NBA: Warriors Watch - A Golden State fanblog

2008-11-26T08:54:00.000-08:00

So we didn't win against the Wizards. Sigh. We missed 52 shots. I'm in the mood to redeem ourselves against the Celtics today.

2008-10-30T10:51:00.001-07:00

Be a warrior for democracy! Get out there and vote next Tuesday, November 4th!

2008-10-16T14:33:00.000-07:00

Dear assistant of mine who sometimes reads my blog,
This would make a sweet Bosses' Day gift!
Love,
Your Boss.

2008-07-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

Man, I should have been a lot taller. Isn't it just crazy to think about the money these NBA guys make? Look at Biedrins, who we just re-signed. Six years and $62 million dollars. I know that's far from record-breaking, but still. I'd be happy to take just half of that. Okay, make it a third. And you don't even have to let me play. I'll just sell peanuts or wipe up sweat. Just keep me in mind for the next draft. I'm a steal!

Survey says our odds are good...

2008-02-26T13:35:00.000-08:00

So we play Seattle tonight, right? And Seattle's lost 7 of their last 8 games at Golden State? Things are lookin' gooood.

And yeah, I'm still alive. :)

Will the Warriors lose Nelson?

2007-08-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

As of today, the Golden State Warriors are still renegotiating with head coach Don Nelson. Apparently, he's not happy with the team's most recent offer, and some are starting to wonder if he'll just walk away. Which would really leave the Warriors in a bad way. I realize that the team has improved since adding Nelson, but how much money does he really think he's worth? The offer on the table would already put him in the top 10 highest paid coaches in the NBA. Whatever happened to doing it for the love of the game?

Warriors back home to host Jazz

2007-05-11T10:14:00.000-07:00

The Warriors may be down 0-2 in the Western Conference Semifinals, not necessarily a desirable place to be, but they will be returning to a desirable place to be at least - Oakland. Will the home court advantage be able to provide some much-needed momentum in the series? Judging from the first two games, it's going to take some stamina as well.

Upcoming - Warriors @ Kings

2007-04-11T14:24:00.000-07:00

The Warriors will make the short trip to Sacramento to try to continue in their playoff bid. After Monday's 126-102 slaughtering of the Jazz and a couple Clippers losses, Golden State is currently edging out LA for the last playoff spot in the west. It's only a half-game margin, though, and the Warriors will need to continue performing at peak levels to ensure their playoff spot is sealed up.

2007-01-17T08:25:00.000-08:00

Warriors win over LA Clippers on Monday, final score 108-93. Must be nice for Mike Dunleavy to pull one over on his dad's team!

Coming Back

2006-12-14T12:48:00.000-08:00

Tuesday’s game against the Sacramento Kings was a real turn around for the Golden States Warriors. After losing their last 5 consecutive games, the Warriors seem to have found their 3^rd wind.

In the game against the Kings, Matt Barnes set career highs with 32 points and 11 rebounds, making six of the Golden State Warriors' 15 three-point baskets. Andris Biedrins had 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Warriors, who shot 53%.

Not bad, but they can do better.

Don’t Mess With Texas

2006-12-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

The Golden State Warriors finally get a much needed break after 2 consecutive spankings by the San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets.

Being from Texas and all, I’ve gotta laugh. The Warriors are supposedly a team with the highest-powered attacks in the league. With the way that they were missing in Texas, they wouldn’t have moved a butterfly off a bull’s-eye. They missed 12 of their first 15 attempts against the Rockets and 16 of their first 20 in San Antonio the night before.

If the Warriors can't find a way to put points on the scoreboard, they won't be adding many ticks in the win column in their next 10 games, of which seven are away from home.

Pacers Win by Dumb Luck

2006-11-30T10:53:00.000-08:00

Stephen Jackson is one lucky guy who was in the right place at the right time. With 1 second remaining in the game Danny Granger misses the 3 pointer and Baron Davis swoops in swatting the ball blindly towards the perimeter straight to Jackson, who then won the game with a 3 pointer bringing the Indiana Pacers from defeat to victory.

What a terribly upsetting loss for Golden State Warriors’ fans at 108-106. But we won’t be upset for long when we beat the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.

Let's end the drought before we hit 13!

2006-10-31T12:53:00.000-08:00

The prognosticators are celebrating the return of Nellieball, although not all of them see Don Nelson performing a miracle in his first year back with the Warriors. I don't need the entire miracle, just an end to the 12-year string of not being in the NBA Playoffs at all. Nelson has been there before, and he knows how to work with the smaller, quicker talent we've got and will bring out the best in Baron Davis and Mike Dunleavy.

Want My Oakland World Series Tickets?

2006-10-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

Actually, they don't end up charging you for a game that never happens, but...they would have been worth the price! Can't believe the Oakland A's blew four straight, but I guess the Detroit Tigers were really hungry.

So now I gotta pin my postseason hopes for glory on, uh, let's see, the Oakland Raiders? Nope, gotta stick with my Golden State Warriors--and the season's starting soon. Hey, I think NBA basketball is the most fun to watch. Not all that start and stop and scratch yourself...and I'd really like tickets to our opener with the LA Lakers -- Kobe and the rest.

personnel changes

2006-10-02T16:27:00.000-07:00

Dajuan Wagner, formerly of the Cleveland Cavaliers, has been signed by the Warriors for the upcoming season. The 23-year-old guard was a first round draft pick in 2002, and he appeared in 47 games as a rookie. He shows great promise and will undoubtedly be an asset to the Warriors.

This news comes in the wake of the decision to make Don Nelson Head Coach. He will be the 23^rd coach in the Warriors’ history, and is expected to make great strides in strengthening the franchise.

Finals contender falls facing unjust fear, anxiety and confused frustration.

2006-06-25T20:50:00.000-07:00

I haven’t written in a while. The NBA Finals made me crazy and I couldn’t organize my thoughts well enough to make any statement regarding the anger I was feeling. For the first time in my 30 years I felt like something really wrong was going on in the NBA. How they can defend the officials who called the Final series is beyond me. I could be wrong, but consider the fact that I am not a homer and so many other people in this country feel a little dirty about this whole thing. We all saw the unbalanced treatment the Dallas Mavericks received from the officials on the court and the NBA itself. There were just way too many blatant inconsistencies for any true sports enthusiast to excuse away every bad call, non call and egregious abuse of authority.

Call me crazy but I think Dallas deserves some recognition for doing as well as they did in the face of unbeatable odds and fierce oppression.

LeBron and company face Pistons with a chance to tie the series.

2006-05-15T17:51:00.000-07:00

I have been cheering for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs and LeBron James is making me very proud. Tonight’s game is very important. We need a win to compliment Saturday night’s victory and show the Detroit Pistons we have the will and strength to advance past them on to the Eastern Conference Finals. We will need some intense offense and physical defense to break the Pistons stride early.

A Playoff triple-double is so much sweeter.

2006-04-24T16:34:00.000-07:00

LeBron James is the shining star of the NBA right now for racking up a triple-double on Saturday against the Washington Wizards. I think since the Golden State Warriors didn’t make it to the playoffs that I will cheer on LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Is it too late for the Warriors?

2006-04-02T21:13:00.000-07:00

The Golden State Warriors have been struggling all year. This month has been better than February and certainly much better than January, but I just don’t se this team managing anything spectacular at this late date. Our best performance of late was against the Dallas Mavericks but we seem incapable of repeating that intensity.

It there something else on?

2006-03-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

This latest string of Golden State Warriors losses has driven me to network TV for some entertainment. I am a big fan of Supernatural and that Lost show. The best one out in my opinion is The Shield. That show is gritty and original. I love the characters and stories.

Warriors battling so the Super Bowl is a nice distraction.

2006-02-03T20:23:00.000-08:00

The Golden State Warriors are fighting to keep their heads above water right now but excitement is high with fans because Super Bowl XL is happening on Sunday. I am rooting for the Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger.

A New Debate

2005-06-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

A new debate has aroused my thoughts, a debate that will probably continue for ages to come.

The question being; who is better Shaquille O’Neal or Wilt Chamberlin?

Now before anyone decides to answer this question, one should take time to think about it. To think about all the factors that comes into play.

For one I am not a big fan of Shaq but the man is very good at what he does and will some day join Wilt in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

But consider it was two different eras and two different styles. It is almost like comparing Joe Montana to Brett Favre, both great players but two different eras. So what do you all think?

Number Nine

2005-05-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

Representing the Golden State Warriors at the NBA Draft Lottery this past weekend was newly acquired fan favorite, Baron Davis. The Warriors finished at 38-44 the same as their division and interstate rivals, the Los Angles Lakers. Oddly enough both team’s picks followed each other. The Warriors received the ninth pick overall as the Lakers got the tenth over all pick.

Good Deal

2005-05-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

Good timing and money well spent is all have to say about the acquisition of Murphy who ranked fifth in the NBA in rebounding this season, with 10.8 per game, and also averaged 15.4 points.

He was one of just 10 players in the NBA to average a point/rebound double-double for the season. This is the second appearance for Murphy in his four-year career on the NBA's Top-10 in rebounding list after he finished fifth as well in the 2003-04 season.

Up and Coming

2005-05-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

Another promising hope for the Warriors, besides guard Baron Davis, going into next season is center Adonal Foyle. Foyle possesses the ability to rebound and shot-block and improves with every minute on the court. And that hope is for a Warrior playoff run in the 2006 season.

“I can’t wait for next year. And part of that is wanting to come back to the facility and work hard, and play with the guys and keep developing chemistry. There are expectations now and we have to be ready.” - Foyle

Camp for Kids

2005-05-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

from the official site of the Golden State Warriors

The 2005 edition of Warriors Basketball Camp, presented by 24-Hour Fitness, has been expanded to numerous locations throughout Northern California. The popular youth camp, which began in 2000, will make its summer debut in San Francisco, Alameda and Hayward, while also continuing to expand in Newark, San Ramon, Los Altos Hills, Pleasanton, Santa Rosa and Saratoga.

A total of 21 camp sessions will take place during the seven month camp tour. The schedule is highlighted by 12 general sessions which focus on individual skill development, the importance of fundamentals and the development of a healthy team attitude for boys and girls, ages 8-16, of all skill levels and abilities.

Warriors Basketball Camp will also host several popular “specialty” sessions including two High-Potential sessions (boys 11-17), Guard and Shooting Camp sessions, a Parent/Child Camp and a Future Stars Camp (ages 5-8).

Derek Fisher Wins NBA Community Assist Award For April

2005-05-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

from the official site of the Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors’ Derek Fisher recognizes the importance of education and having the right resources to achieve goals and last month he made a $700,000 donation to his alma mater, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA-LR), to develop the Fisher Fellows mentoring program and building an auxiliary gymnasium. In recognition of his tremendous outreach efforts and generosity, Fisher will be honored with the Community Assist Award for April, the NBA announced today.

Since joining the Golden State Warriors, Fisher has continued his commitment to community service, not only helping to uplift the greater Bay Area, but remaining dedicated to his hometown in Arkansas and to young people everywhere.

Dedicated to giving back, Fisher’s recent $700,000 donation to his alma mater will give young people the resources to gain valuable knowledge by teaming up with UA-LR Trojan student athletes who will serve as mentors for neighborhood Little Rock students. It will also provide guidance to children from the surrounding community and better prepare them for their high school and future college experiences. Fisher knows that his donation will benefit everyone involved, fostering greater leadership skills and a sense of security and belonging for the students. Prior to the Warriors’ game versus the Lakers on April 18, Fisher presented the $700,000 check to UA-LR Athletic Director Chris Peterson.

“I am blessed to be in this position,” Fisher said. “My mom and dad taught me the importance of giving back to the community and I am thankful that I have the opportunity to be able to help others.”

In addition to his financial gifts, Fisher purchased 25 tickets to every Warriors’ home game and invited different community groups and young people, who had never attended a basketball game, to see, first hand, how they could learn valuable lessons from a game such as teamwork and dedication. On April 3, Fisher participated in the NBA Entertainment Celebrity Charity Game to benefit the Children’s Hospital of Oakland and the Center for Child Protection.

April was fan appreciation month and Fisher participated in various events for the Warriors’ fans. He addressed the crowd before every home game, thanking the audience for their continued support. At the last Warriors home game, Fisher gave away autographed items to show his appreciation for fans.

Derek Fisher joins Bruce Bowen of the San Antonio Spurs (March), Rasheed Wallace of the Detroit Pistons (February), Marcus Camby of the Denver Nuggets (January), Shaquille O’Neal of the Miami HEAT (December) and Steven Hunter of the Phoenix Suns (November) as recent winners of the NBA’s Community Assist Award. Other players nominated for the NBA Community Assist Award for the month of April include Atlanta’s Josh Smith, Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, New Orleans’ J.R. Smith, Orlando’s Grant Hill and Sacramento’s Peja Stojakovic.

As the recipient of the NBA Community Assist Award, Fisher will receive the David Robinson Plaque with the inscription, “Following the standard set by NBA Legend David Robinson who improved the community piece by piece.” During the 2002-03 season, NBA Commissioner David Stern presented former San Antonio Spurs center David Robinson with an honorary plaque and announced that all future winners of the NBA Community Assist Award would receive the David Robinson Plaque. In addition to the plaque, a $5,000 gift will be given to the Fisher’s charity of choice in his honor.

The NBA Community Assist Award is given out monthly by the league to recognize players for their charitable efforts. The award honors the NBA player who reflects the passion that the league and its players have for their communities.

Double Overtime!

2005-04-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

In the NBA's highest-scoring contest in the 2005 season was a duel between San Antonio’s Tony Parker and Golden State’s Baron Davis, who had 38 points along side nine assists.

Davis finished just only two points short of his career best, but it just wasn’t enough as the Warriors lost 136 to 134 in double overtime.

"It hurts bad, because we did everything we were supposed to do, and they just kept fighting," Davis said. "We had some mental mistakes at the end of the game. Maybe it was fatigue, who knows? It cost us the game."

Along with Davis, Jason Richardson had 23 points, while Adonal Foyle had 15 baskets and 16 boards. With a great effort on both sides it is sad there had to eventually be a winner.

Warriors beat Hawks

2005-02-24T17:35:00.000-08:00

Greg Beacham / Associated Press

Josh Smith watched intently while Jason Richardson whirled through the air for a 360-degree slam that brought the Golden State fans to their feet.

Smith might be the current dunk contest champion, but Richardson has two trophies back at home - and Richardson also has a complete game to back up his high-flying skills.

Richardson scored 31 points, Derek Fisher added 20 and the Warriors sent the Atlanta Hawks to their 17th straight road loss, 101-96 on Wednesday night.

After Tuesday night's loss at Sacramento, Smith said he didn't want to be known only as the dunk champion at the expense of an all-around game. Richardson, who also won in his rookie year, has felt exactly the same way for two seasons - and he has taken a significant leap forward this year, becoming the Warriors' leader on the stat sheet and in the locker room.

"I was little worried about the five-day break," Richardson said. "I thought we would be a little rusty, but guys were ready to play and came out hard. We're basically starting four guards, so we try to get up and down the court."

Richardson didn't enter the dunk contest this season, but he might be persuaded to return later in his career when he has established himself as much more than an acrobat - and if a car or another really good prize is offered.

"I still think (Smith) would beat me. I'm getting old," Richardson said. "That boy gets up. I congratulated him before the game. We're trying to keep the dunk contest alive. It's one of the most exciting things at the All-Star weekend."

Troy Murphy had a season-high 20 rebounds for the Warriors after missing their final 10 games before the All-Star break with a broken left thumb. Golden State, which went into the break with a surprising road win over Seattle, returned with a solid effort against the moribund Hawks, who have the NBA's worst record at 10-43.

Antoine Walker scored 27 points and rookie Josh Childress had 17 points and a season-high 15 rebounds for the Hawks, who have lost five straight to the Warriors. Atlanta, which hasn't won on the road since a victory in Detroit on Dec. 10, lost its sixth straight overall.

Golden State took control with a 14-0 run in the second quarter, holding the Hawks scoreless for nearly five minutes.

"We do a great job fighting back and giving ourselves a chance to win, but we have to stop killing ourselves early like that," Walker said. "We have to let teams chase us for a little while. It would be fun to have teams chase us, because we exert so much energy trying to get back in the game."

Atlanta never got closer than six points until the final minute, when Walker hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 97-94.

But Fisher hit a fallaway jumper with 9.8 seconds left to clinch the Warriors' second victory in eight home games. Mike Dunleavy also scored seven of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.

The Hawks had another frustrating outing after losing at Sacramento on Tuesday night, again giving up too many easy baskets. Moments after getting a technical foul, Atlanta's Tony Delk went to the locker room in the second quarter with a bruised left hand.

"We outplay a team for three quarters, and then give up one quarter that costs us the game," Atlanta coach Mike Woodson said. "It's a fine line, winning on the road. You have to almost play a perfect game. In the second quarter, it was obvious that we just didn't have it."

The Arena was buzzing with rumors of the Warriors' apparent negotiations with New Orleans to acquire guard Baron Davis, but a club spokesman insisted no deal was imminent. Dale Davis, the veteran forward believed to be in the talks, had four points and four rebounds.

"Really? I'm going to call Baron right now," Richardson said when he heard the rumors. "I'm on the phone right now. Me and B.D. are good friends. That would be huge for the franchise."

Warriors 113, Magic 109

2005-02-10T15:08:00.000-08:00

from Foxsports.com

A little perseverance paid off for the Golden State Warriors.

Jason Richardson scored 11 of his 32 points in the final 3:24, and the Golden State Warriors defeated the Orlando Magic 113-109 Tuesday night to snap a 10-game road losing streak.

"It's been tough for us, because there's a lot of games where we gave a good effort only to come out on the short end," said Derek Fisher, who added 25 points. "It feels good to get this win. A lot of times when your effort isn't rewarded, you start to get down."

Coach Mike Montgomery added: "We just aren't getting positive feedback, and a win on the road was huge for us."

The Warriors, who had lost 17 of 19 games, also snapped an 11-game losing streak in Orlando.

"I reminded the guys we hadn't won here in 13 years," said Richardson, who had 11 rebounds. "Guys didn't know that and it really woke them up."

Golden State shot 47.6 percent, the first time in nine games it topped 45 percent, and enjoyed its season high for scoring in a non-overtime game.

"We played their (fast) pace and got up and down with them," Richardson said. "They really allowed guys to penetrate and that's what we did. When they stopped our penetration, we kicked it out to the open man."

Down the stretch, Montgomery went almost exclusively to the two-man game of Richardson outside and Adonal Foyle inside.

Foyle scored 13 of his season-best 15 in the fourth quarter, and his free throw with 1:07 remaining snapped a 107-all tie. After Grant Hill missed a jumper, Richardson's layup put the Warriors up by three with 14.4 seconds left.

Richardson shot 11-for-22 from the floor and 10-of-11 from the line. Foyle made six of nine shots, but missed four of seven free throws.

"We were playing a 2-5 pick, and they were really keying in on me," Richardson said. "So, we had to get it into the big fella down there. He did his job, got the ball and made some big shots for us."

The Magic have lost four of five.

Orlando has struggled against bad teams, with nine of their 23 losses to teams with records currently below .500. But Steve Francis was on target when he called this their "most degrading loss of the season."

"I don't think guys came focused," said Francis, who had 21 points, six rebounds and six assists before fouling out. "Defensively, we didn't have any intensity.

"I'm tired of doing this by myself. I'm the only one who's mad out there. We've got to have other guys step up and be physical. Take fouls if you have to, but don't let guys just put up their hands by their head, just lay the ball up, just shoot, just do whatever they want to."

Hill added more calmly, "I think we're all mad. We're all frustrated. We're all searching for answers."

Hill led Orlando with 28 points, including the Magic's first 12 and last six.

Richardson had 14 of the Warriors' first 17 points, while Fisher made his first four 3-point tries. Golden State led 61-57 at the break after closing the second period on an 18-7 run. The team shot 55 percent, making six of 11 3-pointers.

The Warriors hadn't scored that many points in a half since they last played Orlando, on Dec. 10. In that game, the Warriors held a 65-64 halftime lead but lost by five.

"We got into a real rhythm," Richardson said. "Started off the same way last game - lot of scoring in the first half, up and down, easy baskets for both teams. We just stuck with that."

The Magic shot 52 percent in the opening half, despite missing nine of their last 12 shots. Thursday, when Golden State plays at New Orleans. ... Orlando center Kelvin Cato, plagued by injuries all season, made his first start in six games. He had 12 points and eight rebounds. ... Orlando trainer Ted Arzonico worked his 1,000th career game.

5 down, no light in sight.

2005-01-31T17:14:00.000-08:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

Foul trouble kept Elton Brand off the court for more than 13 minutes in the first half against Golden State.

When he finally got back in the game, he was almost unstoppable.

Brand scored 27 points and Los Angeles Clippers beat Golden State 96-85, completing their first season sweep of the Warriors.

The Clippers' power forward picked up two fouls in the first 3:04, but the Warriors couldn't capitalize.

``I couldn't wait to get out there again,'' said Brand, who didn't commit another foul. ``I was hoping that Coach trusted me not to foul again. But the reserves really stepped up.''

Reserve center Zeljko Rebraca made it easy for coach Mike Dunleavy to keep Brand on the bench, scoring 17 of his season-high 19 points in the first half.

``It gave me that luxury. That was very positive for us,'' Dunleavy said. ``Z was going pretty good, so I kept him out there longer than I had to after Elton got those two early ones. I wanted to buy as much time as I could -- but not so much where I broke Elton's rhythm. ``

The Clippers led 36-30 when Brand returned to the floor, and he scored six points in a 1:27 span -- including a 17-footer that capped a 17-6 run.

The Clippers outrebounded Golden State 54-34, including a career-high 16 by Rebraca. The Warriors entered the game allowing a league-worst 46.4 rebounds per game.

``It's tough to win games when you get outrebounded by 20,'' Derek Fisher said. ``They kept some balls alive after we made some good defensive plays and had two and three cracks at the basket -- especially in the second half. And that's tough to overcome in this league, no matter who you're playing against.''

This is the first time the Clippers have swept a season series of four games or more since taking all four from the San Antonio Spurs and Vancouver Grizzlies in 1996-97.

Jason Richardson scored 29 points and Mike Dunleavy Jr. added 22 for the Warriors, who have lost five straight and 14 of 15 following a season-best four-game winning streak. They have lost eight straight on the road.

The Warriors finished their January schedule 1-14, tying the 1997-98 squad for the second-worst since the franchise moved from Philadelphia in 1962-63. The Warriors were 0-15 in January 1985.

First-year coach Mike Montgomery was forced to use his 12th different starting lineup after forward Troy Murphy came out of the loss to Seattle on Friday night with a hairline fracture of his left thumb. Murphy will be re-evaluated next week.

``From the start of the season, we've just been surviving,'' Fisher said. ``It seems like one guy or another go down with an injury. It's tough to be good and stay consistent and continue to get better when you have injuries -- especially to key guys.''

Clifford Robinson, who missed the Warriors' previous four games because of a stiff lower back, gave it a shot but played only five minutes and missed both shots he took.

Clippers leading scorer Corey Maggette did not play after bruising his left collarbone in Friday night's loss at Portland. But the Clippers are 5-1 in the games he has missed this season because of injury.

``When guys are out, especially those who are a big part of our team, everyone steps up and plays well,'' Bobby Simmons said. ``Rebraca had a great game on the inside for us and Elton had another great game. We were executing the offense that Mike put in for us, and that's the only way we're going to win when guys get into foul trouble.''

The Warriors trailed by as many as 12 before trimming the deficit to 80-73 with a 16-footer by Fisher and a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Richardson in the final 28 seconds of the third quarter.

They got as close as four on a three-point play by Calbert Cheaney with 4:46 to play. But Brand responded with a short jumper, triggering a 8-0 spurt that gave Los Angeles a 95-83 cushion with 1:15 left. Richardson missed all five of his shots in the final quarter. ^Notes: Richardson has 170 points over his last six games, but has also missed 79 shots during that span. ... Brand had eight rebounds, ending his streak of double-doubles at nine -- two shy of his career best. ... Simmons, who shot only 7-for-26 in his previous game, was 3-for-15 this time and finished with 11 points. ... Mike Dunleavy Sr. is 6-2 in games against his son. ... Clippers F Chris Wilcox, who was activated from the injured list on Friday, played for the first time since Jan. 2 after being sidelined with a stress reaction in his right leg. He played four minutes. ... Golden State PG Speedy Claxton missed his fifth straight game because of a bruised right thigh.

Our season isn't going to get easiar, as we start slacking. Murphy missed the game against the Clippers with a hairline fracture to his thumb. Richardson made a worthy attempt of making a game out of the defeat, but obviously failed. All we can hope for is a miracle or a win to get us out of the loosing state of mind. We need to step up our game Warriors!

Trading already..

2005-01-26T17:00:00.000-08:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

Chris Mullin, the Warriors executive vice president of basketball operations, was back at practice Tuesday, working out and shooting with his team.

After weeks away in Europe scouting, Mullin returns with several big decisions waiting for him.

The looming Feb. 24 trade deadline offers one of the Warriors' last opportunities to make significant changes to roster that has not panned out thus far.

"You're always looking for upgrades no matter where you are," Mullin said after practice. "I thought we had good talent (coming into the year). We have to figure out what fits."

Probably heading the agenda is getting something for forward Clifford Robinson and center Dale Davis, who combined represent more than $15 million in salary cap space.

Robinson is in the final year of a deal that's paying him more than $5 million this season. Davis is earning around $10 million this season before becoming a free agent. Any team that has them at the end of the season will have their contracts come off the books. The Warriors can't profit from the salary cap relief because they already are over the cap for next year.

The Warriors could trade Robinson and/or Davis for more talent, acquiring one or more players worth up to 115 percent of their salaries.

They could trade for one player making nearly $15 million this season, such as New Jersey point guard Jason Kidd or Seattle guard Ray Allen or Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Then, at the end of the season, the Warriors would be able to extend said player if necessary because the collective bargaining agreement allows a team to go over the cap to retain its own free agents.

However, this would put the Warriors in danger of the luxury tax if it goes into effect. For example, the New York Knicks' player salaries add up to $101 million. If there is a luxury tax and it's set at $60 million, the Knicks would be penalized $41 million.

Another route the Warriors could take is to trade Robinson and/or Davis for trade exceptions, which are NBA gift certificates of sorts given to teams over the salary cap that give up more than they get in a trade.

The New Jersey Nets reportedly are interested in Robinson. Robinson's or Davis' contract would fit under the approximately $10 million trade exception the Nets got in the Kerry Kittles trade to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Though they wouldn't be able to combine trade exceptions, the Warriors would become players in the offseason by acquiring them. The exceptions are good for a year after they're acquired, meaning the Warriors would have nearly up until next year's deadline to trade their "gift certificates."

Small forward Mike Dunleavy, who will be a restricted free agent at the end of next season, also is a tradeable commodity. If Mullin decides Dunleavy isn't a good fit with the young nucleus, he could move Dunleavy -- especially if he uses Robinson and Davis to acquire some pricey small forward or shooting guard.

Mullin won't comment on trade speculation, but, coming up on his first trade deadline as the decision maker, he emphasized that he wasn't going to make a move just because the team is 12-29.

"But if I feel like it's a positive change that's going to make this team better," Mullin said, "no question. Done."

9 straight losses...

2005-01-16T13:13:00.001-08:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

The Warriors got a spirited performance from point guard Derek Fisher, who burned his former team with a career-high 29 points.

The Warriors overcame their habitual third-quarter collapse, outscoring their opponent in the period for the first time in nine games. They made a season-high 12 3-pointers, making 7 of 16 in the second half.

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But it still couldn't prevent their ninth consecutive loss, a 104-102 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers at the Arena on Saturday.

With the game tied at 102 and 12.6 seconds left, Lakers forward Lamar Odom -- being guard by Clifford Robinson one-on-one on the perimeter -- drove to the basket and dropped in his patented lefty finger roll with 1.3 seconds left.

"He's a hard matchup for us," said Montgomery, who brought Robinson off the bench to defend Odom though Robinson hadn't played all quarter.

Odom finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds as Los Angeles won its first game of the season without star Kobe Bryant, who was placed on the injured list Saturday with a sprained right ankle.

The Warriors had a chance to win it, but Speedy Claxton's 3-pointer from the top left of the arc banked off the back iron, disappointing the remainder of the first sellout crowd of the season (19,602).

"It felt good. It looked good," said Claxton, who finished with 15 points, 10 assists and two steals, and was still shaking his head in disbelief. "I thought that was in."

Fisher took it to Los Angeles, where he played his first eight seasons in the NBA before signing with the Warriors (11-27) as a free agent during the offseason. He was 11-for-19 from the field, including 4-for-9 from behind the arc.

He scored 19 first-half points as the Warriors trailed just 51-49 at the half.

The Lakers shot 50 percent from the field (21-for-42) in the first half, including 5 of 6 3-point attempts. The Warriors, meanwhile, shot just 39.1 percent from the floor, including 5-for-15 from behind the arc -- figures greatly aided by Fisher's 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting, 2-for-4 from 3-point range, in the first half.

It was the ninth consecutive game the Warriors either led, tied or were within two points at the half. The previous eight games they were outscored in the third quarter.

But Saturday, the Warriors outscored the Lakers 32-26 in the period, their first time cracking the 30s since Dec. 26 at Sacramento.

Fisher started the quarter with a 3-pointer. He didn't score again in the quarter, but his teammates put together a 20-12 stretch to take a 76-70 lead at the 3:16 mark. Forward Mike Dunleavy started the run with a 3-pointer -- one of his four on the night -- from the left corner, and guard Mickael Pietrus ended it with a 3-pointer from practically the same spot.

The Warriors led 81-77 entering the fourth. Fisher resurfaced again at about the 10-minute mark, giving the Warriors their largest lead of the game, 88-79, with a 3-pointer from the right wing.

Fisher -- who seconds earlier received a technical foul for shoving Lakers point guard Chucky Atkins, his replacement -- stared at the Lakers bench and did some sort of sumo trot toward the defensive end. Less than two minutes later, Fisher hit a pull-up jumper to give the Warriors a 92-83 lead.

"The last time we played the Lakers in L.A., I didn't get a chance to get going much," Fisher said. "It was an emotional game for me. (Saturday) seemed more like a regular game."

But the Lakers stormed back. Odom scored eight points during a 19-10 Lakers run to tie the game at 102. The Warriors' ensuing possession was negated by an Adonal Foyle charge, setting up Odom's game-winning basket.

"(Odom) was isolated at the top," said Troy Murphy, who finished with 14 points and a season-high 19 rebounds, "and he made a great play."

only 10 days ago, we were doing ok and we were still able to put up a good fight. But now we are the 2nd worst team in our conference and 4th worse in the league. We have been playing terribly. We really don't have a scoring power house, but 5 guys that are off and on with scoring and the games in which one guy scores alot, the other fails too. Lets hope we don't make it 10 losses first, then we can look ahead later. Pick it up Warriors!

Shutting down the raptors!

2005-01-05T16:10:00.000-08:00

From sports.yahoo.comL

Jason Richardson just might be the consistent clutch performer that the Golden State Warriors desperately need. That job is a bit easier when he gets this kind of help from Mike Dunleavy.

Dunleavy made the go-ahead shot with 37 seconds left and finished with a season-high 29 points in the Warriors' fourth straight victory, 111-105 over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.

Richardson scored a season-high 35 points -- 21 in the second half -- and added two late free throws. He was outstanding in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 points and touching the ball on nearly every possession for Golden State.

The guard still hasn't lived up to his vast potential in four NBA seasons, but this gritty win was another good sign. With Dunleavy right alongside, the two highest draft picks on the Warriors' roster carried them to their longest winning streak under first-year coach Mike Montgomery.

``That's the crunch time, and that's when great players step up,'' Richardson said. ``That's what I want to be. I've got a long ways to go, but I'm getting closer. Even if I don't score, I've got to get the ball in one of my teammates' hands.''

It was a surprisingly intense meeting between last-place teams. Toronto's reserves outscored Golden State's bench 50-2, but the clubs traded leads all night, with neither going ahead by more than six points.

Dunleavy, still fighting a flu bug that's caused him to lose 10 pounds, hit four of the Warriors' season-high 11 3-pointers.

Dunleavy has struggled under Montgomery, who has kept him in the starting lineup despite poor play. He still struggled on defense against the Raptors, but Dunleavy repeatedly found holes in their defense for easy points, scoring 18 in the first half and finishing three shy of his career high.

Toronto coach Sam Mitchell was infuriated by his team's willingness to allow the slumping forward to score so many points -- though both teams allowed plenty of open shots, mostly due to the clubs' excellent passing.

``We don't guard,'' Mitchell said. ``Not taking anything away from (Dunleavy), but he's been struggling. We run defensive schemes, we play zone, but at a certain point, you've got to guard your man. You've got to take responsibility.''

Jalen Rose scored 23 points and rookie Rafael Araujo had a career-high 13 in his third start for the Raptors, who lost their 10th straight road game.

Toronto tied it at 101-101 on Donyell Marshall's 3-pointer with 1:58 left, but Dunleavy awkwardly banked in a short straightaway jumper with 37 seconds to play, giving Golden State a 105-103 lead.

Morris Peterson drove the lane for Toronto, but Adonal Foyle -- who became Golden State's career leader in blocked shots on Monday -- swatted Peterson's layup attempt with 25 seconds left.

``We're just not getting it done. I can't justify it at all,'' Rose said of Toronto's road losing streak. ``There's no excuse to be said. We play a young (lineup), especially with our starting unit, and on the road, we have a different mindset, as opposed to playing at home where everything is more familiar and comfortable, and the crowd is cheering for you.''

The Warriors played without starting point guard Speedy Claxton, who strained his groin late in Golden State's victory over Denver on Monday night. Derek Fisher got just his fourth start since signing a $37 million contract with Golden State last summer.

Though exhausted after playing 41 minutes, Fisher scored 17 points and hit four free throws in the final 9.4 seconds.

``That was a very composed performance in the fourth quarter,'' Fisher said. ``I'm proud of the strides we've made in the last three weeks. We're playing very well, and we're finally getting wins to show for it.''

Warriors Hold Off Nuggets

2004-12-28T15:27:00.000-08:00

form NBA.com

For the second time in as many nights, Jason Richardson came through for the Golden State Warriors when they needed him most.

Richardson scored 10 of his 18 points in the final six minutes as the Warriors ran their season-high winning streak to three games with a 104-101 triumph over the shorthanded Denver Nuggets.

"When the game's on the line is when guys step up," Richardson said. "You could have 24 points in three quarters and it doesn't matter as long as you win the game. I just tried to step up as much as I can and try to lead this team."

On Sunday, Richardson scored 26 points in the second half to help Golden State overcome a 10-point halftime deficit in a victory at Sacramento.

Richardson's outstanding play did not carry over into this game as he was just 3-of-10 from the floor and managed just eight points over the first 36 minutes. But he was 4-of-6 from the field in the final quarter.

"We came back pretty well in the fourth quarter," Warriors coach Mike Montgomery said. "Jason Richardson came alive after struggling a little bit and he made some big plays for us down the stretch."

Denver, which has dropped six straight games without an injured Carmelo Anthony, was also without Kenyon Martin due to a back strain. Despite being shorthanded, the Nuggets opened an 87-80 lead following Marcus Camby's layup with 7:40 to go. But Richardson led the Warriors on a 13-0 burst over next three-plus minutes.

"It's difficult to even comment on a game where our players battled their rear ends off and really competed and trying desperately to win," Nuggets coach Jeff Bzedelik said. "We just didn't quite get it done plain and simple. I know it's an old cliche but I'm very proud of my basketball team."

Eduardo Najera started the Warriors' fourth-quarter run with a three-point play, Richardon followed with a pair of free throws and Mickael Pietrus, who scored a career-high 24 points, tied the game on a layup, 87-87.

"We have been playing harder during the second half and the fourth quarter," Pietrus said. "We just have to keep working hard and stay focused."

Troy Murphy, who had 16 points and 16 rebounds, converted a layup with 5:22 remaining to give Golden State the lead for good. Richardson scored the final four points in the decisive streak, including a turnaround jumper with 3:52 left.

Derek Fisher added 14 points, hitting three free throws in the final 25 seconds to help seal the win.

Pietrus scored 12 points in the second quarter and Cliff Robinson added 13 in the first half as Golden State led 53-46 lead at the break. But Denver regrouped during halftime and used a 13-3 outburst midway through the third quarter to take a 69-64 lead with 4:00 to go.

Nene scored four of his 19 points during the run, including a rim-rattling dunk to cap the outburst. Rodney White scored five of his season-high 17 points during the quarter to help the Nuggets to a 78-75 lead entering the final period.

The Warriors had been 0-13 when trailing after three quarters this season.

"We've tried our best to just stay with it," Fisher said. "A lot of time, life as well as in basketball, things seem to be tough for you and you have to remain persistent and our coaching staff has tried to continue to teach us as best they can and the players have remained as positive as we can."

The Warriors' Adonal Foyle had a pair of blocks and passed Joe Barry Carroll for the franchise record. Foyle has 838 blocks, one more than Carroll.

"It's good to be stopping baskets," Foyle said. "Any time that happens it's always a good thing."

Andre Miller had 21 points and a season-high 14 assists and Camby added 16 points and 12 rebounds for Denver, which has lost 16 of its last 19 games at Golden State.

"We're not here for moral victories," Camby said. "We came to try and get a win despite who we didn't have or who we did have out there. The guys we did have played hard, competed. It's tough when you're not playing with your two best players on your team but we've been battling injuries all season and guys have found a way to step up."

Robinson Helps Warriors Slip Past Mavericks

2004-12-15T14:56:00.000-08:00

from NBA.com

Clifford Robinson helped the Golden State Warriors end a long drought in Dallas and the Mavericks eclipse last season's home loss total.

Robinson gave the Warriors the lead for good with seven of his season-high 25 points during an early run as Golden State ended a 12-game skid in "Big D" with a 111-107 victory over Dallas, which suffered its sixth loss in 13 games at American Airlines Center.

With a franchise-best 36-5 home mark last season, the Mavericks looked to improve on their 7-5 record this season by continuing their home dominance over the Warriors.

"At home, we just come out a little bit more relaxed," Dallas guard Michael Finley said. "I don't know if it's the comfort of our own environment or what. We just don't have the (instinct) as we have on the road. That's something that hopefully we can turn around before the season gets away from us. We can't just show up and expect to win."

With Golden State trailing, 4-2, Robinson sparked a 12-0 run with seven of his 13 first-quarter points.

"I just wanted to come out and be aggressive," Robinson said. "My game is coming around and I'm shooting the ball a lot better. I'm just trying to play better."

The Warriors never trailed afterward as Robinson's jumper with 6:16 left in the second quarter built the lead to 45-33 and a tip-in by Jason Richardson with 4:22 to go in the third period gave them their largest advantage at 80-63.

"To come out and put that kind of effort throughout the game shows we are improving," Robinson said. "To sustain that effort for 48 minutes and make plays down the stretch, it's a good time."

Dallas, which had not lost at home to Golden State since April 10, 1999 at Reunion Arena, battled back with a 12-0 third-quarter run that featured nine of Jerry Stackhouse's 19 points in the period and cut the deficit to 80-75.

"That's who I am," said Stackhouse, who started the second half. "Obviously, this is a new role for me, being a sixth man. Coming off of (halftime) warmups, I had my juices flowing and I was ready to go. Whenever (coach Don Nelson) calls on me to come out in a starter's role, I'm going to make the most of it."

Stackhouse's third-quarter effort provided Dallas with the most points by one of its players in a period this season.

But the Warriors closed the quarter with an 8-2 run and scored the first five points of the fourth period to take a 93-77 lead.

"They made shots, and they made shots all night," Stackhouse said. "They found open spots and they hurt us."

Finley scored nine points during an 11-0 spurt that drew the Mavericks within 93-88 with 8:03 remaining before hitting a jumper with 2:14 to go to cut the deficit to 103-101.

But Golden State held on as Richardson made two late baskets, the second of which was a resounding dunk over 7-6 center Shawn Bradley that put an exclamation point on the game.

"He came flying in and just sat on (Bradley's) head," Warriors forward Troy Murphy said. "It was great. It was a huge play for us. Jason Richardson is the best dunker in the league. He came in and really made a big play for us."

Murphy added a pair of key free throws, giving the Warriors a win in the opener of their four-game road trip.

"We've had some games in the fourth quarter where we haven't finished them off," Murphy said. "I think our last game against Charlotte, when we came back in the fourth quarter, gave us some confidence and we were able to carry it over to this game."

Murphy and Mickael Pietrus each scored 20 points and Speedy Claxton had 18 and 10 assists for Golden State, which has won four of its last six games.

"We had a great game," Pietrus said. "We shared the ball. Everyone enjoyed it. We are confident for the future."

Stackhouse scored 27 points, Finley added 24 and Josh Howard had 12 and 10 rebounds for the Mavericks.

"Games like this are becoming a habit," Finley said. "Giving teams that we should dominate confidence throughout the game and letting them make more of a game out of it. When you do that, you're more succeptable to losing those ballgames."

Warroirs vs. Hornets

2004-11-23T14:47:00.000-08:00

from Warriors.com

The Warriors play their second game of this four game homestand tonight against the New Orleans Hornets. After winning two of three, Golden State had a 100-87 loss to Memphis on Saturday. Jason Richardson had his right hand examined by Dr. Norm Zemel, a hand specilaist at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles on Monday and it was determined that he does not need surgery and has been cleared to play with no restrictions. While the hand injury will cause Richardson discomfort, the good news for the Warriors at the shooting guard position is that Mickael Pietrus was activated on Saturday and can help ease the load on Richardson.

Warriors Activate Mickael Pietrus

2004-11-23T14:40:00.000-08:00

from Warriors.com

The Golden State Warriors have activated guard Mickael Pietrus from the injured list prior to this evening’s game versus Memphis, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today. In a related move, the team also placed center Andris Biedrins on the injured list with a strained left hamstring.

Pietrus, who was placed on the injured list on November 1, has missed the first nine games of the season recovering from left shoulder surgery. He also missed the entire preseason after originally suffering a dislocated left shoulder during the first quarter of Golden State’s initial summer league game versus San Antonio on July 12 in Long Beach. Pietrus underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to repair the dislocated shoulder on Tuesday, July 20. Last season, he appeared in 53 games (22 starts), averaging 5.3 points and 2.2 rebounds in 14.1 minutes.

Biedrins has appeared in three games this season, averaging 1.3 points in 4.0 minutes per contest. The 18-year-old rookie became the youngest player in team history to play in a game when he made his NBA debut on November 5 versus Utah. He is currently the youngest player in the NBA.

Warriors Close Preseason With Win

2004-11-01T13:20:00.000-08:00

From NBA.com

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 27 (Ticker) -- Troy Murphy helped the Golden State Warriors end their preseason on a winning note.

Murphy recorded his third double-double of the preseason with 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Warriors posted an 82-78 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Warriors finished their exhibition schedule with a 5-3 mark, winning three of their last four.

Murphy, who averaged a double-double two seasons ago before enduring an injury-plagued 2003-04 campaign, had four points during Golden State's 13-2 game-opening run. The Warriors built their largest lead, 30-13, on a three-point play by Calbert Cheaney early in the second quarter.

Jason Richardson scored 19 points and Speedy Claxton added 11, including a pair of free throws with 18 seconds left to help Golden State hang on.

After opening a 25-11 lead after one quarter, the Warriors saw their advantage shrink to eight at halftime and five by the end of the third period.

Mikki Moore had his finest outing of the preseason for the Clippers, scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds off the bench. Moore made a jumper with 4:01 remaining to pull Los Angeles within 72-70.

The Clippers wrap up their exhibition season at home vs. Phoenix on Thursday.

up soon!

2004-09-06T15:29:00.000-07:00

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