Updated: Nov. 21, 2005, 12:55 PM ET Clang time By Ric Bucher ESPN the Magazine If you hear a mysterious crash outside your window, don't worry. It's probably just the Golden State Warriors, taking -- and missing -- another 3-point attempt. Bereft of an inside presence and apparently feeling no pressure from the coaching staff, the Warriors launched 35 shots from beyond the arc, making all of seven. The Los Angeles Clippers, taking 35 free throws instead, rolled to an easy 113-101 win to bolster their lead in the Pacific Division and maintain a tie with the San Antonio Spurs atop the Western Conference. The Warriors' greater collective confidence is one reason they're a better team this season, but there's a fine line between believing in yourself and overestimating your abilities. The Warriors didn't just cross that line in L.A., they did the rhumba on it and kept going. Twenty-eight missed 3-pointers! And these weren't on-line, in-and-out, spin-around-the-rim misses. These were clanks and clunks and no-hopers. The team record for 3-point attempts is 39, including 27 misses in a 103-90 win over the Wizards on March 4, 2005. No matter who you are -- Craig Hodges, Reggie Miller, Ray Allen -- when the shot isn't falling, you either step in or attack the rim. Whatever you do, you stop taking the shot you clearly can't make. Or, if you're the head coach, you pull one of the offending launchers and send a message, as Larry Brown did with rookie Nate Robinson in the Knicks' win Sunday over the Blazers. Not being at the game, I don't know if Mike Montgomery got into anybody for their shot selection. I have to believe he didn't because surely the TV cameras, forever in search of controversy, would've caught it. Clips coach Mike Dunleavy, meanwhile, is living a charmed life. Sam Cassell has cut his decision-making load in half and the sticky issue of Corey Maggette's unhappiness being a sub was resolved when starting small forward Quinton Ross -- whose energy contributed to LA's great start to the season -- had to sit down with back spasms. Other snap judgments about the Warriors off the loss is that they are: ? Pretty good when Mike Dunleavy makes his presence felt, as he did in the first half with eight points on 4 of 5 shooting, one rebound, two steals, two assists in 15 minutes. The Warriors trailed 61-57. He added four points and one rebound in seven second-half minutes and the Warriors never threatened. ? Pretty deluded if they think they are a good long-distance shooting team. They came into the game ranked 22nd as a team, which should be a clue. ? Pretty desperate to see rookie Ike Diogu suit up. Diogu, according to veteran Calbert Cheaney, is an Elton Brand clone: long shotblocking arms, a nose for rebounds and a post game far more mature than his years. He's been out since breaking his hand in training camp but should be back this week. Diogu will help, but if the Warriors want to contend for a playoff spot, they need to check their IDs. They defend well and they have enough skilled, intelligent players to be greater than the sum of their parts. They are not a great perimeter-shooting team. Chicks might dig the long ball, but only from those good enough to bury it. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?pa...ailydime-051121
Bingo. Dead on. Baron, Jrich, Dunleavy and Murphy are not Nash, Johnson, QRich and Jim Jackson. Plus there is no Amare around to get wide open looks.
The W's can shoot, but a lot of that stuff they throw up is forced. Let's hope Ike is as good as advertised, but I'm thinking he's so hyped up by now people will expect him to contribute right away. We all know how long it takes some big men to suddenly start rocking in the league. More of our guys need to develop a midrange game as well, instead of settle for the long 3. If you look at Sam Cassell, he's one of the best midrange shooters in the game and he makes everyone else better. He's not athletic at all, but he's got balls and he's got very good fundamentals to go with that midrange shooting game. We're not talking limited like Calbert Cheaney, but something that one needs to do to beat a zone defense. There are pockets inside the zone that a shooter can take advantage of. Now if we're trying to rock on like the Suns or Clippers, we need a big man that's going to attack the basket. Somebody that is extremely hard to defend and can finish over big men.
That's one of my pet peeves about not just the W's but the way the game has changed, if you are open, do not back up and shoot the 3, step in and either be ready to catch and shoot the midrange jumper or catch and drive. Too many players shoot the 3.
