OH MY GOODNESS WHAT A GAME!
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SB Nation: Orlando Pinstriped Post | Bay Area
Oh my.
Just oh my.
I know it's meaningless in the grand scheme of things and it looked like the Warriors sloppiness and unclutchness were going to get the best of them, but- oh my. What a game.
JUMP as we try to break down the oh my!
Worrisome Warriors
I'll be honest. Watching this game no matter how hard the Dubs fought back, I was just waiting for them to do something dumb and lose in the most painful way possible. Exhibits A through way too many:
- The Warrior got down by 21 points at home after a cushy road trip.
- Why do the Warriors veteran centers consistently stink up the joint? Andris Biedrins had another garbage outing with more fouls than points and his usual soft defense. 5 rebounds in almost 25 minutes of play don't make up for those other weaknesses. It's time to bench Biedrins and see if that wakes him up. Louis Amundson has been a bust free agent for the Warriors and tonight's performance didn't do much to change that analysis.
- I give Larry Riley a lot of credit. He walked into a huge mess and has made a lot of very solid moves. However, drafting Ekpe Udoh over Greg Monroe is looking like a colossal mistake. Post All-Star break the Pistons starting center (wouldn't it be nice to have a starting caliber center?) is putting up 15.3ppg, 10.9rpg, 2 assists to under a turnover a game, and 1.6 steals. Biedrins, Udoh, and Amundson don't give the Warriors that much output COMBINED.
- Why is Vladimir Radmanovic playing over 24 minutes in a game... ever?
- It is disturbing that the shooting guard the Warriors traded Brandan Wright for went 7 for 11 for 3pt range. Actually it's more disturbing that this shooting guard still weighs 5 pounds more than Wright.
- Say it with me now- Jason Richardson for Brandan Wright was one of the dumbest and cheapest moves in Warriors franchise history. Thank you Chris Cohan, Robert Rowell, and Chris Mullin for prematurely killing WE BELIEVE.
- The Warriors gifted the Magic a whopping 35 trips to the free throw line and only got there 13 times.
- In the final minute of the 4th quarter Monta Ellis got trapped on the left side of the court in a double team and threw a ridiculously stupid pass that got picked off.
- Also near the end of the 4th quarter Dorell Wright had his inbounds pass intercepted. The Warriors got lucky that Jameer Nelson was called for a charge call. (Gutsy call by the refs by the way.)
- With about 8 seconds at the end of the 4th Stephen Curry got trapped in a double team at the top of the key and nearly turned the ball over. He didn't even get a shot off. Very Monta Ellis-like and very unacceptable.
OH MY!
- OH MY the Warriors showed some heart and resolve coming back from 21 points, entering overtime with zero momentum, and sealing the deal.
- OH MY Monta and Steph both had double-digit dimes. When they combine for 23 assists good things are going to happen.
- OH MY to both teams for draining 36 treys. You know Nellie was enjoying this one at home.
- OH MY Monta hit 7 three's which was only second most on the Warriors tonight. Dorell Wright dropped an absurd 8 trifectas! (Udoh over Monroe feels a lot better when you think about what a steal Riley got with his Dorell Wright offseason find.)
- OH MY Monta and Steph combined for 61 points.
- OH MY after losing several games to such NBA elites as the Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers, and New Jersey Nets (minus Coach Sloan's favorite point guard too), the Warriors actually beat an excellent Magic team!
There were definitely more impressive box score lines from other Warriors, but I'm handing this one out to David Lee. 16 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists (only 1 turnover), 1 block, and 2 steals are definitely money, but the thing I most appreciate was Lee's hustle and fronting against Dwight Howard in the second half of the game. Duh-wight (as my man FJ calls him) only scored once in the entire 2nd half.
Field goal is... GOOD!
Let's see... the Warriors play their best 5 players meaning Andris Biedrins and the rest of the Warriors' Center crew sit on the bench and they go small with Lee at the 5 spot.
They do BIG THANGS.
Why is this so complicated? Do you really think Don Nelson would waste so much time trying to push a square peg into a round hole? Go small, run, and live and die by the 3 pointer.
WE BELIEVE the Warriors should have never fired Don Nelson.
Nellieball is exactly what this team needs.
It's obvious.