasy rosters set with at LEAST one Bucks player...choose your scrub wisely.

Predictions anyone?

Passing disappears from the Warriors vocabulary, again.
Stephen Curry has 6 dimes in 15 minutes off the bench!
Curry trusts himself to shoot more, launching 5 shots and making 4 of them.
Anthony Randolph stays out of foul trouble.
Tom Abdenour demands a trade after the game.

Poll

Who's tonight's Warrior Killer?

Jodi Meeks

56 votes

Dan Gadzuric

25 votes

Luke Ridenour

45 votes

Luc Mbah a Moute

88 votes

Ersan Ilyasova (who???)

89 votes

303 votes | Poll has closed

Trainer Tom Abdenour - The Anti-Stephen Jackson :: 2009-2010 Player Recaps and Previews

dj fuzzylogic — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:13:31 -0000

Tom Abdenour in the community! Teaching kids about eating healthy (via GoldenStateWarriors)

The number of "great" Warriors to be remembered as "great Warriors" is pretty slim. The number of retired numbers that adorn the Oracle Arena are pretty limited. With the way things are going right now, we wonder if there will ever be another Warrior that wants to be retired as one -- or a player that even comes close to having the achievements worthy of nomiation.

I argue that that next person is actually sitting on the Warriors bench right now.

No, I'm not talking about the potential of Anthony Randolph to be a superstar, nor am I suggesting anything about Stephen Curry's future with the Warriors. This dude has been with the Warriors 21 years and counting.

I'm talking about Tom Abdenour. The Warriors' athletic trainer has seen it all and stuck with the organization through thick and thin. This is more than we can say about former captain, Stephen Jackson.

This season, the Warriors need Abdenour to perform at his best. Last season was quite an "off-season" given that various Warriors players missed a combined 200+ games last season. What can we expect from him this year? Hope he's got his rolls of tape ready.

Before we get into the predictions for this year, let us check out a few of his amazing accomplishment worthy of induction into the NBA hall-of-fame. Heck, he's already in the National Athletic Trainers Association hall-of-fame.

I don't want to highlight everything about his professional career, which is accessible here. But I will note a few important things.

In 2005, he was awarded National Athletic Trainers Association's Tim Kerin Award For Excellence In Athletic Training. That year, the "star" Warrior players only missed about 20 games total with Mike Dunleavy missing only 3 games! In 1990, he received the NBA Trainer of the Year award. The run and gun warriors, led by Run TMC, clearly demonstrated his training-excellence.

Aside from that, Abdenour has been the ONLY Warrior to represent the United States in international play, getting a gold medal, too (Summer 2000 in Sydney, Australia among others).

He has also been featured in Sports Illustrated, but not as a swimsuit model.

What hasn't this man done?

Abdenour has faced a lot of bad luck last year. Moped Ellis, Brandan Wright's dislocating shoulder, Andris Biedrin's ankle and stamina issues...it was rough for him.

Abdenour provides Ellis with a strict no-Moped diet (photo via Fan Nation)

But from the looks of things, the Warriors are running smoothly. They've traded in physical problems for emotional problems. CJ Watson is back in the line-up after reportedly potentially being out longer than he was. Ellis has shown off some of that speed he once had, along with some other tricks up his sleeve to keep defenses ankles broken.

I'm expecting the Warriors to go as far as Abdenour is willing to take them. The spotlight is on him, will he be able to take them to the promised land? By promised land, I mean, at least 70 games played by all the starters.

What are your predictions for Mr. Abdenour?

2009-2010 Golden State Warriors Preview

Anthony Morrow: Ammo + Chocolate Rain
Stephen Jackson: O Captain, My Captain
Speedy Claxton/ Devean George, Acie Law: Wouldn't Count on It
Brandan Wright: Injury Prone
Stephen Curry: Let There Be Hope
Monta Ellis: Back in the Saddle
Corey Maggette: The 6th Wonder of the Oracle
Anthony Randolph: Hope Beyond the Hype
C.J. Watson: Storm-a-brewin'?
Mikki Moore: Ronny Turiaf Sr.
Ronny Turiaf: Still Gettin' Hyphy
Andris Biedrins: The Forgotten Warrior
Kelenna Azubuike

Coming 10.26.09 to a web browser near you...

Golden State Warriors 2k9-2k10 Super Preview Blowout Special!