OPEN THREAD: Game 73 - Suns at Warriors

Warriors (W-L): 33-39

Suns (W-L): 53-17

Time: 7:30PM PST tip off

TV: TNT

David vs. Goliath take two.  

The perennial underdogs, also known as your Golden State Warriors, or simply "A Great Time Out" (GTO for short), take on the Phoenix Suns tonight at The Oracle on national television.  What kind of strikes me is how the Warriors are like the Diet Coke Suns.  No, its not because the Warriors get more ladies (ladies love Diet Coke), but rather that skill set-wise, each player on the Warrior seems to have a doppleganger on the Suns.  Davis could hang with Steve Nash; Richardson is much more skilled than Raja Bell (though not quite the shooter); Monta will eventually be better than Barbosa (if not already); Stephen Jackson is a more crafty and obviously fiery Boris Diaw; Harrington doesn't really compare to Marion I guess; and if you've had several drinks, Biedrins vaguely resembles Stoudemire--just without the muscles and thunderous dunks.  Yet, for some reason, the Warriors are much more subterranean as far as the standings go.  Despite the fact that both teams have poor interior defense and cannot rebound, what makes the Warriors so different than the Suns?  Besides the obvious answer (Stoudemire and Marcus Banks...jk about the latter), we both have HOF type coaches....so what gives???

Anyway, with the Clippers surging and the Nuggets' Car-son or Melo-son (carmelo/iverson) experiment failing, the race for the 7th and 8th spots for the playoffs is getting tighter, meaning: EVERY GAME COUNTS.  

There I said it.

In related news, I was listening to Chad Ford's 'improved draft stock' podcast on ESPN.com this morning and the guest speaker mentioned talking to an NBA team executive who's team is in a playoff hunt.  The guest speaker spoke at length about Roy Hibbert -- 7'2, 280 lbs., and aka Greg's Oden's only match up problem in college basketball so far -- and mentioned that this team who was in the 'borderlands' of the NBA mediocrity and decency could use a 5  like Hibbert to solidify their 8th seed position.  They never said who the team was and it could have been just about anyone or no one for that matter.  Perhaps he spoke with Mullin because we know for sure that the Warriors need some interior presence badly.

I've seen some of his highlights and the dude is half man, half...sigh...robot.  Robot like the original Terminator.  That is, he looks big, kind of a bad mofo, but is pretty mechanical.  If he were to be available to the Warriors say if the Warriors happen to not make the playoffs, do you think he would be a good fit?  Could he come in and contribute some shotblocking and rebounding, more so than The Chef  (who has provided those skills as well, except for the Bakersfield Jam)?

Vegas Odds: Suns by 4

GSoM Predictions:

* Warriors by 5
* The game tonight is on TNT so we can probably expect the a few ungrounded critiques from Charles Barkeley, Kenny Smith, and the guest commentator if there is one.  
* Baron vs. Nash match up will produce several top 10 plays on ESPN tonight
* Jax gets a T, but drops dimes like he broke the bank!

Make sure to drop your vote for who you think will win in the Comments. If you're watching or listening near a computer, post any comments you have during the game right here.

UPDATE: Live Box Score from Yahoo!

UPDATE 2:

1 game out of the playoffs!

Stay tuned for the Recap!

Poll

Warriors win!

88%

yes

15 votes

11%

no

2 votes

17 votes | Poll has closed