CAM INMAN: COLUMNIST
Fun house gets shut down early
Article Launched: 04/17/2008
A YEAR AGO, the Warriors captivated a nation, including that warped world
Charles Barkley lives in on TNT.
Their 12-season playoff drought was about to end. Their high-tempo style
was
about to wallop the Dallas Mavericks in a history-making, first-round
upset.
Their future seemed so promising, so full of postseason berths.
A year later, their playoff encore fell short, and we're left wondering
who'll be back, whether the coach is at odds with the star player and what
reinforcements are needed to end this, ahem, one-year playoff drought.
Where did it all go wrong? Well, for starters, yes, it went wrong. They
may
have piled up their most wins (48) since the 1993-94 season, but they're
not
among the NBA's 16 playoff-bound franchises. They're lottery material,
once
again. Were they one-year playoff wonders? No. They'll be back at it next
season, fighting and clawing to the end in what should be an even tougher
Western Conference.
Coach Don Nelson will return for one final season, though he's hedging on
his future like he did after last season. Their stars -- a term we use
lightly considering the Warriors haven't had an All-Star since the Latrell
Sprewell era -- also will be back. That includes Baron Davis, Stephen
Jackson, Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins, the latter two being restricted
free agents whom personnel czar Chris Mullin vows to re-sign.
It's imperative they all return to a team that has a better sup****ting
cast,
especially a top-notch understudy to Davis at point guard. A stronger
low-post threat would help, of course, but they really need to help out
Franchise Player No. 1, that being Davis.
He needs to go to the bench more often, and under happier circumstances
than
Monday's second-half sitdown in Phoenix.
Nelson's controversial benching of Davis on Monday didn't cost the
Warriors
a playoff spot (see: Denver's win Thursday against Memphis, as well as the
Nuggets' victory last week here at Oracle Arena).The inability to give
Davis
breathers throughout the season made it impossible for the Warriors to
repeat last season's stretch-run magic.
Last season, they won nine of their final 10 to garner the Western
Conference's eighth and final seed. Davis was pivotal to that playoff
push.
Contrast that with this past month, in which the Warriors couldn't even
string together two consecutive wins. They lost their final five matchups
against playoff-bound teams (not to mention Wednesday night's embarrassing
loss to a 19-win Seattle club).
In those five losses to the aforementioned playoff-bound foes, Davis
struggled with his long-range shot. He missed 23 of 29 attempts from
3-point
range in those five games (20 of 23 in the last four).
Nelson finally had enough Monday night, benching Davis after halftime,
after
he went 2-for-13 from the field in the first half.
"The guy was obviously tired. It didn't mean much," said Nelson, insisting
there's no off-court friction between the two. "He was playing terrible,
playing tired. He was mentally and physically not into it."
Did Davis ask for a second chance (or a 14th, 15th, etc.)? Nelson said
yes.
"We talking going out to the court at halftime. He wanted to give it
another
go," Nelson said before Wednesday's finale. "I said, 'Let's let the young
guys play tonight while you help me coach,' and he did a good job."
As much as Davis is being praised for appearing in all 82 games -- the
first
time he's done that in six seasons -- that workload really took its toll.
But he's certainly no scapegoat to this playoff-less season. He, Ellis,
Jackson & Co. did a wonderful job just keeping the Warriors in playoff
contention up until the final week.
The Chris Webber reunion wasn't wonderful, but it wasn't devastating.
Trading Jason Richardson wasn't helpful, but it, too, wasn't the root of
all
evil. As for the bench: bingo, not so wonderful.
Rookie Marco Belinelli will need to return with the type of scoring
prowess
he finally showed Wednesday, albeit 81 games too late. Rookie Brandan
Wright
needs to be more than an "incredible" practice player, as Nelson termed
him.
As for the backup point guard, there was one? Davis' first understudy was
Troy Hudson, whose bad hip quickly gave way to NBA Development League
call-up C.J. Watson, who was OK but still raw.
A year ago, the Warriors had all sorts of heroes rescuing them from a
playoff drought.
A year later, they need a new hero to join Nellie's Carnival O' Fun. Yes,
as
this season's record-breaking home crowds could attest, the Warriors were
still fun. Problem is, the fun house just shut down before the playoffs.
Contact Cam Inman at cinman@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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