Just like this photo, this game was painful for all involved.
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I'll be blunt. This was a boring game. That doesn't mean that this recap will anything close to boring though, so JUMP!
Monta Ellis and the Apple Turnover Diet
Repeat after me:
MONTA ELLIS IS NOT A POINT GUARD. HE SHOULD NOT HAVE THE BALL IN HIS HANDS AT THE END OF QUARTERS.
Thank you.
It was hilarious when various Warriors "experts" and fans were saying the loss of Baron Davis was not a big deal for the Warriors back in the summer of 2008 because Monta could step in just fine as the point guard. It was even more hilarious when Monta reportedly threw a tantrum and threatened even more tantrums if the Warriors ignored his wishes during the summer of 2009 after his lost Moped Gate season and took a point guard in the draft. As an epilogue (and you know what happened) the artist formerly known as Boom Dizzle proceeded to prove that he was a nobody without Don Nelson and caused his own owner to heckle him, the Warriors drafted Stephen Curry, and Mr. Turnover spouted his "can't do it" nonsense.
Last season it became abundantly clear that whenever Ellis has the rock at the end of quarters with the time ticking one of two things are guaranteed to happen:
1) a silly turnover
2) a silly forced shot which has no chance of going in
Monta's 7 total turnovers, careless suffered pick pocket by Andre Miller (more on him in a bit) which led to an easy two which he didn't even challenge, and off balance miss at the end of the game illustrate all of the above.
And of course, wait for it...
There you go.
Andre Miller- Mr. Unexplainable
I will never comprehend how this guy is so good and helps NBA teams win. He's relatively unathletic (slow even as Brandon Roy would attest), likely has less vertical leap than I do, and quite frankly is a tad out of shape and pudgy for an NBA player. Yet somehow this crafty vet just keeps doing his thing on winning teams. Miller is like that random 45 year old man with knee braces and elbow pads that you bump into every now and then at pickup games who you think you're going to run circles around, but schools you. Absolutely schools you.
Miller is my nominee for tonight's Warrior Killer. He schooled the Warriors tonight with his 17 points (7-12 FG), 8 dimes, and 4 picks in less than 30 minutes of action.
Quick Shots
- Call Vladimir Radmanovic Rad Vlad for what he gave the Dubs tonight. That might've been his best game in a Warriors uni ever. He knocked down 2 treys, moved the ball well (4 assists), and even played some tough D collecting 2 swats off the bench. If he could do this more often the Warriors would have some semblance of a bench.
- Milk Carton: Ekpe Udoh. Why is this guy not playing? Can he really be that much worse than what the Warriors bench is providing right now?
- It's great to see Cal product Sean Marks still in the league. He used to crack me up back in the day with his random roars off putbacks. Can you believe he's had a longer NBA career than Lamond Murray? Shocking.
- LaMarcus Aldridge deserves props for his solid outing. His 17-12 looked easy. The Warriors D will do that to you of course.
- I could go on about this game, but I'll leave that to my friends in the comments. Honestly this was a boring and sloppy game. To tell you the truth the Warriors didn't deserve to win it. If you didn't see this game, you didn't miss much. If you saw the game, well I'm sorry. I feel for you. I really do.
I'm handing this one out to former Warrior assistant and now Orlando Magic GM Otis Smith. Guts would be an understatement.
Why couldn't he be Gary St. Jean's heir to the Warriors front office instead of Chris Mullin?
Gilbert Arenas and Jason Richardson? What is this 2002?
Why Cohan? WHY?!
Check out these hits from Orlando Pinstriped Post:
- Reports: Orlando Magic Trade Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, and Mickael Pietrus to Phoenix Suns for Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, and Earl Clark
- Orlando Magic Trade Rashard Lewis to Washington Wizards for Gilbert Arenas
I think I know who Warrior fans will be rooting for in the 2011 Eastern Conference Playoffs.
Shout out to GSoMer WYK for posting this video clip:
I was thinking the exact same thing the second I heard about the Magic trades today.