Nellie is senile man. Going small is only an advantage when we actually gain an advantage. If we're gonna suck while going small, maybe a solution is, i dunno, using our big men in whom our future depends?

SB Nation Quality Control

AIM: Jetforze

The grit and never give up attitude that the Warriors showed in the 4th and OT was something we have not seen from a W's team since the 70's.  Never give up, keep playing D.  Wow.

One criticism that I need to say, "What is Pietrus doing at the end of regulation?  You are up by 3 with 5 secs. left, a guy drives and you leave the man at the 3 pt line?"  That could have been a crusher if it cost the W's the game.  But I will say he hit some clutch shots and got some key rebounds in the 4th.  But when will the boneheaded plays end?

Nothing better than "The City".

OMG WTF BBQ! WHO WILL WE USE TO GUARD OTHER BIGS IN THE PLAYOFFS?!

WHY AREN'T WE UP AGAINST THE LUXURY TAX!

Wait, the Spurs have a great big man and a huge payroll and lost. Hrm. Maybe all that noise isn't really analysis at all, but just noise. It sounds just as bad when I type it as when other people type it.

Anyways, terrific game- i'd argue this was our finest game of the year overall, beating the best team in the league with a full roster. In overtime, no less.

Overall, the two big points to me:

Offensive efficiency. Winning the turnover battle against the Spurs is no mean feat; neither is shooting over 50% against the best defensive team in the L; we even WON THE BATTLE OF THE BOARDS

Defensive intensity. Again, winning the TO battle is both offense and defense for us. We closed out better and cleaned the glass, and were excellent against the pick and roll, even earning a few TO's while defending it. This will not show up in the box score, but Biedrins' feet and good teamwork took away alot of what the Spurs were trying to do.

Individual accolates:

Good lord, Biedrins stood tall against the best big man in the league, mostly in one on one coverage. He picked up fouls, but I can hardly fault him for getting beat a few times by Parker/Duncan's pick and roll (Again, they have rings for a reason...they are pretty good). Mostly AB stayed down, used his length to bother Duncan, and used his feet to stay in good position.

Defending Duncan AND getting rebounds...thats huge responsibility for one man, but Biedrins did it. Racking up 13/10 with 3 assists 2 steals and 2 blocks is a darn good all around line, but more important was his OVERALL EFFECT ON THE OFFENSE. The Warriors ran the pick and roll to death up high with Biedrins, and when he didn't get a bucket, he started sucking in 2, sometimes 3 defenders because he went to the proper spot with a hard cut and finished early. After a while, the rest of the Warriors had miles of space to operate after running the pick and roll because the Spurs were scrambling to recover.

I've been yammering about the high pick and roll forever now, and it feels darn good to be vindicated with a win in which we were committed to running it. The Suns do it with Amare and Nash, and it works. We did it and it reduced the amount of one v one we had to rely on and got us better shots.

See also the time he pushed the ball up court himself and found Azubuike for the easy bucket. Thank you and keep it up, big man.

(Poll: who thinks a guy who can do a pretty good job on Tim Duncan is worth drafting?)

(Poll 2: who thinks a guy who can do a pretty good job on Tim Duncan is worth re-signing?)

Second, Baron Davis was magnificent. Utterly magnificent. Very few forced shots, 9/10 from the line, zero turnovers, 14 assists, and he controlled the game by creating havoc in tandem with Biedrins, scoring when the opportunity presented itself (often). He also beat the league's premier perimeter defender not named Artest, blowing by Bowen with his speed and finishing against every Spur with his strahngth.

Third, Mickael Pietrus had the best game of the year- but he's still an idiot. He is, literally, the gift that keeps taking away. The box score seems quality- 13 and 6 on 5/9 shooting. Look again and u see 4 fouls in 16 minutes, and crucially for those watching the game, a blown assignment on the Parker corner 3p, where he left an open 3p shooter to watch a cutting man despite the Warriors holding the three point lead. Absolutely wretched team defense, fortunately Nellie sobered up and put Azubuike in shortly after the start of the OT. Note that Azubuike was covering that corner man on a later possession when the Spurs were still in striking distance. Team defense- pay attention to it. I will give Pietrus credit for a massive block on Duncan that was wiped away on a ticky tack call by the refs (though Pietrus asks for it with all his reaching). Overall his activity produced results, ut his stupidity canceled them out, which is probably the best we can hope for.

Fourth, Kelenna Azubuike is a godsend. He is an absolute stud. This isn't the first time he's been perfect from the field while taking a fair amount of shots- 7 of 7 for 16 points, and throw in 6 boards in in a mere 24 minutes. This dude needs to get 30+ MPG a game. Like Biedrins, he's just in the spot at the right time through good awareness and understanding, and that is absolutely essential to getting all the easy buckets and loose balls.

SB Nation Quality Control

AIM: Jetforze

GO WARRIORS (popping the collar)

nice W!

(Lest Jack and Pietrus get lumped into one category--they giveth, they taketh away; they do dazzling, they do stupid, same diff--consider the impact each has on team defense.)

Then, also not to be overlooked, perfect free throw shooting and 4 of 11 from three, most of it late in the game when it had to fall or else we fall.  You get the good and the bad together with Jack, and there's not much use wishing or pleading or hollering for him to be more sensible, take fewer shots, and so on. His brickery was essential to our faltering first quarter; his steadiness essential to our victorious OT.

whoooooooooooo

yay speculation based on a game

Good win, Dubs.  Happy Days.

But awesome win last night.  Can't wait to see what CJ Watson brings to the table.