Monta Ellis: Playing with Stephen Curry won't work

Tony Avelar / Associated Press 
Monta Ellis shook up media day.

On a day that was supposed to be all about Stephen Jackson, his future and his impact on the Golden State Warriors, guard Monta Ellis shook up media day with a proclamation of his own. And it's one neither the team nor fans will likely be happy to hear.

When asked how a backcourt of him and rookie Stephen Curry, neither true point guards, would work, Ellis was clear in his answer.

"You just can't (play the two 6-foot-3 guards at the same time)," Ellis said. "They (the team) say you can, but you can't."

When asked why he felt that way, Ellis simply repeated his earlier answer. "You just can't."

Ellis said he wishes Curry the best, but obviously is not a fan of the lineup proposed by coach Don Nelson on Friday, at which time he said one possible starting lineup is to have both Ellis and Curry in the backcourt with Jackson playing small forward.

When pressed, Ellis finally said that the combination of two small guards wouldn't be effective because the NBA is full of experienced, big shooting guards that would take advantage of the matchups. "You just can't do it," he said again.

Ellis was the last player in the interview room when he made his comments. Curry, in the first group of players to meet the media, acknowledged the difficulties a Curry-Ellis backcourt would encounter but was confident the pairing could be successful.

"He's a great talent," Curry said of the fifth-year guard who missed most of last season after injuring his ankle in an offseason accident. "He's been here, knows how to play and definitely established himself as one of the great guards in the league. I think we complement each other and once I get some experience, I think it will be a great combo."

Defensively?

"It's going to be a struggle on the defensive end to guard bigger backcourt guys," Curry said. "We'll have to make them do something differently. I think It's going to be a team challenge defensively all year."

Both Ellis and Curry are known for the offense. Ellis, lightning quick and seemingly able to get the basket at will, averaged 20.2 points per game while playing 81 games in the 2007-08 season, his third in the league. He averaged 19.0 last year, while beginning the transition to point guard and being limited to 25 games because of the ankle injury.

Curry, who said point guard is a natural position for him despite his reputation as a scorer, averaged 25.3 points per game in three seasons at Davidson. He led the nation in scoring at 28.6 points per game last year while adding 5.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game.

Ellis pointed out other backcourt combinations that he thought would work, like him and Anthony Morrow (6-foot-5) or him and Jackson (6-8). That seems to indicate that Ellis sees himself as the starting point guard and Curry as his backup. If an Ellis-Curry combo wouldn't work because of their size, it doesn't seem that Ellis would be able to move to shooting guard with any of the Warriors' other options at point guard. Speedy Claxton is 5-11, C.J. Watson is 6-2 and Acie Law IV is 6-3, the same as Curry. Interestingly, Baron Davis, the point guard with whom Ellis was paired during his breakout season two years ago, is listed at 6-3, 191 pounds. Curry is listed at 185.

Ellis, however, didn't seem to be ruling out playing in the 2 spot.

"One or two," he said of where he might play this year. "I'm just going to play basketball, it doesn't matter what position."

He later said he doesn't feel threatened or see new competition for points or minutes.

"I don't feel like my job is in jeopardy," he said. "My job, my points, my minutes are not going to be taken from me. I'm not worried. I'm still going to get my 20 points a game. I'm not worried."

The same may not be said for all those who envisioned a backcourt of Ellis and Curry together, creating matchup problems and electrifying highlights.

REMINDER: If Nelson sticks with his plan to play Ellis and Curry together, the first real test to see if it works will be Sunday, Oct. 4, when the Warriors begin their preseason schedule with a home game against the Clippers. Tipoff is 6 p.m.