Golden State Warriors

Andris Biedrins | 15

Administrator — Mon, 08 May 2006 21:35:06 +0000

An early entry candidate for the 2004 NBA Draft. One of the most promising young big men in Europe. Has drawn comparisons to Darko Milicic. Tried this summer to transfer to National Christian Academy in Washington D.C. and become a junior, but he was unable to resolve his eligibility issues and remained in Latvia.
Career Highlights: Competed in the 2004 Under-18 European Championship and averaged 21.8 points, 14.4 rebounds, 4.4 blocks and 3.8 steals. Had 21 points and 16 rebounds against highly regarded French prospect Johan Petro. Tallied 28 points and 11 rebounds against the Republic of Georgia. Had 26 points and 20 rebounds against Italy. Averaged 14 free throw attempts per game.

2003-04: Appeared in 28 games for Skonto in the Latvian League, averaging 18.0 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. In the FIBA European League, averaged 18.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 11 games.

2002-03: Named Latvian League Newcomer of the Year. Averaged 4.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 41 games. In a game against Darko Milicic and Hemofarm Vrsac, tallied two points and four rebounds, while Milicic had 37 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. In the FIBA Champions Cup, averaged 2.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in 11 games.

2001-02: Member of the Latvian National Team at the Euro Cadet Championship in 2001. Finished fourth in scoring (16.3 ppg) and third in rebounding (8.5 rpg). Also performed at the Euro Junior Championship in 2002, where he played against opponents who were two years older, but he still managed to average 6.6 points and 7.3 rebounds.

Strengths: According to scouting reports, he’s a good defender with the size and wingspan to develop into an excellent shotblocker. Not that polished yet on the offensive end, but scores consistently with both the drop-step and the turnaround jumper out to 10 feet.

The Golden years: Warriors miss playoffs for 12th straight season

Administrator — Mon, 08 May 2006 21:23:00 +0000

For the first time this week, Chris Mullin sounded a bit like Garry St. Jean.

In the ashes of the Golden State Warriors’ 12th straight losing season, Mullin sat in his luxury box overlooking the Arena court before Monday night’s home finale and gave much the same end-of-the-season address offered by St. Jean during the former general manager’s seven years in charge.

St. Jean began every season bursting with excitement, confident in this year’s plan to end the Warriors’ playoff drought — and he ended every season disappointed, taciturn and defensive after his grand scheme burst into flames. In the absence of memorable wins or players, St. Jean’s foolish optimism essentially became the Warriors’ hallmark.

Mullin replaced St. Jean in 2004, quietly self-assured in his ability to counteract the culture of losing and mismanagement that’s permeated the NBA’s most miserable franchise over the last dozen years. Mullin was highly respected when he was a Warriors star, but he had never been a top executive before owner Chris Cohan turned over the franchise to the crewcut New Yorker.

And after two years, the Warriors have two identical 34-48 records and the league’s longest playoff drought to show for Mullin’s management.

“The fans, Mr. Cohan, they deserve better, and they’re going to get better,” Mullin said. “I’ve got a terrible taste in my mouth. … I don’t feel we lack talent. How that talent plays together and ultimately wins together, it’s my job to fix, because this year did not go the way I wanted it to, and that’s on me. There’s no place else to look but right here.”

In truth, there are plenty of places to look, from Baron Davis’ injured ankle to coach Mike Montgomery’s much-questioned leadership to making simple free throws, something Golden State did just 71.8 percent of the time.

The Warriors began the season with unusual anticipation after a strong finish in 2005 — and then they opened 12-6, thrilling the ridiculously loyal Bay Area fans who have set Arena attendance records for four straight years.

The losing began shortly afterward, and it rarely stopped until Wednesday night’s 105-102 season-ending defeat at Utah. Golden State finished last in the Pacific Division, 10 games behind fourth-place Sacramento, and in 12th place overall in the Western Conference.

“I’ve already dealt with a whole year of expectations where everybody has put us in a position that we’re the greatest,” Montgomery said with sarcasm. “Thank you. That’s great.”

As the Warriors begin preparations for yet another lottery draft pick, Mullin is taking stock of the club’s assets and liabilities — and he actually likes what he sees.

They have six players under long-term contracts that push them up against the threshold of the NBA’s luxury tax: Davis, Jason Richardson, Derek Fisher, Mike Dunleavy, Troy Murphy and Adonal Foyle. In Montgomery, they have a coach who’s still learning on the job and who doesn’t seem particularly respected by his players.

And they have fundamental questions about their roster’s basic compatibility, as well as the suitability of its centerpiece: Davis, the injury-prone star guard who showed his best and worst sides this season.

When Davis was healthy and happy, he was an inspirational presence seemingly capable of scoring or finding an open teammate — he finished second in the NBA with 8.9 assists per game — on every drive to the hoop.

At his worst, Davis is a lazy jump-shooter who encourages his teammates’ worst offensive habits — he made just 38.9 percent of his shots, worst among the Warriors’ regulars — while playing terrible defense. The Warriors launched an astonishing 1,832 3-pointers, but averaged just 98.5 points per game.

Golden State was struggling even before Davis sprained his ankle on Feb. 11, but the Warriors were never the same afterward. He played just six ineffective games after the injury, and Golden State plummeted.

“We wanted to get up the floor and create around Baron, and the fact that he wasn’t healthy for a large portion of the year obviously affected that,” said Montgomery, who will return next season.

While Davis sat, Richardson played through a knee injury to average a career-best 23.2 points per game. Mullin seems determined to build the team around Richardson and Davis, once declaring both players untouchable by trade — but he said anyone else could be on the move.

Mullin has stockpiled an array of talent, including promising rookies Monta Ellis and Ike Diogu. But what he does with that talent in his offseason moves will determine whether the Warriors finally end their dozen years of disaster.

“I can appreciate that frustration, but there is young talent that we have, and the ability to go out and make some maneuvers,” Mullin said. “It doesn’t have to be an overhaul of players. I think the right moves made can change a lot of those close (losses), and change things around pretty drastically. I think we’re in a good position to get something done.”

Utah ends season with a win over Golden State

Administrator — Mon, 08 May 2006 21:19:18 +0000

Carlos Boozer had 26 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Utah Jazz to a season-ending 105-102 win over the Golden State Warriors at the Delta Center.

Mehmet Okur and C.J. Miles had 23 points each for the Jazz, who ended their season 41-41. Deron Williams had 12 points and 13 assist for Utah, which had lost its previous two contests.

Monta Ellis had 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Warriors, who had a four-game win streak halted. Derek Fisher and Ike Diogu had 20 points each for Golden State, which ended the year 34-48 after a 14-9 start to the season.

The Warriors started out this game strong, grabbing a 36-27 lead after 12 minutes of play. Utah drew within 54-48 by halftime and then turned it on in the second half.

The Jazz outscored the Warriors 29-23 in the third quarter to tie the contest at 77-77 going into the fourth.

With 38 seconds left in the game, Okur gave the Jazz the lead for good, 99-97, when he drained a three-pointer. Miles added two free throws 15 seconds later and Golden State never had possession of the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead the rest of the way.

Mike Dunleavy ended with 15 points for the Warriors, who dropped the season series to Utah 3-1.

Game Notes

The home team has won 10 of the last 15 meetings in this series…The Jazz ended their home schedule 22-19…Golden State went 13-28 on the road in 2005-06 season.

Davis beats buzzer to boost Warriors

Administrator — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 23:00:35 +0000

From 1999 to 2004, the Dallas Mavericks dominated the Golden State Warriors, winning 20 straight times. The last six meetings have been a different story, with the Warriors taking three.
Baron Davis was Golden State’s latest hero against Dallas, scoring a season-high 34 points, including the go-ahead basket with .5 seconds left for a 111-109 victory Friday night.
Jason Richardson had 32 points and Troy Murphy contributed 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Warriors.
“There have been many times when we came in here and lost by two or three, and other times when we lost by 20,” Richardson said. “Any time we can win on them, we’ll take it.”
Dallas led by 10 in the fourth quarter, but with the game tied at 109, Davis nailed an open 21-footer from the left wing with less than a second left.
“Everybody in the gym knew I was going to drive the ball, so I got (Marquis Daniels) back on his heels so I could get up and get my shot,” Davis said.

Just look what’s in store for 2006

Administrator — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 22:59:33 +0000

Rather than go into the delicate and indelicate details over what has or hasn’t happened over the past week in the NBA between Christmas and New Year’s Day 2006, it just seemed prudent to take a look at what we will see in the coming year in and around the Association.
Some of it will become fact. Some of it will remain fantasy. Most of all, think about it because once we start taking ourselves too seriously around this game, it makes all of us hopeless.
1. Item: Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant will return from his two-game suspension for his heinous shot at Memphis swingman Mike Miller … even if the equal parts talented and delusional Bryant still has no idea that he is just as accountable for his actions as the rest of us mere mortals.
What this really means: At some point, in some arena, during some inexplicable moment in unadulterated rage, Bryant will spontaneously explode into the rafters and come down through the basket, with ball held in both hands above his head. Because of the speed and momentum from the fall during the now famous Bryant Fullbody Slam (heretofore known as BFS), he will continue through the floor. He isn’t found until Christmas 2006, when he is located in a Jacuzzi at a Breckinridge, Colo. resort with amnesia. Lakers coach Phil Jackson will declare it an unusual move out of the triangle offense, but blames himself for giving Bryant a science fiction thriller to read during the previous road trip. In a related story, New Jersey Nets star Vince Carter breaks his right leg and tears ligaments in both knees trying to duplicate the BFS.
2. Item: Mercurial forward Ron Artest and Jeff Foster are traded by the Indiana Pacers to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Mickael Pietrus, a protected first-round draft choice and Adonal Foyle.
What this really means: The Warriors start off by winning four in a row, but then Artest decides to stop traffic on the Bay Bridge one afternoon to cut a new rap album. Artest and two teammates accidentally fall into the Bay and are rescued unharmed. But they are hospitalized with hypothermia, two end up with pneumonia, point guard Baron Davis injures both his knee and back from playing too many minutes, and shooting guard Jason Richardson breaks his ankle after becoming the first player to successfully complete the BFS since Bryant’s disappearance. The Warriors have to disband as a team for the rest of the season, only to have Artest and four teammates form their own band and cut a new CD just before the NBA Finals entitled Tru Warriers, Diving for Success.
3. Item: Michael Jordan and a group of investors buy 49 percent of the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets from George Shinn.
What this really means: Having finally gained a foothold in the league, Jordan has no problem talking Shinn into moving the team to Las Vegas, and Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman garners a $100 million pledge from casino owners and various former NBA players to provide the city of New Orleans, for whom the money has more value to the city than the team ever could. In addition to that, Jordan promises two exhibition games and one regular season game a year to be played in the New Orleans Arena by the newly ordained Las Vegas Cash. Jordan, himself, agrees to play in the exhibition games with the full understanding he will not attempt the BFS. Following three intense months of acrimony, a smiling NBA commissioner David Stern concedes in a nationally telecast press conference that this move was approved because “Everything Jordan does is for the good of the game.”
4. Item: The New York Knicks fail to make the playoffs, actually finishing below the Toronto Raptors with a 19-63 record, the worst in franchise history and the lowest point in Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown’s career.
What this really means: Brown and team president Isiah Thomas agree to waive the entire roster, with the tacit approval of owner Jim Dolan, then sign all 15 players to minimum contracts and trade them for future draft choices. The Board of Governors is outraged until Stern reminds them that these are the New York Knicks and the league can’t handle such a pathetic team in the biggest market any longer. But in a shocking move, Brown and Thomas continue to sign strictly North Carolina and Indiana graduates, some of whom have been out of school at least 10 years or more, to minimum deals based on their NBA experience or free agent rookie deals. When asked why they decided to attempt this ludicrous venture at this point of their lives, all 15 players retorted, “Because we play the right way.” In a unanimous vote, and following a move from Madison Square Garden to Stamford, Conn., they are renamed the Stepford Knicks. The move allows the Nets to relocate from the Meadowlands to the Garden.
5. Item: LeBron James leads the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first playoff spot in his three-year career, and they actually make it to the second round before falling to the Detroit Pistons.
What this really means: The city of Cleveland, in an unprecedented move, provides a parade for James and the Cavs, despite playing into just the second round. He agrees to a maximum contract extension with owner Dan Gilbert in the summer of 2006 with the following provisions: the name of the Cavaliers arena is changed from “The Q” to “The King’s Court”; the Cavaliers’ new practice facility is built in Akron on a designated property owned by James; Browns Stadium is re-named “The Chosen Ones”; and the baseball Indians pacify generations of disturbance by changing their nickname to The James Gang, with the new logo featuring Joe Walsh’s guitar. Gilbert agrees and the city throws another parade for James, sponsored by Nike.
6. Item: The Miami Heat return to the Eastern Conference finals, and yet again are derailed by the Detroit Pistons in Game 7.What this really means: Heat president and coach Pat Riley faxes waiver instructions to every player on the roster but Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal. Wade’s fax tells him to have a great summer and stay healthy. O’Neal’s fax tells him to lose 25 pounds or he’ll be fined $10,000 for every pound over 325. O’Neal shows up to training camp at 400 pounds, smiling and with a oversized check for $750,000 that is the photo-op of training camp. Riley promptly suspends him and O’Neal buys an old Good Humor truck and decides to take the year off and deliver free ice cream to children in the impoverished areas of South Florida. Prior to the televised Christmas Day game between the Heat and Lakers — with no Bryant or O’Neal — Riley announces his permanent retirement from coaching. O’Neal, admitting to tipping the scales at 475 pounds during a pregame interview with an astonished Bill Walton, says he feels much stronger at this weight and will begin play after New Year’s Day. In another live interview from a sauna in Colorado, sitting with Bryant and wearing only a towel, Jim Gray asks Bryant if he misses playing with O’Neal. Confused, Bryant looks at Gray and says, “I’m not familiar with that name.”
7. Item: The San Antonio Spurs are taken to seven games in the Western Conference semifinals by the Dallas Mavericks before winning, then win Game 7 of the conference finals against the Phoenix Suns when Steve Nash’s game-winning drive is wiped out by a dubious charging call. Amare Stoudemire, returning at All-Star break, averages 41 points, 22 rebounds and 3 blocks to embarrass Spurs Tim Duncan.
What this really means: When asked if the Spurs got a break on the final call, Duncan pulled off his headphones and said, “What?” When asked again, he said, “That’s retarded.” When asked if Amare Stoudemire, who averaged 41 points, 22 rebounds and 3 blocks after returning from microfracture surgery after All-Star break, had become a more dangerous all-around player than he, Duncan replied, “He’s retarded.” When asked if Duncan had lost confidence in his game, he replied, “You’re retarded.” Following that press conference, former teammate David Robinson then renounces Duncan and adds special education classes to his fully-funded private school that continues to gain acclaim for its scholarships and education of underprivileged children in southeastern Texas. Teammate Tony Parker retires for one year beginning in the fall of 2006 to teach French at Robinson’s school and his new wife Eva Longoria retires from acting for a year as well to teach Spanish — both teach free of charge as part of their community service responsibility for abusing San Antonio police who broke up the party at their 24-hour wedding following the finals.
8. Item: The Detroit Pistons win 69 games during the regular season, whip the Heat in the conference finals again and defeat the Spurs to win their second NBA title in three years.
What this really means: Third-year center Darko Milicic announces his retirement from the Pistons to play in Europe. In his post-championship press conference, Pistons owner Bill Davidson wishes Milicic well and tells him the door is always open for his return to the NBA. The Heat, Knicks and Pacers are livid, file a protest that it’s a league conspiracy to benefit the Pistons, even though they’re not sure how. Rasheed Wallace goes on national television with John Salley and calls them out for their sour grapes. “Y’all can learn something about sportsmanship by watching us play the Spurs. The one thing you’ll always know is both teams played hard. Can you say that?” Chauncey Billups is named co-MVP of the series with backcourt mate Rip Hamilton, both of whom were snubbed by coaches and fans for the 2006 All-Star squad again —leaving them laughing at the podium. “You guys can have the All-Star game, we’ll take championship rings any day,” Billups said. “Ditto,” Hamilton said, finally removing his mask after suffering a third broken nose.
9. Item: The Minnesota Timberwolves fail to make the playoffs for the second year in a row, leaving superstar forward Kevin Garnett exasperated just two years removed from the Western Conference finals.
What this really means: In a fit of lunacy, T-Wolves executive vice president Kevin McHale resigns his position and announces he will play center the final 10 games of the season for the Timberwolves. “Now, I’ll show KG what it’s really like to be a low post forward in this league because he obviously doesn’t want to do it,” McHale announced in his press conference. In a fit of rage, Garnett tells McHale where to take his low-post moves and publicly demands a trade. Wally Szczerbiak responds by not passing the ball to either one of them and shooting every time he touches the ball, except for those instances when guard Troy Hudson shoots the ball first. Following the final game, first-year coach Dwane Casey pronounces in a state of shock, “If I had known it was like this as a head coach in Minneapolis, I’d have gone to Portland to be an assistant coach for Nate (McMillan), where it’s actually sane.”
10. Item: The Seattle SuperSonics fire coach Bob Weiss and hire Stan Van Gundy, with the announcement they have gained traction in the purchase of land to build a new building in the parking lot of Qwest Field.
What this really means: Managing partner Howard Schultz, chairman of Starbucks, and president and CEO Wally Walker pushed through a referendum that a five-cent coffee tax would be added to all coffee purchased in the five counties surrounding Puget Sound and the new building would be named Starbucks Fieldhouse. But all non-Starbucks coffee drinkers proceed to boycott Sonics games in KeyArena, attendance drops to 5,000 a game and Schultz buys out 40 other minority owners. He then sells what amounts to 75 percent of the team to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who promptly gets the OK for a new building across Lake Washington in downtown Bellevue — where people can actually afford to attend NBA games. He buys out the final year of the KeyArena lease and they move into Windows of the World Fieldhouse for the 2009-10 season.

Grizzlies, Warriors put winning streaks on the line

Administrator — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 22:58:22 +0000

The Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies both try to extend their winning streaks to four games, as the teams square off tonight at the FedExForum.
Memphis has won four of the last five meetings in this series. Golden State has lost two straight and four of its last five at the Grizzlies.
The Warriors are 11-9 all-time at the Grizzlies.
Golden State plays the finale of a three-game road trip. On Saturday, two-time All-Star Baron Davis scored 23 points and dished out seven assists to lead the Warriors over the Houston Rockets, 94-89, at the Toyota Center.
Jason Richardson finished with 22 points in the win over Houston for the Warriors, who withstood a late run by the Rockets to capture their third straight win.
The Warriors are 8-7 on the road this season. After tonight’s contest, Golden State returns home to host the Indiana Pacers and the Miami Heat at The Arena in Oakland.
Memphis plays the opener of a brief two-game homestand. Pau Gasol poured in 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds and eight assists as the Grizzlies defeated the Seattle SuperSonics, 100-96, on Saturday at KeyArena.
Shane Battier added 19 points in the win over Seattle for the Grizzlies, who have won five of their last six games overall. Eddie Jones finished with 17 points on 5-of-14 shooting from the field.
Memphis played the SuperSonics without guard Damon Stoudamire, who suffered a ruptured patella tendon in his right knee during Friday’s 93-90 victory over Portland and is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season.
The Grizzlies are 10-5 as the host this season. They have won two in a row at FedExForum.