<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson have an intriguing theory. The Warriors' leading scorers believe that their most potent offensive weapon isn't themselves. It's a teammate averaging his lowest point total in five years. "Al (Harrington) is probably the only guy that can get 40 a couple of nights in a row," Jackson said. "I'm streaky. B.D.'s streaky. Al is solid. Al's just a flat-out scorer. "Jason Richardson was that guy last year who could just get 40 any given night. I think Al's that guy now." Harrington's scoring (14.4 points per game) and playing time (27.2 minutes per game) are both down this season, but that hasn't stopped him from lighting it up lately. The big man is shooting 53 percent over the last four games, and it was his scorching start in Seattle nearly three weeks ago that led to jokes about setting the scoreboard on fire. With the Warriors continuing their road trip against his hometown Nets on Saturday in East Rutherford, N.J., Harrington has also put together back-to-back games that have highlighted the inside-outside skills Chris Mullin has admired for years. Against Memphis, Harrington asserted himself in the post with 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting in the second half. Against Minnesota, he had 14 points and hit 3-of-4 from long distance in the second half. Mullin, who targeted Harrington as a free agent in 2006 before acquiring him and Jackson from Indiana, says the forward/center is at his best when he's not trying to do too much. "Most guys, it's when they're decisive and take the first good move, good shot that's available to them, (not when) they try to overdo it for whatever reason," Mullin said. "With those guys, there are large portions of the game when they're open. The work's already done. Get it up and down. To be open and try to get more open or get someone else open? That's counterproductive. "I think Al's been really good all year," he added. "But in the games he's shined, it's been just that - very decisive. Move, get to the rim. Move, make one step, shot. Not move, head fake, open, spin, shot, know what I mean?" As a 6-foot-9 tweener forward playing the power positions for coach Don Nelson, Harrington has been riding the matchup yo-yo like the rest of the Warriors. He's played less than 20 minutes five times and more than 35 five times. The roller coaster is natural in Nelson's system, but Davis said it's up to the Warriors' ball handlers to find Harrington at a spot where he can attack, especially if he has the hot hand. "We want Al to get those 20 points because he's such a mismatch problem for opposing teams, especially when he's playing the five or even the four," Davis said. "He has a great low-post game that we haven't been using effectively, and we want to get him the ball as early as possible." "Al's just trying to get his confidence back," Jackson said. "His minutes have been kind of shaky, coming in and out ... but the good thing about Al is Al's a professional. Whether he's starting, whether he's playing five or 20 minutes, he's going to come out and be productive." And Harrington's scoring of late has not been limited to the court. He celebrated the launch of "The Al Harrington Foundation" in his native New Jersey on Thursday night (he was born in Orange and went to high school in Elizabeth), and will be at the NBA Store in Manhattan today to take a selected group of children on a shopping spree. Asked what the main focus of his new charity would be, Harrington reeled off a list with as many options as the Warriors free-flowing attack. "Taking guns out of homes, (helping) single-parent moms, boarding homes, all for kids," Harrington said. "There's so many things that are (messed) up in the world, it's hard to pick just one." Briefly: Mullin declined to discuss his point guard situation in light of Troy Hudson's potentially career-ending hip injury. "We'll wait to hear from the doctor to make a logical evaluation," Mullin said of making any roster moves. "Ideally, we want him healthy and playing." ... Forward Austin Croshere (lower back strain) was unable to take part in an optional practice Thursday. ... Monta Ellis said he felt fine after bumping his head on the court in the final minutes of the Minnesota game.</div> Source: SF Gate
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Shapecity @ Dec 21 2007, 10:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>"Al (Harrington) is probably the only guy that can get 40 a couple of nights in a row," Jackson said. "I'm streaky. B.D.'s streaky. Al is solid. Al's just a flat-out scorer."</div> That's a little odd, I think of Harrington as incredibly streaky. You could count the Warriors who are not streaky on one hand...Biedrins, and Monta has been pretty reliable this year...is that it?
Agree with you HiRez, Al is probably the most streaky player on the team. Hes definitely not consistent. I think Al is the type of guy who is a monster in practice but chokes during games. Remember everyone saying he was a monster in training camp this year? He actually was playing well at the beginning of the season and is starting to heat up again but he was crappy in between all of that. Hes 100 times better when he doesn't rush his shot, especially in the paint, thats definitely his biggest problem is that hes always rushing his shot and hes not focused. Sounds like Baron and Jack will look to get Al more involved early. Hes much better when he gets a good start to a game whereas if he starts off cold hes probably not going to heat up. Hopefully he slows the eff down, throws some pumpfakes in the paint, and keeps up his FT%.
Sounds like coddling. just kidding Al is tough to stop when he has the outside jumper going for him. But I agree with the rest of you, when Al is off, he is OFF big time. The areas where Al needs to get consistent at is rebounding, drawing fouls, and making free throws.
Jackson is just trying to be a good captain and keep Al's confidence up. He definately is important to the team, and when he's on the Warriors are almost impossible to stop.
It's tough for Al or any small forward on this team because of where Nelly would normally put those guys around his 3 or 4 guards he's also got out there on the floor. He just doesn't care about who he matches up because he lets the players worry about the defensive problems way too often. I think Harrington is doing his best, but it's obvious he's clearly outmatched some nights and he's having to use up a lot of his energy guarding the post and trying to bang with bigger bodies. But he is streaky and he isn't really that great at finishing. He gets blocked by the rim or he just simply misses too many times because he expects heavier contact inside or he just blows it. But the benefit is that he's more than adequate shooter who can create his own offense... and even pass it sometimes.
Tonight vs. NJ is a perfect example: 35 minutes, 3-12 FG (0-6 3FG), 5 reb, 1 ast, 3 TO, 0 stl, 0 bs, 5 PF. Those aren't stats that a model of consistency puts up more than a few times a year.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HiRez @ Dec 22 2007, 10:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Tonight vs. NJ is a perfect example: 35 minutes, 3-12 FG (0-6 3FG), 5 reb, 1 ast, 3 TO, 0 stl, 0 bs, 5 PF. Those aren't stats that a model of consistency puts up more than a few times a year.</div> Yeah that's what pisses me off about Harrington. But he did really nicely in the Cleveland game and trying to manage PF and C positions (positions that aren't really his ideal position). He doesn't complain about it vocally, so he's got a great attitude. Besides if Nelly was really interested in anyone rebounding, he'd put in natural rebounders like Biedrins, POB, and Brandan Wright... Those guys might even get fouled quite a bit if they're battling inside around the hoop. Saves wear and tear on the guards having to charge in against bigger bodies.
After seeing how Al Harrington was performing in the preseason and the news coming out of camp, I thought Al was going to be awesome this season. I though this, especially since I thought Al was going to fill in where Jason left off more, perhaps like Baron or Jackson were saying when they said that Al can score like JRich. But Al's production is below my expectation at least. His concentration in games is horrible as well. He has made a lot of boneheaded plays from how much I have seen of the Warriors this season. I mean during the New Jersey game, I believe, what was up with him closing out the 3rd quarter where he just stood in one spot not dribbling or nothing for like 12 seconds until he put up a shot to close the quarter? That was just ugly and totally demented. I really hope that was not the play at that time. I highly doubt it was either.
