No more excuses: Anthony Randolph should get consistent minutes

December 5, 9:24 PMGolden State Warriors ExaminerMatt Steinmetz

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Cap' and coach both got boot Friday 

Well, that was as tight a 19-point loss as you’ll see, but it still wasn’t a game the officials had any effect on in the end.

Just wanted to get that out of the way.

By the way, should we read anything into the fact that it was the cornerstones _ Don Nelson and Stephen Jackson _ who were the ones who couldn’t stick it out on Friday in Houston and wound up getting ejected?

The big positive first: Anthony Randolph.

Let's get on with it ... No fewer than 20 minutes a night for the kid.

Can we all agree on that?

No one doubts for a moment Randolph probably makes egregious mistakes on the defensive end.

Then again they're not so egregious that they stand out to the naked eye anymore than his teammates' egregious defensive mistakes.

Look, if everyone's lowering the expectations bar, and the table is being set for an abundance of losses, then let's at least get more of Randolph.

Give the kid credit. He provided the most moments of promise.

So what if they're accompanied by a technical foul every once in a while.

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Corey Maggette is quickly becoming the object of criticism for many Warriors fans, and if you’re wondering why, look no further than his stretch at the end of the first quarter.

Warriors were up 24-19, and had a chance to take a little control until: 

Maggette took a very bad 19-footer from the wing with a hand in the face;

Followed that up with a no-call flail that turned into a Yao Ming block in transition;

Then completed the exasperating stretch by fouling Carl Landry on a 20-footer with the shot clock at one.

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Nobody loves Yao more than me, but for the sake of accuracy let's address his free-throw shooting:

He's not an 88-percenter and never has been for even one season. And he isn't yet the greatest free-throw shooting big man of all time.

Yes, Bill Laimbeer has a higher percentage than Yao from the line. But don't forget Jack Sikma, who at .849 is ahead of both those guys.

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It gets old hearing about how well the Warriors shoot in a half (60-something percent in half No. 1 against the Rockets) only to be down at intermission.

That’s not quite the rule, but it sure ain't the exception, either.

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And, finally, since the refs were brought into this one way more than they should have been, maybe it's time to dish out credit.

NBA officials aren’t going to get the block/charge call right every time. But it’s time to acknowledge that the league has made  real nice strides in this area.

Witness the block call on Houston’s Von Wafer with 10 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Andris Biedrins had just caught a pass from Jackson and was moving toward the basket when Wafer slid over. There was a collision and Biedrins finished the move.

It was close, but Wafer was moving a tad and his heel was touching the circle. Rather than taking a stab it, more and more officials are making that a “block” call.

Good news all around: For players, for fans, for aesthetics and intent.
 

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Just for emphasis: More Anthony Randolph.