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With the Warriors on pace for 52 wins, Brandan Wright’s playing time shouldn’t be much of a concern.
SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - Sometimes it seems as if the questions and complaints come more frequently than the wins. You hear them all the time.
“When are the Warriors going to start playing some defense? Why hasn’t Don Nelson established a set starting lineup with defined roles for the bench? How come Brandan Wright doesn’t play more? How can you be any good and lose home games to Minnesota, Chicago and Atlanta?”
You’d think it was 2000-01 all over again, when the Warriors finished the season by losing 37 of their final 40 games on their way to 17 victories.
In fact, it’s just the opposite; the Warriors are having a great season.
True, the Warriors have yet to lock up a playoff berth, but that is something that is outside of their control.
Last season, the Warriors stormed to the finish and won 16 of their final 21 games to squeak into the playoffs with 42 wins. In the offseason, they traded their heart and soul, Jason Richardson, and acquired Wright, the No. 8 overall pick in the draft.
Heading into 2007-08, the most optimistic predictions about the Warriors had them getting into the mid-40s wins-wise. I don’t think there is any doubt that most rational fans would have gladly lived with a 46-36 season and another playoff berth.
But the Warriors are on pace to win 52 games this season. In the Western Conference, for crying out loud. Imagine that. Fourteen months ago, the Warriors had a bad cap situation and Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy were getting booed by the home fans.
Since then, the Warriors have made the playoffs and pulled off a monster first-round upset. They’ve not only built on last season, but found themselves just 4½ games from the top spot in the West.
And yet Nelson would laugh you out of the room if you suggested the Warriors were in the same league as the L.A. Lakers, Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs. But the numbers say otherwise.
The won-loss column tells a different story. Over their past 86 games (a little more than a season), the Warriors were 57-29 heading into Tuesday’s game at Sacramento. Not to mention they’re 56-23 if you take out their 1-6 start this season without Stephen Jackson.
Take a little stock. Baron Davis, maligned as injury-prone for most of his career, is an iron man, having played in every game this season. Monta Ellis has evolved into a dynamic offensive player with an unguardable quality only great scorers have.
Jackson is having a career season; Andris Biedrins continues to get better; Wright has shown flashes; Mickael Pietrus is back.
So what if the Chris Webber thing hasn’t worked out and it’s too bad Patrick O’Bryant is back in Bakersfield. Matt Barnes could be playing better, too.
Those are details, however.
The big picture is that the Warriors missed the playoffs for 12 straight years and finally broke through last season. They are working on following that up with 50-some wins.
It might be worth repeating: The Warriors are having a great season.
Matt Steinmetz is the NBA insider for Warriors telecasts on Fox Sports Net.
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Comments from Examiner Readers
6:54 PM MST on Thu., Jul. 24, 2008 re: "Steinmetz: Playoffs still in reach despite losing Davis"
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9:40 AM MST on Sun., Jul. 20, 2008
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5:15 PM MST on Mon., Jul. 7, 2008
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Examiner Reader said:
Matt-- If the Warrior's competition won't win as many games because many teams have improved, doesn't that make it together for the Warrior's to get as many wins also?
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Examiner Reader said:
Matt, the Warriors could be a lot better this year. They have some young players that are due to have breakout years, like Beleneli, Wright, and this new kid Randolph. Last season I though the Warriors gave too many minutes to players like Barnes, Croshere, and even Kelena Abuzuke, who played just fair. The Warriors future is these young guys. While the loss of Baron hurts, the team will be awfully potent next season offensively. With Monta, Magette, Jackson, and hopefully Beleneli they will be shooting the lights out this season. The Warriors will be a better rebounding team too. You seem to have little confidence these young players will step up. Basketball belongs to the young guys coming up, not aging veterans.
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Examiner Reader said:
My only problem is, if he planned to go he could have allowed GS to use the trade clause giving the team a chance to use it.
2 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Rich Walcoff: Warriors wise to let Baron fly south You hit the nail right on the head, Richie, in every way. Kudos.
2 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
i can see why you dont write for the chroicle
3 agree | 3 disagree
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noah said:
So, we're going to require all basketball playing college freshmen to sign a contract promising to stay in college for two years? It seems very unlikely that such a contract provision would be enforceable, at least absent collective bargaining.
3 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"It was tough for me growing up in the streets"..... Yeh, I'd like to hear that on tape. Never, ever, ever believe what you read without a sense of humor and pity for the angle the reporters are going for. The boy is educated, polite, and has always been far from the streets... Except, apparently, for the day this interview happened.... Good lord....
4 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
So a week ago you state "Do you still think the Rockets are better without Yao Ming?" Yet in todays trash from you you state they go backwards when he comes back. Please tell me you don't get paid for this
10 agree | 8 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
so are all comments that disagree with the article deleted? Doesnt matter, you lost all your credibility when you said Josh Howard was the best player on the mavs. I'm still rolling on the floor over that one.
9 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
What you are forgetting is the play of Houston's rookies down the stretch. Add Yao into that mix with Scola and Landry with a year under their belt. Houston is a contender - I cannot see how you say a team will go backwards when you get the most dominant inside presence back in the line-up.
9 agree | 7 disagree
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Yinka Dare said:
Actually, Matt, David West played all of 111 minutes in a first-round playoff loss in '04. He is a stranger to the playoffs. Does experience count when you have only experienced losing? Why hate on the Toronto/Orlando series starring two of the league's best young bigs, instead of, say, the Hawks/Celts or Pistons/Sixers?
8 agree | 8 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"True, the Warriors have yet to lock up a playoff berth, but that is something that is outside of their control." Outside of their control? Isn't it completely in their control? Steinmetz is unbelievable.
12 agree | 9 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
nellie needs to give his bench more playing time and believe in them more. he doesnt have to ride his starters for 40 minutes when the bench is very capable. Lastly, why didnt he leave the same lineup in that got them back within 6 points of the kings?? It was an off night for Jackson and Davis. A comeback was killed off and much need rest for your starters was lost.
14 agree | 15 disagree
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Steve in Concord said:
Perovic just recalled from D-league after avg. 18 rebounds and 35 minutes in two games. Significant?
11 agree | 11 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay warriors will win it all this year
12 agree | 11 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Hi, Could you please ask Don Nelson why he isn't playing Kosta Perovic?? It's really puzzling. When Kosta came into the game in Milwaukee, he dominated Andrew Bogut. Kosta looks a lot more agile than he's been given credit for and he sure can cover a lot of ground. When the Milwaukee guards were driving towards the basket they thought twice when they saw Kosta's huge presence in the lane and instead kicked it out to Bogut who Perovic got to with 2 large ground covering steps, just enough to disturb Bogut's release point so he missed. Plus, Perovic has professional experience, so he knows what it's like to go up against older guys. Kosta also looks stronger than Brandon and Patrick. I just wish he'd reward Kosta for his impressive defense against Milwaukee. Thank you!
38 agree | 46 disagree
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timgreen79 said:
I know we shouldn't sleep on the Spurs but I think they'll probably have too tough of a road if their record doesn't get better. As a 5 seed they'd play (in current standings): 1st - Utah on road, 2nd - Hornets on Road, 3rd - Lakers or Suns on road. Wow. They have experience on their side but will miss the athleticism and depth that the Suns and Lakers have. (That is if they could even get by Utah)
49 agree | 39 disagree
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Bob said:
Good point that we need to wait 20-25 games to evaluate Shaq. Personally I think Phoenix is going to drop in terms of overall record (because their SOS gets tougher), but then will come on in the playoffs. Which really is the only point of the Shaq experiment.
51 agree | 46 disagree
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Matt (SF) said:
I just posted a comment a few hours ago that was removed. Am I being censored? All I said was that the inclusion of Turkoglu and Noah in this article makes no sense. Steinmetz doesn't know what he's talking about - Hedo's having a great year and Noah has been above average. So why put them on your hate list, Matt? Please censor this comment again. I'm watching.
52 agree | 46 disagree
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J Barnett said:
I know Matt can't write but he was a quality baller for F&M College. And he's quite handsome in person.
54 agree | 49 disagree
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Ben R said:
I've already come up with the best solution to problem that is Matt Steinmetz, don't read the column. Go Lakers.
55 agree | 53 disagree
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Caleb B said:
How can you have an anti-NBA player list without including the likes of Stephan Marbury? I can't figure out the pattern in your list but Francis should be given a pass - he's injured and playing for cheap. And Hinrich? He's on team USA. Lot's of former and current knicks made your Top 15. About the only thing I agree with.
62 agree | 68 disagree
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