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4th Best record in the league since the 0-6 start?

it tastes like a girl's vagina which is a good thing

Subaculta wrote:4th Best record in the league since the 0-6 start?

Last night was the first start to finish good, solid game we've played against a strong opponent in over a month, since the New Orleans game I think. And it looks like we're a mortal lock for the playoffs. So it is time to be relieved, happy, and satisfied.

Were you one of the folks who used to boast that it was the best record since 0-6? Then the second best. Then the third best. Now fourth best. I mention this because this recent quarter seemed like our least successful and most inconsistent/sluggish but also our most recuperative.

Nelson likes to talk about the season in quarters, too. We just wrapped up the third quarter and it was clearly our time to get injuries taken care of, rest up, and solidify the rotation for the final push. Really good progress was made on those fronts while we played in the middle of the pack among Western contenders. Injuries were managed and Baron looked like he had plenty in the tank after sitting most of the Miami game. Good stuff for this year's aspirations. We could even draw Houston.

Over our last 20 games, we were 14-6 with losses to Minnesota, Houston with Yao, Chicago, Utah, Atlanta, and Charlotte. We beat Western playoff lock New Orleans and then barely beat Phoenix without Marion or Shaq. Wenesday is our final Eastern opponent, Toronto, so I'm looking squarely at how we've fared against Western playoff teams from here on out.

9-6 since Jackson's return against the fellow top 9 in the West. Against Lakers, Jazz, Spurs, and Rockets, we're 5-3. In the last quarter, we're 0-2 against the top of the West, 2-2 against playoff contenders when we add the Phoenix and New Orleans wins.

The rest of the Western Conference playoff contenders had these records in the past 20 games:
Crazy Houston was 19-1, the Lakers were 17-3, Jazz were 16-4, Spurs were 15-5, Warriors were 14-6, Hornets were 12-8, Nuggets were 11-9, Suns and Dallas were both 10-10. And the now non-contender Portland was 8-12.

Eastern perspective:
Detroit 16-4, Boston 15-5, Orlando and Philadelphia 13-7, Cleveland 12-8, Toronto 11-9, and Washington and Atlanta both 7-13.

We've got 11 games against Western contenders, two games against Sacramento, and one against Portland.

Here we go.

And it looks like we're a mortal lock for the playoffs.

***********

Not even close. We've got a very tough 8-game stretch against SA, LA, Denver, etc. where we could easily go 2-6.

2-6 would easily be enough to keep us out of the playoffs, especially if we lose to Denver because then we lose the season series to them 2-1 and we can't sneak in by being tied with them. We'd actually have to finish ahead of them.

I like our spot and I'm optimistic, but "mortal lock" is just not warranted at this point.

Yes it is. Phoenix and Denver are done.

ROWELL wrote:Last night was the first start to finish good, solid game we've played against a strong opponent in over a month, since the New Orleans game I think.

Did someone hork your tickets to the Phoenix and Boston games?

Or do you just have one of those 10 game/crappy opponent packages?

Phoenix sucks.
Boston lost three in a row to the West on the road and also suck.

We're the best.


Anyway, those games were not wire-to-wire great games like the New Orleans and Orlando games were. We're predicated upon fight and guts so they qualify as "great" in that sense but I'm looking for control of pace and opponent, not wing and ding nail biters. I think there is a clear distinction to be made between the New Orleans and Orlando games and the other games the Warriors have played recently. I just do. All wins count, though, and wins against opponents with good records are "great," it's true.

At this point, we're 16-14 vs. teams with winning records. Dallas is 14-14, and San Antonio has a losing record against good teams.

We also have the best recrod in the league in close games (decided by 3 pts) at 8-1.

There are lots and lots of things that worry me about this team down the stretch and into the playoffs, particularly our general lack of a "plan B." But the bottom lines are starting to say the same things:

We don't suck.

Obviously, this team is not anything that a "purist" would enjoy or be able to put any faith in. I get that. The lack of a game plan for slow it down, half court basketball puts us in jeopardy in pretty much any of the likely playoff matchups. But, the games still have to be played, and anything can happen. As much as some of the missteps and idioyncracies of Nellie, Baron, Jack, Al and the entire crappy bench have driven me to drink this season, I'm glad I'm not so committed to an ideological position that I actually can't enjoy when things go well. I suppose it's for the best though. The day ROWELL gets on the bus and stops predicting total collapse, karma will of course turn on him and us and kick the W's in the nuts. With LF and Laki having abandoned most of their curmidgeonery, ROWELL's the only one left to sacrifice to the purist gods.

Thanks for taking one for the team RO

When did I predict total collapse?
I just said they wouldn't get to 50 wins.

We're really good and will beat the crap out of everyone from now on.

ROWELL wrote:When did I predict total collapse?
I just said they wouldn't get to 50 wins.

We're really good and will beat the crap out of everyone from now on.

I think you'e right, but the applicable phrase here is RIGHT NOW.

Unfortunately, the one qualifier that needs to be included is: it depends on coaching from here on out. You look at the numbers and you come up with the question, how? How did we get to such a good record up to this point, considering our inconsistency and our propensity to get our behinds handed to us by inferior teams (and then come right back and take down one of the best)?

I'll tell you right now it hasn't been the coaching for the most part (at least up until after the trade deadline since Nellie has finally started to coach to his ability). This team went to the playoffs last year and has been succeeding up to this point this for one simple reason: Talent. Yes, it was Nellie who came up with the game plan to beat Dallas in the playoffs (also came up with the game plan which got us beat by Utah) but it was the Players talent which is what got them to the playoffs. J-Rich, the resurgence of Baron, Jackson and Harrington putting forth almost superhuman efforts was what carried them to their remarkable run to te playoffs. For those of you who have an unbiased memory, Nelson had already written off the season and was prepared to tank the rest of it (perhaps to get into the Oden or Durant sweepstakes) but the Warrior veteran players just would not give up and "willed" their way to the playoffs.

This year, Nellie was "tanking" for a different reason, not because he was looking to move up in the draft (he knew this team was just too good to not make the playoffs), he was trying to position himself to get the FO to pick up another player (or players) in a trade which he was unable to do (probably because Mullin wasn't willing to give up one of his kids or because there really weren't any players that could really justify a major move).

Once the trade deadline was over, it's clear to me that Nellie decided to start coaching (the way he's cabable of) by him playing more bigs and his insertion of Wright into the lineup (he still struggles with that "old nature" of "staying small" as wellas wanting to keep his young bigs on the bench) even giving O'Bryant some minutes. It was good to see him insert Andris back into the starting lineup upon his return (remember before AB went out, he was only sporadically starting him and only playing him limited minutes). It remains to be seen how much time Beans will be getting once he's fully recovered, but I can tell you one thing, we looking 8th seed at best if he gets back into that 15-20 minutes a game for him and one and done if we manage to get into the playoffs.

So why the good record? Too much talent, to keep these guys down. Many of the games we've won (particularly the close ones and the ones we made big comebacks) are a result of super efforts by these great players, even when Nellie puts them behind the eight ball by his poor ssubstitutions. The Warriors have talent, which is evident by the fact that they are one of the few teams who did not make a big trade and yet they've improved. That's because their talent base is so strong. Our 1-12 is about as strong as any in the league (however it doesn't help when Nellie only plays 7 or 8 ). We have 3-4 stars right now (Baron, Jack, Monta, Biedrens) which probably stack up with any 3 or 4 players in the league. The only team that I would say has more talent than us right now is the Lakers and perhaps Utah, otherwise we should be a playoff lock and have a realistic chance to make the 5th or 6th seed. Denver may have more, but with all their injuries, we've moved ahead of them, especially in our 12.

It all depends on coaching I believe from here on out. Don't be fooled by smallball. If you want us to keep getting beat by weaker teams and have to squeak out close games when we should be winning going away, then fine, enjoy the Koolaid. What's going to win games is not just smallball, but a mix of it along with playing you bigs at times (sometimes 2 at a time) and utilizing your entire bench so that we are able to rest our "stars" and be able to keep them fresh so that we can continue to run at our "frenetic pace" throughout the stretch run and into the playoffs. This is where Nellie has to be the "maestro" or "conductor" who directs this team and makes the right moves, at the right times. He can do this. No more hidden agendas, no more pet peeves, no more "mind games" with certain players, just coach. O

ur bigs need to get integrated into the mix and our rotation has to take this into account, otherwise we will run out of gas. By playing this way, you will be able to force the opposition to be the ones to run out of gas instead of us this time and I think these guys (while the rest of the league's players have been dropping like flies) will remain healthy and have the juice left to make it even farther this time around.

Jason Richardson sucks and we don't need him.

ROWELL wrote:

Subaculta wrote:4th Best record in the league since the 0-6 start?

Were you one of the folks who used to boast that it was the best record since 0-6? Then the second best. Then the third best. Now fourth best. I mention this because this recent quarter seemed like our least successful and most inconsistent/sluggish but also our most recuperative.

nope. not me... I only mentioned that because I heard it during the game last night.

Forget I addressed you directly-- I see now what your sole interest is.

turk3d wrote:
It all depends on coaching I believe from here on out. Don't be fooled by smallball. If you want us to keep getting beat by weaker teams and have to squeak out close games when we should be winning going away, then fine, enjoy the Koolaid.

the "I don't know how to enjoy a winning season" crew on this board is headed for one of those old style 'Twilight Zone' episode moments (or for the truly nerdy, like a short story by Philip K Dick).

at the end of the season, all of the posters that routinely parrot out the phrases "enjoy the Koolaid", or "enjoy being a homer", will turn to a loved one and with a look of shock/horror/understanding, they will exclaim -

"truly I was the one drinking the Koolaid!"

and then the fade to black and the creepy twilight zone theme song.

ROWELL wrote:Forget I addressed you directly-- I see now what your sole interest is.

oh stop it!

I just got back from a few weeks in Costa Rica, and I'm catching up on a little reading and posting.

My sole interest is enjoying the fact that the Warriors are 16 games above .500 (that means they're also above .600).

Whatever, man.

I'm outta here for the day. Go harass folks about their opinions once it's safe to do so and when you've added nothing to the original discussion.

Bump.

Take your lumps like a man RO

ROWELL wrote:Whatever, man.

I'm outta here for the day. Go harass folks about their opinions once it's safe to do so and when you've added nothing to the original discussion.

Bump.

how have I "harassed" you? I can't start a thread to discuss the fact that the Warriors have an impressive record since their tough start?

and I can't bump the same ".600" thread which you've bumped multiple times to point out when they drop below?

talk about thin skin.

Subaculta wrote:-= original quote snipped =-




the "I don't know how to enjoy a winning season" crew on this board is headed for one of those old style 'Twilight Zone' episode moments (or for the truly nerdy, like a short story by Philip K Dick).

at the end of the season, all of the posters that routinely parrot out the phrases "enjoy the Koolaid", or "enjoy being a homer", will turn to a loved one and with a look of shock/horror/understanding, they will exclaim -

"truly I was the one drinking the Koolaid!"

and then the fade to black and the creepy twilight zone theme song.

"Kool Aid, Kool Aid, tastes great, wish I had some, can't wait"!

Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo, Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo.

Fact: Wanting to improve your team makes it impossible to enjoy winning.