The Thaiblonde and I rocked the GSoM holiday party at the Oracle last night. It was great to meet up with the whole crew of GSoM for the first time. Great group of guys, great Warriors fans, great writers. And I also met Dan Turman of Fear the Beard fame. So cool. Awesome time. Thanks, GSoM!
Watching the Warriors play was only the second most fun thing I did at the game, so I’m not going to drop a recap. I did notice a couple of things out of the corner of my eye, though:
Another day, another Warrior bites the dust. Before the game, the Warriors got the news that Mikki Moore will need surgery for the bone spurs in his ankle that have been plaguing him this season. Moore struggled as best he could on this injury for several weeks, unwilling to leave the team while it was so desperate for big men. But apparently it got too bad to continue. As a fan, I am greatly appreciative of what Moore did for the team this season. He gave everything he had, playing through pain.
The 7-14 Warriors are +4.5 road dogs at the 7-13 Bulls tonight. As their record indicates, the Bulls are not playing like the playoff team of last year. They have been missing Tyrus Thomas and Kirk Hinrich due to injury. Hinrich returned in the last game, but is still being bothered by a sprained thumb. In my mind, Hinrich is the key reason for the Bulls struggles. I remember the Bulls also struggling last year when he missed time. For all of his talent, Derrick Rose has not yet proven to be an effective point guard and leader for his team. The sum of this Bulls team has not been greater than its parts.
Keith Smart began this game by putting the ball firmly in Stephen Curry’s hands. Curry ran the point, Curry ran the plays, and Curry took most of the shots in the opening minutes. Monta played off the ball. This was a great call by the coaching staff, one that set the tone for a new Warriors philosophy of ball movement. I could tell right from the start that this game would be about sharing the basketball. Continue reading
Dwight Howard and the 15-4 Orlando Magic are in town. I suggest we start Maggette at center, Morrow at the four… oh, wait! Anthony Morrow is out for this game. So scratch that idea.
Hey, the Warriors are actually favorites tonight! How long has it been since that happened? The Pacers will enter the Oracle having lost 4 of their last 5 games. This is not the same team that won three straight by beating the Warriors back in Indiana. Why not? For a very simple reason: Troy Murphy is back.
That gasp I heard as the Warriors seized control in the fourth quarter, was that the Mavs fans? Was it Mavs owner/GM Mark Cuban once again suffering a melted brain? Or was it the sound of The Warriors Bet coming off life-support?
The story of the last two games, as far as I am concerned, is this: Don Nelson has given the keys of the franchise to Stephen Curry.
In the two games since Stephen Jackson was traded, Curry has started. And he, not Monta Ellis, has been running the team. Curry is the point guard. Monta Ellis is the shooting guard. Don Nelson has made his decision.
I will be guest-blogging my Warriors-Pacers recap at Golden State of Mind. If you’re not already familiar with the GSoM blog, it’s one of my favorite sites for insightful and entertaining Warriors coverage. Check those boys out, they’re good.
The Warriors will be catching the Pacers at a fortunate time. The Pacers are also down a couple of big men, in Jeff Foster and Troy Murphy, and like the Warriors have been going with a center and four smalls. Danny Granger has been battling a bruised heel, and his shooting is down to 39% so far this year. Granger has killed the Warriors in the past, and whether Stephen Jackson can hold him down is likely to decide the outcome of this game.
Posted in Pre-Game Jitters
Tagged anthony randolph, Mikki Moore, Stephen Curry, stephen jackson
There are two things wrong with the Warriors. Two very simple things without which they cannot be competitive in the NBA.
