Originally posted Sep 26, 2010 7:40 PM PDT
Download the 1280x800 wallpaper courtesy of your man Tony.psd
Jump like the entire Dubs Nation did when we all first heard about The Sale!
I always like to look back before I look forward (it's the T.R.O.Y. in me), so flip back to last year's preview before we dissect the upcoming 2010-2011 Golden State Warriors season:
- Micro-Warriornomics :: GSoM's 2009-2010 Golden State Warriors Preview (Part 1 of 2)
- Macro-Warriornomics - WE BELIEVE WE SUCK :: GSoM's 2009-2010 Golden State Warriors Preview (Part 2 of 2)
Onward...
2009-2010 Golden State Warriors Rewind
Last Year's Record: 26-56
Here's what to remember about last season:
- The silly Don Nelson hating was simply out of control. It's sad that the people who were making some legit points about why it was time to move in a different direction with the Warriors head coaching spot were getting drowned out by the noise coming from the irrational, illogical, and agenda-pushing crowd. We'll push out more on this later, but right now we should be spending our time thanking the legend for what he did for this team and how he rescued it from the depths of (soon to be former) owner Chris Cohan's incompetence.
- It was the welcome end to the silly campaigning for a mythically bright future of Golden State Warriors basketball led by Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins. I still can't believe back in 2007 right after WE BELIEVE folks were so eager to build around these two players, especially since Monta was benched in the playoffs and Biedrins was benched during that magical spring run.
- Mo Moped, Mo Turnovers. See Polling GSoM: Will the Golden State Warriors lead the league in turnovers this season?
- Horrendous center play- I can't emphasize this one enough. See The Andris Biedrins Starting Center Matchup Watch
- UGLY of the "U-G-L-Y you ain't got no alibi" variety free throws. See The Andris Biedrins Made Free Throw Watch + Polling GSoM: Will Warriors center Andris Biedrins break Celtics Garfield Smith 38 year record for lowest free throw %?
- Stephen Curry's emergence. Anyone want to continue spewing that nonsense that Nellie doesn't (well, sadly I guess it's didn't now) play rookies? See 2009-2010 NBA Rookie of the Year: The case for Stephen Curry vs Brandon Jennings + Tyreke Evans + Dave Berri Weighs in on 2009-2010 NBA Rookie of the Year Voting: Tyreke Evans or Stephen Curry- It was close
- Nellie's record. Don't let those Nellie haters distort history. This was fun and entertaining stuff all around. Bonus points for the Sierra Mist sprinkler celebration in the locker room.
Wins 1,332 and 1,333 were a great time out!
- RECAP: Golden State Warriors 113, Toronto Raptors 112 - Don Nelson ties record on Easter Sunday...this is almost biblical, wouldn't you say?
- Warriors Game Day Links: Golden State Warriors 113 @ Toronto Raptors 112 - Don Nelson ties Lenny Wilkens in wins
- Golden State Warriors Make History! Don Nelson gets win #1,333 for most head coaching wins in NBA history
- RECAP: Golden State Warriors 116, Minnesota Timberwolves 107 - Congratulations Nellie!
- Warriors Game Day Links: Golden State Warriors 116 @ Minnesota Timberwolves 107 - Nellie stands alone: 1333 wins
- I will never forget Nellie's final coaching game. Sadly it wasn't exactly the NBA Finals, but it spoke volumes how he stuck up for his troops. It was a tough, tough season, but the funny thing was I didn't want it to stop after that game. If you're a Warriors fan this is what it's all about: RECAP #82: Golden State Warriors 122, Portland Trailblazers 116- Golden State of Heart
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I'll pass the mic to my man JAE for a summary of the year that
wasn'twas: 2009-2010 Golden State Warriors Final Report Card: Combating Grade Inflation
2010 Golden State Warriors Offseason Rewind
Key Losses
Corey Maggette
It was probably the right long term move, but Maggette will indeed be missed around these parts:
...another non-basketball move? Sheesh. Corey Maggette is not a perfect player by any stretch of the imagination, but he is NOT Marco Belinelli. You don't just send him away for nothing, which is what this trade will most likely amount to for the Warriors.
Third of all, I must say I feel bad for Larry Riley. Every since he's stepped into the GM role for the Warriors he's been forced to make one non-basketball and Cohan dollar saving move after another. I *think* Riley is a good scout and can be a capable GM, but he really hasn't gotten much of a chance. This is the exact opposite situation that Chris Mullin walked into back in 2004 with the Warriors where we he was given a blank paycheck... and proceeded to ink some of the dumbest contracts in the history of the NBA. Aside from drafting Riley really hasn't gotten much of a chance.
Fourth, thank you Corey for being a true soldier here. You can now go back to being one of the ultimate Warrior Killers. I expect you to make at least 12 trips to the free throw line next time you're in Oakland.
Check out:
- Golden State Warriors trade Corey Maggette + 44th pick in 2010 NBA Draft to Milwaukee Bucks for Charlie Bell + Dan Gadzuric
- Will the Golden State Warriors Miss Corey Maggette?
Anthony Randolph
Hopefully someday Randolph learns how to play winning (he didn't even play on winning teams in college or in high school), team-oriented basketball with the professionalism that's required in the NBA. Until then there's absolutely no point in having him on an NBA roster. I chuckle when I read pieces about he's likely to breakout this season or that the Warriors screwed up by trading this young player with unlimited upside (by people who probably have never even see him play). I prefer to reserve that projection for players who have some semblance of hoops IQ and fundamentals.
Kelenna Azubuike
Azubuike is the best D-League call-up in NBA Development League history and I don't mean that in even the slightest antagonistic way. Sadly he seems like damaged goods and the Warriors probably traded him at the right time.
Ronny Turiaf
I'll miss the energy, character, charitable efforts, and fun attitude. I won't miss the poor rebounding, poor shooting, and overall poor defense (simply trying to block everything in sight does not make for good D).
Anthony Morrow
I'm very sad to say my personal fav will not sporting a Dubs jersey this season. Hopefully there's some way in the future AMMO can light up the Oracle once again (versus lighting up the Warriors), but I can't fault GM Larry Riley and crew for not wanting to match the Nets' price tag.
Chris Cohan
Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
No thanks for the memories, but thanks for selling- FINALLY!
Head Coach Don Nelson
The biggest loss of them all was the Don. More on this later...
Key Additions
David Lee
The Warriors had essentially no chips this summer, but they walked away with a 20-12-3.5 All-Star big man. You do the math.
Genius.
Give Larry Riley (and whoever else made it happen) props. In 1 year as the GM of the Warriors he did something his 2 predecessors couldn't do in (mostly painful) multi-year stints: add a legit power forward to this team.
Warriors fans are going to like a lot about Lee. A LOT.
Check out:
- BREAKING NEWS: David Lee agrees to 6 year $80 million deal with Golden State Warriors + Anthony Randolph Ronny Turiaf, Kelenna Azubuike to New York Knicks
- GSoM on the Radio: Olympicmike on At The Buzzer with Brian Doolittle on Sports Radio 1380 AM in St. Louis Talking David Lee and the Golden State Warriors
Epke Udoh
Truth be told when the David Stern was saying "With the 6th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft the Golden State Warriors select..." I was hoping to hear "GREG MONROE FROM GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY!" That didn't happen. Hopefully I'm wrong about this one.
Also see:
- With the 6th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft the Golden State Warriors select... EPKE UDOH!
- RECAP: Golden State Warriors 2010 NBA Draft Day - Yaaaawn...
- Doctor Strangepick or: How I Learned to Stop Griping and at Least Not Hate Drafting Ekpe Udoh
- Ekpe Udoh: Grading and Reviewing the Golden State Warriors 2010 NBA Draft
- Ekpe Udoh: Did Don Nelson Get the Player He Wanted?
Dan Gadzuric
I'm not expecting much, but whatever he can pitch in defensively would be fantastic.
Charlie Bell
I'm not expecting much, but whatever he can pitch in defensively would be fantastic. (Sound familiar?)
Dorell Wright
The Warriors need athletic wings. Hopefully he fits the bill.
Check out: Is Dorell Wright Primed for a Breakout Season?
Rodney Carney
The Warriors need athletic wings. Hopefully he fits the bill. (Sound familiar?)
Check out: Golden State Warriors Sign Rodney Carney- Going back to 2006 with Patrick O'Bryant + Kosta Perovic
Jeremy Lin
Okay maybe it was a publicity stunt, but as an Asian American, (East) Palo Alto resident, and Warriors fan I'm rooting for Lin to make it and prove the doubters wrong.
The post that started it all: Bow to the Jeremy Lin Movement (b-o-w = Based On What?)
Check out:
- Jeremy Lin to sign at 11am PDT with Golden State Warriors and a shoe endorsement deal?
- Questions Abound: Stephen Curry, Jeremy Lin and the State of the Point Guard Position for the Golden State Warriors
Louis Amundson
Give the Warriors props for signing the NBA's top remaining unsigned free agent 2 weeks before training camp. I'm kidding, but there's a lot to like with this seemingly trivial signing.
New Owners: Joe Lacob and Peter Gruber
The biggest addition of them all was a new ownership tandem. Seriously, WELCOME!
via epiphanytourney09.tripod.com
2010-2011 Golden State Warriors Projections
Biggest Strengths
Pick + Roll
Once Stephen Curry and David Lee get in rythym, you're going to like the sound of this. Pick and roll all day, every day. Even Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins are reasonably solid pick and roll cogs. (That's of course provided Biedrins doesn't play scared again.)
Rebounding
Yes, you read that right. The Warriors are set to be a very nice Windex team. David Lee and Andris Biedrins are elite rebounders, Louis Amundson is solid, and Stephen Curry opened some eyes with his nice work on the boards last season. Who knows maybe even Monta can get back to his earlier rebounding rates. Even if he doesn't, the Warriors project to be at their best level in this department in years- decades perhaps.
It's the first time GSW is cleaning the glass since... the Danny Fortson era?
GM
Warriors fans most recently suffered through the Dave Twardzik, Gary St. Jean, and Chris Mullin/ Robert Rowell eras. Incompetence was the norm. Simply silly moves were the norm. There's still some of the Mullin/ Rowell mess to be cleaned up (the Ellis/ Biedrins "master plan" as well as the lost 1st round draft pick and laptops to the Nets for Marcus WIlliams)
Biggest Weaknesses
The Human Powered Turnover Machine
Stephen Jackson (and his same number of wins in the 2010 NBA Playoffs as the Warriors last season) being gone definitely helps in this category. However, anytime Monta is on the court there's always a risk of a silly turnover- hoops IQ is not his strong point. Curry was also prone to the careless turnover (mostly from lazy one handed passes) last season. Taking care of business for the Warriors this year means taking care of the rock. Ellis and Curry really need to step up here.
It's not a healthy breakfast and it's not healthy for the Warriors win total.
Charmin' Soft Interior
Can Louis Amundson, Dan Gadzuric, and Ekpe Udoh give the Warriors some interior toughness? Let's hope so because it isn't likely to come from the likely starting 4-5 tandem Andris Biedrins and David Lee.
The Warriors D in the paint.
Coaching
There's a few reasons to be happy about Smart getting this gig:
- He genuinely seems like a really nice guy.
- The players really seem to like him
- It's a smooth transition from Nellie since he's been running the practices for awhile.
- Nellie anointed Smart the heir (way back in January 2007 actually). The last person Nellie anointed was of course Avery Johnson, which aside from WE BELIEVE turned out pretty well for the Dallas Mavericks. Speaking of which isn't it a little odd how the media never gives Nellie props for this? Bill Walsh used to get (deserved) props for opening up doors for his assistant coaches, minorities in particular. Nellie deserves some love for this as well.
However, there's a multitude of reasons to not be happy about Smart getting this gig. In terms of actual head coaching experience he doesn't exactly have the best track record. He was the Warriors "defensive coordinator" the past season and defense (aside from turnovers) was the Warriors downfall.
The Warriors simply are a worse coached team under Smart than Nellie. Smart currently ranks in the very bottom in the ranks of NBA head coaches. I wouldn't be too surprised if this is a 1 year or interim head coaching gig.
Point blank: Don Nelson could take this team to the playoffs. Keith Smart probably cannot. It's just asking way too much from him.
GSW Goals for 2010-2011
Player Level
- Stephen Curry: Continue the 26.4 ppg, 8.1 apg, 6.4 rpg, and 2.6 stls pace of the final month of last season. (Seriously those were some MONSTER numbers!)
- David Lee: Bring that 20-12 from the East Coast to the West Coast.
- Monta Ellis: Boost trade value to entice the Nuggets to move Carmelo Anthony.
- Andris Biedrins: See above plus show up some semblance of commitment to the game of basketball and quit complaining and playing scared.
- Brandan Wright: Play more than 41 games. That is all.
- Louis Amundson: Bring the D and work on the glass. Possibly even beat out Biedrins for the starting spot.
- Rodney Carney: Get the 3pt shooting percentage back up to where it was 2 seasons ago at 35.0%.
- Jeremy Lin: Show everyone why you belong in the NBA.
- Charlie Bell: Add a much needed defensive element to the Dubs backcourt.
- Dan Gadzuric: Step up when the other Warriors bigs are injured or struggling.
- Vladimir Radmanovic: Contribute somehow.
- Reggie Williams: Keep scoring at a hot rate.
- Dorell Wright: Emerge.
- Epke Udoh: Be a great New Year's 2011 present.
Team Level
- Continue to improve the roster through creative trades like the David Lee one. The Warriors are much closer than they were the previous two years. Just a few more good moves and in-house improvements will do it.
- Make a push for the playoffs. The bottom of the West is slowly crumbling. It's a new decade and this shouldn't continue to be the Western Conference of old.
- Defense. Play some for a change.
BOLD Predictions
- Andris Biedrins and his 16% FT will be playing somewhere else by next August.
- Monta Ellis has his league-leading 3.8 turnovers a game will be playing somewhere else by next August.
- Larry Riley will be this team's GM for this season and the next at a minimum.
- Either Dan Gadzuric ($7.2 million) or Vladamir Radmonovic's ($6.9 million) expiring contracts will actually be used to improve this team hoops-wise in a trade before the 2011 NBA trading deadline. (I know, what a concept.)
- Everyone will miss and finally appreciate Don Nelson. Man I'm going to miss The Don Nelson Show on KNBR with The Razor and Mr. T.
Overall record
34-48
GSoM Night 9
Let's kick things off right this year everyone. New logo, new jerseys, new players, new owner, but your same ol' golden friends. Join us:
- GSoM Night 9: Courtside Shootaround Details!
- GSOM Night 9: Golden State Warriors Opening Night 2010 vs Houston Rockets
- GSOM Night 9: The Details + Post-Game On-Court Free Throw Contest
