Hey everybody, I'm Dave and I run a Warriors blog over at Most Valuable Network. It's called "The City", and if you guys have a chance, check it out. Anyway, my most recent article is about the top ten Warriors moments of the 2004-05 season, and thought I'd post it here and open it up for discussion. Sorry if it's a little messy, it looks better on the actual site. But did I get 'em all? Leave anything out? Let me know. Honorable Mention: Foyle sets Warriors blocked shots record The Warriors were 9-18 by late December, and it was apparent that another season of futility was in store. But in an otherwise meaningless beginning to the season, Adonal Foyle had the most exciting Warriors storyline of 2004. After blocking two shots against Denver on December 27th, Foyle passed Joe Barry Carroll on the franchise career shots blocked list with 838. By the end of the season, Foyle finished with 965, or 159 on the season. His career total is tied with Bill Lambeer for 69th on the all-time list, and 19th among active players. Honorable Mention: Richardson named "Player of the Week" once, Davis twice Here's just one of the many accomplishments that the Warriors achieved individually or collectively and haven't done in ten years. Jason Richardson averaged 24.0 points and 10.3 rebounds in three games during the week of March 13th, and was named player of the week for the first time since Tim Hardaway grabbed the honors in November 1994. Two weeks later, Baron Davis one-upped J-Rich and won two straight Player of the Week awards. In the first week, Davis averaged 22.3 points, 10.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.75 steals in four games. The following week, he was even more convincing with 28.8 points, 12.0 assists, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.5 steals. With the second straight win, Davis became the eighth player in NBA history to win back-to-back Player of the Week awards. 10) Mullin steals Davis away from Hornets The Warriors were up 13 over the Hawks at halftime on February 23rd, but the game took a backseat to the rumor running rampant that Baron Davis was on his way to the East Bay. An otherwise meaningless game suddenly seemed like the official changing of the guard, as it was the tail end of the Garry St. Jean era. No longer were the Warriors just collecting 12 basketball players, but Chris Mullin was molding together a team that had a clear vision and direction. The following morning, Dale Davis and Speedy Claxton were on their way to Bourbon Street, and Baron Davis was the newest member to the puzzle with pieces that finally fit. While Dale Davis was waived and signed by Indiana, Claxton wasn't as lucky. Speedy was stuck on the bench behind another former Warrior in Dan Dickau, and averaged only 22 minutes worth of playing time. In 16 games with the Hornets, Claxton averaged 6.8 points on 37.3% shooting, but did average 5.5 assists to balance out his poor shooting. But since trading away Baron Davis, the Hornets weren't exactly any better off. The Hornets were 7-21 after the trade, and the Warriors were 18-10. 9) Dunleavy Gone Wild! [Insert custodianrules2' hilarious Dunleavy sig here] Yeah, the Warriors lost to Dallas, but it was one of the more entertaining games the Warriors have played in the past several years. Mike picked up two quick fouls to start the game, and was quickly subbed out. After entering the game again in the second quarter, it only took Mike 50 seconds to rack up his third foul. A minute later, Zarko was on the floor and Mike had a towel on his head on the bench. In the third, Mike was more controlled, actually playing four minutes before he collected another foul on a charge call. Dunleavy was not happy with the questionable offensive foul, and vented his frustration about the prior fouls to the powers that be. He got his point across by screaming right in referee Bill Spooner's face. Moments later, Mike was ejected, and that did not sit well with him. In another burst of emotion, Dunleavy took his jersey off, and it didn't take too much longer for the jersey to become a souvenir for a fan in the stands. The Warriors lost the game 109-97, but one thing that people will remember from that night is Dunleavy finally showing some emotion on the basketball court. Also showing plenty of emotion were Baron Davis, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Richardson, Keith Van Horn, Juwan Howard, and Mavericks coach Avery Johnson, who each received a technical foul during the game. (Picture is reposted with the permission of custodianrules2 from justbball.com 8) Richardson slams Bradley, Dallas If it's on the top ten list and it wasn't even during the Baron Davis era, then you know it had to be one hell of a game. After losing twelve straight in Dallas, the Warriors finally came out firing. They jumped out to an eleven point lead at the end of the first quarter, but Dallas whittled away at the lead until the final 90 seconds when Darrell Armstrong got the Mavericks back to within two. After the Warriors and Mavericks traded misses on consecutive possessions, Golden State had one chance to put the game away. After letting the shot clock run down to single digits, Cliff Robinson took a 20 footer with 20 seconds left that hit front iron, and the rebound was heading right towards Shawn Bradley's hands. Jason Richardson, following the shot from the top of the key, came out of nowhere, soared in right over Bradley, and slammed the ball right in Shawn's face. In one of the more exciting moments of the season, the Warriors had defeated one of the best home teams in the league -- and had done it with emphasis. 7) Murphy, Davis lead Warriors over Blazers for impressive sixth straight road win Damon Stoudamire had a triple double, Baron Davis and Jason Richardson had awful shooting nights, but Troy Murphy picked up the slack and helped the Warriors win their sixth consecutive game on the road. The Blazers shot a little over 8% better than the Warriors from the field, but Golden State hit 43% of their 26 shots from long range to make the difference. While Davis did add 22 points and 11 assists, his 4/19 overall shooting wasn't exactly helpful. As previously mentioned, Jason Richardson also struggled, hitting 5/16 from the field. In the end, however, Troy Murphy added 22 on 10/15 shooting to go with ten rebounds, and the Warriors narrowly beat the Blazers 104-102. The six straight road wins meant the longest such streak in 36 years for the Warriors, and was one road win short of the team record of seven set in 1969. 6) Richardson drops 40 on Kings in thriller The new look Warriors were facing the new look Kings for the first time since their respective blockbuster deals, and it was an exciting start for the NorCal rivals. The Warriors jumped out to an early 48-27 lead, but saw it disappear slowly until the final minute of the third quarter when the Kings took over at 76-75. Jason Richardson was responsible for the Warriors playing tough all game long, and came up strong in the fourth quarter with seven points and five boards. Richardson's biggest shot came with 27.1 seconds left in the game with the score tied at 97, when he nailed a long jumper to put the Warriors up for good. Baron Davis took a backseat that night, as Richardson took care of business. Davis was the beneficiary of Richardson's spectacular shooting night, as 6 of his 10 assists were on Richardson baskets. The win was the second of what would be three against the Kings, the first time the Warriors took the season series since the '93-'94 season. 5) Davis beats Houston inside and out Baron Davis nailed long distance shots, drove the lane and got to line several times, dished out over a dozen assists, and led the Warriors to a very impressive victory over the surging Rockets. The Rockets were in what would be the middle of a 19-7 streak to the playoffs, while the Warriors were having a very successful late season themselves. Davis, however, took the game into his own hands. Showcasing the incredible talent that he has, Davis put up a career high 40 points, handed out 13 assists, and had five steals. Baron's three point shots were limited, and in what is hopefully a precursor to his play next year, worked his way inside and drew contact to earn 16 free throw attempts. Tracy McGrady actually scored more points than Davis with a game high 44, but did so by taking 34 field goals to Davis' 20. The win is significant because of what it symbolizes from Baron. He can control a game in many different ways, but this is how he can do it efficiently. He'll come in next year healthy, and quicker as a result of it, so hopefully that translates into fewer threes and more drives to the basket. 4) Pietrus scores career high 28, win 8th straight Against an explosive Phoenix team, the Warriors needed guys to step up and hit at least half their shots. It took 105 shots, but Golden State finally did the job by beating the Suns at their own game. Mickael Pietrus, Jason Richardson, and Mike Dunleavy each put up 28, and the Warriors won 127-119. Pietrus was on fire from everywhere, shooting 9/11 and 6/6 from downtown. In addition to that, his perfect shooting night from three point range tied Jason Richardson for the most three point attempts without missing in one game. If this wasn't a breakout game for Pietrus, then there must be plenty more to come in the following season. Though the Warriors lost the following game to the Spurs in two overtimes, the eight game win streak was a fantastic subplot to an already lost season. 3) 4th sellout of season turns into blowout of Lakers A late season battle for maintaining some dignity was the only thing this game stood for on paper. But seeing Los Angeles lose was just as satisfying since Kobe Bryant had an awful shooting night. I've beat this game to death, but it's still one of the top games even without Lamar Odom on the court. At no time were the Warriors ever in much trouble. Los Angeles' largest lead was a resounding three points, and their final lead was 25-24. By the time the Warriors were up 119-79, there wasn't much else to talk about except whether Nikoloz Tskitishvili could physically handle playing 10 minutes of playing time. 2) Fisher's three sinks Milwaukee Easily the most exciting game of the year. Can't ask for a better way to end the game. Derek Fisher brought over some Laker magic to the East Bay, as the Warriors dropped Milwaukee on a buzzer beater in overtime. The game was never really out of reach for either team all night, as there were 21 lead changes -- six in the fourth quarter and another six in overtime. Baron Davis was extremely tough down the stretch, constantly hitting big shots and getting three point plays at the right time. Jason Richardson was the exact opposite, as he was 0/2 from the field and free throw line in overtime. In the fourth quarter, J-Rich was 1/5 and missed a perfect opportunity to put the Warriors up for good in regulation. As opposed to the Sacramento game when Richardson hit the game winning shot, clutch J-Rich was nowhere to be found. But even through his poor performance, he still had a fairly good game. He was 11/22 on the night, leading the starters to 50% shooting. 1) Warriors dominate Jazz in final game of season Two teams, same spring fate. The Warriors featured Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, and the crew. The Jazz had franchise players Andrei Kirilenko and Carlos Boozer on the disabled list. Both teams were in the midst of not-so-pretty overall seasons, but Utah had it especially rough with the injuries to their stars. At home, facing a team without their two best players, Golden State had no trouble handling the Jazz. The game featured no lead changes, as Baron Davis hit the first basket of the game, and the Warriors stayed up for good. The final game of the year provided the Warriors with their 34th win, three fewer wins than last year. But with a 20-10 record in the final 30 games, the Warriors have a great foundation to build on.
I like it. maybe the 8 game winning streak deserves to be on there? also for the final one i liked beating the Lakers, tying their record, and then beating them in the coin toss. Nice summary of the year though.
Hiya mooquack, and welcome. Nice list, although I'd move the final game down a bit in favor of other games. You might want to read about some of our highlights (custodian describes no less than 20 of his favorite plays ) in this "End of the Season Warriors awards" thread which shares a lot of your favorites too!
Mooquack, yeah I made a list already that's similar, but thanks for showing your top 10 blog here so we can discuss it here. It's always good to have contributors that can start discussions. Couple comments: I think Jrich ties the franchise record of 7 consecutive 3 pointers in a row in one game because he tied it last year against Portland. Pietrus fell short with only 6 or 5. I remember because I think it was the same game where he dribbled out the final seconds of the game and it went off his foot right into Rasheed Wallace's hand for a would-be fastbreak dunk had Speedy not chased him down and knocked the ball away. Everybody on the floor was laughing because how many guards lose the ball with no pressure whatsoever, dribbling out the remainder. It was also the game that Dampier looked like a freakin' all-star. I found a source: Here was Jrich's records for the 2002-2003 season. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"><font face="Arial"><font size="2"><font size="2">JASON?S LONG RANGE RECORDS: Spanning a three-game period from 12/7 to 12/13, Jason Richardson connected on eight straight three-point attempts, tying the franchise records for most consecutive treys made without a miss -- matching Jon Barry (12/30/95 - 1/24/96)...En route to his record (which started with his last three-pointer vs. Dallas on 12/7 and ended after making his first and missing his second attempt at Orlando on 12/13), <font color="Red">J-Rich connected on 6-of-6 three-pointers vs. L.A. Lakers on 12/10</font>...<font color="Red">The 6-for-6 effort from long range marked the most made three-pointers without a miss in one game in franchise history</font><font color="Red">, surpassing the previous record of 5-for-5 shared by Mitch Richmond</font> (1/21/89 at Sacramento) and Damon Jones (11/29/99 at Utah)...He has made six three-pointers in a game twice this season.</font></font></font> http://www.nba.com/warriors/history/jason_...ardson_sir.html </div> And here is the long range record for Jason Richardson in the 2003-2004 season. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> AT PORTLAND The Warriors get off to a great start, jumping ahead 21-7. <font color="Red">Jason Richardson hit seven consecutive three-point shots before missing a late attempt as the game was winding down en route to a 105-87 victory.</font> Golden State led wire to wire and<font color="Red"> J-Rich?s effort tied the club record for three point shots in a game which had been equaled by Cliff Robinson just four games earlier</font>. A 12-game losing streak ended with one of the more inspiring efforts this season with Erick Dampier scoring 18 points, pulling down 20 rebounds, 11 off of the offensive glass. The win also ended an 11-game losing streak at the Rose Garden. http://www.nba.com/warriors/interactive/ro...nal_012804.html </div> Also, I'm suprised the Jrich 42 point game on national TV wasn't on there. He was scoring in so many different ways and making several highlight plays after getting back from his ankle injury, it looked like he was a true all-star. It also marked the ending of a losing streak when he was out hurt. Can't wait for your next blog.
CR2, sorry if I was stepping on your toes. About the three point record, the most consecutive three point shots hit is still held by Jason, I think. But the three point record without having a miss in one game is held by Jason (vs. LAL, 12/10/02) and Mickael with 6. It's a slight difference, but I'm sure Mickael's glad to earn half a share of the record. Yeah, #1 was more of a sentimental choice than anything, but it was because the Warriors gave the Jazz absolutely no chance to win. They played great ball, all there is to it. The Suns game was certainly more exciting, but the final game of the year was a great end to a great beginning.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting mooquack:</div><div class="quote_post">CR2, sorry if I was stepping on your toes. About the three point record, the most consecutive three point shots hit is still held by Jason, I think. But the three point record without having a miss in one game is held by Jason (vs. LAL, 12/10/02) and Mickael with 6. It's a slight difference, but I'm sure Mickael's glad to earn half a share of the record. Yeah, #1 was more of a sentimental choice than anything, but it was because the Warriors gave the Jazz absolutely no chance to win. They played great ball, all there is to it. The Suns game was certainly more exciting, but the final game of the year was a great end to a great beginning.</div> No you weren't stepping on toes at all. This is good that you post some new material. I guess I was confused about the 3-point record. I thought it was most consecutive 3's and the "without a miss" part was just being redundant. So because Jrich took a 3-point shot and missed on his 8th attempt, it doesn't count. Imagine if Jrich didn't try to break Clif's previous record of most consecutive 3's in a game, he'd have 7 3-pointers without any misses from downtown. Well I'm glad Pietrus is making me look good when I said he had the potential to be just as good as Jrich or even better when it comes to explosiveness. Jrich is the better player though, obviously, but Pietrus can just get to the basket at will like Kobe or T-mac can. Problem is he's got no moves other than go left and his crossover and hesitation moves are still works in progress as his decision making is not very good.
