This is really the first FULL season for the Warriors. It was easy to run for 20 plus games last year...Harder to mature to a full season team.  The Warriors are still learning and adjusting.

The Suns struggle with less quality teams as well, as they've lost to Minnesota, and Chicago, etc. just like the W's. I think it's mostly a consequence of how the Warriors play. There's no telling what would change if the W's slowed things down and stopped shooting so much. What if they didn't score as much? They'd lose more! I agree, the W's have been one of the top teams in the league since 0-6, and 1-7, so worrying about close wins might be an overreaction. After all, this is the NBA, like Barnett said on the radio before the Bulls game, "They all belong here, and they'll beat you if you don't take them seriously." Every night looks to be a dogfight in the west, and the W's just have to be ready to scrap.

Jax was the epitome of that fight last night. The word splashed across his chest, "Warrior" doesn't lie, that was as courageous a performance as I've seen from a Warrior. Not only did he stay in the game, he shut DOWN Artest down the stretch, forced his mishandle on what could've been the first game-tying three, and hit a big three to put the Warriors ahead. As long as they can turn in performances like that consistently, the W's will make the playoffs and do some damage.

Monta on the other hand is just pure fun to watch. This dude can fly!!!!!!!!

(quietly cuz my roommates are studying...)

But this team's in REAL trouble.  And it all starts with Nellie and BD.  Nellie painted himself into an even bigger corner last night, saying not only will he not play his youngsters like BW (a HUGE idiocy), he won't even be playing KAZ (who, even slowed by injury, is better than anyone on the Bench).  His stubbornness is getting tedious.

Nellie's coaching strengths have always been two-fold: first, he want fast, up-tempo guys who can handle the ball and play multiple positions; second, his is traditionally a meritocracy (Adam L's fine term), where those who play well stay in the game and those that don't, sit.  The twp parts necessarily go together.

This year, though, he's thrown the second component out the window -- keeping both BD and Jack in EVEN WHEN THEY'RE STINKING THE JOINT OUT.  And it's getting worse.  I was complaining when he played these two 80 minutes a game -- forcing them to pace themselves and rob themselves of their real talents (when was the last time BD took it strong to the hole?); now he's playing them 85-90 minutes (88-89 last night), even when they're 13-39 shooting.  Silly, stupid, stubborn coaching.  (And you can talk about how good their record is, but it ain't staying that way if Nellie keeps this up.  Their play the last two weeks makes this painfully clear.)  These two don't have to perform because they know they won't get yanked.  So we get games just like those we've been seeing, where Monta or AB have to be super-hot if we're going to win, because BD and Jack can only bring it in short, isolated spurts -- and even those are increasingly missing at crunch time.  (Last night's silver lining for this was watching Monta just take over the game in the 4th Q.  It'd be nice to see Nellie cut the other young guys -- including AB, who needs to be on the floor more -- some slack, and let them play while the old guys get a blow.)

BD's clearly lost it this past month.  Though playing over 40 minutes a game, he's actually getting too heavy, looking a bit like he did two years ago.  He's lost a step.  He rarely drive the hole, and never with the passion of last year.  He's back taking too many bad shots.  And, worst of all, too often he's just sleep-walking through games -- something we never saw last year.  He's the leader, our straw, and yet he's not been the BD we know -- and he's certainly no all-star in 2008, having been schooled by DWilliams, Chris Paul and even Duhon.  I think he's tired; Adam guesses a minor injury, some think he's bothered by Nellie ragging on him.  Whatever it is, if he doesn't get more rest -- and VERY soon -- we're either missing the playoffs or it's one and out.

Jack's problem is easier to spot.  Though he played an OK game yesterday, and showed some "life" in Q4, he's not played well in the last two months.  He still shoots far too much.  His defense has become mediocre, at best.  His hands look tired and slow -- and they're his strength.  Maybe it's his toe; who knows?  But he, too, needs rest.  

It's too early yet to tell about CWebb, but thus far it looks pretty bad: he's slow, out of shape, and he's going to be playing the five (keeping AB off the floor) -- which he hates and which puts him down low, where he's uncomfortable and eminently beatable.  Plus, he slows the whole team down -- when they really need to speed things up.  (Hello BW, Watson, Marco, et al.)

This is most strange.  Not only are the W's playing down to their opposition, their leaders -- Nellie, BD and Jack -- are playing down their incredible BBall smarts.  There's an easy way for these guys to get better, but time's running out.  The answer: have Nellie go back to playing guys that deserve to play.  It's that simple.  BD and Jack could go all out when they're on the floor.  The kids could pick up the speed.  CWebb could be good in spots.  The W's would be fun again.

Monta and AB are pointing the way, blazing the trail to the future.  But they need a fresher game from BD and Jack.  And they need Nellie to swallow his pride, admit bhe's been wrong, and get his younger players involved.  Now.

May become the next edition of.....

And leave the team after this season.  I fear the ridiculous offer of another team that the Dubs don't match.

OakFoSho