Chris Mullin’s jersey retirement ceremony tonight started off as a grand celebration of the great player that he was and what he did for the Warriors organization. Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and others all spoke about Mullin’s hard work, dedication, and devotion to the fans. After, Chris Mullin gave his acceptance speech and thanked his teammates, coaches, NBA commissioner, David Stern, and the fans for his memorable years in the Warriors organization. Many times, he alluded to the fact that the Warriors have the best fans in the NBA and that their dedication and support was overwhelming. How ironic that the following minutes would completely reject everything Mullin said.

Greg Papa, the host of the ceremony, introduced Warriors owner, Joe Lacob, after Mullin spoke, and almost immediately after Papa gave the microphone to Lacob, the fans started booing significantly louder than they had cheered at any point during the entire first half of the game. Lacob looked into the crowd with an utterly confused and stunned look. Was it solely because Lacob had just recently traded away the Warriors “best” player, Monta Ellis? It didn’t seem like it. Most Warriors fans seemed to like the trade because it signified that Stephen Curry is the future of this team. The fact that the boos went on for so long and were so loud suggests that it was the result of a history of poor decisions and false hope. Fans must be fed up with the fact that Lacob always wants to be in the spotlight, he is constantly promising things to fans that simply won’t and don’t happen, he is overusing the phrase “culture change,” and up to this trade deadline, hasn’t followed through on making bold moves, and more importantly, hasn’t proved he knows what the right move is.

As the booing continued, Twitter exploded with opinions. Tim Kawakami, a sports columnist for the San Jose Mercury News, tweeted, “Joe Lacob looked stunned that he was almost booed off the floor at Mullin’s ceremony. Think that was pent-up frustration, but… my goodness.” Marcus Thompson, a Warriors beat writer, tweeted, “I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS,” and then later tweeted, “Joe Lacob can blame himself for that. You NEVER talk after the guest of honor. … He wanted that shine, that’s why he went last.” Scott Mizuno, another Warriors beat writer, said, “I don’t condone the booing of Lacob, but that’s the risk you take when you want to be an owner in the spotlight. That’s the risk you take when you promise playoffs with an extremely flawed roster. That’s the risk you take when you fail to understand just how deep the hate for the previous regime goes.” Lastly, the official WarriorsWorld Twitter posted, “Fans paid their money, they can boo whoever the hell they want to.”

Although this booing is warranted, it was definitely unexpected. Warriors fans didn’t seem completely enthusiastic about Lacob, but the severity of the boos was definitely an interesting turn of events. This must have been surprising for Lacob especially because it seemed as if he had a distorted view of reality. Lacob must have believed that the fans loved him and thought that he would turn this organization around. Talk about a rude awakening. I wouldn’t have booed Lacob solely because of the Monta trade. I would’ve booed him because he simply hasn’t been a good owner. He needs to stop promoting a “culture change” and giving false hope to fans. If he makes the right moves and completes smart trades, the fans will respond accordingly. Results are more important than bold statements.

“The Warriors traded a player and gained a team.” Adam Lauridsen, founder of the Fast Break blog, tweeted this last night, alluding to the Monta Ellis trade. The Warriors traded Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown to the Milwaukee Bucks for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson. I could not find a more perfect summary of this trade not just because of who was involved in the trade, but because of what it symbolizes. Monta Ellis hindered the Warriors’ ability to play like a true basketball team with his selfish play. Despite what the coaches and players said, Ellis was never the leader of the team. Ellis always claimed to “lead by example,” but I don’t see how this type of leadership warranted him to play so selfishly. This season, Ellis has averaged 19 shot attempts per game. Compared to David Lee’s 15.3 attempts per game and Stephen Curry’s 11.4 attempts per game, Ellis wanted to take the majority of the shots, because he believed that this was his team and he always had to be the leading scorer. The 2010-2011 season wasn’t any different. Ellis averaged 20.1 shot attempts per game, David Lee averaged 13.4, and Stephen Curry averaged 14.2. With two other reliable offensive threats on the team, it is simply unacceptable for a player to be averaging 20 shot attempts per game unless that player is Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, or Kevin Durant. In addition to his selfish play, it appears as though most fans are happy to see Ellis’ departure. In a poll on csnbayarea.com, 42% of fans said their reaction to the Monta Ellis deal was “celebration,” with only 24% being angry, 14% in dismay, and 18% in shock (based on results on the morning of March 16th). Despite the other players involved in the trade, simply moving Ellis has caused the Warriors to finally have the appearance of a real team.

In the past two games without Ellis, fans are seeing the first glimpse of what this team could really be. Klay Thompson is able to have a starting role and everyone can see now why the Warriors drafted him. Thompson is one of the best pure shooters in the league (ironically, behind Stephen Curry) and not only is he a great 3-point shooter, he’s developed into more of an all-around player. He’s been distributing the ball well, he’s played solid defense, and is making more of a conscious effort to not settle for 3-pointers. Next season, the starting lineup could be Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Dorell Wright, David Lee, and Andrew Bogut. With a bench of Brandon Rush, Nate Robinson, and Dominic McGuire, that could potentially be a playoff team. If management is able to keep the Dubstitutes on the roster, this team could be very successful by pairing an extremely strong bench with a well-balanced starting five. Curry can lead this team in scoring, but he can also increase his assist totals with so many great scoring options on offense. Thompson will develop into an even better player, Wright will hopefully play like he did last season, Lee will continue to produce double-doubles, and Bogut will be the rebounding presence the Warriors have needed for so long and he can also open up the floor even more with his passing ability.

The Warriors also acquired Richard Jefferson, T.J. Ford, and a first-round draft pick from the San Antonio Spurs for Stephen Jackson yesterday. On Monday, T.J. Ford retired from the league because of another injury to his surgically repaired spine. Ford is only 28, so hopefully, he can come back to league after a full recovery. Richard Jefferson will be another great addition to the bench because of his strong defense, veteran leadership, and ability to make 3-pointers. The first-round draft pick might be the greatest asset that the Warriors were able to pick up though. Before this, the Warriors didn’t have a guaranteed first-round draft pick. Based on some poor trades in the past, the Warriors would have needed to finish as one of the seven worst teams in the league to obtain a draft pick. The fact that the Warriors acquired a first-round draft pick suggests that management believes that this team, as constructed now, can make the playoffs and that they won’t use the “tank strategy,” meaning they won’t try to lose as many games as possible the rest of the season to ensure a better draft pick. Larry Riley, the general manager, said he’d rather have acquired players than have cap space for the future, which is another indication that this team is ready to compete for a playoff spot. Bogut, Lee, Biedrins, and Jefferson all have fairly hefty contracts for the next few years, so the Warriors won’t have the money to go after big free agents like Deron Williams, Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, etc. in the coming seasons. This doesn’t matter to Riley though. This team is building for the future and has most of the roster set for the next few years, so the Warriors are in a good place to become a strong playoff contender for the upcoming years.

“Frankly, ladies and gentleman, we’ve changed the organization,” Riley said. “We’ve changed the Warriors organization in terms of the way we do business and our roster.” Warriors fans have finally seen the bold moves that they’ve been promised ever since Lacob became the owner. Besides the Brandon Rush trade in the offseason, these two moves have been the most impressive trades by Lacob so far. Trading the leading scorer on a team is bold. Trading for a player that most likely will be out all season with an ankle injury is certainly bold as well. These moves are bold, but more importantly, they’re smart moves. These trades will make this team better in the future. Lacob has finally changed his mindset to a more realistic one. “Bold” moves are never easy to make in the NBA, so he shouldn’t have promised that so early on. He also became more realistic about the fact that the “core” of Curry, Ellis, Wright, Lee, and Biedrins was not going to win this season because they weren’t successful last season. Riley also finally admitted that the small backcourt didn’t work and that they wanted to build the team around Stephen Curry, so just because of this, the Warriors have a bright future ahead of them. “We were stuck,” Riley said. “You want to be stuck three games below .500 at this time of the year every year? You want to be stuck five games below or something like that? That’s where we were. And that’s where we were going again the next year if we couldn’t do something.” The Warriors have a great balance between young, developing players and seasoned veterans who know their roles. If Mark Jackson can implement some creative offensive sets and some consistent defense, the new look Warriors could be a winning team in the near future.

As of Tuesday night, the Warriors have a 7-12 record, and won their last matchup against the Sacramento Kings 93-90. This season hasn’t gone exactly how Mark Jackson envisioned, but there does seem to be some significant improvement from last season. The Warriors’ bench is much stronger than last season and the overall team defense is stronger, but the Warriors still have issues with their offense and their production from the center position.

The Warriors’ second unit, now informally called the Dubstitutes, consists of Nate Robinson, Klay Thompson, Brandon Rush, Ekpe Udoh, and Jeremy Tyler (or Dominic McGuire depending on how small Mark Jackson makes the lineup). Compared to last years’ second unit of Acie Law, Reggie Williams, Vladimir Radmanovic, Lou Amundson, and Ekpe Udoh, this years’ bench is a noticeable upgrade. Nate Robinson has brought a fun, exciting energy to the second unit that not many Warriors have been able to bring since Baron Davis. Klay Thompson, after struggling mightily during the preseason and the beginning of the regular season, has bounced back nicely from a mini rookie slump and has really found his shot nicely. Brandon Rush has been consistent since the beginning of the season. He’s tied with Ray Allen for first in the league in 3-point percentage with 57.1% (as of Tuesday before the game against the Kings). Rush is also a fantastic rebounder for his size and is a great defender. Ekpe Udoh continues his growth in his sophomore season. He continues his defensive prowess, He’s added a nice hook shot to his repertoire, but he still needs to improve his rebounding. Jeremy Tyler is working hard and still learning, and Dominic McGuire is also a solid rebounder and top-notch defender.

Brandon Rush

The Warriors’ defense has also significantly improved since last season. The stats don’t suggest the Warriors are an elite defensive team, but improvement is all that matters at this point. The Warriors are playing more scrappy and aggressive defense. They trap players and double-team a good amount, which usually can throw a team off and force kick-outs. The Warriors have also played zone defense rather effectively as well. When the Warriors are able to play lock-down defense and start their transition game, they create several opportunities for themselves. In the transition, they can score with their speed (specifically, Monta Ellis’ speed), they can score by driving to the hoop and kicking the ball out to Stephen Curry, Dorell Wright, Brandon Rush, or Klay Thompson for a wide-open three pointer, and they can get it inside to David Lee. Stephen Curry is a creative passer who can make great, quick decisions in fast break opportunities.

At the beginning of the season, the offense was in total disarray because of the intense focus on defense during training camp. They’ve found a little more flow and rhythm to their offense now that the rotation is mostly set. With Stephen Curry out 9 games with a nagging ankle injury, the Warriors’ offense didn’t have its point guard and floor leader, so this is a partial explanation for the confused offense. Now that Curry is playing consistently again, the offense is starting to come together. However, Andris Biedrins is still a complete mystery. He has completely disappeared from every game, and without a competent center, the Warriors have struggled to get offensive rebounds and easy points on post-up plays. Although Kwame Brown is known more for his defense, he was becoming the aggressive center the Warriors needed, on the offensive end also. However since Brown is out with a torn pectoral injury, Mark Jackson has no offensive threat at the center position and this has definitely lead to some of the struggles on offense.

Andris Biedrins

The Warriors have had a season full of ups and downs. As much as the Warriors have improved on defense and bench production, offense continues to be a weakness. The Warriors have had trouble closing out games and playing consistently for all four quarters. David Lee has had a spectacular season, Dorell Wright has finally found his shot and playing like he did last season, most of the bench players have played solid all-around games all season, and now the Warriors need more consistent play out of Stephen Curry, Monta Ellis, and Andris Biedrins to make that next jump to the playoffs. No one knows if this same team will be intact after the All-Start Break, but if it is, more adjustments needs to be made. Although it seems unlikely that the Warriors will make the playoffs, they have shown significant improvement and continue to make strides toward being a playoff team.

The Warriors have started off the 2011-2012 season with a 2-6 record (as of Tuesday), with their last loss coming at home against the Jazz on Saturday night. This loss stung a little more than the rest for several reasons. First of all, the Jazz aren’t a particularly good team, so this should’ve been a fairly easy win for the Warriors. Second, the Warriors were in the game until the very end and had many opportunities to seal this win. Despite a slow start, the Warriors, behind Monta Ellis and some timely shooting from Brandon Rush and Nate Robinson, were able to stay in this game without Stephen Curry or Andris Beidrins and a poor shooting night from David Lee. However, with 16 seconds left in a tied game, Monta Ellis committed a turnover that practically lost the game right then and there.

To many Warriors’ fans, Monta Ellis is an elite clutch player. Warriors’ coaches must agree because in every possible situation where the Warriors can take the last shot (even if it’s at the end of a quarter and not in a typical “clutch” situation), they turn to Monta. This makes absolutely no sense though. Yes, he made two great shots last season to either tie the game or win the game. This does not justify him taking the last shot every single time, even at the end of quarters. Besides his two shots last season though, he has not been consistent enough to be the #1 choice in those type of crucial situations. No one really knows if the Warriors have any other great clutch shooters, because no one else besides Monta has received an opportunity. Both Stephen Curry and Dorell Wright had some big shots last season during important games, but neither players were given a chance at taking a potentially game-winning or game-tying shot. Therefore, the Warriors have relied on Monta for all clutch shots.

Monta's Game-Winning Shot vs. Pacers

Monta does have a lot of characteristics of a clutch shooter. He’s extremely confident, he’s quick, and he can create plays for himself. However, he does not have the natural “clutch” instinct. A clutch player needs to know how to manage the shot clock well and have a back-up plan. Generally, he dribbles too much and just wastes time. He must believe that he only needs a couple seconds to get a good shot off because of his amazing speed. By dribbling the ball at the top of the key with no real plan in mind, Monta ends up hurting himself. If he started his drive about 2 seconds earlier, it would give him the chance to find an open teammate, if he’s heavily guarded, or still get off a good shot. Although it’s maddening to admit it, Monta has improved in getting his teammates more involved and is averaging 8.1 assists per game. If he’s guarded closely, he has the skills to pass it off to a teammate, so that should always be an option in his mind. It’s clear based on his track record though that he wants all the glory and credit for winning a game, so he wants to take the final shot no matter what.

Another aspect of Monta’s clutch game this is quite troubling is his predictability. He has a broad skillset, and one would think that he would utilize these particular skills and become more creative with his clutch shots. However, Monta pretty much does the exact same move every time. He generally drives as if he’s moving towards the right elbow of the free throw line, crosses over to the left or steps back, and shoots a left elbow jump shot (watch the videos below to see the two clutch shots that Monta hit last season to see this pattern). Perhaps this explains why Monta has not found much luck in clutch shots recently. Defenders are able to easily predict what moves he is going to make. Also, teams can always send a second defender over towards him because they know he will not pass the ball. If Monta wants to continue to be the clutch player on the team, he’s going to have to change his ways. It’s as simple as that.

Monta’s Game-Tying Shot vs. the Kings

Monta’s Game-Winning Shot vs. the Pacers

Since teams know now that the Warriors use Monta in those types of situations, why not use him as a decoy? Mark Jackson could set up a play so Monta winds down the shot clock, drives to the hoop, and sets up a kick out pass to Stephen Curry (when he returns from injury), Brandon Rush, Nate Robinson, Dorell Wright, or even Klay Thompson. Monta needs to either become a smarter clutch player or the Warriors need to start finding some other options. Even great clutch shooters like Kobe Bryant miss some shots. That’s understandable. However, Kobe has to take the clutch shots because the Lakers simply don’t have any other options to go to in those situations. Monta has options though. He could dish to several of his teammates, or Mark Jackson could draw up a play for someone else like Stephen Curry or Dorell Wright. If the Warriors want to win more of those close games, they need to re-examine their strategies at the end of games.

The Golden State Warriors start off the 2011-2012 season on Christmas day vs. the Clippers at home in Oracle Arena. The Warriors are facing a new-look Clippers team including new additions Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups, and Caron Butler. The Clippers are a well-rounded athletic team especially with players such as Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and Ryan Gomes. With a shortened season (only 66 games), the Warriors will have to get used to playing tough matchups at a faster pace. After playing the Clippers, the Warriors play the Bulls on Dec. 26th, the Knicks on the 28th, and the 76ers on the 31st, all at home. To view the rest of the Warriors schedule, click here.

The Warriors starters this season are the same from last season, so there weren’t any personnel changes in that department. Stephen Curry is still the starting point guard, Monta Ellis is the starting shooting guard, Dorell Wright is the starting small forward, David Lee is the starting power forward, and Andris Biedrins is the starting center. Last season, the Warriors had a horrible bench that wasn’t productive enough to relieve the starters of some minutes. This season, the bench is much more well-rounded and should be more productive in all statistical categories. The backup point guard position is yet to be determined, but it will either be Charles Jenkins or Ish Smith. If Stephen Curry is unable to play in the season opener because of the sprained right ankle he sustained during Tuesday’s preseason game, then one of these two point guards will most likely start in his place.

Warriors' 2011 Draft Picks

The first guard off the bench will most likely be Klay Thompson. The rookie shooting guard/small forward had a miserable preseason shooting 6-25 from the floor, and 0-8 from behind the 3-point line. However, Mark Jackson and Warriors management expect big things from this rookie and believe the only way that he will improve and become effective is with consistent playing time. The next guard off the bench will either be one of the backup point guards or Brandon Rush, who the Warriors acquired in a trade that sent Lou Amundson to the Pacers. Rush is a shooting guard/small forward who is known as a great defender and rebounder. With Klay Thompson’s offensive abilities and Brandon Rush’s defensive prowess, these two guards will be a great combination for providing backup minutes for Monta Ellis and Dorell Wright. Dominic McGuire who can play both small forward and power forward will also come off the bench and provide lock-down defense and rebounding. Chris Wright, a training camp invitee who made the final roster, is also a small forward and power forward combo player who can provide backup minutes for Dorell Wright or David Lee. The first power forward/center off the bench will most likely be Ekpe Udoh, who hopes to follow up a promising rookie season with an even stronger sophomore season (hopefully injury-free). Kwame Brown will also fill in some backup center minutes along with Jeremy Tyler. These players will make up the Warriors general rotation throughout the season.

Based on the two preseason games that the Warriors played against the Kings, it seems as though Mark Jackson has already had an impact on the Warriors’ defensive scheme. It appeared as though the team had really improved upon help defense, traps/double teams, and man-to-man defense fundamentals. The offense struggled at times, especially in the second game because Stephen Curry was injured, but the fact that the Warriors were able to stay in the game because of their defense shows a lot of improvement already. To see highlights from both games click the links below:

Dec. 17th game vs. Sacramento

Dec. 20th game at Sacramento

I predict that the Warriors’ record this season will be 36-30. I believe this will also be good enough for the 8th playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Hornets and the Nuggets both made the playoffs last season, and I don’t believe that they will again this season. The Clippers, with their new and improved roster, will take one of those spots, so there will be one playoff spot available for the Warriors, Rockets, Suns, Minnesota, Sacramento, and Utah. The Warriors can beat out all of those teams, and will therefore earn the 8th spot in the NBA. The top 8 teams in the Western Conference will be (in order): Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, L.A. Lakers, L.A. Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, and Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors’ record will be good enough to make the playoffs, but the most important reason why the Warriors are good enough to make the playoffs is their improvement in depth. The Warriors’ bench is much stronger than it was last year because it is much more balanced. At each position there are at least 2 backups, and each bench player brings a different skillet than the other. For example, Dominic McGuire, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown are really known for their defense. Ish Smith is known for his speed, Charles Jenkins is known for his all-around game, and Klay Thompson is known for his amazing shooting ability. A strong bench that can play quality minutes is key to a team’s success. Another factor that will lead this team to the playoffs is their coaching staff. Mark Jackson is an inspiring leader that demands hard work. Read more about Mark Jackson here. In addition to an influential head coach, the Warriors are lucky to have some of the strongest assistant coaches in the league such as Mike Malone, Pete Myers, etc. This coaching staff also has various skillsets and, generally, has lots of experience coaching or playing in the NBA. Lastly, if the Warriors are to remain healthy throughout the season (especially players like Udoh, Biedrins, Lee, and Curry), they will definitely make the playoffs. If Stephen Curry is able to stay healthy, he will have a breakout season and will have a great chance at making the All-Star team (if the team has a good enough record). Based on all these factors, the Warriors are set to have a playoff-worthy season based on great defense, great coaching, and great chemistry.

The Golden State Warriors hired TV analyst, Mark Jackson, on June 6th, and now in November, he still remains an unproven coach. The lockout diminished some teams’ ability to truly find their new identities behind new coaches. The Warriors are one team in particular that needed a short lockout and a longer offseason, in order to adapt to a new coach and a new style. Because of this, no one really knows what type of coach Mark Jackson will be, what plays he will create, and how he will make this team win. Mark Jackson has a huge personality with great charisma, but he also is very smart, analytical, and confident. How will his persona transfer to his NBA coaching duties though? Will he be able to command respect and authority while still maintaining his comedic presence? All we can know for sure about Mark Jackson, is that he will be a confident, but calm leader.

Based on an interview that Mark Jackson did with Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area reporter, Matt Steinmetz, he claims that he is going to go about his job by respecting his players, while still holding them accountable for their actions on and off the court (read part 1 of the interview here and read part 2 of the interview here). Jackson claims he will try to maintain the “running” style of play that the Warriors have employed for the past 3 or 4 seasons, but he still has his own playbook that he will enforce. He has kept a few of the plays from last season, but the rest has his “DNA all over it.” Mark Jackson has worked with or played for some very influential coaches, such as Jeff Van Gundy, Larry Brown, Pat Riley, Jerry Sloan, Lenny Wilkens, and Lou Carnesecca, just to name a few. Because of these impressive coaching influences, Jackson is bound to emphasize defense, instill a fierce sense of competition, and ultimately, having a winning mindset. Just because Jackson was coached by the best, doesn’t necessarily mean he will be as effective as a coach as his mentors. If Jackson wants to be as successful as his previous coaches, he will have to implement an iron-clad defensive system.

Mark Jackson was a successful point guard in the NBA for 17 seasons while playing on many winning teams. Jackson played on playoff teams for 14 of his 17 seasons. He knows how to win, and he knows that it all starts with defense. Right now, the Warriors don’t have the personnel to become an elite defensive team such as the Celtics or the Spurs, but Jackson can either instill a strong team defense, or he can attempt to acquire more defensive-minded players during free agency. Jackson will most likely do a combination of these two plans. Jackson has been around the NBA so long that he knows the players in this league extremely well. He will know which players to target and which players will be dedicated to improving this team’s defense as a whole. As a commentator, he was able to see every team play and then he could analyze their systems. Based on this analysis, he will be able to pick and choose what defensive schemes work best from each team and then apply it to this current Warriors team.

In addition to his individual expertise, Mark Jackson has two of the best assistant coaches in the league on his side. Michael Malone (who was a candidate for the Warriors head coaching job) is the head assistant coach and he was previously the assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the LeBron reign and for the New Orleans Hornets last season. Malone could be a head coach for any NBA team just based on his experience and success. He was the mastermind behind the Cavs’ defensive scheme, which was so successful. In addition to being a defensive guru, he has helped coach one of the league’s best point guards, Chris Paul, and this will for sure help in mentoring Stephen Curry this upcoming season. Another asset to the Warriors coaching staff is Pete Myers who has been an assistant coach for the Bulls since 2001. He has also interviewed for head coaching positions and is known around the league as an impressive coach. With these two reliable coaches on his side, Mark Jackson should have all the knowledge and determination to lead the Warriors towards becoming a playoff team again.

Michael Malone

Mark Jackson has a plan. He won’t let many people know the specifics and his players don’t even know what it is yet, but Mark Jackson knows how to win in this league. He has no coaching experience, which can be a little concerning to some Warriors fans. However, Mark Jackson knows how to be a leader. Being a point guard for 17 seasons in the NBA is an impressive and rare feat, and not many players have the strength or talent to accomplish something like that. He possesses all the qualities that a leader and, more specifically, an NBA coach must have in order to be successful. He’s intelligent, perceptive, respected by his peers, determined, and a hard worker. In addition to his personality and his skillset, Jackson has the immense support of his coaching staff, the Warriors ownership, and his previous co-workers, teammates, and coaches. Mark Jackson has all the necessary components to succeed as the Warriors head coach. With the right players around him and the support of the fans, he could significantly improve this team and create the winning culture that every Warriors fan so severely desires. He has a lot to prove, but it is quite certain that Mark Jackson will remain a confident, calm leader throughout.