(Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle)
Andrew Bogut will return to Milwaukee today for the first time as an opponent since being traded to the Golden State Warriors on March 13, 2012.
Bogut was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the first overall pick in 2005.
Although his scoring has decreased since his Milwaukee tenure, he’s still showing how valuable he is to the Warriors as their defensive anchor.
Read the rest of the article on Let’s Go Warriors.
(Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
One of the most significant questions surrounding the Golden State Warriors entering this season was how they would respond to playing with targets on their backs. Last season, they were able to sneak up on some opponents and pull out victories as the underdogs.
This season, it’s a different story. Other teams in the NBA now know the kind of talent that the Warriors have. They have a plan on how to stop Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. They’ve seen the impact that Andre Iguodala has made on the team so far this season.
When the Warriors face the Miami Heat today, they will certainly be playing with targets on their backs. The Warriors pulled off a miraculous 97-95 win over the Heat during last season’s seven-game road trip, and the Heat will not let the Warriors sneak up on them again.
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Dec 29, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson (11) dribbles the ball around Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving (2) in overtime at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.
The Golden State Warriors are currently on a seven-game road trip, and they will be away from Oracle Arena for about two weeks. This road trip is a significant part of the Warriors’ schedule. The elite teams in the NBA are great on the road, so the Warriors need to do well on this road trip in order to establish themselves as an elite team in the Western Conference.
This long road trip is especially significant, because it’s a great opportunity for the Warriors to gain some ground, in terms of their record, against the less competitive Eastern Conference teams. Besides the Miami Heat, the Warriors play six teams that they should hypothetically beat.
They already beat the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orland Magic, but they should be able to beat the Atlanta Hawks, the Washington Wizards, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Brooklyn Nets. Since it’s a long road trip, the Warriors might not easily handle all of these teams though. If the Warriors can go 4-3 or 5-2 on this road trip, that will be a successful road trip.
The Warriors need to take it a game at a time and not underestimate any of these teams. If they play down to their opponent or assume that these games will be easy wins, this road trip could really end up hurting their record.
“None of these games are going to be easy,” Mark Jackson said. “We’re playing against teams in their own building, but we’ve got to take care of our business. I think it’s important for us to be true to our identity and things will fall into place.”
Last season, the Warriors had a similar seven-game road trip near the beginning of the season. They played the Detroit Pistons, the Nets, the Wizards, the Charlotte Bobcats, the Heat, the Magic, and the Hawks. They went 6-1 on this monumental road trip, with their only loss coming against the Magic.
Their miraculous 97-95 win over the Heat on that road trip was arguably the most significant win during the regular season. It was a statement win that showed the rest of the NBA that they weren’t the same dysfunctional team that they had been for so long. The Warriors showed that they were a legitimate playoff contender and that they had become a defensive-minded team.
The Warriors will face the Heat on this current road trip as well, and they hope to re-create the magic that they created on last season’s seven-game road trip. If the Warriors were able to beat the Heat on this road trip, it would be a different kind of statement win than last year’s win.
If the Warriors beat the Heat, it will show that they are a legitimate threat in the Western Conference. They don’t have to prove that they’re a playoff contender anymore. They need to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke and that they’re even stronger this season. The Warriors would prove that they’re here to stay and here to contend.
The game against the Heat is the ultimate test for the Warriors, but, as mentioned before, they have to take the other games seriously as well. Here are three possible trap games for the Warriors on this road trip.
They need to look out for the Hawks, because they currently rank third in the Eastern Conference with a 17-14 record. They can’t overlook the talent that Jeff Teague, Al Horford, Kyle Korver, and Paul Millsap have. This is also the second game of a back-to-back, with the first game coming against the Heat.
The Wizards could also be a tougher matchup than most people would think. The Wizards have a fantastic backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. Wall is an extremely talented point guard who can score and set up his teammates, and Beal is averaging 18.7 points per game and is shooting 46.2 percent from three. Trevor Ariza is also having a fantastic season.
One last possible “trap” game on this road trip is the game against the Nets. After making a blockbuster trade in the offseason for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, the Nets have had an extremely disappointing season and are currently 10-20. This is a potential trap game because it’s the second game of a back-to-back, on the road, at the end of a long road trip. The Warriors will most likely be tired and ready to go home, so they can’t overlook this team.
The Warriors need to think of this road trip as a business trip. They need to stay focused and take the road trip game by game. This road trip could really define their season, and it’s a great chance for the Warriors to prove themselves.
Prediction for the road trip: 6-1, with the one loss coming against the Hawks, not the Heat.
(Joshua C. Cruey/Orlando Sentinel)
The Golden State Warriors overcame another big deficit on Sunday to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime 108-104. The Warriors were down by as many as 17 points but rallied back in the second half to win.
There have been several occasions this season where the Warriors have dug themselves into a big hole early because they get off to a slow start and play poor defense. This was the case again on Sunday.
The Cavaliers shot 52.2 percent and scored 64 points in the first half. In the second half though, the Warriors held them to 30.4 percent shooting.
Draymond Green was a significant part of that defensive surge in the second half. He grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds and four blocks in the win. He explained the significance of this win to Brian Dulik of NBA.com.
“Getting down by 17 wasn’t ideal, but the games that you’re supposed to win, you have to win. It wasn’t quite in the fashion that we wanted to do it, but it was key that we came in here and got the win.”
Heading into their matchup today against the Orlando Magic, the Warriors need to play four full quarters of strong defense if they want to pull off this road win. They hope to bring in that same defensive intensity against the Magic that they had in the second half against the Cavaliers.
Read the rest of the article on Let’s Go Warriors.
(Photo: Xavier Henry: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports, Marcus Thornton pic: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images North America)
In Part One of this article, we discussed how the Golden State Warriors bench needs someone like a “Poor Man’s” Jamal Crawford.
The starters would be able to rest more with this kind of player on the roster, and this would also allow Mark Jackson to more comfortably rest Klay Thompson at times when he’s struggling to shoot the ball.
This player could fill the role that Jarrett Jack had last season, except with less point-guard duties. Jack would come in to the game and was fearless. He wasn’t afraid to take a big shot, he could initiate his own offense, and he could score in a variety of ways. That’s what the Warriors are lacking.
A couple shooting guards that the Warriors could potentially try to acquire are Xavier Henry and Marcus Thornton. These are two players who provide instant offense and can take over a game with their scoring or shooting ability.
Read the rest of the article on Let’s Go Warriors.
Nov 29, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Golden State Warriors small forward Harrison Barnes (40) handles the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.
The Golden State Warriors are fortunate enough to have six proven starters on their roster. Because of the addition of Andre Iguodala in the offseason, Mark Jackson decided to move Harrison Barnes to the bench. Barnes could possibly start on any other NBA team, but, with the Warriors, he’s their sixth man.
Many Warriors fans feared that the addition of Iguodala would hinder Barnes’ development. Warriors fans weren’t able to see for a while though that acquiring and starting Iguodala over Barnes was the right move for the Warriors. Barnes dealt with left foot inflammation in the preseason, so, for a while, the Warriors weren’t able to see their full potential as a team until he returned to action November 6th against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In his return from injury, he played just 14 minutes off the bench and he finished with 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting. He was as dominant as he was in the playoffs and he was aggressive on offense. He created his own shots and he scored in multiple ways.
Iguodala injured his hamstring a couple weeks after Barnes returned, so Barnes went back to starting. Now that Iguodala has returned from his injury though, Barnes is back to the sixth man role. Some fans have been discouraged by his production, especially since Iguodala has returned.
Barnes has played in 26 games so far this season, and he’s started 15 of those games. In his 15 games as a starter, he’s averaging 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 38.7 minutes per game. In 11 games as a reserve, he’s averaging 9.3 points, three rebounds and one assist in 23.2 minutes per game (similar to his stat line as a rookie last season). Overall this season, he’s averaging 12.2 points, four rebounds and 1.7 assists in 32.1 minutes per game.
Statistically, it’s clear that Barnes produces more as a starter, but this is true of many players, given the higher amount of minutes as a starter. His stat line might not be as impressive as when he averaged 16.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 38.4 minutes in 12 games during the playoffs last season. Barnes hasn’t had a disappointing season though.
Part of the reason why he had so much success in the postseason last year was because David Lee was sidelined with his hip flexor injury. Because of that, he was given the opportunity to play more minutes and start at power forward. He was able to take advantage of slower power forwards and use his speed and explosiveness to his advantage.
Some fans might be disappointed with Barnes’ play so far this season, he’s still developing. Not only is he developing into a completely new role of sixth man, but many people forget that he’s still only 21 years old. A significant change in a player’s role would be tough for anyone and especially for a player who is so young. He’s still developing as a basketball player, and he’s still learning how to utilize his incredible strength and athleticism.
Barnes can be frustrating to watch at times. When he’s at his best, he’s aggressive, he’s dunking on people, and he’s showcasing all elements of his game. However, when he’s at his worst, he struggles to make mid-range shots, he forces himself into tough shots when he posts up, and he disappears on offense.
As frustrating as this can be, Warriors fans must realize that this is normal for such a young player, especially one that has had to take on a new role this season. Barnes’ development is a process, and having Iguodala around to mentor him will certainly help.
Barnes just needs to find a way to get his shots, stay aggressive and stay confident. Of course this is easier said than done for a young player, but Barnes will continue to learn and develop into his sixth man role. The Warriors still have many more games to play, so Barnes will have many more opportunities to live up to his potential.
The 3rd Sister 