Stephen Jackson recognizes Warriors problem, but the issue isn't going to pass

November 29, 6:46 AMGolden State Warriors ExaminerMatt Steinmetz

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Stephen Jackson: Warriors aren't sharing 

Hate to keep harping on the subject, but it’s not going to go away just because Warriors players are aware of it.

We’re talking, of course, about ball movement. Or a lack of it.

Stagnation and isolation were the themes of the evening in the Warriors’ 112-97 loss at Cleveland on Friday.

Here’s a quick excerpt from Marcus Thompson’s postgame interview with Stephen Jackson.

Said Jackson: “We weren’t passing the ball. When we share the ball, good things happen. When everybody’s out there for self, we ain’t going to win like that. We don’t play like that. When we have success, we share the ball, we pass to the open man. We have everybody looking for the open man. We wasn’t doing that tonight.”

READ MARCUS THOMPSON'S ENTIRE BLOG.

You might think it's a good sign that Jackson is bringing this problem to everyone's attention. But that's only half of it.

The other half of it is addressing the situation and that's where the real problem exists. And one that is not easily solved.

The reason the Warriors don’t move the ball isn’t because their players are selfish, greedy and don’t want to.

The reason the Warriors don’t move the ball is because they don’t have players who move the ball. They don't have players who are good passers, conditioned to pass or really even know how to.

The Warriors will have occasional flashes of offensive brilliance -- like a quarter or two against Boston and Cleveland the past few nights -- because they do have potent firepower.

But without a legit point guard and smart and efficient wing players the dry spells will continue.

Jackson doesn’t want to move the ball, it’s just that he’s been asked to and is trying to because he’s the captain of the team and trying to be a leader.

That doesn’t mean it comes naturally. Or when he does pass he makes the right one.

As for Jamal Crawford and Corey Maggette … ditto.

Crawford is capable of getting some assists, but make no mistake: First and foremost he’s a scorer and passing is option No. 2.

As for Maggette, his Warriors career has gotten off to an awful start.

He’s playing 35 minutes a game, shooting 40 percent from the field and is picking up less than five rebounds per game and just two assists.

He’s also proven to be less than willing when it comes to playing the power forward spot in Don Nelson’s small lineup.

Over the course of the past few seasons, Nelson is occasionally asked what his team must do to shoot the ball better.

Nelson invariably answers: “Get better shooters.”

There’s always a chuckle, a pause, and the realization that he might be right.

And it’s the same with the team’s passing. How do the Warriors become a better passing team?

Try getting some passers.

Because asking non-passers to try to pass isn't much of a solution, either. 

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More from Warriors-Cleveland game from Cleveland Cavaliers Examiner.