Our Biggest Missing Link
by bradyk2 on Dec 24, 2008 12:03 PM PST
35 comments
Hey Guys,
This morning I was reading Henry Abbott's True Hoop, and while this wasn't the point he made, he brought up something that made me think this.
When the Warriors are healthy...Monta, SJax, Crawfish, maybe a trade for Maggette, they will have a ton of talent, we know that. But there is one huge piece we're missing, in my opinion - it's not a point guard, it's not a power forward, it's not a new coach.
We need a glue guy. We lack that player that is extremely effective, but lights up no part of the stat sheet. Every great team has this player: The Spurs have Bruce Bowen, the Suns had Raja Bell, the Celtics and Heat had James Posey.
It's players like these, Houston's Shane Battier epitomizes the glue guy, that really help teams. Players that play defense, do the intangibles, and never try to score unless they are asked to.
I know Nellie likes offense, but look at our lineup:
Monta Ellis/Stephen Jackson/Jamal Crawford/Corey Maggette/Andris Biedrins - Score a lot
Kelenna Azubuike/Marco Belinelli/Anthony Morrow - Score a lot when they play, are inserted to essentially provide an offensive boost.
Brandan Wright/Anthony Randolph - Tons of offensive potential, if we don't see it each game we consider that game a failure by them.
Rob Kurz - Used to stretch the defense because of his perimeter game.
Marcus Williams - Doesn't play, but when he does, chucks up shots.
C.J. Watson - A mid-range happy shoot first PG.
The only player we have close to a Battier/Bowen/Bell type player is Ronny Turiaf, and he doesn't get enough minutes to be that guy for us.
I would gladly trade one or 2 of our 20ppgers (as long as their name doesn't start with "Monta" and end with "Ellis"), for the kind of player who plays 30 minutes a game, maybe doesn't even score in those 30 minutes, but was crucial to the victory. We have too many shooters to go around, and we're like the American Olympic team in 2004 - our surplus of scorers is killing our ball movement.
We need the player who will just pass the ball, only shoot it if wide open, and then rebound and play defense.
This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!
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stephen jackson
CAN be that guy…but we all know that won’t happen.
ELEVATION SENSATON
by the noTORious TOR on Dec 24, 2008 12:13 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
even the spurs let him go after winning a ring
doubt jackson is the glue guy even if we had our own version of SA’s big three – he’d still piss and moan after not getting foul calls even then, he hasn’t changed that much …
by hardcore on Dec 24, 2008 1:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Interesting…..I do agree about good teams always seeming to have “that guy”. The unsung hero, complete team guy, consistent player, good on defnese, I get what you are saying.
I would trade SJax or Magette at this point for anybody even remotely resembling that kind of guy.
Seems like Matt Barnes was kind of that type of guy when we had him.
I don’t know, I think Randolph could be that guy, he is the ultimate effort and heart player. I know he is young and still maybe too prone to mistakes, but I think eventually he will be that guy because he does play defense and board like a maniac, but eventually I think he will evolve from rookie to “that guy” to superstar.
But I would be happy to bring in “that guy” if you can find a way to do that, I love those types of players too….
by runandgun on Dec 24, 2008 12:16 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
YES!
Matt Barnes was absolutely that guy. He mostly scored on open 3s, and did a little of everything else. It didn’t show up in stat sheets, but he always helped us when he was on the floor.
I don’t think Randolph could be that guy, because I see way too much offensive potential in him. I think he has the ability to be a force offensively.
by bradyk2 on Dec 24, 2008 3:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Gsom-ers must have a mild amnesia because if I remember corectly Barnes played a CRAP of a season
last year.And he wasn’t helping the team at all.
Scored on open threes-NO
It didn’t show in stat sheet-Yes it didn’t
He always helped when he was on the floor-NO
by buky on Dec 24, 2008 6:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Even in Phoenix...
when I’ve seen him play, it doesnt seem like he does very much
by Butt Secks on Dec 25, 2008 10:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Ya'll forgot to mention Robert Horry
He was arguably the best of those types of players.
by Golden Boy on Dec 24, 2008 12:37 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Absolutely
The greatest/most successful ever.
by bradyk2 on Dec 24, 2008 3:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
thabo Sefolosha FTW!
Send out Kelena Azuibuke and his Maggettetitis infection.
Warriors, Stupidest franchise in the league.
by kenntoe on Dec 24, 2008 12:41 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
While good teams have someone who gets identified as a ‘glue guy’, good teams have considerably more talent to begin with. I suspect that there’s a larger number of players who could rise to the occasion of “glue guy” if the team had a point guard who could distribute the ball, a PF who could rebound and create offense in the paint, and shooting guards and SFs who could hit more than 40% of their shots. Our biggest missing link is still the stuff to glue together.
by jae on Dec 24, 2008 1:00 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Case in point
The Celtics, without Glueguy Extraordinaire Posey, have not exactly come unglued.
OBAMA AMABO
by Sleepy Freud on Dec 24, 2008 1:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Very True
That is a good point. I just feel like, with the exception of Turiaf, we don’t have any player who doesn’t want to score. I know that’s asking a lot in the NBA, but everyone who comes into the game is looking to score. It’s our fault for having a ton of scorers, I just wish someone like Azubuike weren’t so talented offensively, because he could concentrate on other things, and just move the ball.
by bradyk2 on Dec 24, 2008 4:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
great post
ya this team definetely lacks “that guy” and it is sad because that guy was Matt Barnes before last year he rejected a 3 year deal and signed a one year deal to try to set up his future. But unfortunately his mom died of cancer and really brought his season down (that’s just our luck). We just don’t have any body on the team that does this other than turiaf but I think this post is pointing towards the perimeter. And I think Stephen Jackson could be that guy especially once monta is back I just dont see it happening.
by FeartheBeard4 on Dec 24, 2008 1:29 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Jackson was that guy when Baron and Monta were the top 2 scoring options. Like somebody said somewhere on this forum (i forget where I read it from), robin needs batman, or in this case, two batmen.
WARRIORS BASKETBALL!!! Patiently waiting for a title...I may be waiting for a long time...
by JustSomeName on Dec 24, 2008 1:42 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
glue guy = A GUY THAT PLAYS REALLY F'N HARD ALL THE TIME
by HoLdEmUP on Dec 24, 2008 2:34 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Again, when a team has a talented starting lineup without guys with glaring flaws at 4 or 5 positions, hard workers tend to show up in abundance. When teams have a hard time fielding a good lineup of guys who can shoot, pass, dribble and rebound up to the general level expected at their positions, it’s easy for the work ethic of everyone to get a little bit soft. Doesn’t make it right, but “hard work” or “giving 110%” alone is not going to turn this team into anything more than mediocre. The team has several guys who have never shot well and never rebounded well and never taken particularly good care of the basketball in key positions getting major minutes. It’s just tough to win when you’re in that situation. The team is winning about as much as should have been expected without Baron and Monta without much replacement contribution from Maggs or anyone else.
by jae on Dec 24, 2008 3:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
mickael pietrus = paste guy
paste guy = one who’s foot always get caught by the refs pasted on the sidelines
by goldenboywarrior on Dec 24, 2008 3:44 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
WHY?
WHY DO I KEEP SEEING POST ABOUT WANTING THABO SEFELOSHA?! THAT DUDE IS CANNED! ONLY HAS BIG GAMES AGAINST THE WARRIORS. YOU GUYS ACT LIKE WARRIORS NEVER SUCKED BEFORE….JUST SUCK IT UP
by etsmash on Dec 24, 2008 3:56 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
We heard that Thabo has a collection of lowercase letters. We’re all hoping that if we traded for him, he’d pass them out to those fans who seem to have run out.
by jae on Dec 24, 2008 4:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
LOL
And I think i’m the only one throwing out ideas for Thabo. Thanks for reading my posts. haha.
My point is that Chicago has already given up on Thabo. Given our current roster stacked full of guys who can score, a simple swap may be a good idea. Thabo’s claim to fame has always been defense. Did you see the 06’ second round playoff matchup between Chicago and Miami? Thabo played great defense on Wade. We need that guy who can guard the opponent’s best player. He’s a long 6’7’’ so he’s pretty versatile. Hopefully he could be what MP never became. A lock down defender who doesn’t foul at an absurd rate.
Warriors, Stupidest franchise in the league.
by kenntoe on Dec 24, 2008 4:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
yup, just what we need= another 6-7 guy ...
… for Nelson to play at PF !
argh!!!!!
we need an enima in the management circle
by hardcore on Dec 24, 2008 5:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Ronny?
Ronny fouls more than he scores. And he’s a big contributor to going over the limit in free throw. (even though his percentage in block tops one of the fifth place in the NBA) I still like him though. And all the other guys.
by Shells on Dec 24, 2008 5:10 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
in a way
turiaf kind of is….
When Maggette missed those consecutive shots in a span of a humming bird’s flap,
Crawford simply looked at the bench and said, "Are you serious?"
by gorillas on Dec 24, 2008 7:24 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, in a way.
These guys work better as perimeter players, usually. Given our small lineup, Turiaf doesn’t get enough minutes to be that guy. As Shells said, he fouls a lot. Given his position, and his lack of diversity, he can’t usually guard the best player.
Also, if you look at these kind of players…battier, bowen, bell, horry, they’re capable of knocking down the big shot when open, which is almost always a 3. In order for Turiaf to make defenses pay when they forget about him, we’d need a PG like Baron to whip him a great feed underneath.
by bradyk2 on Dec 24, 2008 8:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
The Glue Guy
Kelenna Azubuike can be that glue guy. He’s struggled this season to fill into a bigger role for the team. But, when he becomes that 4th, or 5th offensive option on the court, rather than the 1st through 3rd, he can give you a lot from the SG position (ie. rebounding, spot up shooting, defense). A glue guy has to be effective as a fringe player, meaning he has the ability to thrive while not being a main option. The past couple years, it’s almost been glue guy by committe, with barnes, azubuike, and pietrus each playing a part in this role. I can see Azubuike doing this himself.
by wadho on Dec 25, 2008 11:39 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
We need Rudy Fernandez
That guy goes 120% all the freakin time, he’s always in the right spots for offensive boards, steals, charges, and he’s probably available because Portland seems to prefer having Outlaw out there as the 3. We’d have to give them AR to get him, and we probably wouldn’t want to do that since we aren’t 1 player away from doing anything and with Drunk Nelly here we’ve yet to see AR’s ceiling.
by mr40waters on Dec 26, 2008 4:05 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
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