OPEN THREAD - GAME #42: Warriors @ Bucks

Warriors (W-L): 24-17
Bucks (W-L): 16-23
TV: FSN Bay Area
Radio: KNBR 680
Time: 5:30 pm

The road trip against sub .500 teams continues. There's some good stuff after the jump- and you don't even have to pay big bucks!

The last time these two teams squared off back in early December the Warriors were recovering from their 0-6 start with a hot streak and the Bucks were flirting with the .500 mark. It was an Yi-sy 30 point win for the Warriors and you'd hope this edition of Saturday night hoops would be over fast as well. Since that game the Warriors have been flirting with .600 and the Bucks are simply wondering "What the buck is going on?" They've even been rumored to be willing to take Zach Randolph of Isiah's hands (ouch!).

The Bucks are a bad team and their record doesn't reflect that accurately enough. If they were in the West they'd be in 10 win territory, but alas the East is still the Least. There's no reason why this Warriors cast should lose to the Bucks team on any given night.

Well except for fatigue. In getting last night's nice W against the Bulls Nellie had to play Baron Davis, Monta Ellis, and Stephen Jackson well over 44 minutes each. Al Harrington and Matt Barnes also played over 32 minutes each, so it's not like they're well rested either. The Warriors best players are understandably going to be very tired and sore for tonight's brewery battle.

I can't blame Nellie one bit though. He did what he had to do to get a road win. Seeing what I've seen so far from the deepest depths of his bench crew I'd be hesitant to play them as well. I think it's a cry for help from Nellie for a roster shakeup before the February trading deadline. Hopefully something can get done. It's near the 2k7-2k8 season's midpoint and the Warriors are in the odd situation of being 4.5 games out of the #1 spot in the West and 1 game out of being gone fishing early and counting Super Lotto Balls for the 13th time in 14 years. The Warriors don't exactly hold the tie-breaker with the current 9th seed either.

We of course can't forget tonight's possible Warrior Killers. My nominees are Michael Redd, Yi Jianlian, and Andrew Bogut.

I'm not convinced Redd is a great ball handler, so I'd jam him as soon as touches the rock and force him to create and drive to the basket. Let's hope he doesn't make me look too foolish for suggesting that.
Redd's Warrior Killer chances: 75-25

To tell you the truth I'd be surprised if Yi even gets to attempt more than 7 or 8 shots playing alongside the ball hog guards on the Bucks. After the Warriors squashed the Bucks into pennies in Oakland, Al Harrington joked that he was leaving Yi wide open and the Bucks still weren't getting him the ball. I'm guessing the Bucks' coaches checked out the video tape of that game and won't make the same mistake this time around.
Yi's Warrior Killer chances: 50-50

Bogut is an interesting player (+hater- if you read his comments this past summer). At 7 feet 245 pounds he has the size and natural skillset with his passing to be worth his #1 overall status (ahead of guys like Chris Paul and Deron Williams- oops!), but he seems a little slow. His lack of footspeed might actually not be that big of a liability against the Warriors on the second night of a back to back on the road though. Will the Dubs have their legs for this one? If they do, Bogut will be rendered useless in a such a high paced game. If they don't, watch out.
Bogut's Warrior Killer chances: 25-75

For the most bang for your buck peep Brew Hoop: Warriors/Bucks: Preview | Q&A: Frank from Brew Hoop. Milwaukee's finest posted this in their preview:

If there's one thing I can guarantee you it's that The Movement and The Wright Thing will not be having an epic battle against one another tonight. Think it'll ever happen someday?

Predictions:

• Warriors by 5.
• Monta drops 25+ points as he continues to collect gaudy stats against bad teams.
• Yi Jianlian gets a double-double in points and rebounds and sprinkles in a few blocks.
• Al Harrington recovers from last night's dismal shooting performance to drop 17+ points.
• Michael Redd drops 30+ points.
• Nellie finds a way to make Marco Belinelli, Brandan Wright, and Patrick O'Bryant earn their paychecks tonight.
• You want a ton of links about The Yi Movement (below).

The Yi Movement Anthology:

• 2007 NBA Draft: We want Yi Jian Lian!
• The Yi Movement Continues...
• Yi's Got Yao Ming and the Ladies Running!
• Yi Dropping Double Doubles
• Spanish Fly vs Yi Fly
• China vs USA- It's Yi Time!
• RECAP: Team USA 119, China 73
• Yi is FIBA's Interview of the (Long)Week
• Yi's a Sure Thing + Coast II Coast Bust
• Yi at FIBA and 2k7 Draft
• Yi in 2k7
• Yi's Sweeter than Mango Mochi Ice Cream
• Nellie Loves Chinese Ballas
• Yi Chat with Chad Ford
• Scouts LOVE Yi
• Is The Yi Movement Over?
• Rumor: Warriors are Yi "Approved"
• Rumor: Warriors and Bulls Want Yi
• Dwight Howard Endorses The Movement
• Yi's "a sight to behold"
• Rumor: Yi Could Pull a Fran Vazquez
• The Yi Movement Gets Junkdafied
• Rumor: Jason Richardson for 5th Pick (Yi Jianlian), Theo Ratliff, and Sebastian Telfair
• Rumor: Jason Richardson + #18 pick to Grizzlies, Celtics or Bobcats
• Project O'Bust vs Yi Jianlian
• Yi in Town
• Rumor: Jason Richardson + #18 Pick for Bucks' #6 Pick (Yi Jianlian)
• Chris Mullin Talks about The Yi Movement
• Yi Jianlian Takes Over ESPN.com
• Yi Blogs like an American!
• Rumor: Warriors Trying Hard for Yi Jianlian
• Rumor: Andris Biedrins + #18 Pick for Bucks' #6 (Yi Jianlian)
• Rumor: Warriors Willing to Move Monta Ellis for Bobcats' #8 Pick if Yi's Available
• In the 2007 NBA Draft the Warriors will select...
• With the 6th pick in the 2k7 Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks take...
• Draft Day Reflection
• The Global Economic Logic to Yi's NBA Destination
• Friday Night Hoops- Yao vs Yi
• Do You Believe in Yi?

It ain't Yi-sy being Yi!
(Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE/Getty Images)