I am a huge warriors fan, and i can't keep on thinking about is their success late in the season setting us fans up for false hopes for next year? i am loving watching them on right now, it's very exciting to watch. Baron Davis has this team playing better than ever and he is making everyone on the team better. But right now when they are doing good, absoluetly nothing is on the line. There is no playoff race, its just the end of the season. The players really aren't playing under any pressure right now, so it makes me wonder should i get my hopes up again for the Warriors to have a great season next year and watch them just let me down again. Or is this an indication what Warrior basketball will be for the years to come? I don't know but for now i'm not going to get my hopes up because of the history of the warriors.
Well, it's not like they'd be doing it on purpose. You're right to be wary - as the Hawks, just a few seasons ago, played some great ball when it didn't matter against some of the best teams, leading to Lon Kruger making a playoff guarantee, and ended up playing poorly again. Still, the Warriors are cautiously optimistic that they can be better next year. We'll have the same guys - barring any major trade - and good team chemistry. Which, could be a problem in some fans' view, since we'll have Adonal, Fish, Murphy, Davis and Richardson for years (at least 4) to come. All that is left is to hope that this team comes together.
I think we will be over .500. We may not win 8 games in a row again next year, but I dont see us losing more than 3 in a row either...
Yeah i hope that both of you guys are right in your predictions because we need this in the bay next year. ITS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THE BAY AREA HAS BEEN EXCITED ABOUT WARRIOR BASKETBALL.
Hey bballer, way to be a downer and take me down from my high. ..haha jk. I am with you, I am very excited about next year but I am also trying not to get my hopes up. Sometimes this team looks unbeatable and other nights they look horrible. I'm going to try and stay positive for next year though, what we got to lose?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sactomofo:</div><div class="quote_post">Knock Knock Who's There? 2006 2006 Who? 2006 Playoffs in the OAKTOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!</div> OH YEAH!! Goodbye Lakers, that is the last time you make the playoffs for a long time
Y'all awoke my paranoid side. The horror of past drafts....past trades....I think I need a drink,make it a double and call me a taxi if I fall over.
Well, it's hard to say what Warriors will do in next season because we are very young team. And, young teams have ups and downs, like how Chicago and Denver did this season. We do have obvious strengths to rely on and obvious holes to fix. With current roster, I think we can challenge for 7 to 8th seed next season with 45-50 wins. If Mullin can bring some presence in the middle, it can be upgraded, and if we suffer major injuries from guys like Davis, Richardson, or Foyle, we can also get out of the PO race quickly. Also, what Mullin will do with the roster and salary movement in next season will be very critical for our long term future. Either positive or minus, I am dying to find out...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting REREM:</div><div class="quote_post">Y'all awoke my paranoid side. The horror of past drafts....past trades....I think I need a drink,make it a double and call me a taxi if I fall over.</div> LOL.
I think we'll make the playoffs next season barring injuries or stupid trades. We'll be a high scoring team, but I doubt our defense will be any good. In the NBA you have to be able to play some man to man defense and if you can't, your help defense is going to be pretty weak. Dunleavy can only do so much with what he's forced to work with. Richardson will struggle against these quick, light weight 2 guards like Dwayne Wade/Michael Redd. Troy Murphy just doesn't play defense period unless you count playing with his hands at his sides defense. Pietrus could be a viable starting 2 guard in the near future, but will probably go to some team looking to start and we don't want to match any offer just to retain a bench player who doesn't make his team much better when he's not on (like Jrich does in terms of assists and being able to post up any other two guard in the league). Plus Richardson always gets better and has an excellent combination of basketball skills and physical skills. If we keep this core together we'll probably go as far as any high scoring team can go as long as we dont' have many offnights. Since acquiring a true franchise player, if you look at our own conference and our division, everybody just got a lot weaker too, which helps us. Lakers are not the same without Shaq and underwent 80% roster turnover + new coach and an offense that doesn't circulate the ball as well or play defense as a team. Granted they can make some free agent moves to improve, they'll need some more help understanding how to play as a team. Minny looked pretty weak from the get go after Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell seemed to make money more of their motive to play hard rather than winning a championship. No teamwork. Absolutely selfish play on both ends of the floor and they fired their coach. The Warriors should have beaten them last time. Clippers - They look impressive, but they don't have much 3 point shooting and their future point guard/shooting guard/small forward looks too thin to be consistent despite his skills. Hornets - They are just a bad a team right now. They will probably be the 1999 Warriors. Jazz - Without any defense or playmakers, they can't look to scoring to bail them out. Even with Andrei and Boozer in, Andrei can only make up for so much of Boozers lapses in defense. Blazers - questionable. Kings - You can count on injuries and suspect defense to be able to get ahead of them in the playoffs, especially without Webber. Sonics - Minus Ray Allen? Radmanovic getting lost to free agency? Suspect defense?
The Warriors will be a playoff team for sure. Barring any injuries to Davis (which is highly likely considering his history), and a stupid trade in the offseason, I could see the Warriors winning at least 45 games. Dunleavy's progress has been pleasant for Warriors fans, Richardson is doing good, and Davis is the glue that holds the team together.
Yeah 45 seems like a fair number. Zhone did mention the Atlanta Hawks 2002 (Big Dog, Shareef Abdur Rahim, Jason Terry, Theo Ratliff) High scoring team, shoot first pass second point guard, both forwards don't play defense.) That is a scary comparrison. But I think the W's are more unselfish in play and our bench is solid in terms of providing us the mismatch in our favor.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting custodianrules2:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah 45 seems like a fair number. Zhone did mention the Atlanta Hawks 2002 (Big Dog, Shareef Abdur Rahim, Jason Terry, Theo Ratliff) High scoring team, shoot first pass second point guard, both forwards don't play defense.) That is a scary comparrison. But I think the W's are more unselfish in play and our bench is solid in terms of providing us the mismatch in our favor.</div> Good comparison by Zhone. Right now I wish we had Speedy to balance everything out though Would have been nice to dump Fisher on them instead of Speedy. But this team will be the Suns of next year.
Well we're not quite like the Atlanta Hawks as well because there's no real discernable franchise player from that 2002 roster. They also don't play as a team to afford to go without one like the early season Jazz or the Memphis Grizzlies. Plus we got some great shooting guards and Jason Terry really didn't develop his playmaking skills until he was finally out of Terry Stotts' doghouse. But they sure played hot when you have a hot scorer like Glenn Robinson (allstar), Shareef Abudr Rahim (all around player, allstar), Theo Ratliff (league's best shotblocker, allstar), and Jason Terry (NCAA champ and potential allstar)
Well I heard Baron Davis being interview on the Jim Rome show and Rome asked him point blank "Are the Warriors going to make the playoffs next season?" and Baron said "Most definitely we are." So it's on as far as Baron Davis is concerned, not exactly a 100% guaranteed, but I like Baron's attitude.
The deadline dealing not only brought Baron to be a catalyst,but also Zarko for depth and opened the door for our under used players,who all rapidly improved. Dunleavy and Foyle were really getting slammed here a couple of months ago,and there were reasons why,but both got better. Pietrus may not have all his fundamentals down,but he learned to do a lot with what he has got. The last few games Murph's inside offense was more creative and he was contesting shots on D. Fish had games with nice assist numbers even though Baron was the main playmaker. Though he needs to avoid the pointless fouls,Biedrens has played well for a guy who was invisible much of the season. Sadly Shika never was able to turn around his faded career. I should mention Baron. With the Hornets,he wasn't playing like he has here,wasn't a big catalyst. The conclusion is all these guys took a big step,developed some chemistry,got a feel for winning,and that is apt to carry over. I hope the front office is careful and wise so there isn't a backslide just as it looks good.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting REREM:</div><div class="quote_post">Dunleavy and Foyle were really getting slammed here a couple of months ago,and there were reasons why,but both got better.</div> That was definitely me... and me. And don't forget Fisher too when he jacked away all those posessions with a nearly fresh shotclock at point guard. Baron gives infectious confidence to the team and leads by example on both ends of the floor. He also is a great interior passer and makes it easier for others to score because he opens up the floor and tells his guys where he wants them. He also repeatedly finds the inside player, gets him open and I think he was that good to make Jamal Magloire an allstar. (Imagine if we had last year's Dampier this year. He would dominate.) Baron also opens up the floor a lot more for guys like Dunleavy to scoot up closer or go baseline and get off a reliable midrange jumper or create for a jump shooter. Also a true point like Baron makes catch and shoot shooters like Troy Murphy and Derek Fisher a whole lot better since their feet are already set and they don't have to create for themselves.
Foyle used to be the last option- someone would make a move,get stopped and with no options throw it toward Adonal. Some guys can deal with passes behind them,at their knees,and some can't. Foyle can't. Now he gets a beter % of good passes,at least giving him a chance. Foyle also is,like many big men who are not finesse gifted-much better when getting good chunks of action,enough to get in the flow. Cliffy and DD were getting major time,so Adonal would get irregular action. Fish is not,and never was a guy who's a great volume shooter,at any range,but he'd been a good clutch shot from outside,better when time is running out than usual,where some guys choke at such times. Fish trying to pop 3's in other situations was not good. Now he is realizing he should not try those contested long shots,that this crew has weapons to deploy without resorting to a low % fling. A huge plus is that all the W's have a new confidence in each other,in the sense guys will do the smart play,that your sweet move won't go to waste,or your timely pass won't be wasted. I still want the W's to add some more quality talent,but there's no need to settle for crappy,desperation moves. I don't expect the W's to be in the NBA finals next year but I also don't think they will be sneaking in as an 8th seed. Mullin is not the past leadership,and all jinx's end eventually,so perhaps it is time. Several of the teams that are currently big powers were dogs not long ago,the Warriors are way overdue to have an up-cycle. If I see a strong draft/free agent plan next offseason,and ability to avoid getting undercut by cap+contract issues,injuries,disgruntled players etc,then I'll be even more optimistic
