Another chance for Jamal Crawford and Corey Maggette to prove they can win

November 25, 3:10 PMGolden State Warriors ExaminerMatt Steinmetz

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Jamal Crawford: Zero playoff appearances in eight
seasons 

The optimism surrounding the Jamal Crawford-for-Al Harrington trade has been a little surprising.

There seems to be sentiment out there that this trade is really going to help the Warriors, perhaps even elevate them into the NBA postseason.

I’m not so sure.

I think the trade is going to help, but only because it can’t NOT help: the Warriors traded a non-player (Harrington) for a functional player (Crawford).

So in that sense, it makes the Warriors better. But playoff better?

Only if a couple of players who have (almost) never won before suddenly find themselves part of a successful team.

For all of the individual talent that Crawford and Corey Maggette have, it’s what they don’t have that worries me: winning track records.

Crawford and Maggette are two of the Warriors’ most important players and they don’t have much of a clue when it comes getting to the postseason.

That’s why it’s tough envisioning this team moving forward together, staying intact and starting a perennial playoff push.

What I see instead is another deal down the line … maybe after Dec. 15 when more of the Warriors’ roster can be traded or maybe after Monta Ellis returns from injury.

For the foreseeable future, however, the Warriors are going to be relying heavily on Crawford and Maggette.

They have 17 combined seasons between them and all of one playoff appearance.

Crawford has never played in a playoff game; Maggette went to the postseason once.

At this point, those shaky team credentials are vastly more important than anything either of those guys have done individually.

With Crawford making his debut tonight against the Wizards and, knock wood, Ellis being a month or so behind, it’s not a stretch to say the Warriors have playoff talent.

But having playoff talent is different than having a playoff team.

Unfortunately, Maggette and Crawford know that all too well.