I am trying to type this as fast as I can knowing that by the time I finished this post, with the way things have gone this past 48 hours, DeAndre would've already been signed, traded, amnestied, and signed again. So I'll try to make this a bit brief.

My thesis is that the Warriors, if the current rumors are true, is making the right decision in preparing an offer sheet to try and sign DeAndre Jordan. Also, I want to note that I'm under the impression that the contract starts at $10M and lasts for four years.

This is a good move for the Warriors for two main reasons.

First, it is the type of risk that pays a lot of dividends if it pans out. We already know the selling points: 23 yr. old, crazy athleticism, good size, shot blocking ability. That's the kind of 'talent' this team could use. He does come with some (or a lot) of limitations but the bottom line is, between having a chance to develop him and watching the Clippers do, you'd be crazy not to pick the former. Now, he does come with a hefty $10M pricetag. However, remember that we're not exactly losing something 'tangible' in signing him. Well, at least not of much worth. Signing him likely means we are to amnesty either Bell or Biedrins which is not a big blow to the franchise by any means. I've read people argue about taking Biedrins over Jordan. Sure you can make the argument that Biedrins is better now, but I think we can all agree that Biedrins will likely not get much better than his 07-09 form. And each passing year, it's looking less and less that he'll even get close to it again. Meanwhile, DeAndre Jordan is at that point in his career where it is possible he make that jump to be good or really good. $10M might look like a steep price now, but if he does end up making the jump, it will be an absolute bargain. And even if he doesn't, It is also not a contract you get stuck with. People have absorbed worst deals in a trade.

Second, while an argument can be made on their current on-the-court production, there is no argument that Jordan is a much better piece to dangle in a trade than Biedrins, even at that price tag. Something must have gone terribly wrong if that statement doesn't still hold true at the deadline. Most GMs will ignore an offer of Monta+Biedrins, but Monta+DeAndre may be able to turn some heads. DeAndre+Klay+ Udoh. DeAndre+Steph+Klay. Even dare i say, DeAndre+Steph+Monta. Now you can really make teams consider your offer seriously.

Now, I said earlier that we're not losing anything 'tangible' but it is worth noting that not signing Jordan (and anyone else to a substantial deal, for that matter) can put us in a position to have some good cap space to make a play on possibly better free agents next year. And that's the reason I used 'tangible'. Just because we have the money available to sign a Dwight Howard doesn't mean we get one. This past week have shown that while the new owners have made this franchise active players in free agency and trade talks, it may take a while for players to actually choose to play for the Warriors for basketball reasons as opposed to $$.

The 2011 NBA Draft is now over and comes the long wait for the lockout to be resolved and for the season to start. I believe they mentioned that there will be no summer league this year so we're going to have to wait even longer to see the rookies in action. Of course, during this time all we're left to do is voice our opinions regarding the draft, for some it's frustration while for others, it is excitement. As i seep through the various fan shots and fan posts on the site, two things jump at me:

1. A lot of people are overly frustrated that the Warriors brass passed on Kawhi.

2. A lot of people are overly excited about Jeremy Tyler.

Regarding Kawhi, he would not have been a smart pick for us. Even if he ends up being a servicable player for the Spurs. The exception of course is if he turns out to be a complete stud and may i remind you, it's been said countless of times that this draft lacks that kind of player. The reason? His strengths (defense and rebounding) won't be as much of an asset to the Warriors as oppose to a team like the Spurs. Kawhi is likely to play as a 3 in the NBA. Not sure if he has the speed to cover 2s effectively, but he'll defintely be a liabilty on offense until he develops an outside shot. Now, looking at our lineup, he'll be playing behind/ahead of Dorell Wright, perhaps one of the better defenders on the team. If he is just as advertised, he provides an upgrade defensively but also a major downgrade offensively. Unless, you play the two alongside each other, the Warriors will barely feel his effect on the floor. That is because Monta will still be outmatched by the bigger (and skilled) 2s in the league. You cannot simply have Kawhi guard the opposing 2 because then Monta will end up having to guard 3s which is an even bigger mismatch. Now, for a more balanced team like the Spurs who has Manu and Parker at the guard positions, having a guy like Kawhi can be a real asset, even if he's just a servicable player. Think Bruce Bowen.

If you are not sold on Klay, you should keep your eyes on the two guys picked after him and not Kawhi: Alec Burks and Markieff Morris. Burks plays the same role as Klay. Good sized 2s with the potential to play some point. The similiraties of course ends there so you'll have to see which player can bring their game to the next level. Then there's Markieff. Unlike his twin, he seems to be a more legit PF, size wise. He's got potential to be a servicable 2-way player which means he's perhaps the only real guy who answers the defense/rebounding need. Out of picks 13-18, Markieff is perhaps the only guy who fills our real need: a combination of size, defense, rebounding at the 4/5. For perimeter help, we needed a guy who can really defend 2s and play some point. There was no clear guy like that to take at 11. Perhaps a case could be made for Singleton as well as he is supposed to be able to guard 4s, but he'll be undersized there.

So really, besides Markieff, everybody else doesn't fill a real immediate need for us. It was basically draft the best available guy. The Warriors think it's Klay, you and me may think differently, but really we'll just have to wait and see who's right.

As for Jeremy Tyler. Everybody hold your horses. I'm just as excited as the next guy that we got him without giving up any asset basketball wise but let me remind everyone that this guy was the 39th pick of the draft. Entering the draft, Demarcus Cousins HAD maturity issues, he went from perhaps a 1st or 2nd overall pick to 5th. If all this guy had was a maturity issue, we wont even get a sniff at him with our 11th pick let alone "purchase" him in the second round. For all his gifts, there is a reason he was projected as a late first round pick and ended up a second round pick up. And it's more than just maturity issues. His talents and athleticism is really good, sure, but they're not out-of-this world. We'd be lucky to have him put it together and become a servicable big man. For now, take the word All-star and any Webber+Durant and other similar comparisons out of your mind. This is for your own good.

Now that the Warriors will finally have new owners by the start of next season, everybody's already shared they thoughts of what the new owners should take from the old. Guidelines of what to follow, or in more cases, what NOT to follow. But I just want to say, that as fans we need to take this opportunity to understand something...

We are as KEY to this franchise as, say, for the moment at least, Stephen Curry.

We are the reason that, for all of the suckage Chris Cohan has dawned upon us all these years, he still was able to leverage $450M on his way out the door.

We are the reason that this is happening only now. Not some 5-6 years ago. Now this is just speculation on my part, but I think the We Believe era shook the Warriors' situation. See, if for a decade you haven't made the playoffs then expectations doesn't really exceed anything other than making it. And for years, the Warriors always make some run at the end of the season that makes you think, if we can just do that next year we'll be fine. Which has been the Warriors' cycle until we actually made the playoffs. Fans saw the success, was upset about everything that happened after, and possibly hit where it matters most - Cohan's pockets. If frustrations on the internet is any indication, people are finally closing their wallets on the Warriors. Which I believe, eventually lead to this eventful summer. Now back to our role in this....

While Curry, Monta, Lee, etc... are key to the Warriors' success on the court. We're responsible for the Warriors' success off the court. Merchandise, ticket sales, etc. Every fan who chose to spend/not spend their money on Warriors related stuff hold key to the Warriors' success as a business. That's pretty powerful.

If you read or listen to interviews of the new owners you hear a lot of two things: winning and fans. Rightfully so. In order for the Warriors to succeed as a basketball team, they need to learn how to win and win consistently. In order for the Warriors to succeed as a business franchise, they need to learn how to keep people from going to the games and buying stuff.

If "The Decision" has taught us anything, it's that when we're valuable to a franchise we can hold them on the palm of our hands. Think about this, they did all those stuff (the visits, custom Sopranos, custom cartoons) to bring a guy to their team AND pay him $100M (of course, the reason is because he'll eventually rake money for them). So imagine what all those teams are willing to do for the fans who will be the one dishing out the money directly.

And this is how we need to think, we're a very valuable part of this process and hold as much power as someone like LeBron. If you're in here just for entertainment, just to pay to watch people shoot the basketball I guess, then by all means ignore this since the Warriors' concern for the past decade is to provide us 'A Great Time Out'. But if you're like me who wants nothing more than for this franchise to be a constant playoff team and maybe win a couple of championships here and there then the next time you're thinking about buying a jersey or going to the game, think about this: Have the Warriors earned it???

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

Also, the new owners are a lot more accessible than the old one. For one, I know at least one of them have a twitter. We don't have to cut out the Warriors the first sign of trouble, the new owners already asked us for some patience, so until that time comes we can always resort to voicing our frustrations through social network.

http://twitter.com/PeterGuber

Let's just not wait another 15+ years before putting the pressure again.

The Golden State Warriors received mixed reaction when the unveiled their new logo and a picture of the new jersey was leaked a couple of days ago. While the logo was received with more open arms, the leaked jersey received just about the same amount of criticism as when the Warriors announced their draft pick last Thursday. A lot of people have already tried to make some tweaks and changes to the jersey putting their own spin on it to try and make it look better. I thought I'd put my own spin on how I think the new jersey should've been. What started as an attempt to make a quick tweak turned into hours or research and designing.

So I decided to use the Warriors' new logo as the base and keep in mind the direction they are going: An updated look of "The City" era. With this in mind, I decided to look through the all nba jerseys as well as other timeless jerseys like the Bulls and Celtics. I came away with two things: Keep the colors simple. Keep the look simple.

As you can see below, the Warriors' jerseys before the 90's has been pretty simple and all of them arguably tops those last two. Which brings me to my first big design decision: Round collar, no stripe on the side.

Next in line for me was color layout. First of all, pardon if the colors are a bit off. Still rusty with my photoshop skills and kinda slack off on some parts like the collar and getting the color absolutely right. I just figured, the general idea of which color goes where is more important.

I still think that if we were to pay homage to "The City" jerseys, having a yellow home jersey was essential. But if the league won't allow such thing, I decided to make a white version as well. I wasn't overly too happy with the white jersey which led me to creating 3 versions of the jersey. And without further ado, here's what I came up with:

VERSION 1: UPDATED CITY JERSEYS

via i50.tinypic.com

VERSION 2:  1966-1997 MASHUP JERSEY

via i50.tinypic.com

VERSION 3:  BLUE-WHITE JERSEY

via i50.tinypic.com

About the FONT: Just like the Warriors most likely did, went down my font list and chose one I like. I went with a simple font and one that resembles the font from the 1986-1988 jerseys. I can probably design better but decided to leave that to a paying gig.

Decided to have some fun at the end. Here's some alternate colors...

1. Based this on the San Francisco jersey but came out looking more like the Cavs throwback

2. Just really love the black/yellow combo so had to do it

3. Another possible option with the original colorways.

via i45.tinypic.com

Here's the leaked jersey:

via assets.sbnation.com

What do you guys think?

NOTE: Would appreciate it if you actually read what my post is about. Thank you.

It's no secret that the current big debate that's split the Dubs nation in half stems from two words: Ekpe Udoh, the 6th overall pick by the Golden State Warriors last Thursday.Just look at the sidebar of GSOM and you see countless diaries and fanshots about him, all of them filled with a combination of criticism, justification, hope, hate. etc.

The debate spilled onto social networks as well as someone posted earlier. Every update from the Warriors page on facebook will draw comments from "Udoh sucks" and "Cohan sell the team now" to "Just give the kid a chance", said, of course, in a lot more colorful fashion.

While I don't believe it will slow down anytime soon, at least not until the Warriors summer league team hits the floor in a couple of weeks, I think the time for debate is over. It is now time to make your stance and pick your side.

Continue reading this post »

Here's a breakdown of the overplayed lines here in GSOM that when you stop and think about it, it doesn't really make much sense.

Let's get Baron Davis back. I'm gonna start off with a bang.... Why the hell would anybody want Baron Davis back with the Warriors? Seriously. Stop for a minutes and check out his stats for this year. It's just downright atrocious. If you honestly believe that he'd magically come back to his old self if he were to get traded back to the Warriors, you need a reality check. I won't put down the guy's desire to win as I don't know him, but I will point out that he's already missed 14 games this season. And say he did come back somewhat his old self, if you think the Warriors will instantly turn into contenders, you might need another reality check.

No matter how you spin it, the We Believe Warriors were just a notch above mediocre. Yes, I said it. It's a tough pill to swallow but it's the truth. Actually, the overplayed line is more about thinking the Warriors were a great team two years ago. They were the most exciting team in the league, but great they are not. The Warriors barely missed the playoffs last year and barely made it the year before. There's no other more exciting brand of basketball out there but the team would just sniff the playoffs for the next few years, barely making it one year and just missing it the next. What makes the We Believe Warriors (seem) so great was the long line of crap it preceded and this year's crap that followed. Compared to the league they still are mediocre, or at best, just above that. Sure there were money issues, but I doubt the ownership (no matter how incapable the might seem) would just break up that team if it was a bonafide playoff one. It's arguable that they made a good decision in not signing Baron to the contract he wanted, it's the decisions they made thereafter that really screwed up everything else.

We didn't pay Maggette $10M to come off the bench. I find this line the most hilarious of all. What's the connection between his salary and coming off the bench? Especially when he's putting up something along the lines of 20 points and 6 rebounds, which I might add, is significantly better than when he was starting?The guy's finally able to somehow justify the contract the Warriors gave him and people are complaining because he's not in the tip-off. For all I care, he can sit next to me in the last row of the Oracle with my $8 tix for the first 5 minutes of the ball game, come down, and put up the numbers he's putting in.

Stop this trading non-sense, let's wait the season out and it will be alright. I think this one is a bit debatable but I strongly believe this is the wrong stance to follow simply because the team is not balance. I do believe the team is capable of playing a lot better given more time and better health -- maybe good for another 40-win season next year. But does anybody think we can really win with this lineup? And I'm talking about more than just sniffing on the last playoff spot in last week of the season.

So, I was gonna reply on NIICCEE's free tickets thread but I thought maybe I have enough material for a fanpost. Anyway, he was asking for the best jokes and I happen to think of some Warriors related ones (yes, I just came up with them!). Maybe you can too...

Just to be clear, for inevitable you're not a Warriors fan conment, I'm taking a "I hope the Warriors lose all their remaining games this season so we can actually have a shot at a top talent next draft instead of lingering around the middle getting skinny sky is the limit but has to start 90,000 feet under sea level potential forwards" stance this season. So I decided to make this season tolerable by having fun or rather making fun of the team. Next year, I'll be back to my old grumpy self.

Anyway, here's the funny and/or the unfunny....

Why did the chicken cross the road?

- Coz no one would pass the ball on the other side.

- It saw the Warriors train wreck coming.

- So [insert name here] can see it.

- To check Morrow and Randolph laying eggs on the Warriors bench.

- Because Jim Barnett wanted a two-for-one.

- Someone finally got the rebound.

How many Warriors does it take to run a fast break?

- Two. Just give it about 5 tries.

- Add two to the number of defenders. Then subtract CJ Watson.

- Stephen Jackson and a 3pt line.

How many does it take to screw a Warriors a fast break?

- One moped.

A guy walks into a bar...

- and Stephen Jackson loses his dribble.

- and Maggette will shoot two free throws

- gets wasted to death, comes to the Oracle Arena, and still manage to play ahead of Anthony Morrow/Randolph.

- runs into Mullin, and is now the Warriors head coach.

What did the nun say to Stephen Jackson?

- Next time get a tattoo of praying hands holding an ill-advised shot.

Why does it seem like  the Warriors get so many bad calls?

- They only have two referees working the game most of the time. The other one is busy arguing with Stephen Jackson on the other end of the floor.

What's the difference between the Warriors and the economy?

- The first one can't rebound to save its life, you hope the next one rebounds so you can have a life

What is Stephen Jackson's least favorite animal?

- Zebras

What did the Zebra give Stephen Jackson?

- A technical

What is annoying, hilarious, stupid, delusional, imaginative, useless, a complete waste of time, I mean REALLY annoying, all at the same time?

- A GSOM trade idea fanpost

And finally, How much shots could Stack Jack chuck if Stack Jack could just chuck and chuck?

....Buike was gonna fill JRich's shoes. Some even claimed he would be better. Well, he chose to fill Maggette's shoes instead.

....Stephen Jackson was this indespensable player that we could not win a game with out him. Now, it seems like on most nights we have a better chance of winning without him.

....Belinelli and Wright might have the makings of NBA stars. Now, the coach is saying they barely have the makings of an NBA ready player.

....one PG was all we had, and, despite some huffing and puffing, all we needed. We currently have 4 yet none really fits our need.

....Al Harrington sucked. He was just named the player of the week posting numbers like 30 points and 13 rebounds.

....inconsistency was our problem. This year, that's the least of our problems as we've been nothing but consistent this season. Consistently suck, that is.

....there's nothing more beautiful than a Warriors fastbreak. This year, the only thing more dreadful to watch than a Warriors fastbreak is a Corey Maggette wide open airball.

....all we needed was 1 player to run a break. This year, 4 players against 2 couldn't even get it done.

....we were building for financial flexibility. That went down the drain quicker than a Monta Ellis fastbreak.

....we used to scratch our heads why Croshere gets to play ahead of everybody else. Now, we scratch our heads why Kurz gets to play ahead everybody else. Some things never change.

....we were a playoff team by definition. Now, we are a development team by definition. Either defined by the fact that this team is full of players that needs to be developed. Or by the fact that we're host to 2 ex-DLeague players, 2 current ones, and 2 more that probably would be playing there if we didn't decide to pick them up. 

....we were Scrappy. Then someone decided to drop the S.

It seems like someone was just sprinkling pixie dust the last couple of years and now, we've ran out of it.

The Warriors have one simple, yet big problem: they're not playing fundamental basketball. Most likely, it is because of Nellie's system or just the players refusing to make a commitment, whatever it is the Warriors would need to get back to basics if they are to really turn not just this season but the franchise around.

Problem #1: Rebounding

Warriors meet Box out. Sure, there are times our smaller, lankier lineup gets outmuscled for the rebound but alot of times it has to do more with the 4 opposing players challenging 2 of our own for the rebound. I know part of the reason is Nellie's philosophy of pushing the break but let's face, there is no run and gunning this year until at least Monta comes back. So, he needs to get everybody to box their man out and hit the boards. It's one of the most frustrating thing to watch the Warriors D up pretty good only to have the opponent have 1 more chance... or 2...or 3... or 4...oh you get the point.

Problem #2:  Defending the Pick and Roll

I know the pick and roll, when perfectly executed, can be a deadly weapon but when it's executed against the Warriors you feel like you're watching a tutorial on how to do it. I have to watch other teams to see if the pick and roll is really just hard to stop or the Warriors just don't have a clue on how to do it. Where would you place your money on?? Anyway, it's one thing to see Tim Duncan and Tony Parker rip your team apart with a little two-man game but Chris Duhon and David Lee, Steve Blake and Pryzibilla?

Problem #3:  Run a fastbreak

This is one of the biggest areas we really miss Baron and Monta. Baron, of course, used to orchestrate most of our breaks while Monta, well just get him the ball and start running back the other way. And I think it's one of the biggest reasons we don't just lost, we get blown out. Since these used to be easy points for us. This year, we seem to really have a hard time orchestrating a good break. This year, a lot of times our break resulted into a pull up jumper or the dreaded pull up 3. It's funny coz this is supposed to be what they go over a lot in practice, I guess this where the lack of good decision makers come into play again.

Problem #4: Passing the Ball

Need I say more?

This is one of the reasons I strongly think Nellie should at least be getting the hot seat. Whether it is him or the players who's not showing enough commitment to basic things mentioned above, I believe it's too late to all of a sudden fix those things, especially when it's fundamental basketball.

The team might be better once Monta comes back but if that's the reason we're keeping Nellie that's kind of scary. Teams find ways to win without their stars and Monta is not even a bonafide superstar yet we're constantly losing by double digits.

I have been breathing basketball all my life, but because I wasn't born and raised here in the U.S I only root for players not teams. It wasn't until 4-5 seasons ago not long after I moved here in SF that I adopted the Warriors, by default, as the team to root for.

I started following the Warriors during the year we got Baron Davis. It was a tough two years and there was only one thing that kept coming out of my mouth back then: We need a better coach. Sure enough, we get Don Nelson and the rest is We Believe history.

So while I don't have the credentials of being a Warriors fan since birth, I have seen my share of some tough times. And through the years, I've come to experience Warriors basketball and found out why people still root for them despite their mighty struggle to be successful.

Rooting for the Warriors is more than looking at the win-column, it is a game-by-game experience. This is why a lot of people are bewildered how a lot of people genuinely support this franchise despite being woeful for so many years. They're missing something us fans see, every single game. Even before the Nellie years, the Warriors have been entertaining to watch. Every single game, they find a way to win or lose despite having a seemingly insurmountable lead or deficit. I am sure you are very familiar with this scenario: Warriors burst out the gates and get a double digit lead in the 1st quarter, then as time goes down the 2nd quarter the lead slowly goes down to 10...8...6...4 just before the half ends. Third quarter comes, and there goes the lead..... OR perhaps this scenario: Warriors seems lifeless and gets down by 20 in the 1st Q, they finally wake up in the 2nd Q and it they start slowly chipping away the lead. The 3rd Quarter becomes a struggle as the Warriors starts creeping in to tie the game. Then there's the storybook ending. After being down or up so many, it seems to always come down in the last couple of minutes of the game. After your chest has undergone numerous rise and fall, there's always room to hold your breath for the last minute of the game and witness the incredible comeback or how the Warriors incredibly blew the game. The Warriors has been this way even before Nellie came in, he just multiplied the fun factor even more by making the team susceptible to major collapses as well as leading them to miraculously runs so no lead was ever safe or insurmountable. And this is the very reason I couldn't get enough of Warriors basketball no matter how frustrating/heartbreaking/depressing it can become because I come in every game not knowing what to expect. I expect them to lose, they win. I expect them to win, they lose. I turn around to grab something to eat and next thing you know they're up by 18. I use the bathroom and they're down 4. It is this brand of basketball that had me watching every single game I can and not just checking the boxscore and celebrate the W.

The Warriors has got to be one of the most unorthodox team in the NBA. Like I said, you come in every game not knowing what to expect. There's no team that can't beat us (except the Mavs at one point) and there's certainly no team we can't beat. Nevermind the fact that the opposing team is on a 20-game winning streak or starting the end of their bench due to injuries, all predictability goes down the drain as soon as they play the Warriors. Playing against the Warriors, at least for the last couple of years, also mean career nights for at least one bench player. No worries about Kobe dropping 81 here, it will be the likes of Vujacic or Farmar or Sun Yue (who will be activated and will play just for this one game) who will have career nights against the Warriors.

The Fans really connected with the players and the players with the fans. It was either Jason Richardson or Baron Davis or Monta or Jackson or even Pietrus and Barnes who will make one spectacular play that will draw fans off their seats. Be it a thunderous slam or a monster block, it is a call to arms to every fan in the arena who are more than willing to oblige. The players really did well in feeding off the energy from the crowd and all in attendance was generous in giving it.

BUT..... this year, the Warriors did more than just put new faces on the team. They created a whole different atmosphere. An atmosphere that's not only disgusting in the boxscore, but also disgusting to watch.

The current Warriors, exaggeration or not, are soul-less. Yes, they are very well capable of putting points on the board like teams of the past, but the way they're doing it is unfamiliar. Gone are the flash and swag that gets fans off their seat, this team is exactly what it is, a scoring machine. They're like Bingo, you'll know you'll keep getting the numbers but there's nothing to be excited about until you actually win one.This team has always taken pride for having a lot of heart that let them will some games into wins but this current great seems to be greatly lacking in that department.

On the defensive side, while the Warriors has not exactly been great in this department they were capable of turning it on once or twice a game, especially when they needed it. This team doesn't look capable of doing just that.

Stephen Jackson. I'll tell you why Jackson is all of a sudden getting a lot of heat this year. It's not because of his poor shot selection or not looking to pass the ball enough especially when the defense is on him. Like he said, he's always played this way. He's getting a lot of heat this year because he's not playing for anything anymore, at least not right now. Last year, no matter how bad he was playing he comes off the hook and then some because of his late game heroics. Last year, it didn't matter much if he shot 1-6 beyond the arc because that one 3pter sealed the win for us. And it is all about the win. This year, we take it as it is: woeful 1-6 beyond the arc.

This season is too early to write everything off although Nellie already did, but Nellie is like my friend who says/promises a lot of things but only 1/10 of those ever happen. And especially with countless arguments to be made, there are reasons not to throw in the towel. But that doesn't mean I'm not starting to lose interest, at least in watching games (already missed two games deliberately this year).

This team didn't just lose some players or a couple of games in the win column. This team lost something bigger. This team, at the moment, is playing without a soul.

Pardon the lame joke... and if you're still scratching your head on this one. You know, the Warriors were playing hot potato early in the game and was getting good shots from moving the ball then the game tightened up and the vets started playing superhero and then it went downhill from there.

Anyway, my last post was met with a good response and I'm in the mood for another one...

1. Just ONE game? JUST ONE FREAKING Game??? I wondered on my last diary how long JCraw can keep up his team-first mentality. Well, I got my answer tonight. Oh boy, was he not shy on the trigger tonight. I wonder if he got his 45% shooting from pull up 3s from 2ft beyond the arc with the Knicks.

2. Let the big boys play. Tonight Maggs played a good game at SF and despite a seemingly non existent showing, Brandan Wright grabbed the same amount of rebound maggette had despite playing just 12minutes. I would like to see him or Turiaf start regularly and make changes from there on a nightly basis.

3. SJAX. The Good and Bad. We saw both on today's game. The first 3 quarters he was exceptional. He didn't force shots and he made plays for his teammates. And as Fitz would put it: It was contagious. Then the bad Jackson had to sneak into the 4th quarter, he starts forcing shots and tries to do too much. Which was also contagious (I'm not sure who started it but him and Maggs just had a show-off in the 4th.)

4. TOO MANY SHOTBLOCKERS, NO REBOUNDERS. That's the problem we have right now. We have a bunch of guys who can guard the rim but we have no one who can secure the ball except Biedrins which really negates the effectiveness of the former. Rondo had 8 rebounds, 4 off the offensive end. Nuff said.

5. Back on tonight's game. Can't take away anything from the Warriors except that 4th quarter. I could have stomached this loss if I didn't have to watch the last quarter. I would've been satisfied to have lost because the Celtics was the better team on paper and on the standings. But watching the last couple of minutes of that game and I can't help but think we threw away any chances of winning that game when the ball stopped moving.

6. Hendrix. Is he really not ready to play in a basketball game? He's the closest we have to a big body and I'm thinking he can fit the same role as Turiaf except instead of blocking shots, his focus is to grab as many rebounds as he can.

7. A scrappy team, with no scrappy players. Part of why our small ball team worked was also because of scrappy players like Barnes, Pietrus. Guys who just gets in there and hustle. They're not tall or big or even that talented but they can get you extra possessions and force some turnovers. This team has totally strayed away from that.

I was going to post this as a reply but it kept piling on and thought maybe it deserves to be a fan post. Anyway, some thought about tonight's game and the Warriors as a whole.

1. Jamal Crawford was too passive in this game which is understandable but it'd be interesting to see if he can keep up his pass-first mentality once he gets full acquainted with his new team.

2. Maggette PLEASE STOP SHOOTING 3'S!!!! Statline tonight 6-16 from the field, 1-4 from beyond the arc. Take out his pathetic 3pt attempts and he shot a more respectable 5-12 from the field. Want a bigger sample size? Maggs is shooting 38% from the field this season. Take away his 3pt attempts and he's shooting 47%

3. SJax PLEASE STOP CHUCKING 3'S!!!! Same with Maggette but I would allow him to still shoot it just not at his current rate of 7 attempts per game. Again comparing his shooting percentage.... with his 3pt attempts: 39.5%..... without his 3pt attempts: 46%.

4. Just peeked at the boxscore. Crawford actually managed to take 10 shots.

5. Until Nellie makes some changes, which I highly doubt, Anthony Morrow is such a waste on this team. He's no savior but his jumper is money, if you get him open through off ball picks and/or ball movement he can get you quality shots. Unfortunately those things has been the Warriors achilles heel on offense during Nellie's tenure here.

6. Each passing game where I see a bit of Randolph and Wright here and there I can't help but feel more and more pessimistic about how good/great their career will turn out. Explanation in the next couple of points.

7. Anthony Randolph. Gotta love his swagger but I think that's also the root of his problem, he's got too much. Lemme put it this way, I'm scared he'll turn out like Tim Thomas, Antoine Walker, Ricky Davis, or even our very own SJax. By that I mean, talented players who tends to play more than their skill level. They never met a shot they didn't like and loves the spotlight too much they don't know when to take the backseat. That's how I see Randolph right now, you see flashes of brilliance from a talented players but he's also trying to play above his head.

8. Brandan Wright. On the contrary, BWright is 68 games away from either heading towards Biedrins or POB category. To his credit, he's been pretty aggressive this year but Nellie love players that stands out in one category and Wright is still looking for his identity. Now here's my problem, Nellie is a confidence killer (more on this later) so either he finds something he does extremely good (rebounding/garbage man ala Biedrins) or he's headed back to the doghouse.

9. Nellie is a confidence killer. He's a great basketball mind especially in providing mismatches and exploiting it, BUT when you play a guy 30 minutes one night and bench him next for the whole game you're really gonna have inconsistency problems. And that's my beef with Nellie, as a player you don't have a clear idea of what your role is unless you're in his inner circle.

10. Small Ball. Say it with me...1,2,3.... SUICIDE!!!! That Portland game was a fluke Nellie, Aldridge is a jump shooter not a pound the ball guy that's why it worked and McMillan made the mistake of not playing Pryzbilla more otherwise we would've lost that game.Great a basketball mind Nellie is, he's wrong about playing Maggs at the 4. Small ball works because you force the other team's forward to defend a wing player and force them outside. But here's the problem, Maggs strength is overpowering his guy either at the post or taking him to the basket and using his strength to either finish or get fouled. You lose that when you have a 7 footer guarding him who gonna give him space and can change his shot when he drives to the basket. What happens is he ends up taking outside shots which leads to problems (See #2). And we all know what happens on the defensive end

So, I'm trying to update the sig shots for some of the Warriors and thought there's no better way to get an opinion (that I know of) than GSOM. So for those who play NBA 2k9, what changes have u made on the signature shots of the Warriors players?

Here's the changes I've made so far:

Biedrins - FT. I had two choices for him: Brand or Hayes. Biedrins has that hitch to his ft like Hayes but I thought Brand's release looked more like his. I think I went with Brand. It's just a matter of preference I think but it's definitely not Basic. What did you guys do on yours?

And for his jumper, uhmmm.... I don't think I've ever seen him take one. Anyone seen him? I don't think it'll be like his default though which has high elevation.

Brandan Wright - Changed his FT to squat. I have to double check that though next time Nellie plays him. Changed his jumper to Kick. Haven't messed around to see if there's a better fit but it matches better than his default (Bosh). High elevation, feet close together.

SJax - changed his FT but forgot which one. Also trying to see if there's a better sig shot for his jumper. I thought his elevation should be lower but at the same time I have to find one that also matches his release.

Those were my changes so far.

Today's game just cemented what I've been thinking about since the first couple of games I saw Maggette play: He should not take any more 3pt shots.

Just look at today's game. He's 7-15 shooting and 0-5 from beyond the arc. Take those 5 3pters out and he shot a very efficient 7-10fg. He's shooting a very low percentage because he's shooting 18% from behind the 3pt line. He's taken 21 3pters in 6 games. You take out the game against Detroit where he played just 28 minutes. And he is hoisting up 4 a game.

Also, most if not all the 3pt attempts he attempted today were wide open shots. But he just couldn't make it. However, he didn't have any trouble knocking down mid range shots.

That said, he should take a page out of Monta's book and start stepping inside the arc.  It worked wonder for him and it should benefit Maggette as well. We all know the 3Ball is not his strongest suite. What I liked about him (after sorting all the mess that was the offseason) was that he was gonna add a different dimension to the Warriors but I fear that he's just gonna turn into another 3pt chucker.

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

Now for Randolph. Like Maggette, I like how Randolph has a knack for getting himself to the line. But let's face it, he's not gonna get that many calls driving to the basket this year. So his best choice is to really find consistency on his midrange shot. But he should also start asking Maggette how to play the refs game.

I don't have a trained eye for it but why does it seem like despite making identical plays, Maggs will get fouled 3 times more than SJax. Maybe they are doing something different that I just don't see.

Same with DWade and Kobe. There are times Kobe gets swarmed by the Warriors and despite alot of contact surprisingly gets no calls (not complaining). However, there seems to be a rule that you can't touch any part of DWade when he drives to the basket.

Apparently, this is not a foul...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8X7jPPi_4M

But this is...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aySGUzzxjGE

I know it's an exaggeration since bad calls are made against pretty much all players but some gets more BS calls than others. Can't find a vid of Maggette or Jackson but I think getting calls is half knowing how to sell the contact and half building a reputation with the refs. So, Randolph better start learning what makes the refs tick or at least the spread for that night game (sorry, had to).

Year by year teams get a chance to improve their roster by selecting one of the many young prospects available in the draft. And year by year, you see players emerge from the bottom of the drafts and become solid contributor. Some even turn out to be NBA stars.

Why the article? I was browsing around in NBA.com and saw an article about Danny Granger and how he's really growing into a solid NBA player so I decided to check out the past couple of drafts and what the Warriors got vs. what was available. I found some interesting stuff so I thought I'd share some with you. I went 5 drafts back not counting the 2007 and 2008 draft.

2002 - I decided to exclude this draft year on the poll because, at the moment, it is the landslide winner. Not only did we pass on what turns out to be really really good players (not blaming anyone), we have the #3 pick, the highest we've picked since 2005. If only we got that spot one year later (the Pistons already took the bust of the draft at #2).

Who we picked: Mike Dunleavy

Who was available at the time: Amare, Caron Butler, Tayshaun Prince, Boozer, Haslem (undrafted).

2003

Who we picked: Mickael Pietrus

Who was available at the time: David West, Boris Diaw, Travis Outlaw, Leandro Barbosa, Josh Howard.

2004

Who we picked: Andris Biedrins

Who was available: Al Jefferson, Josh Smith, Kevin Martin,

2005

Who we picked: Ike Diogu

Who was available: Andrew Bynum, Danny Granger, Hakim Warrick, Nate Robinson, Jarrett Jack, Jason Maxiell, David Lee, Ronny Turiaf, Louis Williams.

2006

Who we picked: Patrick O'Bryant

Who was available: Ronnie Brewer, Rajon Rondo, Marcus Williams, Kyle Lowry, Sergio Rodriguez, Craig Smith, Paul Millsap, Leon Powe

What's interesting to me is that everybody but Biedrins is gone. POB and Pietrus did not field us anybody in return. Dunleavy & Diogu (w/ Murphy) got us SJax. What's even more interesting is that notice how alot of the names being thrown around lately are in here. You got David Lee, Sergio Rodriguez, Travis Outlaw, Prince, a couple of other point guards. Then you have Warrior Killers David West, Boozer, Millsap, etc.

We're talking about wanting to get these players now when the Warriors could've picked them in the draft and provide better value for our picks.

First of all, this is not a hype thread. Let's be real here, he's one of the better Centers in the NBA but he's got a lot to work on his game still. But I do want to open up discussion whether you see Biedrins as our franchise player a couple of years from now. With Monta's situation in limbo and Biedrins playing pretty well, as well as him publicly saying he wants to take on more offensive responsibility, there's no better time to ask: Do you see Biedrins becoming our franchise player in the future? Does he still have that much potential to go that far? Or is he an All-Star center at best?

I ask this because Biedrins have continued to improve on his game every year and we already know how he shoot a high percentage and that he grabs alot of rebounds. His stats for the first 5 games of the season are definitely up there with some of the better big men in the NBA. But then you also realize that the opposing coaches don't worry about Biedrins right now. For the most part, all they want is to box him out and keep him in foul trouble. So I wonder, can he really continue to be effective once teams start focusing on him defensively. And can he continue to take his game to the next level.

I see two current roadblocks for him right now.

1. His post game or the way he score in general. To his credit, he's add a couple of new moves to his repertoire. But right now, it's effective because it's catching everybody by surprise. I wonder if, when teams start scouting him, he can continue to use those moves effectively. I like the way he can take his guy off the dribble, I think it's something that will always be to his advantage. But he's gonna need to make adjustments on the post once guys start playing his left hand.

2. I got this whole will he be a franchise player question in my head because of this reason. Passing off the block or off the double team. This is definitely new territory for Biedrins and Wednesday night's game against the Nuggets was probably the first time I saw it happen. Biedrins was set up on the block, and you have guys coming at him to double. We all know he has pretty good hands but it'll be interesting to see if he also has the skills to make the right pass off the block. If he's really gonna take on a bigger role offensively, then it won't be long until teams start devising a game plan for him.

For a moment, let's forget we have Monta. Judging his game, his growth. Does Biedrins have the potential to be our go to guy?

Discuss.

Hey guys, been awhile since my last post here. This might be my first diary since we move to SB Nation. Hopefully, I'm still known to some.

Anyway, been a spectator for awhile, just enjoying some of the good reads here. But lately, I've seen alot of people throw out Free Agent names as if we can get any player not signed to a contract just like that. Well, it doesn't work like that. So here's some of my insights, for what it's worth....

We overpaid Maggette. We have to. We're not getting him for the same price a team like Spurs would give him. Whether it is a waste of money remains to be seen, we need at least a year to judge that. But let's get this issue out the way, it was either to overpay or to not have him. There's no in between on this one, especially with a team like Spurs actively looking for his services.

If we are gonna pay him that money then we should've just signed it to Okafor, Iggy, Smith. Sadly, it's not as simple as it sounds. The Clippers just proved that by getting the 34yr. old Camby. Yes, throwing the money their way is easy and I'm guessing the Warriors are willing to do it at least to 1 of the 3 i mentioned. However, actually getting them is not. If I am not mistaken, all those guys are RFAs so we can very well offer them money and sign them to an offer sheet, but then their mother team has a week to match. Within those 7 days, we can't make a run at any other free agent. Basically it will just be a waiting game. Unless their team is lying and they don't really intend on keeping them, the only scenario we can get them is if we overpay - which in this case will likely cost us more than 50. Any of those 3 players can very well love our team but there's no way we get a budget deal for them because then it'll be instantly matched by their home team. The Clipper probably realized the same thing. They can take a gamble and sign somebody to a fat offer sheet, but they also risk missing out while they are within those 7 days. The bottom line is, we would have to offer the max or very close to it to sign either of the 3. Remember they already turned down a considerable offer that's why they are in this position. (Iguodala walked away from 57M, Okafor on 65M). Anything less or close to those numbers, chances are their team would match.

We should've just saved our money for next season. What money? If we intend to make room to sign what you think will be a better value player, we're probably gonna have to let either Monta or Biedrins walk away. I'm sure some will not have a problem with that and say go ahead. But then, it's back to square one... will that player be an unrestricted FA? If he is, will he want to come to the Warriors? Think about it, losing Baron and possibly losing Monta or Biedrins to make a run for a free agent means we're probably gonna be worse than we have been the last two seasons. So, really our drawing point would be money which I'm pretty sure a couple of other teams would be capable of offering as well (See Brand, Philly). The bottomline is, we would have to overpay for anybody who's made a name for himself to come here. Until we reach contender status, we will have to spend money to get guys.

Well, that's it for now... let the love/hate flow....

HELP!!!!! I missed the Portland game and most of the Hawks game so I'm missing data from those two games. Hope somebody can help me out either by watching the game again if you have access and then giving me the data or just pointing me somewhere I can watch those games. Also, still wondering if anybody will be interested to do this with me. All it takes is watching the full game, a pen and paper.

Anyway, here's the data from the 2 Games(vs. Philly & Bobcats) I got to watch:

CASE STUDY 1: THE PULL-UP 3POINTER
GAMES COVERED: 2

P3PM-A = number of pull-up 3pter made and attempted
3PM-A  = total number of 3pter made and attempted

PLAYER     P3PM-A      3PM-A
BARON          0-3             1-12
SJACK          2-4             5-14

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

CASE STUDY 2: TRAVELING AND STEPPING OUT-OF-BOUNDS
GAMES COVERED: 2

TRVL - Traveling
OUB  - Stepped Out-Of-Bounds
TO   - Total Turnovers

PLAYER     TRVL     OUB     TO
PIETRUS       0         0        2
BUIKE         0         0        0

Just got this from another site I visit. This has got to be towards the top of the list of things you don't want to happen to you in your lifetime. I wonder if that really happens in Oracle, what would the fans & players reaction be.

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1802919

Also, funny how the fuzzy bear is the one consoling the guy. At least, somebody handed him a beer. lol

So I've decided to start off my fun little experiment. I'm still looking for other willing volunteers to join me in this experiment as I cannot guarantee that I'd be able to watch the whole of every single game from this point and this experiment/study is more reliable the more games it cover. So let me know if you'd be willing to help me out. Now on to the study:

I've decided to conduct two experiments for now. I believe these two particular studies doesn't call for much except just watching the game and keeping count. I am certainly open to ideas but I think it's better to start with something small and simple then take it to another level once I get some consistent help and if this thing actually works.

CASE STUDY 1: THE PULL-UP 3POINTER
In this study, I'd be looking at how much of those early pull-up 3pointers our two best players  hoist every game actually goes in. Additionally, I'll take note of how many 3s they shoot and make per game so we can see how many "rhythm" threes they take per 3pt attempt and also, its shooting percentage compared to their overall 3pt shooting percentage. I will be counting the pull-up 3s per my observation (this is where help really comes in to play) and the overall 3pt shot made and attempts will come from the NBA.com boxscore.

GAMES COVERED: 1

P3PM-A = number of pull-up 3pter made and attempted
3PM-A  = total number of 3pter made and attempted

PLAYER     P3PM-A      3PM-A
BARON          0-2             0-8
SJACK          1-2             2-5

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

CASE STUDY 2: TRAVELING AND STEPPING OUT-OF-BOUNDS
In this study, I will be keeping track of how many times a player gets called for traveling or steps out-of-bounds. I limited it to these two because these are generally unforced turnovers although I will be counting out-of-bounds play when the player is making a drive to the basket regardless of it being forced or unforced. I will not count stepping out-of-bounds while going for a loose ball or saving the basketball, unless they are the one who lost it (unforced). Because we're not starting this experiment at the beginning of the season, I'll be adding their turnover count as well so we can measure the percentage of such turnovers compared to the total turnovers they have committed. There is no need to count the possession since we're not counting their turnover rate. We're just counting how many, and what percentage, of the turnovers they've committed are due to traveling and stepping out of bounds.

GAMES COVERED: 1

TRVL - Traveling
OUB  - Stepped Out-Of-Bounds
TO   - Total Turnovers

PLAYER     TRVL     OUB     TO
PIETRUS       0         0        1
BUIKE         0         0        0

Anyway, what do you guys think??? Any suggestions or additional ideas??? Or maybe willing to help? If you record the game, that'll be perfect.

I started doing this at the beginning of the season but have forgotten about it since. Now that Pietrus would be with the team, unless he gets waived, for the remainder of the season at least, why not at least get things straight with two of the negative stuff always tied to him: travelling and stepping out of bounds.

Let's keep a counter between Pietrus and Buike to see how many times they actually do those two cardinal sins. We can even add a "miss layup" counter for Barnes. Obviously, the debate about who should be on the floor would never end but at least we get some "facts" next time someone brings up "step out bounds" and "travelling" in an argument.

Will it be possible to get included on the recaps? Or maybe someone who records the game can do this?
What do you guys think?

Continue reading this post »

Oh the trade deadline has passed and the roster sits as it is. Disappointed? Well, look at the bright side. At least we're not gonna see a trade idea (ridiculous and otherwise) diary for awhile. So to increase some traffic -- really, it was just my insomniac kicking in last night -- it just crossed my mind that our starting 5, depends on who's starting, wear numbers from, well 1 to 5. Anyway, I thought with the rich history the members have here with the Warriors (only really came aboard during the Montgomery era, was just a neutral basketball fan before then) I'd ask for help in filling my self-devised numbers game.

THE GAME: We try to fill in as much numbers that current and past Warriors players wore during their stay with the team.

THE RULE: Simple, do it by memory. It's relatively easy to remember who played for us, but it's not as easy remembering their jersey numbers especially when alot of them are always in their warmups or, nowadays, donning suits.

- NO LOOKING IT UP ON THE NET OR ANY OTHER RESOURCE. (Really, what's the fun in that?)

- NAME ONLY THE PLAYER IF YOU KNOW THEIR JERSEY NUMBER.

Let's see how many we can name. I'll start off the easy ones:

Continue reading this post »

Was just browsing around and one thing led to another and uncovered this beautiful poster dunk by JRich over Manu. No, I don't want to revisit the trade and keep JRich but I do miss his rimrocking dunks. So here it is, at least his uniform still resembles that of a Warrior.

And, in the subjects of dunks.. some of the worst dunks ever....

http://www.on205th.com/2008/02/22-worst-dunks-ever.html

Two of the most hyped players coming into the season has not made much of an impact so far. One is praised for his terrific play during our playoff run last year while the other for his 2-3 game performance in the summer league that got alot of people hyped up.

First, Barnes. It looks like he has come down to Earth after that magical playoff performance. And I'm glad Mullin did not give in and give him a horrible contract. It seems like he's trying a bit too much this year but that is tied to the fact that he's not making his shots. Although he may not look as awkward as Pietrus dribbling the ball, he can't get a decent shot off the dribble either. He also can't post up anybody. But because his spot up triple is not falling, he tries to make something happen by doing things he doesn't normally do which resulted into someone calling him "the Human Turnover." Much more, Barnes joins Pietrus and Harrington in the Stupid Fouls Club.

Of course I haven't forgotten that Barnes lost his mother which is a very big deal and could be attributed to him not getting in groove. There is also no telling how much and how long this affects him. But with all you people screaming for a MP trade, what are your thoughts about Barnes? He can't play much worse so there's only hoping he can turn things around but how valuable will he be? Who thinks he can play on the same level he did late last season and who thinks it was a fluke?

Then there's Belinelli. He got everyone excited with his play in the Summer League but all that went down to the drain right when the season started. Still, I believe Belinelli can be a good player on this league given time. I just hope he can live with a back-up role as long as he's given decent amount of minutes because I can't see him sharing the floor with Monta, assuming we keep him, on a regular basis in the near future. That will be a defensive nightmare. Anyway, what are your thoughts regarding Belinelli's future with the Warriors?

Probably my first short diar, but just wanted to post this... as we were abusing Yao and the Rockets last night, the Knicks were being, well you fill in the word here, by the Celtics.

Boxscore here

To top it all off, none of the starters played more than 30 minutes. I wonder what's gonna happen to this storied franchise.

Two months ago, I posted this diary about the Warriors' position in the West. And 14 games into the season, we're around that same situation. The season barely began so there's really no telling how things will play out eventually. This is the NBA, one or two hot streak and you can see yourself catapulted two or three spot higher in the standings. But I just want to point out that there will be a couple of crucial games for the Warriors in December for a couple of reasons.

As I pointed out before, we will be in the mix with the Lakers, Rockets and Hornets. Memphis and Clippers as well, if they get things going. This games, not counting a late playoff run, holds the highest value of all games we will play this season. Why? There's the obvious tie-breaker. If we end up having the same record, the series winner gets the advantage. But also because the matter of winning or losing a game against these teams puts you either ahead or behind two games instead of 1. So, it is really crucial for us to win the series for most if not all of these teams.

This December, we'll have two games against the Lakers and our second game against Houston. We will be playing Denver back to back at the end of the season as well.

Dec. 9 & 14 vs. Lakers
Dec. 28 & 30 vs. Denver
Dec. 31 vs. Houston

Winning these games is bigger than beating San Antonio or Boston. And it starts tonight against Houston.