How Keith Smart Improved the Warriors and Predictions for the future

Many people have given up on this team by this point.  They wanted this team to get to .500, to play defense, to keep Nellie.  Well, that didn't happen, because the Warriors are a championship team.  Last time I checked, the Celtics were terrible in 2007.  And yet they won the 2008 NBA Championship.  Count on it happening to the Warriors next season!  In-depth analysis on how Keith Smart has prepared the players for this after the jump.

Monta Ellis

Keith Smart has been roasted on this blog several times.  They attack his confusing rotations, questionable decisions, and overall intelligence.  They wonder why Monta is playing 40+ minutes in a blowout of the Rockets.  Well, he's got you all fooled.  All this is just to prepare Ellis for the playoff run next year.  Ellis is obviously improving his stamina for next year, when Keith Smart will play him 20 minutes per game and then set him loose in the playoffs.  

Doubleteapot's psychic fish Fred says: Expect Ellis to break no less than ten ankles per play in the 2012 NBA Finals.

Steph Curry

Curry is not a "younger Steve Nash".  Nash is an "older Steph Curry."

Anyone ever hear about the "sophomore slump"?  Well, Keith Smart did, and he decided to do something about it.  That's why Curry played less - every time he looked like he was slumping, Smart decided to bench him.  That way, Curry would never get torn apart by the rabid media and never lose his confidence.  Is it any coincidence that Curry has had better stats in less minutes?  I think not.   

Doubleteapot's psychic fish Fred says: Next year, expect Curry to average 48 minutes per game as Smart takes advantage of the "junior jump"

Dorell Wright

People wonder why Dorell Wright played almost 40 minutes per game.  People also wonder how airplanes fly.   Dorell Wright played those big minutes because he's our perimeter defensive stopper.  We all know that Ellis needs to conserve energy for offense.  So Keith Smart did the "Wright" thing and played him big minutes alongside Ellis.  We all remember where we were when he shut down Kobe.  Not only that, Wright shoots almost .400 from three - what more do you want from our top perimeter defender? 

Doubleteapot's psychic fish Fred says: Expect Wright to hold Lebron James to 0/20 shooting in Game 4 when the Warriors sweep the Heat.

David Lee

Let's be honest here - Donnie Walsh didn't want to look bad trading away the best power forward in the league, so he ordered a hit job on David Lee's elbow.  While this did hold Lee back for a while, Keith Smart deserves a lot of credit for coming up with the perfect training regimen for Lee while his elbow healed.   Though in the beginning it caused Lee some trouble rebounding and shooting, he now shoots .500 from three.  Looks like Dirk will have to take another vacation in Australia.

Doubleteapot's psychic fish Fred says: Next year, Lee changes his last name to "Robinson" and out averages Kevin Love in rebounds by 10.

Ekpe Udoh

When he was drafted by the Warriors, people on this blog were angry because they thought he was drafted too high.  Well, turns out he was drafted too low!  How many rookies do you see block 1.4 shots per game?  According to my fantasy basketball adviser, blocks are more valuable than points.   Udoh gets my vote for ROY.  Also, when you finish this sentence, he will have blocked four shots

Doubleteapot's psychic fish Fred says: Udoh's blocks will actually decrease next year, because opposing players will be afraid to take any shot if he is in the game.

Andris Biedrins

Some people call Biedrins' contract an "albatross."   Last time I checked, an albatross was a bird.  I assume that this means that people expect Biedrins to soar to new heights.  Well, I'm not surprised.  Keith Smart taught him great free throw technique and he practically doubled his free throw percentage from last season.  Why do announcers praise Steve Nash for his free throw shooting, even though he has never doubled his free throw shooting percentage?  That's the Canadian bias in the media.

Doubleteapot's psychic fish Fred says: Next year, Biedrins wins the 6th man of the year award for averaging a double double while playing only 10 minutes per game, because he wants to keep the game competitive.