Recap: Warriors 101, Clippers 113
The Warriors are now only one game over .500 with a 5-4 record. Their schedule only gets tougher. It's time to step up!
We need more of this and less 3's!
Boxscore | AP Recap | Mercury Wrap
Yesterday's game against the Pacific division leading Clippers exposed the flaws in the Warriors roster (unathletic forwards) and game plan (too many 3's!). After a dazzling first quarter, the Warriors were put in the check by the Clipers for the rest of the game. It was a convincing win for the Clips and a reality check for the Warriors management.
Defense, defense, defense. Fitz and Barnett couldn't stop gushing about the Warriors defense on the Clippers during the TV telecast. Were they watching the same game? The Warriors were getting dominated inside which opened up the outside for Cutino Mobley to rain jumpers. They had nothing on the Clippers forwards and it really showed.
Aside from jacking up too many three's, Boom Dizzle and JRich had nice games. The problem was not with the backcourt. It boiled down to the Forwards...
Clips Starting Forwards
Corey Maggette: 24 points (11-14 free throws), 9 rebounds, 5 assists
Elton Brand: 32 points (10-11 free throws), 10 rebounds, 2 assists
Dubs Starting Forwards
Mike Dunleavy: 12 points (0-4 3pt and 0-0 free throws), 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Troy Murphy: 12 points (0-2 3pt and 4-4 free throws), 7 rebounds, 0 assists
The Warriors are not going to win many games when they get dominated on the glass and give up 56 points to a pair of forwards. Maggette and Brand got to the line at will with a combined 25 trips to the charity stripe. The Warriors big men need to learn how to play defense without fouling. Regardless of who guarded the Clips down low, the Warriors drew nothing but fouls. Taft fouled twice in 3 minutes, Biedrins fouled 5 times in 13 minutes, Foyle fouled 4 times in a heavy playing time. At times Pietrus even had to guard Brand. I don't know if Monty picked up on this, but every time the Warriors fouled Maggette and Brand they were practically giving the Clippers 2 free points. 22 points off free throws? That's the the game right there. Defense does not equal foul.
Having Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy as your starting forwards is not a formula for success. This was actually one of Dunleavy's best performances to date. If it doesn't get any better for Dunleavy at 30mpg, much better that is, the Warriors are in serious trouble. The reality is that Dunleavy is in the bottom tier of starting small forwards. It's a serious disadvantage and glaring weakness on the Warriors roster. Pietrus has definitely earned a starting roster spot over Dunleavy. He makes a great 6th man, but as a starting Small Forward I'm not so sure if he's ready yet. The Warriors are sorely lacking a starting athletic forward and post up presence. If Ike's not the answer, the Warriors will need to pull the trigger on a trade soon or else a promising season will be lost.
Monty read this aloud 10 times- THE WARRIORS ARE NOT A GOOD THREE POINT SHOOTING TEAM. They need to get buckets by attacking the basket. The Warriors are at their best when Boom Dizzle, JRich, and Air France go strong to the whole, not when they take 35 treys and only make 7. If you want a team that launches treys on the regular, then the Warriors management will need to bring in a shooter because this is not a strength of this roster.
Has Monty forgotten about the high pick and roll with Baron and Troy? It's effective and at least TMurphy gets some completely wide open looks that he can routinely knock down.
The Dubs are now winless against the Pacific division with some convincing losses to the Suns and Clippers. Let's hope Ike can give them the inside presence to compete against Pacific foes. It's only going to get tougher when Amare comes back. The Warriors frontcourt needs to step up or else it's going to a long season.
Warrior Wonder
Baron's 21 points and 13 dimes were nice. So were JRich's 20 points and 5 rebounds to go along with a monstrous 360 jam. But we have to go with the camera men. Take a look at these pictures from the game:
Boom Dizzle's got game, but STAY OFF HIS SACK!
B Diddy's a nice man, but I don't think Brand reciprocates the luv.
Defense, defense, defense. Fitz and Barnett couldn't stop gushing about the Warriors defense on the Clippers during the TV telecast. Were they watching the same game? The Warriors were getting dominated inside which opened up the outside for Cutino Mobley to rain jumpers. They had nothing on the Clippers forwards and it really showed.
Aside from jacking up too many three's, Boom Dizzle and JRich had nice games. The problem was not with the backcourt. It boiled down to the Forwards...
Clips Starting Forwards
Corey Maggette: 24 points (11-14 free throws), 9 rebounds, 5 assists
Elton Brand: 32 points (10-11 free throws), 10 rebounds, 2 assists
Dubs Starting Forwards
Mike Dunleavy: 12 points (0-4 3pt and 0-0 free throws), 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Troy Murphy: 12 points (0-2 3pt and 4-4 free throws), 7 rebounds, 0 assists
The Warriors are not going to win many games when they get dominated on the glass and give up 56 points to a pair of forwards. Maggette and Brand got to the line at will with a combined 25 trips to the charity stripe. The Warriors big men need to learn how to play defense without fouling. Regardless of who guarded the Clips down low, the Warriors drew nothing but fouls. Taft fouled twice in 3 minutes, Biedrins fouled 5 times in 13 minutes, Foyle fouled 4 times in a heavy playing time. At times Pietrus even had to guard Brand. I don't know if Monty picked up on this, but every time the Warriors fouled Maggette and Brand they were practically giving the Clippers 2 free points. 22 points off free throws? That's the the game right there. Defense does not equal foul.
Having Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy as your starting forwards is not a formula for success. This was actually one of Dunleavy's best performances to date. If it doesn't get any better for Dunleavy at 30mpg, much better that is, the Warriors are in serious trouble. The reality is that Dunleavy is in the bottom tier of starting small forwards. It's a serious disadvantage and glaring weakness on the Warriors roster. Pietrus has definitely earned a starting roster spot over Dunleavy. He makes a great 6th man, but as a starting Small Forward I'm not so sure if he's ready yet. The Warriors are sorely lacking a starting athletic forward and post up presence. If Ike's not the answer, the Warriors will need to pull the trigger on a trade soon or else a promising season will be lost.
Monty read this aloud 10 times- THE WARRIORS ARE NOT A GOOD THREE POINT SHOOTING TEAM. They need to get buckets by attacking the basket. The Warriors are at their best when Boom Dizzle, JRich, and Air France go strong to the whole, not when they take 35 treys and only make 7. If you want a team that launches treys on the regular, then the Warriors management will need to bring in a shooter because this is not a strength of this roster.
Has Monty forgotten about the high pick and roll with Baron and Troy? It's effective and at least TMurphy gets some completely wide open looks that he can routinely knock down.
The Dubs are now winless against the Pacific division with some convincing losses to the Suns and Clippers. Let's hope Ike can give them the inside presence to compete against Pacific foes. It's only going to get tougher when Amare comes back. The Warriors frontcourt needs to step up or else it's going to a long season.
Warrior Wonder
Baron's 21 points and 13 dimes were nice. So were JRich's 20 points and 5 rebounds to go along with a monstrous 360 jam. But we have to go with the camera men. Take a look at these pictures from the game:
Boom Dizzle's got game, but STAY OFF HIS SACK!
B Diddy's a nice man, but I don't think Brand reciprocates the luv.
posted by atma brother #1 @ 11:19 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
Thanks for catching that. You're right, the Warriors were 6-5 after that loss.
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