Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors made a huge playoff splash and with their season now over they must shift their focus on retooling the roster and looking at the future. The Dubs exceeded 2013 playoff expectations by reaching the Western Conference semifinals and taking the San Antonio Spurs to six games. The Warriors accomplished this despite [...]

Jan 19, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Golden State Warriors power forward Carl Landry (7) celebrates with point guard Jarrett Jack (2) during the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Hornets at the New Orleans Arena. The Warriors defeated the Hornets, 116-112. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports The Golden State Warriors’ bench was instrumental in both their regular season and postseason success. Jarrett Jack, Carl Landry, Draymond Green and Festus Ezeli were the four main contributors with occasional appearances by Richard Jefferson, Andres Biedrins, and Kent Bazemore. But Jack is a free agent and Landry has a player option for this offseason, meaning he can opt out and test the free-agent market. Both were active pieces all year, but as we turn to the 2013 offseason, Golden State must prepare to decide who they would rather have: Jack or Landry? When the Warriors signed Jack last offseason, he appeared to be a one-year rental. His role seemed to be no more than your average backup point guard, spelling Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson when needed. But early in the season, Jack emerged as one of the quietest, most underrated signings of the 2012 offseason, contributing crucial minutes for the Warriors. Jack was a major offense punch and flourished when on the floor with Landry, Thompson, Andrew Bogut and  Curry. Jack showed the ability to shoot three-pointers and stretch the defense, yet also have the ability to use a screen and knock down a mid-range jumper. This shot chart by Grantland.com’s Krik Goldsberry displays just how good from midrange Jack was. Jack was one of the best midrange jump shooters in the entire league, better than the likes of Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant. When David Lee went down with his injury to his hip flexor, Jack stepped up and received a healthy boost in minutes, which translated to increased production. But so did Landry, who was brought in last offseason on a two-year contract with a player option for the second year. He also provided good offensive production off the bench, and with the countless injuries to  Bogut was able to play more than what was originally expected of him. Landry is a good big man, one capable of knocking down open mid-range jumpers, yet also scoring over smaller defenders. Though not an elite defender, he is not a liability. Yahoo! Sports first reported back in March, that if Landry opts out, the Toronto Raptors would go after him and have major interest in bringing him north of the boarder. Jack will likely have a large market as well, as in a league where point guard is the most crucial position; He is a quality player at a quality price. Curry praised Jack saying, “this is the place for him. He’s bounced around a lot. For him to have hopefully found a home here for the foreseeable future would be huge. I know he wants to be part of a winning team, and I think we have that here now.” When asked about the prospect of his return next season after the Warriors Game 6 loss to San Antonio, Jack responded, “I hope so, man. Obviously there are other things that go into seeing if that works — we all know this is a business at the end of the day. If I could do it, if I could rearrange it, I would definitely be back at this same locker.” Though Jack was a productive player and arguably more important to the Warriors this season than Landry, their priority should be keeping Landry. With the growth of Harrison Barnes and the incoming return of guard Brandon Rush, Jack’s minutes will likely decrease. Finding a cheap replacement at backup point guard is not as difficult, and if worst comes to worst, testing out youngster Scott Machado could be an option as well. Jack was a great addition this year but he recognizes that this is a business and if another team offers him starting point guard money than he will probably have to find a new locker. Dec 19, 2012; Sacramento, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Jarrett Jack (2) looks to pass the b

May 14, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Jarrett Jack (2) drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs forward Tiago Splitter (22) and Boris Diaw (33) look on during the second half in game five of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at the AT Jarrett Jack won’t be the only point guard on the free-agent market, but his spectacular play in the postseason will definitely have some teams looking to pick up the veteran guard to supplant their rosters. Let’s take a look at five teams who could pursue the veteran point guard. March 18, 2013; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams (8) is guarded by Detroit Pistons point guard Jose Calderon (8) in the first quarter at The Palace. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports Detroit Pistons The Pistons will lose point guards Jose Calderon and Will Bynum to free agency next year, and will be $23 million underneath the soft cap, so they will certainly be looking for a point guard who can fill their shoes. Calderon’s will be harder to fill, as he served as the starting point guard for the Pistons and averaged 11.6 points and nearly seven assists a game. While Jarrett Jack’s playstyle is a little different from Calderon’s, as Jack attempts nearly a shot and half more per game while Calderon focuses on distribution, the Pistons would certainly not complain. Apr 17, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Utah Jazz point guard Mo Williams (5) brings the ball up court during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden–USA TODAY Sports Utah Jazz The Jazz will be a whopping $41 million dollars underneath the salary cap next year and have the lowest guaranteed salary in the league for the 2013-2014 season. This means they could make a high bid for Jack, high enough that the Warriors’ financial inflexibilities could mean they would have to fold on Jack. With Mo Williams entering free agency, the Jazz will be looking to find someone who could replace the starting point guard. The Jazz could see Jack as the final piece of the puzzle to push them into the playoffs. May 3, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks point guard Devin Harris (34) shoots a three in the first quarter of game six of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports Atlanta Hawks The Hawks will lose All-Star Devin Harris to free agency next year and could potentially lose restricted free agent Jeff Teague if they cannot match an offer from another team. Assuming they lose just Harris, the Hawks will need another off-the-bench point guard, and Sixth Man of the Year contender Jack has shown he is capable of doing just that. In the unlikely case that the Hawks also lose Teague, they will be looking even more to Jack, potentially to take a starting role in their offense. In either scenario, the Hawks will undoubtedly be interested. Apr 17, 2013; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Darren Collison (4) drives against New Orleans Hornets forward Al-Farouq Aminu (0) at American Airlines Center. The Mavs beat the Hornets 99-87. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports Dallas Mavericks The Mavericks’ point guard Darren Collison will be a restricted free agent in the 2013-14 season, and they might be looking to upgrade to Jack. The Mavs will be nearly $31 million under the salary cap next year, and while they might be able to match offers for Collison, they would undoubtedly rather have Jack, as he could the Mavericks a dependable offensive option and someone who could take weight off the aging Dirk Nowitzki. Jack is clearly the superior to Mike James, Jared Cunningham and Rodrigue Beaubois, and the 29-year-old point guard would relish an opportunity to play in the starting position. May 13, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls point guard Nate Robinson (2) dribbles the ball against Miami Heat point guard Mario Chalmers (15) during the second half

Apr 24, 2013; Independence, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant (right) watches as new head coach Mike Brown (center) puts his arm around team owner Dan Gilbert during a press conference at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports The Cleveland Cavaliers have struck gold yet again. For the second time and three years, the Cavs will have the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. They drafted Kyrie Irving with the first overall pick in the 2011 draft, which has proven to be a good one thus far, and they’re hoping for the same results in this year’s draft. Kentucky product Nerlens Noel is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick by multiple mock drafts, which is feasible given the defensive presence he could potentially bring to Cleveland. A core of Irving, Noel, Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson is intriguing, especially if you look ahead a few years down the line. Glancing at the results, the odds were spot-on for the most part. The Washington Wizards jumped from the eighth slot to the third spot, but that’s the only glaring difference between the projected order and actual order. So, the current ordering of the first round would shape up as follows, barring any trades, of course: 1. Cleveland Cavaliers 2. Orlando Magic 3. Washington Wizards 4. Charlotte Bobcats 5. Phoenix Suns 6. New Orleans Pelicans 7. Sacramento Kings 8. Detroit Pistons 9. Minnesota Timberwolves 10. Portland Trail Blazers 11. Philadelphia 76ers 12. Oklahoma City Thunder 13. Dallas Mavericks 14. Utah Jazz 15. Milwaukee Bucks 16. Boston Celtics 17. Atlanta Hawks 18. Atlanta Hawks 19. Cleveland Cavaliers 20. Chicago Bulls 21. Utah Jazz 22. Brooklyn Nets 23. Indiana Pacers 24. New York Knicks 25. Los Angeles Clippers 26. Minnesota Timberwolves 27. Denver Nuggets 28. San Antonio Spurs 29. Oklahoma City Thunder 30. Phoenix Suns

I'm going to be very honest with you. I barely knew what Michael Malone looked like until I typed his name into the search bar for a picture. As Clips search for new coach, Paul is known to be a proponent of Warriors assistant Michael Malone. They were together in New Orleans. — Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) May 21, 2013 This hasn't stopped people from suggesting that he was a bigger reason for the coaching turnaround than Mark Jackson. I was listening to ESPN Radio the other day and some guy essentially said Jackson doesn't know the Xs and Os and simply a great preacher. Cool story, bro. I don't much about the coaching trees in the NBA because I'm not a Zach Lowe but from secondhand accounts and Twitter, he's a very coveted assistant coach. Think the San Francisco 49ers Greg Roman. Chris Paul was on the New Orleans Hornets when Malone was the assistant coach. And he likes him. Therefore, this means RUMORS! But with the offseason starting now, this is just the beginning of a few big decisions for Bob Myers. How does this impact the coaching staff if he leaves? Does the fact that Mark Jackson not signing a long-term contract concern you? Who will draw up the Xs and Os now? Speculate away, friends.

Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority hosts end of season celebration

I woke up Thursday morning probably like any other Oracle ticket holder, juiced with anticipation for the game that night. All I could think about was "Roaracle". Specifically, that moment when the Golden State Warriors rally with a three-pointer from Stephen Curry and San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has to charge onto the floor to obstruct the referee's march up the court just to call timeout -- because it's too loud and the raucous crowd's frenzied and the ref's brain suddenly realizes one of his six senses has become impaired. I wouldn't be surprised if Jarrett Jack woke up that morning and thought the same thing. NOTE: This is a “Monster” recap to close out the season -- you will get this NOWHERE else (Poor Man’s Commish doin’ work)!! -- and as a tip of my hat to DubNation. If you want the condensed version, just read the pre-amble and the finale and skip the four sections of the game recap. But if you skip the recap, you won’t know that the Warriors -- as they always fight, whether flat or not -- actually could’ve stole this one... Pre-amble -- Juiced! Q1 -- Out of the gate: not pretty, but definitely in it Q2 -- HB, please get up...please Q3 -- Steph Rules at work: take advantage of the big man Q4 -- It came down to one Steph jumper over an iso vs Parker Finale -- Jack’s tears speaks volumes Pre-game: Juiced! Cue the Dance Cam on the jumbotron. Flo Rida's "Wild Ones" track starts with the piano intro and Sia Furler wails, "Hey I heard you are a wild one, oooohhhhooohhhh..." Imagine 19,500 people now standing and cheering in euphoria, most of those fans wearing their yellow playoff t-shirt, most of those fans nodding to that increasing "Wild Ones" beat, most of those fans dancing in their seats, and the best of those fans being captured on the giant LCD screens atop the middle of Roaracle. By the second verse, more and more people are getting into the groove, happiness spreads as the jumbotron shows a kid making up moves on the fly, some patrons start pointing to the video as it transitions to a normally calm adult bespectacled professional, who gets it on with his own jerky movements, the sleeves on his dress shirt now rolled up, waving the yellow t-shirt as if it were a rally towel, the top button of his dress shirt now unbottoned to reveal the white t-shirt underneath -- the abandonment of ensemble that used to represent his cool, calm, collected 9-to-5 self. Plus, backs against the wall. I mean, Game 6 against the Denver Nuggets was a so-called “must-win”, but this one: truly win or go home. Instead of the usual nervousness that has plagued this franchise since ‘74-75, there was a feeling of ”I can’t wait to get this started” to see how Golden State would respond to a one-and-done. Alas, that “Wild” moment never happened Thursday night. The Warriors came out flat, with the Spurs poised. Out of the gate: not pretty, but definitely in it The game started out ugly for the Warriors as they displayed simple ineptness down low, coughing up not one, not two, but three (possibly four, my memory escapes me!) interior possessions. To make matters worse, When Steph hit his first trey in Danny Green’s grill, it was clear he had much more confidence on this night than in Game 5, when he had passed up a few shots. Pop called a timeout almost before the ball splashed through, but it was way too early to bust out Flo Rida. Again, a masterful use of the timeout as defense by the Spurs’ sage. David Lee made an early cameo and, lo and behold, the Warriors had their starting five that should’ve been had Lee’s injury against the Nuggets not occurred: Steph, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Lee, and Andrew Bogut. A nice little “keep-away” game of pickle with Bogut soon ensued, but as the Spurs had done so often in this series, it was matched by an equally stellar play on the other side

It has been less than a week since the Warriors' season came to an end with Thursday's Game 6 defeat to the Spurs, and we're already looking toward the future and what's to come for the Warriors next season and beyond.

May 16, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30, left) and power forward David Lee (10, right) react after game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at Oracle Arena. The Spurs defeated the Warriors 94-82. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports For the many eliminated playoff teams, the weeks after elimination are a time of regret. With the NBA Draft Lottery looming, 14 teams are hoping for the fortune that eluded them during the regular season, leaving now-eliminated playoff teams to reflect on what could have been. While many Golden State  Warriors fans may be looking forward, eagerly waiting to build on this season’s playoff success, some may still be mired in frustration. Among more enjoyable trends, injuries have been a central theme of this postseason, and as anyone reading this article has heard, the Warriors were not left unscathed. David Lee tore his hip-flexor during Game 1 of the Warriors’ first round series against the Denver Nuggets. Lee was expected to miss the rest of the season, but played limited minutes versus the San Antonio Spurs. Lee did play a role off the bench, generally as an offensive interlude to begin the second quarter, but was drastically limited in role and effectiveness. Playing almost entirely without their lone all-star, the Warriors lost 4-2, but contended in nearly every game. The Spurs played consistently excellent defense on Stephen Curry and seemingly benefited from a severe injury to Curry’s ankle. A healthy Lee demands defensive attention that may otherwise have been focused on Curry, and could have helped in freeing him offensively. The Curry-Lee pick and roll was the staple of the Warriors’ productive regular season offense. Per mysysnergysports.com, 20 percent of the Warriors offense was finished by a pick and roll ball handler or roll man. This would be a significant portion without considering Lee, Curry and other Warriors passing out of the pick and roll to other players after forcing defensive helping help. So, it stands to reason that adding a fully healthy Lee would have drastically increased the Warriors chance at upsetting San Antonio, right? May 16, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan (21) hugs Golden State Warriors power forward David Lee (10) after Spurs win over the Warriors for game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Golden State Warriors 94-82 to win the series. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports Well, maybe not. During the regular season, the healthy David Lee played in all four of the Warriors’ games versus San Antonio, totaling 155 minutes, about 38 minutes per game. Though this is a small sample size, and the playoffs are a different situation, Lee did nothing in these minutes to signify that San Antonio would struggle with him in the playoffs.  he Spurs held Lee to a far below average 47.3 percent true shooting percentage, and he was not compensating for this in other areas.  He rebounded 17.8 percent of available rebounds, only slightly above his regular season 16.8 percent rebound percentage and his assist percentage dropped from 16.8 percent to 12.1 percent. Furthermore, Lee’s inefficiency and lack of creation did not come in a decoy role similar to Curry’s post-injury, but at a greater usage than his season average, meaning Lee’s offensive struggles had an increased impact. With Lee on the court in the regular season versus San Antonio, the Warriors surrendered a respectable 101.1 points per 100 possessions, but only scored 99.6.  With Lee off the court, the Warriors allowed only 98.9 points per 100 possessions, and scored 104.6. While these sample sizes, especially the 42 possessions with Lee off the court are too small to be determinant, do not suggest that a healthy Lee would have helped the Warriors. In the series against San Antonio, the Warriors scored 101.9

By: Scott Horlbeck Special. I think that’s the best way to put it. “Waaaaaaaaaaarriors. Waaaaaaaaaaaarriors. Waaaaaaaaaaaaariors. Waaaaaaaaaaaaariors.” As the haunting chants echoed through every foot of the Arena, the players sauntered out onto the court for one last goodbye. Like gracious students at the retirement of their favorite teacher, the players began to clap, radiating [...]