Golden State Of Mind: All Posts by Nate P."UNSTOPPABLE BABY!" - Warriors rookie Marc Jackson to the Mavs' bench, after a lay-up during a 29-point loss (2000)https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50563/gsom-fav.png2019-12-27T17:30:00-08:00https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/authors/nate-parham/rss2019-12-27T17:30:00-08:002019-12-27T17:30:00-08:00Warriors vs. Suns preview: Can they continue the winning streak?
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<figcaption>Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Tanking is still at the forefront of our minds, but let’s be real: it feels good to win again.</p> <p id="0HHnyu">The <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> will face the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> tonight at 7:30 p.m. looking to win four games in a row for the first time in forever. </p>
<p id="X9tpLk">Beating the <a href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Houston Rockets</a> on Christmas Day — a game that I openly wrote off in favor of spending time with in-laws — was something of a miracle, but it’s also seeming like the team is figuring something out lately. And honestly it’s just more fun to watch the guys having fun again instead of being mired in an endless cycle of losing. <br>That’s why it’s easy to side with Warriors coach Steve Kerr against the ref who cautioned him to keep the bench’s celebrations to a minimum — there has been very little to celebrate and you need something just to get through an 82-game season. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Steve Kerr says the ref told his players not to celebrate on the court during the game. He told the ref that wasn't going to happen. <a href="https://t.co/ZVWGljBuGt">pic.twitter.com/ZVWGljBuGt</a></p>— Wes Goldberg (@wcgoldberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/wcgoldberg/status/1210297304411803648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2019</a>
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<p id="Jke4Ak">In any event, the Suns enter tonight’s game having lost seven straight.... so this could be an attainable win! <br>The tank can wait — don’t worry, we’re still in last place — but I’m gonna enjoy this mini-streak while it lasts. </p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/12/27/21039857/nba-2019-warriors-vs-suns-preview-winning-streakNate P.2019-12-23T22:05:01-08:002019-12-23T22:05:01-08:00Warriors vs. Wolves celebration thread: Two in a row!!!
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<img alt="NBA: Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden State Warriors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/w0PlNhZ3_zEhc-5Plf0x7ocAtJ0=/0x0:3600x2400/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65964116/usa_today_13834365.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>We’ll take it!</p> <p id="zRkuoV">Throughout the third quarter, the 6-24 <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> were up by more than 20 points on the <a href="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Minnesota Timberwolves</a>.</p>
<p id="MrRRlH">Sure, the Wolves were without Karl-Anthony Towns, but this has not been the year of Warriors blowouts that we’ve become accustomed to during the Steve Kerr era. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Wolves are getting blown out by the Warriors? Why...</p>— ヒューゴ (@HugoKitano) <a href="https://twitter.com/HugoKitano/status/1209341178786631680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2019</a>
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<p id="LNb9L7">I mean, there isn’t much else to say about it — I don’t think many of us expected <em>that</em>. <br><br>The Warriors fell back to earth in the fourth quarter with some ill-timed fouls and turnovers plus some hot shooting from Minnesota — more growing pains from a team full of them.</p>
<p id="r4KRmM">That aside, a win is a win and that makes two in a row. One more and we’ll enter completely uncharted territory this season: a winning streak. </p>
<p id="HlqDMh">It has happened before.</p>
<div id="zKZt7L"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 75%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MLCLMEYp9s0?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media; accelerometer; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="bo7JCo">And how sweet would it be to happen against Houston on Christmas Day? This is the season of miracles, right?</p>
<p id="G9blBH">Tell us what you think in the comments below!</p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/12/23/21036268/nba-2019-warriors-vs-wolves-final-score-golden-state-wins-at-homeNate P.2019-12-23T18:17:08-08:002019-12-23T18:17:08-08:00Warriors vs. Wolves GameThread: Paschall will play, Smailagic out despite call-up
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<img alt="New Orleans Pelicans v Golden State Warriors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/SXVzZfdm1cqAm3r-JKWYLGp7LTw=/0x0:3600x2400/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65963506/1189671678.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Warriors will face the Wolves with a chance to win two in a row.</p> <p id="nHZoME">The <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> will face the <a href="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Minnesota Timberwolves</a> tonight looking for their second win in a row albeit also just their second win in seven games. </p>
<p id="DM2tRM">On the bright side, rookie phenom <span>Eric Paschall</span> is available to play tonight after being in and out of action over the last four games. <span>Alen Smailagic</span> was also called up from the team’s G-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, but will be out for tonight’s game — perhaps we’ll actually see him in a regular season game sometime soon????</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Paschall (right knee) will play tonight and is not even listed on the official NBA injury report submitted by the Warriors at 230p EST.<br><br>Ky Bowman is also listed as “available”, being called up from Santa Cruz..<br><br>Warriors also announced they called up Smailagic but he’s “out” (?) <a href="https://t.co/q4qbXqz7nT">pic.twitter.com/q4qbXqz7nT</a></p>— Let’s Go Warriors (@LetsGoWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/LetsGoWarriors/status/1209279581770829824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2019</a>
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<p id="NDSxUk">On the other hand, this team is still ... struggling. </p>
<p id="qdKDC0">To put Warriors struggles in perspective — and to honor the ghosts of GSoM contributors past — I dug back through the archives and found the GameThread that GSoM OG <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2009/12/23/1217389/game-thread-28-warriors-hornets">Fantasy Junkie wrote on this day in 2009</a>. It seemed pretty fitting for the moment, a moment when the team is in last place with a 6-24 record 30 games into the season and on pace to win under 20 games at the moment. </p>
<p id="pIos9O">I’ll pass it <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2009/12/23/1217389/game-thread-28-warriors-hornets">back to Fantasy Junkie</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p id="3uJVHw">You remember 1999 right? Final record: 19-63. Jamison, Hughes. At least there was the All-Star game to distract us for a bit. Booing Cohan at the game. <span><strong>Vince Carter</strong></span>, Tmac, <span><strong>Steve Francis</strong></span>. Best dunk contest I’ve ever seen. Seriously, 2009 is getting to be as ugly as 1999 and even include the same optimism in the young developing future we have/had.</p></blockquote>
<p id="Qij7am">So as we approach the end of one decade and end another, tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1999 ... or something.</p>
<p id="LBUEnH">Anyway... </p>
<p id="rLM6Za">Yeah... things are that rough. 1999 rough. If you’ve been around that long, you’ll recall that feeling of literally fantasizing about the day when the team <em>might </em>be eligible to make the playoffs again. </p>
<p id="bYY0FQ">Of course, circumstances are different ... but there’s only so much the promise of <span>Klay Thompson</span> and Steph Curry returning can do to make this bearable. But here we are, all ready to hide from family responsibilities and take in another 48 minutes of developmental basketball. </p>
<p id="qDCghx">Enjoy! And let us know your thoughts in the comments!</p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/12/23/21036064/warriors-vs-wolves-eric-paschall-will-play-alen-smailagic-out-despite-call-upNate P.2019-12-18T18:49:40-08:002019-12-18T18:49:40-08:00Warriors vs. Blazers GameThread: Very familiar territory
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<img alt="Portland Trail Blazers v Golden State Warriors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/haxGjUf-B438X-8VwrzVuXziWgw=/0x0:4896x3264/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65937008/107982431.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Golden State of Mind community as you all know it is coming to an end, but we’re gonna have some with this whole situation because it’s basketball and the holidays and the corporate Grinch ain’t ruining our Christmas.</p> <p id="kv3K76">The last few days have been a whirlwind for the Golden State of Mind as we try to make sense of finding out you’re being <s>fired ok fine</s> laid off on Twitter (that is not an experience I recommend, by the way, in case you were wondering). </p>
<p id="KDUB0R">I haven’t said much of anything publicly about that because I found out during the school day when I was teaching children — when you’re making a teacher’s salary, these side gigs can really help — and <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/12/16/21024619/nba-2019-did-vox-just-fire-the-entire-golden-state-of-mind-staff">Duby Dub Dubs pretty much spoke for all of us</a> on the morning we learned of the news. Perhaps I’ll say more about the community I’ve been with for nearly a decade over the coming days and/or weeks, but for now I’ve mostly been in problem solving mode as we as a staff figure out how to preserve this community that has meant so much to so many of us in so many ways over the years. </p>
<p id="dyC5gC">For now, I’ll say this: we are in the process of figuring out our next steps and, at some point, we’ll share more of our thinking with the community so we can try to preserve some elements of shared history even though we’re being forced to relocate. </p>
<p id="t7FYUR">But in a few of the lighter moments over the last few days, we’ve been reminiscing about the past and how far we’ve come as fans used to rooting for a lovable loser to the Big Bad Wolf Who Ruined The NBA and back again. Interestingly, as we were digging through the archives, I realized that a horrible 9-17 <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> team also faced the <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> on exactly this day in 2010. </p>
<p id="liut1T">The formatting of those articles has changed significantly enough that it would be awkward to just place it on the front page to troll those more interested in clicks than basic decency, but, as the first game after we got the news of our demise, it’s sort of fitting that our founder, Atma Brother ONE, actually <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2010/12/18/1883790/gamethread-26-golden-state-warriors-portland-trail-blazers-trying-to">wrote the gamethread on that night nine years ago</a>. His headline said it all: “Trying to avoid losing 13 of 15.”</p>
<p id="TsmW4h">Atma was also in typical form that night, offering us this gem: </p>
<blockquote><p id="SALA77"><span><strong>David Lee</strong></span> is due for a turning point. I wouldn’t be surprised if it happened tonight against a very overrated Vin Baker 2.0- <span><strong>LaMarcus Aldridge</strong></span>.</p></blockquote>
<p id="qrrAr0">Anyway, the current losing streak isn’t quite that bad — hey, we’ve only lost 11 of 13 at this point — but it’s definitely brutal to watch still. The difference, of course, is that we’re coming off five straight finals appearances and waiting for the return of Steph Curry and <span>Klay Thompson</span> plus the possible addition of a high draft pick. So we’ll be fine next year, as both a staff and fans of a team that has had a remarkable decade. </p>
<p id="uCopWj">This has been an amazing ride we’ve been on and we’re not ready to call it quits just yet, even if things end up looking a bit different.</p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/12/18/21029261/warriors-vs-blazers-very-familiar-territoryNate P.2019-11-29T16:30:00-08:002019-11-29T16:30:00-08:00Warriors at Heat GameThread: Finding joy in this season
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<img alt="Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1lhZlFh9aWDW0Kp-BeiGcKVV7Zc=/89x0:5000x3274/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65798883/1190529656.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/The Mercury News via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Warriors will face the Heat today in a Black Friday game. Before the game, Steve Kerr tried to put the season in perspective. </p> <p id="kDYzhU">The <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> will face the <a href="https://www.hothothoops.com/">Miami Heat</a> today in search of their first consecutive wins of the season. </p>
<p id="2InLNy">Of course, with today’s game in Miami against a 12-5 Heat team, it’s pretty unlikely that we’ll be seeing a win tonight. So, win or lose, what we’ll continue to look for tonight is growth from all these young players — if they get a win, as they did last time out, that’s a bonus. </p>
<p id="fw8YKo">That ability to compete in as many games as they have despite being overmatched more often than not — one could argue that Wednesday’s game against the <a href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a> was the first one in a while that was predictably winnable — is what makes this team more endearing than their record suggests they should be. </p>
<p id="WtnPFj">For all the ups and downs, the heart and promise that these young guys have shown is part of what helps coach Steve Kerr derive some enjoyment from this season, as reported by Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Steve Kerr: “I’m actually really enjoying this season. That may sound strange, but these young guys have been amazing.”</p>— Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) <a href="https://twitter.com/Con_Chron/status/1200559524593197056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2019</a>
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<p id="ufh9XH">Would it be nice to get another win tonight? Perhaps ... but continuing to focus on the team’s growth individually and as a unit is probably the best way to go if you want to find these games remotely enjoyable. </p>
<p id="OrLiIx">Feel free to drop your thoughts on tonight’s game or this season as a whole in the comments below. </p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/11/29/20988540/nba-2019-warriors-at-heat-steve-kerr-enjoying-seasonNate P.2019-11-25T19:17:49-08:002019-11-25T19:17:49-08:00Warriors vs. Thunder GameThread: The Eric Paschall Show continues
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<img alt="Golden State Warriors v Utah Jazz" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ppegl0A3lHyWS2vAEsp5MdR5JAY=/0x869:3062x2910/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65773602/1184067780.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>We gotta look for bright spots ... and Eric Paschall is one of the biggest right now. </p> <p id="JM2CIZ">Since wins are going to be hard to come by this season for the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a>, I have to look for other ways to make the 2019-20 NBA season interesting. </p>
<p id="KAZ1Nn">Like ... say... rookie scoring average leaders. </p>
<p id="hskYJk">Promising Warriors rookie <span>Eric Paschall</span> entered today’s NBA action tied for second on the rookie scoring list with 16.8 points per game (but we’ll give Paschall the edge over <span>Kendrick Nunn</span> because he has a higher true shooting percentage with a narrow .573 to .571 edge). So Nunn scored 19 tonight in a win against the <a href="https://www.atthehive.com/">Charlotte Hornets</a> so I’ll be rooting for Paschall to have another explosive scoring game so he can keep his average up. </p>
<p id="DyCh62">I mean... that’s what it’s come to folks. Things are so bad that I’m rooting for rookies to get buckets so they can keep up their scoring averages and give me hope for a more promising future. </p>
<p id="5olJll">This is Warriors fandom. </p>
<p id="tvEiPL">Enjoy the game, contribute your thoughts in the comments below.</p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/11/25/20983158/nba-2019-warriors-vs-thunder-eric-paschall-rookie-scoring-leadersNate P.2019-11-10T15:18:58-08:002019-11-10T15:18:58-08:00Poll: Return of the Tank Commander?
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<img alt="Los Angeles Clippers v Golden State Warriors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/K7e_cElckCHghorIYuFGD5aByLU=/0x230:4261x3071/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65673334/1183279200.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Warriors are not going to win a lot of games. Is it time for “fan tanking” or nah? </p> <p id="rcVHZX">After trading Monta Ellis for <span>Andrew Bogut</span> back in 2012, it became so clear that the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> would not be winning enough games to make the playoffs that tanking was truly the only option. </p>
<p id="WHpf9U">The most memorable moment for me was the final game of the season <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/pbp/201204260GSW.html#q4">against the San Antonio Spurs on April 26, 2012</a>. The Spurs didn’t need to win so Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, and <span>Tony Parker</span> were inactive while a young <span>Kawhi Leonard</span> just didn’t play. The Warriors didn’t <em>want</em> to win because another win would put them at a greater risk of losing their 2012 draft pick (<a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2012/04/27/golden-state-warriors-win-tiebreaker-will-enter-nba-draft-lottery-at-no-7/">click here</a> for more about that). The Warriors’ commitment to losing included finishing the game with a lineup of <span>Chris Wright</span>, Jeremy Tyler, Malcolm Gladness, <span>Mikki Moore</span>, and <span>Dominic McGuire</span>. </p>
<p id="B8zyX3">Oh, by the way, by “finishing the game” I mean <em>playing out the final 14 minutes of the game without substitutions despite having </em><span><em>Charles Jenkins</em></span><em> and </em><span><em>Klay Thompson</em></span><em> available. </em>Don’t see a point guard there? There wasn’t, but don’t sleep on McGuire’s ball handling skills! They were actually up by four with 7:39 left! Yet fatigue eventually set in and they lost by six. </p>
<p id="x3P4Mq">Anyway, I bring that up because I was at our beloved Oracle Arena for that game and sat there laughing through most of the fourth quarter. I mean, it was obvious what they needed to do and the game was beyond meaningless. So all there was really left to do was laugh. It was an ugly time, it included some brutal games, and there were some ridiculous moments when folks were openly rooting for the team to miss shots in late games. And ... well ... it was ultimately all for the opportunity to draft <span>Harrison Barnes</span>, who is now one of the most overpaid players in the league and <a href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/2019/11/10/20957700/a-moment-of-appreciation-for-harrison-barnes-sacramento-kings">a supposedly steadying force</a> for a losing team.</p>
<p id="SRysCB">Sometimes you just have to find the humor in these dark moments. </p>
<p id="TjqlcG">One way we did that here at Golden State of Mind, once the team’s commitment to tanking was clear, was converting the Warrior Wonder poll into the “Tank Commander” poll — celebrating the person who did the most to contribute to the tanking effort ... or ... the least to win the game. I remember it being kinda funny behind the scenes as we tried to find different ways to <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2013/2/9/3971436/game-links-51-golden-state-warriors-91-dallas-mavericks-116-warriors">represent the tanking process</a> with various images, eventually eschewing <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2012/4/10/2939583/tank-update-4-10-12-nets-sneaking-up-kings-tanking-like-champs">the militaristic image of the armored tank</a> and using more benign imagery like<a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2012/3/21/2892066/game-thread-44-golden-state-warriors-new-orleans-hornets-the-warriors"> a fish tank</a> or <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2012/3/24/2900374/game-thread-46-sacramento-kings-at-golden-state-warriors-another-day">sensory deprivation tank</a>. </p>
<p id="STlFl8">I still laugh at the fact that OlympicMike even found <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2011/3/2/2025280/game-thread-60-golden-state-warriors-washington-wizards-all-aboard">a “TankTrain” for one of our GameThreads</a>. </p>
<p id="fJlGio">Anyway, we didn’t start doing that until really late into the 2011-12 season and it wasn’t until the need to do so was very obvious — the circumstances didn’t become quite so clear until after the team traded Ellis for an injured Bogut. </p>
<p id="ybiRZY">This season, though? </p>
<p id="77bTa6">It’s too early for this team to tank right now. It’s too early to really advocate that a professional team <em>should</em> so openly tank at this point in the season. I mean, the team is 2-8 anyway and there’s no reason to expect a team to compete for the playoffs without <span>Stephen Curry</span>, <span>Klay Thompson</span>, and (for the time being) Draymond Green. In <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-nba-predictions/">538’s latest 2019-20 season predictions</a>, the Warriors only have a 4% chance of making the playoffs. If that seems high, consider that it’s the fourth-lowest chance in the league — things happen, <span>Curry</span> could come back in enough time to turn things around and maybe <span>Thompson</span> could come back, but the playoffs feel like a longshot for a team that can’t seem to defend anyone. </p>
<p id="HlQ2Fp">Our priority should be the development of these young guys — wins are starting to seem seem sort of ancillary. Honestly, I just want to see someone defend consistently. And as a long-time Warriors fan, I am still on a bit of a high after seeing the team make five straight Finals — I won’t be hurt by the familiarity of a losing season. So even if the team doesn’t openly tank, some people are already in a “fan tank” mode, <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/11/9/20956479/writing-off-this-season-this-early-is-a-betrayal-tanking-is-a-betrayal#518928253">as Sleepy Freud describes it</a> — rooting for the team to play hard _and_ pile up losses to improve their lottery position along the way. Regardless of whether we root for it, that’s basically what’s happening anyway...</p>
<p id="AVDzNx">What do you think? Is it time to bring back the Tank Commander instead of the Warrior Wonder? Do you think it’s too soon to give up on the playoffs? How are you dealing with the ugly losses after five years at or near the top? </p>
<p id="fqPG1b">Vote in the poll below and let us know what you think in the comments. </p>
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https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/11/10/20958282/nba-2019-warriors-injuries-losing-season-return-of-the-tank-commanderNate P.2019-11-09T16:11:50-08:002019-11-09T16:11:50-08:00Warriors vs. Thunder GameThread: Hoping for a good job, good effort
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<img alt="Golden State Warriors v Oklahoma City Thunder" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wN0m1AEdx1GLE0_OCyynEyv6VOg=/0x0:5472x3648/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65669859/1178495025.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Warriors face the Thunder this evening at 5 p.m. after a disappointing overtime loss last night.</p> <p id="uKFSqp">The <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> lost by nearly 30 points the first time they faced the <a href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Oklahoma City Thunder</a> this season and it’s sort of difficult to imagine things going much different this time — today, they’ll be without <span>Stephen Curry</span> and <span>Draymond Green</span>. </p>
<p id="X2WcJh">So we continue to chug along as fans hoping that these young Dubs can learn something game-to-game that will contribute to a brighter future. But if there’s anything I’m hoping to see tonight it’s that maybe — just MAYBE — the Warriors can play <em>some</em> defense tonight. Like it doesn’t have to be championship-level defense, but it would be great to see a team that doesn’t make a player like <span>Andrew Wiggins</span> look like an All-NBA player as they did last night. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Good to see Wiggins not settling for mid-rangers as much this year, but......what in the name of Kanter-level defense is WCS doing here <a href="https://t.co/0f1gTXOxM1">https://t.co/0f1gTXOxM1</a></p>— Brady Klopfer (@BradyKlopferNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BradyKlopferNBA/status/1193238549899776001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2019</a>
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<p id="MOJJn5">Watching them lose to a dude like <span>Chris Paul</span> tonight would be painful enough. </p>
<p id="Y2vCdE">That’s where we are right now. We’re just hoping that things will get better each day, which has to include some level of defensive competence. </p>
<p id="4Eb5xQ">Leave your thoughts on the game in the comments below. </p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/11/9/20957165/nba-2019-warriors-vs-thunder-hoping-for-a-good-job-good-effortNate P.2019-11-06T00:00:00-08:002019-11-06T00:00:00-08:00Warriors at Rockets preview: Trying to build on an exciting win
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<img alt="Portland Trail Blazers v Golden State Warriors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rzcej1k_q8X7OyyCjMQozOZRc3Q=/0x0:5568x3712/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65635020/1180044077.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The young Warriors will try to build some confidence against the Rockets after an exciting win at home. </p> <p id="g8hNOm">Just a few days ago, people were writing about how the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a>’ starting lineup against the <a href="https://www.atthehive.com/">Charlotte Hornets</a> was the <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnesn.com%2F2019%2F11%2Fwarriors-roll-out-shocking-starting-five-vs-hornets-amid-series-of-injuries%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goldenstateofmind.com%2F2019%2F11%2F6%2F20951098%2Fwarriors-at-rockets-2019-preview-defense-optional-james-harden-russell-westbrook" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><strong>worst</strong></a> thing <a href="https://fadeawayworld.net/2019/11/02/the-warriors-may-have-just-played-the-worst-lineup-in-nba-history/"><strong>in franchise history</strong></a>.</p>
<p id="PdkmsP">Then that very same lineup that people mocked because LOLWARRIORSUCKNOW turned around and beat the <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> on Monday night. And suddenly — because heaven forbid anyone have an attention span of longer than 24 hours — people have had no choice but to heap praise on the Warriors. </p>
<p id="e71wG1">The rest of the year is likely to be something like the series of events: militantly context-averse takes (e.g. <a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/11/05/kevin-mchale-blasts-new-warriors-who-make-his-guarantee-look-silly/">“(The Warriors) are like your favorite little blankie when you were a kid. You just feel good when you go there.”</a>) followed by large scale crow feeds. It’ll get exhausting and has ruined NBA Twitter on game nights way more than the Warriors ever ruined the NBA. </p>
<p id="C1Mo3W">But occasionally, the unpredictability of the Warriors’ season will result in wiser takes like <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/11/5/20950233/golden-state-warriors-worth-loving-again">the one Haley O’Shaughnessey of The Ringer put together</a> yesterday. </p>
<blockquote><p id="VjFvt2">When was the last time Golden State was enchanting? There’s the 2007 playoff run blazened by Nellie Ball and those blinding orange jerseys. They Believed; I was charmed...There’s no guarantee that Golden State will be a powerhouse again, either, once it’s back to full health. But for now, its name doesn’t have the same overtone it used to. There is no automatic expectation that the team will win each game. It’s easier to cheer for an underdog than the favorite, and it’s more fun to watch when you’re unsure which is which.</p></blockquote>
<p id="bypccp">Monday night’s unexpected win put NBA fans on notice that their hatred will ultimately be wasted on this team of underdogs just trying to prove they deserve a shot beyond this injury-riddled season; there will be plenty more games like this and plenty more games that they get absolutely pummeled, but the fact that we don’t know day-to-day will make this season worth watching. </p>
<p id="X3ra6K">Pulling off a win against a <a href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Houston Rockets</a> team that always thought they had a shot against the Warriors at full strength to begin with will offer Bay Area fans a bit of a cherry on top. </p>
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<h2 id="khaNi9">GAME DETAILS</h2>
<p id="bQDSZ5"><strong>WHO:</strong> Golden State Warriors (2-5) at Houston Rockets (4-3)</p>
<p id="mlM7Dn"><strong>WHEN: Wednesday</strong>, November 6, 2019; 4:30 p.m. PDT</p>
<p id="6KH3nu"><strong>WATCH: </strong>ESPN</p>
<p id="17MssX"><strong>Blog Buddy:</strong> <a href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">The Dream Shake</a></p>
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<h1 id="SktPfz">Warriors vs. Rockets: Defense optional </h1>
<p id="VZGxtg">If you’re looking for reasons to support the idea of back-to-back wins, look no further than the defensive end of the court. </p>
<p id="db2MFt">The three worst teams in the NBA defensively are, in reverse order, the Warriors (30th), the <a href="https://www.thebirdwrites.com/">New Orleans Pelicans</a> (who the Warriors got their first win of the season against) and the Rockets. Portland isn’t too far from that. Poor defense is probably the Warriors’ best shot of getting a win, particularly if <span>Eric Paschall</span> can perform anywhere near how he did on Monday night. </p>
<p id="UDdqn5">Defensive stats mean less than they normally do when the sample size is this small, but a major problem for the Rockets has been defending the perimeter — they’ve allowed 40% shooting from beyond the arc in their seven games thus far this year. Perhaps that is to be expected when you start the likes of <span>James Harden</span> and <span>Russell Westbrook</span>, two guards who’ve never seen a shot they don’t like but don’t have quite as much enthusiasm for defense. </p>
<p id="4tqxX0">If the Warriors can get hot from three again and turn this into a shootout — and <span>Harden</span> keeps up his pace of jacking up bricks while trying to draw cheap fouls — maybe they’ll put themselves within striking distance ...? Possibly? </p>
<h1 id="Z3pptB">Stay healthy, have fun</h1>
<p id="bjN0ST">The Warriors are already hobbled so the number one goal for any game this season <em>has</em> to be staying healthy — easier said than done, as this season has shown us. </p>
<p id="eOq8iR">As <a href="http://www.knbr.com/2019/11/04/kerr-provides-injury-updates-on-kevon-looney-dangelo-russell-sort-of/">described by Jake Montero of KNBR</a>, Warriors coach Steve Kerr provided an update on his team yesterday, saying that guard <span>D’Angelo Russell</span> could be back for today’s game while <span>Kevon Looney</span> will remain out as he will not make the trip to Houston. Despite the team showing a bit of life without any proven veterans, having <span>Russell</span> back even for depth would probably be a welcome sight at this point. </p>
<p id="itARXe">But this isn’t about wins and losses this season — I really hope to just see the team continuing to take steps forward developmentally independent of the outcome.</p>
<h1 id="f89WWu">Prediction</h1>
<p id="sbjIew">Whatever you make of the Rockets’ defense, their offense is still among the best in the league as long as <span>Harden</span> is capable of making up for his ice cold shooting by duping refs into free throw attempts. The Rockets will probably win this one, but maybe their worst tendencies will get the best of them and we’ll get another feel-good win to enjoy.</p>
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https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/11/6/20951098/warriors-at-rockets-2019-preview-defense-optional-james-harden-russell-westbrookNate P.2019-11-04T18:33:16-08:002019-11-04T18:33:16-08:00Warriors vs. Blazers: Yes, Golden State is worse than last year
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<img alt="NBA: Charlotte Hornets at Golden State Warriors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oIAgjSb4P-QUYV--v2MFKXG5ASs=/0x0:3627x2418/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65625461/usa_today_13612062.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Warriors are in the midst of what appears to be the start of a really bad season...but it’s not as though we haven’t been here before. </p> <p id="hdSsoC">As much as people talk about <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> fans being opportunistic bandwagoners, it’s sort of funny to see non-fans writing about this year’s team as though it’s the <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnesn.com%2F2019%2F11%2Fwarriors-roll-out-shocking-starting-five-vs-hornets-amid-series-of-injuries%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goldenstateofmind.com%2F2019%2F11%2F4%2F20949010%2Fnba-2019-warriors-vs-blazers-history-of-terrible-starting-lineups" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">worst</a> thing <a href="https://fadeawayworld.net/2019/11/02/the-warriors-may-have-just-played-the-worst-lineup-in-nba-history/">in franchise history</a>. </p>
<p id="YFVMvA">I mean, don’t get me wrong: the starting lineup that Warriors coach Steve Kerr was forced to trot out against the <a href="https://www.atthehive.com/">Charlotte Hornets</a> was pretty bad. But, um, that’s just what happens when you have seven players injured, including Steph Curry, <span>Draymond Green</span>, <span>D’Angelo Russell</span>, and <span>Klay Thompson</span>. </p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tonight’s Starting Lineups: <a href="https://t.co/WyVjhwDT1L">pic.twitter.com/WyVjhwDT1L</a></p>— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/WarriorsPR/status/1190784756465598464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2019</a>
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<p id="C4TpfV">Bad? Yes. <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnesn.com%2F2019%2F11%2Fwarriors-roll-out-shocking-starting-five-vs-hornets-amid-series-of-injuries%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goldenstateofmind.com%2F2019%2F11%2F4%2F20949010%2Fnba-2019-warriors-vs-blazers-history-of-terrible-starting-lineups" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Shocking</a>? Uh, not really.</p>
<p id="32UhGm">So for those who just discovered the NBA within the last five years, let me tell you about the time in 1998 when the Warriors faced the <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> and started <span>Donyell Marshall</span>, Tony Delk, <span>Erick Dampier</span>, Brandon Williams, and <span>Adonal Foyle</span> because ... <span>Jim Jackson</span> and <span>Clarence Weatherspoon</span> just weren’t with the team. Like ... the alternatives were Jackson and Weatherspoon. Most of that lineup was just their best five guys. </p>
<p id="9ocQfO">It should not at all surprise you that the 19-win 1997-98 Warriors lost that game by 18 points. </p>
<p id="1jHjkh">Folks, if you’ve been a Warriors fan for more than a decade, you’ve been through this before. This doesn’t even register as anything near the worst situation the franchise has been in because there’s actually an explanation for why they’re so bad that goes beyond they drafted really smart bigs who weren’t actually that good and their All-Star guard choked a coach. There’s hope right now. <span>Green</span> will come back. Curry will come back eventually. <span>Thompson</span> is rehabbing an injury suffered in Game 6 of the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-finals">NBA Finals</a>. </p>
<p id="V2Q8wt">The way I’m thinking of it is that it’s gonna be a developmental year that actually leads to something bigger instead of drafting a series of dudes that keep us in the mid-lottery. </p>
<p id="Xo72gf">So despite the shock suffered by some that a coach can’t start injured players, I’m kinda enjoying watching these terrible games to pick out which young dudes might have a shot at contributing to the team sometime in the future. </p>
<p id="gv4DUE">Meanwhile, <span>Damian Lillard</span> is doing pretty well for today’s Blazers.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Best players in the NBA so far this season, according to RAPTOR wins above replacement. (All of this data will be public soon-ish.)<br><br>1. Donovan Mitchell<br>2. Damian Lillard<br>3. LeBron James<br>4. Kawhi Leonard<br>5. Luka Doncic<br>6. Karl-Anthony Towns (might be No. 1 if not for suspension)</p>— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) <a href="https://twitter.com/NateSilver538/status/1191488516825534464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2019</a>
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<p id="OmyZLZ">So yeah, the current version of the Blazers — the team that the Warriors unceremoniously swept from the 2019 Western Conference Finals with Curry, <span>Green</span>, and <span>Thompson</span> playing — will probably beat us by at least 18 if the season thus far is any indication. </p>
<p id="mCaAd1">Hopefully, the Warriors will start to figure things out so the beat downs stop, but in the meantime let’s just try to keep things in perspective. </p>
<p id="XUmdI4"><em>Leave your thoughts on the game in the comments below! </em></p>
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/11/4/20949010/nba-2019-warriors-vs-blazers-history-of-terrible-starting-lineupsNate P.