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.

When and if this lockout finally ends, the Warriors are going to have a lot of preparation and re-structuring to do. First of all, the players will have a rookie coach, Mark Jackson, and a whole new system to learn in a matter of a few weeks. There will be a period after the lockout ends that will serve as “training camp,” but with a new coach, this team really needed a full summer to work out together and learn the new system. Time will be severely limited, and chemistry could become an issue. The rotation isn’t set at all and this particular Warriors team is so young to begin with that the bench is naturally very weak. The Warriors have to address some key issues once this lockout is over.

Mark Jackson

No one knows what new provisions the new collective bargaining agreement will have and how much the new salary cap will be. Therefore, we can’t fully examine the Warriors’ options when it comes to free agency. However, we can determine what the Warriors should address once the lockout is over and what potential free agents they should go after. First and foremost, the Warriors have to address the center position. This is not shocking whatsoever, because Andris Biedrins displayed a whole new level of uselessness this past season. He was supposed to have increased his confidence and his overall game last offseason, but clearly that never happened. Yet again, he was timid to show any form of aggression because he’s afraid of shooting free throws. He was also injured for segments of the season, so he truly was the epitome of useless. The other options the Warriors have for the center position are all players that are generally thought of to be power forwards but have been “converted” to centers since the Warriors severely lack size in the frontcourt. Those players include Lou Amundson, Ekpe Udoh, and Jeremy Tyler. These players have not proven yet that they can be starting centers, so the Warriors have to assume that the center situation is of the utmost importance.

Andris Biedrins

In an ideal world, who could the Warriors target for the center position? Once again, we can’t exactly determine how much the Warriors will be willing to spend on free agents because of uncertainty about the terms of the new bargaining agreement, but from now on let’s just examine all feasible options. One of the top tier centers that will be available this offseason is Nene of the Denver Nuggets. Nene averaged 14.5 points per game, 7.6 rebounds, a .615 field goal percentage, and 1.0 blocks per game during 30.5 minutes per game. Nene’s rebounding numbers aren’t outstanding, but he’s an efficient scorer and is a strong defensive presence in the paint. Nene would be a great fit for the Warriors because he’d allow other scorers such as Stephen Curry, Monta Ellis, and Dorell Wright (and even David Lee) to get their usual shots, but he’d still chip in offensively and defensively without disrupting the natural flow of the game. He might require a longer-term, expensive contract though. The Warriors could also try to acquire DeAndre Jordan or Samuel Dalembert, who aren’t quite as talented as Nene, but are still solid center options. Jordan is known as an “energy guy,” who fights for rebounds and is a vicious shot blocker, and would be a valuable player to have on the Warriors. The fear with signing Jordan though is that he is a player who could easily be overpaid. He hasn’t fully proven himself in the league yet, so he shouldn’t receive a long-term, high-salary deal. Dalembert is a good rebounder, another fantastic shot blocker, and a seasoned veteran. Dalembert is also a great guy and a great leader, so his veteran presence would definitely be appreciated on a young Warriors team. His field goal percentage and points per game aren’t as stellar as Nene’s though.

Nene

Another component that the Warriors will have to address is the third guard/backup point guard situation. This can be expanded to just a general improvement in depth. Jeremy Lin is extremely overrated by Warriors management and should not be depended on for backup point guard duties. The other option the Warriors have right now is Charles Jenkins, but he’s a rookie and we don’t know if he can fill that role yet. The Warriors first round draft pick this season is Klay Thompson who could be the third guard off the bench and he could back up both Monta Ellis and Dorell Wright because of his size and athleticism. However, he’s also a rookie and the Warriors cannot rely on a rookie to provide all the scoring off the bench. The Warriors have an extremely grim amount of depth on the team and that is one of the main reasons why they weren’t successful last season. A deeper bench will create a more well-rounded team and will help reduce minutes for the starters.

Jeremy Lin

The Warriors need to bring in rotation-type players during the free agency period that could play the 1-3 positions. In free agency, the Warriors should target players such as: Jason Richardson, Arron Afflalo, Sebastian Telfair, Shane Battier, and Tayshaun Prince. The Bay Area will always love Jason Richardson, and if he doesn’t sign with some championship-level team, he has said he’d love to return to the Warriors. He could fill the sixth-man role and can score quickly and efficiently, so he’d be a perfect fit. Arron Afflalo is an exceptional defender and a good 3-point shooter, but the Nuggets seem to want to keep him, so it might be difficult to sign him. Sebastian Telfair could be an inexpensive free agent that the Warriors could sign, and his experience in the league would make him a much better backup point guard option than Jeremy Lin. Shane Battier, like Afflalo, is a top-notch defender, but he seems like he wants to be on a consistent playoff team. Tayshaun Prince is a solid small forward who is an efficient scorer, has won an NBA championship, and has nine years of experience. He might require a bigger contract than what the Warriors want to pay though.

Jason Richardson

In the new collective bargaining agreement, there will be an amnesty clause, which will allow teams to waive a player and have his salary immediately come off the books instead of it coming off the books whenever the contract ends. The Warriors are one of the teams in the NBA that could benefit from this provision immensely. Based on their biased views of certain players’ skillsets and contributions to the team, Warriors management has immensely overpaid those players and given them horrible contracts (examples: Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins, and David Lee, just to name a few). Although it would make sense to amnesty someone like Biedrins who has a very expensive contract and who is a player that should be waived, the Warriors often fall into the trap of being extremely illogical with their decisions. The apprehension towards waiving Beidrins would be that he’s the only true center on the roster, but if management was able to waive his contract, they could easily go after a higher-level center in free agency such as Nene. The Warriors could also use it on Charlie Bell who rarely plays, but still makes $4.1 million. However, it might also make sense for the Warriors to hold onto their amnesty clause and use it in a season or two.

Charlie Bell

Clearly, the Warriors are going to have a lot to do in very little time. Once a new collective bargaining agreement is reached, it’s likely that teams will have about a month for free agency. This doesn’t give the Warriors a lot of time, but that one month or so of free agency is a key period that could really set the tone for the rest of the season. Warriors management needs to be as active as possible and try to acquire quality free agents that will address specific needs for this team. Mark Jackson will have his hands full as well. He needs to preach defense as aggressively as possible. The whole coaching staff has to establish a system that starts with defense and allows the Warriors to get out in transition and run the fast break. It all starts with defense though. Jackson should hold the players accountable, and adjust playing time based on who is playing the best, most effective defense. Jackson can’t just say he’s going to do this; he needs to execute it properly. The whole Warriors organization has to instill a new culture, and it all starts with Coach Jackson. If he can become the NBA-version of Jim Harbaugh and instill a whole new style of winning based on unstoppable defense, the Warriors will be a successful team this season and for many seasons to come. There is a lot to be done, but the Warriors organization needs to prove that they are a winning franchise with a culture that accepts nothing but greatness.

Of all the exhibition games played during this lockout, the We Believe vs. Dubs game was one of the most highly anticipated. It featured some of the key players on the 2007 Warriors playoff team and some other former Warriors playing against most of the current Warriors team. Matt Barnes sponsored the event and proceeds went to his foundation Athletes vs. Cancer. This game was played very much like an All-Star game, simply because it featured countless dunks, alley-oops, and head-to-head battles. Also like an All-Star game, this particular game was very high-scoring with the current Warriors winning 158-153. Dorell Wright led all scorers with 41 points. Stephen Curry finished the night with a triple double including 34 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds. Other high scorers included Jeremy Lin who had 24 points, David Lee had 23 points, 16 rebounds, and 9 assists, Gilbert Arenas had 26 points, Corey Maggette had 34 points, and Anthony Morrow had 29 points.

Watch highlights here: