From the ESPN article quoted by the "rumor" section at Yahoo Sports: "The Warriors, sources say, are not interested in absorbing the contract of Charlotte's Wallace, seeing little need for Wallace (and the four seasons left on his contract after this one at a cost of $38 million) when they have Corey Maggette and the soon-to-be-extended Stephen Jackson."

If this is true (that the Dubs DON'T want to do the Wallace for Harrington deal because of money concerns) it's something I haven't heard talked about.  Which player would you rather have on this team for the next three years at this point in their careers?  Wallace, or Jackson?  Especially when you don't HAVE to extend Jackson to keep him for another season?

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It's quite possible. 

It's hard to imagine another team in the NBA that would give as much ball time, and as many shots, to such a profoundly bad ball handler, and such a low percentage shooter. 

Jackson's claim to fame on this team seems to be his "defense"  and his "toughness" (the only "tough" guy on a reletively "soft" team).  Without a traditional big center, and now without a point guard, Coach Nelson seems convinced that the Warriors can't compete without Jackson at the center of things. 

At this point, however, the only thing certain about the Warriors, is that they can't compete with Jackson at the center of things.

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He wasn't "good enough" to earn even minimal rookie playing time with the lottery pick Warriors, but he's good enough to play for the World Champs.  (They're obviously dumber than the Warriors.)

Will we ever see a real Center play for this team?  Not as long as it's a Nellie coached team. 

They will always score points.  But they will always be "too small" to be serious playoff contenders.  It's the fun, and the curse, of Nellieball.

Good luck to POB in Beantown.

Watching these Laker games reminds us both of the Warrior's "strengths," and their undeniable weaknesses.  

The strengths of this team are Nelson's wacky match-ups, and the team's (and Nelson's) intense, "small ball" top speed style that has been beating most of the bad teams this year, and occasionally winning against teams it shouldn't be able to beat.  

But as we saw with the Lakers, it is precisely those "strengths" that are their weaknesses.  Running out of gas with a tiny rotation, too undersized to collect easy rebounds or protect the paint, going one on one, and flinging up undisciplined low percentage shots.  These are the weaknesses that will either make them miss the play-offs this year, or sneak in and likely get blown out in the first round.  

The W's are trying to reach the play-offs undersized and thin on talent.  And really, what is the "value" in getting blown out in the first round under those circumstances?  

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I know this is sacrilege around here, but having seen the Ws play all the teams in the West now, I think it's safe to say that the teams on top of them in the standings at this point, are legitimately BETTER teams than the Warriors.  

Unless Portland comes back to reality, it's going to be Golden State duking it out with Utah (and potentially Houston) for the last spot???  They're in the 8th slot now, with the Jazz playing crappy and still only a game behind.  Are the Warriors really going to win more games than Utah the rest of the season?  

I'm thinkin' without attaining a beastly Power Forward (or Center, but what's the chance of that?) this team is on the bubble at best, and watching the playoffs at home on cable TV at worst.

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Unfortunately, it's not just an "opinion" that BD is a poor shooter.  He put on a clinic in brick laying last night that will be hard to top.  6-23!  (My little brother and I could at least hit the rim 25 feet from the basket.)  But curiously, nothing ever seems to change with Baron's propensity to fire away.  Even though he is among the worst shooting PGs in the league.  

It cost them the game last night.  

Will it cost them a playoff berth?  Some numbers below...

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No, I'm not joking.  And yeah, I'm a Warrior fan.  Baron was the reason they lost to the pathetic Clips.  Period.  

24 FRICKING SHOTS FROM ONE OF THE WORST SHOOTERS ON THE TEAM???  

If he could've even hit 30 percent from the 3 line, the Dubs would've been in overtime.  (Even if only to watch him hoist up more bricks for the extended period.)

And didn't anyone notice him "take the last shot" at the half, which would've put them ahead going into the locker room?  Er, except instead he showed off his handles, and let the shot clock expire.  

I don't have the numbers, but anyone who has watched the Dubs over the last few seasons knows, when Baron holds the ball for the "last shot" of the quarter, it's most likely going to clank off a rim, or get stuffed.  

Baron is simply NOT a shooter.  And he never HAS been.  He's always near the bottom of the league in FG% among PGs, and his 3pt shooting has always been embarrassing.  So he should go to the rim more and get fouled, you say?  He can't shoot free throws either.  68% lifetime.  

Bigger teams just pack the middle, and hack every W taking shots in close (because they know even if they get to the line, they'll miss) or force them to shoot from outside (where perentages tell you they miss, and bigger guys are standing there collecting uncontested rebounds).

But Davis BELIEVES he's a shooter.  He (and apparently Nelson) BELIEVES he's the best shooter on the team.  And so he dominates the shot attempts almost every night.  And except on those nights when they accidentally fall for him, the W's are fighting against Baron's averages.

I enjoyed the run at the end of the season.  My jaw was on the floor watching them beat Dallas.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  It wasn't the same team of brick layers I watched all last season.  Instead every shot seemed to go in.  And the fact is, anybody who watched the NBA all season KNEW they were whipping a BETTER team.

They were the NBA's Colorado Rockies last year.

But that was last year.  

Is it possible to be a Warrior's fan and not "believe" this team as currently constructed is a play-off team?  I humbly suggest it is.  

They're too small (because Nelson either benches or gets rid of big guys) and because they don't have enough high percentage shooters taking shots (KA may be a welcome exception) they can't play "small ball" consistently.  With the current recipe they can't win unless at least two guys have crazy. over-their-heads, shooting nights.  There's no escaping the numbers on this team.

I'll watch the Warriors because I'm a fan.  But even though hope springs eternal, I'll probably find some other things to do in a couple weeks.  When they're 2-8.