Jan 10th vs Golden State Gametime 7 pm Pacific Time CSN The Blazers have played the Warriors twice this year. Once in pre-season and the second time on November 18th at Golden State, when we lost 111-106 in a game we should have won. But the pesky Warriors enticed our young Blazer team to cough up the ball 21 times. LaMarcus had a horrible game against the smaller quicker Warriors, we let a few bad calls by the refs get to us and this was one of those games where we just never really got untracked. If you'd like to take another look at what happened that night in the Bay Area NBATV has a recap of the game here, and you can also find some video highlights by DMKPDX. Update on the Warriors. According to the AP, The Golden State Warriors waived rookie guard DeMarcus Nelson on Monday. Nelson is an Oakland native, former Duke star,and was the Warriors' starting point guard on opening night. Nelson is one of several Golden State players in Coach Don Nelsons Doghouse. Another doghouse resident is rookie Anthony Randolph. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that after Friday's loss in Minnesota, coach Don Nelson was asked if his 19-year-old forward was officially out of the rotation. Nelson responded with his harshest criticism yet, saying that Randolph needed to "grow up" and was being "put on ice" until his assistants and captains deemed him ready to play. Its a soap opera scene these days with the Warriors who have had a very dissapointing season. Nothing has gone right in Warriorland since Baron Davis and Nellie got into it during the playoff race last season. Davis as we know has departed for San Diego, where things haven't gone all that well for him either. Nellies team started the season winning just ten out of its first 37 games, putting Don Nelsons head pretty close to the chopping block. Some newspapers in the Bay Area are already calling for Nelson to be replaced by assistant Keith Smart. Nelson has been hanging on by a thread and the only relief in sight may be in the emminent return of Monta Ellis. Ellis, in case you've forgotten, injured himself riding a moped after signing a big contract with the Warriors last summer. His ankle required surgery and he hasn't played at all this season. Wednesday he was cleared by the medical staff to resume running and jumping drills and is expected to be able to start practicing with the team in the near future. Since I mentioned the words soap opera and Golden State I came across this little tidbit in relation to our own team and the recent scuffle between Joel Pryzbilla and Tyson Chandler. Jason Quick is reporting that Pryzbillas 80 year old grandmother is so miffed about the $7,500 fine the NBA handed Pryzbilla for his part in the altercation that she plans on writing Donald Stern a letter each week until he explains himself to her. Both teams play Wednesday and will have a couple of days off before facing each other Saturday night in the Rose Garden. Just like the last time these two teams played its pretty easy to say this is one of those games we should probably win. Even without Brandon Roy. But Nellies unorthodox style of small ball often catches teams by surprise. Here's hoping Nate shows our guys plenty of film of the last game and has them practice throwing the ball to the open man against a smaller lineup using a trap. That's what killed us last time out against Golden State. Brandon Roy will sit this game out, but the Blazers are hoping to have him back for their road trip, which starts Monday in Chicago. (BTW, that game will be televised locally on KGW TV, channel 8. So everyone will get a chance to see that game.) Stephen Jackson injured his hamstring Monday night against the Utah Jazz and did not play during Wednesday nights loss to the Lakers. His place in the starting lineup was taken by Brandon Wright. Jacksons status is listed as day to day. No word yet on whether he will be available to play for the Warriors Friday night in Portland. Projected starters Portland Trailblazers Steve Blake -PG Rudy Fernandez-SG Nic Batum-SF LaMarcus Aldridge-PF Greg Oden-Center Projected starters Golden State Warriors Jamal Crawford-PG Marco Belinelli-SG Corey Maggette-SF Brandon Wright-PF Andris Biedrins-Center If you wish, you may CLICK HERE, for a chance to win a free Portland Trailblazer Jersey, otherwise just ignore.
San Diego???? No wonder things haven't gone well for him. San Diego hasn't had an NBA team since 1984, BNM
The real test is the Blazers beating the Warriors in Oakland February 12, 2009. We haven't won in Oakland since November 23, 2004 winning 78-75.
