Playing time is only a part of it with Randolph, Wright (Matt Steinmetz)

Discussion in 'Golden State Warriors' started by Doctor Kajita, Dec 21, 2008.

  1. AlleyOop

    AlleyOop JBB JustBBall Member

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    I don't really. I don't know when but eventually a lot of the media will catch on to the fact that Randolph is much more of a SF ala Lamar Odem than he is a PF like Tm Duncan. The KG comparison is interesting because KG is not really a prototype PF either. He has a great face-up game, jumpshot and dribble-drive threat. And that's what I see from Randolph.

    He is a guard in a 7 footer's body. Of course he has a long way to go. But I don't see him as a back you down, low-block power-move type of guy. Although I do think he'll be able to score inside, definitely. But Randolph will use quickness and ball-handling to get his points more often than hips and shoulders.

    The funny thing is, Wright and Randolph are very different players, IMO. Yet many analysts want to lump them into one basket, wondering why GS drafted an identical player to Wright. Well, if those people followed Randolph at all at LSU, or have seen the footage on him, they'd see that he's totally different.

    To me, I envision Randolph's ideal position at SF. So, my ideal line-up for this team would be:

    Monta Ellis
    Marco Bellinelli
    Anthony Randolph
    Brandan Wright
    Andris Biedrins

    When you look at it, you may think it needs more speed or ball-handling. But the funny (and sad) thing is, our other guards (Watson, Crawford, Maggette, etc) aren't very good at handling the ball. Marco is a better ball handler than CJ Watson or Crawford. So is Monta. So will Randolph be in a few years. Also, Randolph and Biedrins are better passers right now than Watson or Crawford.

    Lastly, with Wright and Randolph's ability to run the fast break, and with Randolph's ability to lead the break, this line-up would be way better at run-n-gun than a so called smaller line-up with fast-break-idiots like Crawford, Watson or Maggette.

    It's funny, but this bigger line-up would actually be better for Nellie small ball.
     
  2. WarriorFan

    WarriorFan Active Member

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    Exactly. You don't need 5 fast guys to have a running team. You need 2 or maybe 3 that can get out and finish. By playing randolph at the 3, he's not needed to be a rebounder down low. He can leak out with Monta and finish the fast break, leaving 2 bigs to secure the rebound and get the ball out.

    I would like to see Wright improve his passing to be able to start the fast break. That's one of the reasons (actually the biggest reason) I was hoping Kevin Love would fall. I don't think he'll ever be an all-star but I've never seen anyone throw as crisp and accurate outlet pass out to half court. And he gets it out quick.

    The other part of being a running team is playing the passing lanes and living off deflected passes like the 06 team did. Wright and Randolph have some serious length to tip balls. Combine that with Monta's quickness to get to the loose balls and our fast break points and points off turnovers go way up.

    Marco, I think, definately needs to be in the lineup because he is the only half court type player we have and the only guy playing right now who can make passes inside to guys cutting to the hoop. Him and Biedrins have really developed some great chemistry.

    Maybe I'm just an optimist but I really think if the substitution patterns were changes, and Monta has a complete recovery, this team has the ability to win 9 or 10 in a row and get right back in the playoff chase.
     
  3. HiRez

    HiRez Overlord

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    I agree with most of what you said but I'm going to have to dispel you of that "we can still make the playoffs" illusion using some math.

    Right now, at the current pace, it will take 48 wins to make the playoffs in the West (Utah is currently #8 with a .586 winning percentage). The Warriors have played 29 games and won 8 of them, that's a big hole they have to first dig themselves out of. There are 53 games remaining for them. So, they'd have to win 40 (40 + 8 = 48) of their remaining 53 games to make the playoffs. That means they'd have to win 76% of their remaining 53 games. So yes, I think they could go on a 9 for 10 run at some point. But a 40 of 53 run? Much, much less likely. But it gets worse. Now look at their upcoming games through mid-January (when Monta may be able to come back). I'm going to be very generous here.

    @ Miami, L
    Boston, L
    @ Lakers, L
    Toronto, W
    @ Oklahoma City, W
    @ Minnesota, W
    @ Utah, L
    Lakers, L
    @ Portland, L
    Indiana, W
    Sacramento, W
    Atlanta, L

    So they could go 5-7 over the next 12 games and again, I think I'm being generous (they've already lost to 3 of the 5 "wins" I have there). That would put them at 13-28. At that point they'd need to win 35 of their remaining 41 games (half the season), or a staggering 85% of their games. All but mathematically impossible for even a good team.

    Bottom line is unless they make some ridiculously one-sided trades, and a ton of luck, this team is not going to the playoffs this year.
     
  4. WarriorFan

    WarriorFan Active Member

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    Fine, thanks for ruining the rest of the season for me with your "math" and whatnot :bgrin:
     
  5. philsmith75

    philsmith75 JBB JustBBall Member

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    Monta
    Bellinelli
    Randolph
    Wright
    Biedrins

    Yep that's who I would pay money to see. That's a future; something that could challenge the Blazers in '10 and '11. Maybe, maybe not. But at least you can see the potential.

    Now let's go to reality.

    Monta
    Crawford
    SJax
    Maggette
    Biedrins

    How's that look? You willing to put down $400 per ticket per night to see that? (Yeah that's what I pay.) No freaking way. Talk about depressing. That's 1990s Clippers/2005 Knicks mediocre. No chance from the start. That's why I am reconsidering my loyalties. Yes you want to root for the uniform and not the names but that's simply unacceptable. Look at the box scores, look at the minutes that the other draft picks are getting around the league. This lineup will possibly be the worst ball sharing starting 5 in the NBA.
     
  6. AlleyOop

    AlleyOop JBB JustBBall Member

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    Way to break it down HiRez. That's it. This season is over in terms of playoffs.

    So, I can live with that. At least it means we'll be in the lottery, which means we won't have to give our 1st round draft pick to the Nets for the Marcus Williams trade, which means we'll get to at least improve through the draft (in theory).

    Moreover, at least now there's no gray area for Nellie to get caught up in. No "maybe we'll make the playoffs so I better play the vets" type of attitude. Hopefully he doesn't doggedly try to play Mags, Jax and Crawford to eek out a few wins at the expense of advancing the future of the franchise. Hopefully he plays them only enough for us to trade all three for cap relief / draft picks / prospects / superstar.

    I'm just interested to see how the different young pieces fit with Monta Ellis. For example, tonight against Miami, ball movement was great, defense was great, team play and team chemistry was great. They just needed someone to be the alpha male and score the ball. That's Monta... a lightning-quick scoring machine. How many easy buckets does he give you? Lots.

    I liked everything about what I saw tonight with Crawford/Jax/Mags in suits on the bench. Sure those guys could've given some added scoring, but that's the easy part about the NBA. Anybody can score if you give them enough time. Azibuike could be a 20pt scorer, IMO, if he was shooting 20+ shots a night the way Jamal "barf" Crawford does.

    The scoring will come. Especially when Monta returns. What doesn't come so easy -- what Mags and Crawford will probably never get -- is checking your ego at the door and laying it all out for your teammates.

    What I saw tonight was a group of guys trying to do the right thing -- nobody with a "star" ego trying to be more important than everyone else. Sure, they didn't get the win. They needed someone to score the ball. But, to me, they played the game the right way, and I'll take that any day. Because in the long run, that's how you build a solid foundation for the playoffs.

    Sure, Crawford had a 50-point game against the Bobcats. That looks good in the short term. But that type of team -- with a guy like Jamal Crawford, a carer 35% three point shooter and 40% FG shooter, being the leader and volume shooter -- will never sniff the playoffs. I'd rather have 5 guys scoring 10 points each than 1 guy scoring 50.

    Play the game the right way and the scoring will come.

    Feed Maggette for 20 shots a night and the playoffs will never come.
     

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