Yes! Monta's playing and Baron isn't (now out with hammy pull). This is an auspicious new beginning for the Warriors.
Monta Ellis with authority: "Let me play!" <object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8IJ7SkmZRSM&hl=pt-br&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8IJ7SkmZRSM&hl=pt-br&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>
Not to sound pessimistic, but honestly, for Monta, that dunk was pretty weak On a good Monta dunk, his head is usually above the rim... Hopefully he wasn't trying to show off his hops with that dunk, because if so I'd still have concerns about his ankle.
Hmmm I wonder how many players can have their heads level with the rim? I only know Vince Carter (when he was young), and Lebron James. I also thought Gerald Green was a jumping jack, but he's been a bit disappointing as a basketball player.
Yeah, I was kind of exaggerating on the literal level -- (he's 6'3 so his vert would have to be 45 inches to achieve that). But what I mean is from that one dunk, he doesn't yet seem to have the super spring that has so defined his game. I'm not saying good hops (Gerald Green) makes a good player. Obviously it takes more. I'm saying that hops has been one of Monta's key attributes, that allows him to hang in the air and finish with both hands around, under and over defenders. And it's only one clip -- we'll know more after watching him play tonight. Hopefully I'm wrong, because I've been waiting along time to find out whether our franchise superhero can still run and jump the way he used to...
I blame Nelly. Nelly had no business logging so many minutes on Crawford and it finally happened, he got injured.