Category Archives: Player Analysis

Joe Lacob’s Big Deal: Monta Ellis and Ekpe Udoh for Andrew Bogut

Posted on March 18, 2012 by feltbot| 200 Comments

Golden State grabs 2-guard Klay Thompson (son of Mychal), a pick that has “We’re trading Monta Ellis” written all over it. — Bill Simmons, 2011 Draft Diary, 6-23-2011.

Let’s be real: Klay Thompson has no chance of becoming rookie of the year. Zero. None. Unless of course, Joe Lacob trades Monta Ellis. Does Lacob know something we don’t? — Feltbot, The Klay Thompson Problem, 12-21-2011.

One thing this trade is not is shocking. It’s something we all knew was coming from day one, when Joe Lacob told us that running teams can’t win in the playoffs, that the “architecture” of the team needed fixing, and that the culture needed changing. And that Stephen Curry and David Lee were the core of the Warriors, and Monta Ellis something else.                                        Continue reading →

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Posted in Golden State Warriors, Joe Lacob, Player Analysis

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The Klay Thompson Problem

Posted on December 21, 2011 by feltbot| 28 Comments

Klay Thompson will be in the running for Rookie of the Year. — Joe Lacob

Joe Lacob is gonna really, really regret saying these words, which he splashed all over the media in the preseason.  They are wrong on so many levels, not least in the ridiculous expectations they set in the mind of a young player, for all the wrong reasons (see Evans, Tyreke).  They are words grounded more in trying to establish Lacob’s credibility as Warriors GM, and in selling tickets and jerseys, than they are in reality, or the best interests of the Golden State Warriors (see Lin, Jeremy).

Let’s be real: Klay Thompson has no chance of becoming rookie of the year. Continue reading →

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Posted in Don Nelson, Golden State Warriors, Joe Lacob, Player Analysis, Previews

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Who is David Lee? — 2011-12 Golden State Warriors Preview (Pt 3)

Posted on December 19, 2011 by feltbot| 34 Comments

Nelson says his plan for the 2010-11 season was to play David Lee at center, because he considers Lee a good power forward and an All-Star center. — Scott Ostler, SF Chronicle April 18, 2011

David Lee played 5 seasons for the New York Knicks, most of which he spent at the center position.  In 2009-10, his last Knicks season, he averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds a game, playing exclusively at center. This earned him a well-deserved trip to the All Star game.

So why is it that since Joe Lacob has taken over the Warriors, David Lee has been considered strictly a power forward? Continue reading →

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Posted in Golden State Warriors, Joe Lacob, Player Analysis, Previews

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Lacob Makes His Move: Warriors sign Kwame Brown

Posted on December 13, 2011 by feltbot| 179 Comments

I hate this signing for many reasons, but most particularly because the Warriors now have THREE big men who are afraid to catch the ball for fear of getting fouled.

Before doing anything else, check out this Kobe Bryant story about Kwame Brown.  That’s the man that Joe Lacob wants in the middle for the Warriors.

Continue reading →

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Posted in Golden State Warriors, Joe Lacob, Player Analysis

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2010-11 Golden State Warriors Final Grades

Posted on April 14, 2011 by feltbot| 25 Comments

Monta Ellis: A+

A great scorer, yes, but this year he became so much more.  A great distributor, a great clutch closer, a great teammate. A team leader.  A superstar in the making.

A couple of years ago, I wrote that I believed that Monta had the makings of a supreme point guard, because his passes had laser-like accuracy: they always seemed to hit his man in the hands.  This opinion was scoffed at.  Well, in last night’s broadcast, we learned that Monta leads the entire NBA in shooting % by recipients of his passes.  Hmmm.         Continue reading →

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Posted in Golden State Warriors, Joe Lacob, Keith Smart, Larry Riley, Player Analysis

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Notes on Al Thornton

Posted on March 9, 2011 by feltbot| 4 Comments

That lineup at the end of the second quarter — Lee 5, Vlad 4, Thornton 3, Ellis and Curry — was +4 in 4 minutes, and will be very special going forward, I can see that.  Very glad that Vlad was used exclusively at 4 (+14 in 16 minutes). The Warriors were rewarded with some great Vladdy defense headlined by a couple of blocks.                                          Continue reading →

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Posted in Golden State Warriors, Player Analysis

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Don’t Trade Stephen Curry!

Posted on January 22, 2011 by feltbot| 66 Comments

I know there’s a Warriors-Clippers game to recap tonight, but I feel my attentions are urgently needed in another cause.

Joe Lacob has just done another round of media interviews, which is our clue that some nasty business is at hand.  His first round of interviews prepared us nicely for the firing of Don Nelson, the retention of Robert Rowell, and the glorious signings of Keith Smart, Lou Amundson and Jeremy Lin.  What was the intention of this latest round of interviews?                                Continue reading →

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Posted in Golden State Warriors, Joe Lacob, Player Analysis

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Welcome to my Nightmare

Posted on December 9, 2010 by feltbot| 23 Comments

Welcome to my nightmare/I think you’re gonna like it.

— Alice Cooper

My twitter feed is aflame with the news that Ekpe Friday “The Nightmare” Udoh will take the court tomorrow against the Miami Heat.  Udoh practiced with the team and looked ready to multiple observers.  Marcus Thompson tweets: “Ekpe looks ready. He’s blocking shots, dunking, even making midrange jumpers.” Matt Steinmetz tweets: “Asked Reggie Williams to tell me something about Udoh. He said: ‘He’s long, and he blocks everything.’”

I haven’t been this interested and excited in a Warriors rookie debut since…, well since last year’s clear-cut — but defrauded by media ignorance — Rookie of the Year, Stephen Curry. But before that, you’d have to go back to Chris Webber.                                                    Continue reading →

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Posted in Don Nelson, Golden State Warriors, Player Analysis

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B Wright Stuffed: Warriors 90 Bulls 120

Posted on November 11, 2010 by feltbot| 22 Comments

No sense in recapping this game, so I’m just going to use this space to exorcise a couple pet peeves.  Beginning with the biggest pet among my peeves, who goes by the name of Brandan Wright.

Continue reading →

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Posted in Golden State Warriors, Player Analysis, Recaps

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First Look: LA Lakers 105 Golden State Warriors 102

Posted on October 23, 2010 by feltbot| 33 Comments

“You are doing the defense a favor when you post up Lee or Biedrins.” —  Mark Jackson

I couldn’t agree with Mark Jackson more.  We were told by the commentators to last night’s game that Keith Smart and his staff were raving about David Lee’s “surprising” abilities in the low post. (Surprising to whom?  Matt Steinmetz et al? They weren’t surprising to feltbot.)  Jackson went on to explain that despite Lee’s talent in the post, he is one of the greatest pick and roll players in the league, and that is how the Warriors should deploy him. I couldn’t agree more, as readers of this blog know.

And yet last night we were treated by Keith Smart to four quarters of watching the Warriors trying to post up Lee and Biedrins in the heart of the Lakers defense.  Why?  For well over three quarters, Smart ran literally no pick and rolls with Lee that were designed to get him a shot.  Instead Andris Biedrins was used almost exclusively to set the high picks, with Lee standing uselessly on the wings waiting for the ball that never came. Why?

Continue reading →

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Posted in Golden State Warriors, Keith Smart, Player Analysis, Predictions, Recaps, Wagers

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