Warriors @ Mavericks Game Thread 12/14/04

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Gohn:</div><div class="quote_post">I also dont have cable or even regular channels </div>
Somewhere there is a caveman drawing it on a wall.

FIND THAT CAVEMAN!!!

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting openglfx:</div><div class="quote_post">Man would I be pissed if the Warriors lost this game. For all you guys who've seen the game, how many botched calls against the Warriors were there? Warriors would've won going away easy. Aren't we beginning to see the kind of Warriors we were envisioning that would be right now? I guess Derek Fisher really messes up the run n gun system.</div>

Now if the Ws can get rid of fisher and foyle.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting wtwalker77:</div><div class="quote_post">Somewhere there is a caveman drawing it on a wall.

FIND THAT CAVEMAN!!! </div>

 

Congratulations to all GSW fans! I hope that I'll see that dunk somewhere in sport news later.

 

That game was REALLY fun to watch. This team has a lot of potential. The offense has obviously come around, but how about that defense? Nowitzki held to 13 points? Awesome.

Props to Montgomery for yet another technical foul.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GSWScruff:</div><div class="quote_post">Props to Montgomery for yet another technical foul. </div>
I was happy to see Montgomery get the tech, but he should have gotten it a few plays earlier.

 

The Warriors are learning to close games. This game had by far the most team plays that i seen so far this season. The Warriors were actually passing the ball around not panicking when the lead shrank and playing team ball. The foundation is there and Pietrus is a stud even though he made some mistakes but having Pietrus and Richardson together does put pressure on the other team. Claxton can and does make a difference, with Murphy hitting the boards and driving inside. The seeds are there we all have to be patience and not panic, because the tean is starting to jell and grow together. I specially like the fact that J-rich play under control and let the game come to him, specially with all those put back from other players misses + THE DUNK on the walking stick = NASTY!

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting openglfx:</div><div class="quote_post">Man would I be pissed if the Warriors lost this game. For all you guys who've seen the game, how many botched calls against the Warriors were there? Warriors would've won going away easy.</div> There were tons of botched calls. If we lost I would have said that the homer refs just handed the game to the Mavericks. Jrich even got fouled after that poster dunk on Bradley (He was shoving on Jrich's face while he was still on the rim).

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting openglfx:</div><div class="quote_post">Aren't we beginning to see the kind of Warriors we were envisioning that would be right now?</div> I think the warriors need a few more pieces because we're damn lucky we have Speedy Claxton, Pietrus, and that those jumpers were falling for Cliff tonight. Uncle Cliff was playing with intensity (3 blocks, several great defensive plays in the post) and a little post play + outside shooting. But we definitely need a future franchise player that has a go-to move, and is the type of player that is a leader on both ends of the floor like the gentleman above (only consistently, a decent body type and with good basketball fundamentals). I mean you ever wonder why scoring runs happen when Claxton, Cliffy (when he's hot) and sometimes Pietrus make all the difference in the world? I think it's these guys that really set the tone. Few know it, but Cliffy will do the little things to keep points in the paint low and he'll make a good pass or two to start a break or to find someone cutting to the basket. His knock is that he isn't that athletic, is aging, lives and dies by the 3 ball, isn't a good free throw shooter, and is a pretty poor rebounder and has herpes, but he is a true team leader on the defensive end and I think that's what gets us good scoring runs because Uncle Cliffy make it tough for big men like Kevin Garnett or Dirk Nowitizki to score. He'll essentially just lock them down or make it really challening for them to get easy points and we can start running the other way with Dunleavy to initiate the break.

Here's why I think this:

1.) We played a lot better defense last year when Cliff was in the game, and when Murphy was out and we had Erick Dampier to pull down boards and score garbage points for him or hand off passes. Right now Murphy is filling in for Dampier in terms of rebounds, but Cliff is showing why he needs to start over Foyle/Davis because this team lacks a big man that score down low anyway, so we might as well throw in our best post defender and one that can spread the floor and shoot the ball. We need some offensive production coming from the 5, because our other centers are just stiffs on offense. Even if Cliffy is inconsistent on offense, he can protect the paint.

2.) Claxton can get position at will on the floor and this makes him great on defense and on offense. His speed creates open looks for others and other point guards cannot handle him physically because he'll be up in the air the minute he feels contact for the foul, making the other team's defense loosen up on defense to avoid going over the limit. Although I wouldn't say his quality of passing is that great or consistent, nor his decision making on fastbreaks, he is the type of point guard we need in the mold of a young Darrell Armstrong player (without the J, but way better playmaker). The reason I say Armstrong is because he was a tremendous, aggressive athlete, played with heart, can do things well on both ends of the court and he is the player that can set the tone in a game. He definitely played tonight like a well rounded guard should, driving, dishing, hitting the outside jumper, controlling the tempo. The problem is can he do it consistently? He's kind of weak and small compared to the other more elite point guards in the nba.

3.) We started winning a lot more near the end of the season when Pietrus got more playing time and was challenging the other team's point guards and we had Dunleavy playing point guard. Also who was crazy or quick enough to drive like Claxton? Pietrus. He was that intense defender that took over when Claxton was out. When you have Pietrus shutting down the other team's best backcourt player and Cliffy stopping anyone inside, you can get lots of scoring runs coming from players like Richardson, Dunleavy, and Murphy.

They say Jrich is the barometer for the team's success, but I think it's really Speedy and Cliff to tell you the truth. We usually do well when they do well. And then when Richardson adds his 20, Murphy adds his 17 and gets rebounds, both look awesome for it. And then since nobody expects Cliffy to be that great anymore because of his age and Speedy not that great because of his size and limited range, everything gets thrown on Dunleavy since he is not known as a great scorer or defender anyway. But Dunleavy is a player that is the most under control and has good court sense. If he can just score and play the defense he was playing tonight against the Mavs, I think he can be a good complimentary player for when anybody else isn't getting it done. And when all the starters aren't getting it done we send in Pietrus!

How about Pietrus though? eh? 20 points off the bench + 6 rebounds + 2 blocks in 20 minutes and terrific defense! I'd say he could be Warriors sixth man of the year. If he can adjust to longer minutes, learn the game, learn how to let the game come to him, he will be a good near franchise player. You want your franchise guy to be a good defender and hard to take out of the game. Pietrus could be that when he learns how to set the tone and keep under control during certain periods of the game and when to bust out with full intensity.

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting openglfx:</div><div class="quote_post">I guess Derek Fisher really messes up the run n gun system.</div> I'm sure glad Fisher is injured because now we don't have to rely on a backup point guard that starts hoisting the minute he crosses the half court line. Plus all those blocking fouls... Might as well get Pietrus to cover his man and have Dfish cover the shooting guard.

 

What a great win over the Mavs. Should have been the second one this season over them. They just turned my cable off because we didn't pay the bill so i couldn't see the dunk. Anyone have a link to it?

 

Finally first great win! This team is definitely playing like how they played last year. Speedy was just great with his penetration today, and everybody started to play well because of him. I guess if we can't find post up games, we should at least have a penetration to open up the offense. I was quite impressed how we fought back number of times when Dallas made surges after surges. And, last Richardson's dunk was just nice...

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">What a great win over the Mavs. Should have been the second one this season over them. They just turned my cable off because we didn't pay the bill so i couldn't see the dunk. Anyone have a link to it?</div>
Oh you'll see it all right ...when I put it into my next sig.

Actually if you want the video clip of it I'll have to search the net for it. I'll host it if I find it and post the link. But I'm sure with all the Tivo subscribers out there, someone will put it on their computer and convert it to mpeg or avi for us.

But hey, what timing, eh, Rudeezy? I bet the cable guy was staring in through your apartment window just waiting for the opportune time to shut the cable off just to be a d--- and piss everyone off.

 

I think I may have a new favorite quote:

``(Richardson) came flying in and just sat on (Bradley's) head,'' said Murphy. ``It was a huge play for us. Jason is the best dunker in the league. He came in and really made a big play for us.''

Oh, and I keep forgetting to mention this, but did you see Murph do his behind the back dribble drive again? If he keeps doing that I'm going to have to start up my Dirk-lite campaign again.

 

This is awful! The one game that the warriors beat a somewhat good team where JRich threw down a game winning dunk and I had to work. I'm still happy that I didn't come on here to find out the warriors were blown out by 30 and everyone is demanding for someone to be traded. I really have nothing to contribute since I didn't see the game. Man.......

 

Man that sux. Murphy's law I guess.

Speaking of Murphy (the other Murphy), Troy's behind the back dribble pass looked like something that Dunleavy and Dirk would do which was awesome. It was pretty sweet because I didn't think Murphy could do much with the ball. I'd be even more impressed though if he could do a fluid crossover under the leg like Dirk and Mike D could.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hipokrat_x(LV):</div><div class="quote_post">Congratulations to all GSW fans! I hope that I'll see that dunk somewhere in sport news later.</div>
Just wanted to let you know that Biedrens was never far from Montgomery during the game. He definitely seems like a coachable kid that will be fun to watch when he learns the game. He was in a suit right behind the Warriors bench and seemed to be listening in on all the Warriors players and what the coaches had to say.

 

Great win for the Warriors. Great to beat the Mavs any day and hold Dirk to less then 15 points