Plain and simple, the Warriors aren't good enough to tank right now

January 8, 10:30 AMGolden State Warriors ExaminerMatt Steinmetz

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Don Nelson: Not much he can do right now 

All right. I've got to say it: Give me a break with all this talk of the Warriors tanking.

This might be harsh, but it's a fact: The Warriors aren't good enough to tank.

Period.

The fact of the matter is that the Warriors are young, they're not very good and they've had their share of injuries. The Warriors aren't tanking. They're losing because most of the teams in the NBA they play against are better than they are.

In fact, you could argue that Don Nelson's coaching the hell out of it right now. You might not like the way he's going about it, but you could make that case.

Nelson is a smart man. He knows that right now there is little he can do to change the fortunes of this club.

C'mon, there's a dearth of talent. Right now anyways. Heck, Nelson can ride the veterans, play the youngsters, do a little bit of both, play Anthony Randolph a little or a lot, get Rob Kurz in there or not, more minutes for Ronny Turiaf ... it doesn't matter. The Warriors are getting an "L" most nights anyway.

Nelson doesn't have to ensure anything. And to even suggest the Warriors might be tanking unfairly takes the responsibility of this season off the players and coach and front office. It almost makes it seem like what's going on is all right. And it ain't right.

Now, what happens when Monta Ellis comes back might be another story.

That's when it will be time to pay attention. The Warriors are 10-27 right now and that's about right.

But when Ellis and Stephen Jackson and Brandan Wright return and the Warriors get healthy, they're going to be a better team. No doubt about it. That team still isn't a playoff team, but it's a competitive team. And it will have the majority of its games at home.

That's when it will be time to monitor the Tank-o-meter ... when the Warriors have their full complement of players, and more important, consistent opportunity to win games.

That's when all this will deserve a closer look.

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