Warriors World

By: Sherwood Strauss

Blowouts

A quick recap on a too-quick weekend—though the Dallas game took forever.

Mavs > Cohans

The Mavericks got another sliver of revenge for 2007—though the greatest revenge is simply not being the Warriors—in an unwatchable sewage frolic. We often describe fantastic events as being “all a blur.” In contrast, I remember this Mavericks game the way a drifter might conjure the booze-soaked night prior: There are dark flashes, but I’ve blacked out most of it. The only positive: I’m amused by Matt Steinmetz amusing himself. His talent is wasted on little-watched nights like these, but Steinmetz is also wittier when he’s punchy and half-bored.

During and after the thrashing, I trolled 82games.com for info on Monta-Corey-Stephen lineups. I didn’t find much (the Warriors lead the league in statistical lineup noise), but here’s what I know: That trio’s not fun to watch.

Those three are just too dribble-dependent to exist on the hardwood together.  And Monta isn’t a point guard, as this season has proven. I think he and Maggette are good players, but their redundancies are so redundant that it’s getting redundant.

I can’t believe it’s not D-League! > FreeBaron

The Dubs struck a blow against housing discrimination by scraping a thoroughly disinterested Clippers team. If Lebron goes to the Clips, he’s crazier than Ron Ron.

Without Monta, Curry had another “feel so free” game, as the Warriors moved the ball around (despite Maggette’s best efforts).  Stephen Curry didn’t get to the free throw line once, which is either worrisome or an aspect he’ll improve later.  He’d do well to practice a bloodcurdling Maggette-flop-screech every practice.

Reggie Williams is a player.  That the Lakers continue to exhume Derek Fisher’s corpse while guys like this toil in the D-League astounds me. My favorite moment of the game came when Curry hit Williams for a corner three, then enthusiastically back-slapped the grinning call-up. Moments like that make the season bearable. Almost.

Q&A with Stephen Curry pt.2

By: Sherwood Strauss

WW.net: You have a twitter account. Are you enjoying that, do you like having that connection to the fans?

SC: It’s definitely something I enjoy doing especially for stuff that’s not basketball related, what I enjoy off the court.  And see how they respond to that, so I put all my golf stories on there, stuff I do around the bay. A random Thursday night I’ll ask “What dinner spots would y’all recommend?” And they hit me back. It’s definitely a cool application to have.

WW.net: Okay, I guess I should have a segue, but I don’t really on this. I’ve noticed that you have a flashy game. You’ve done the dream shake a few times. But I haven’t seen it in the past—most recent few games. Is that something you’re going to use a lot?

(Ed. note: Steph flashed a mischievous grin when I brought up the “Dream Shake”)

SC: I just feel my way around different games. Sometimes when you have an open lane to the basket and you see a big seven-footer coming, you got to do something because I’m not the most athletic guy. So I was just being inventive, on the spot.

WW.net: It’s just fun to see, with what happened to the Birdman, and also what happened to Ben Wallace.

SC: I missed that one, but ya.

WW.net: But it still looked cool. Are you going to have some new moves that we haven’t seen? And I’d guess I’d add to that, do you work on (these moves) and do you practice the moves before you feature them or is it spontaneous?

SC: When I work out I do a whole bunch of creative stuff. So it’s just a matter of my passes and my ball-handling. You’ll probably see some stuff that you haven’t seen this year, next year, once I get my skills where I want them to be.

WW.net: I’ll be looking for it. Right now we got the game on (We’re watching March Madness on TV). Do you see the game in a way that’s dramatically different from someone like myself, perceives it? Are you perceiving different things completely?

SC: Ya, I’m more evaluating players as to how they adapt to the NBA game.  As I saw myself as to how I was in college and how I’d adapt to the NBA game. I’m kind of playing GM when I watch the games, so it brings a whole new element to how I used to watch the games when I was in college. I was seeing how their style of play differed from my style at Davidson. It’s just a different way to watch it.

WW.net: I think a lot of different people around that time maybe didn’t understand that your style would translate well, because you have a really quick shot, you have a quick release. And that meant you could get your shot off. Would you agree, and is that something to watch for when you’re looking for who’s going to make it to the next level?

SC: Quickness, athleticism, anybody who can shoot has a chance to be successful, shooters are needed at this level.

WW.net: They all end up on the Spurs later, when they’re 38.

SC: (Ed. note: He laughs at another one of my lame jokes) When you see those kinds of players, you want to see what guys are really making a name for themselves, (in the tourney) shooting the ball, especially on this stage, a lot of pressure. A lot of pressure involved in the tournament, pressure involved in being one and done. It brings the true players out.

WW.net: It’s sort of a cliche question but it’s the one everyone’s asking. John Wall or Evan Turner, do you have an opinion either way?

SC: It just depends on what you want. If you need a point guard, John Wall’s definitely going to give that for you, and bring that for you. Evan Turner, he has the complete game, he’s a stat filler, he’s putting up crazy points, he distributes the ball well, and he’s always on the glass getting rebounds, the all-in-one player. Any team would benefit from having him.

WW.net: So, if the Warriors got into that position, you think Evan Turner would maybe be the best fit?

SC: With the back-court we already have here…I don’t know how another point guard would fit. But it could work out that way as well, having three fast, creative guards, me, Monta and him. Who knows how that would play out?

WW.net: Who gives you the most problems defensively? Who seems to have you figured out better than most?

SC: That’s a good question (pauses). Darren Collison, he’s probably one of the only point guards in the league that pressures full-court.

WW.net: There are a lot of rumors swirling around about ownership and we probably can’t address all that, but it might open up some options free agency wise. Is there any player who you’d love to play with and love to have on the team?. One particular guy.

SC: Rudy Gay.

WW.net: Rudy Gay?

SC: Definitely. Leave it at that, Rudy Gay. He could play in our system the way coach Nelson likes it, up and down. He’s an athletic guy, he can score, and he’ll play defense.

WW.net: Think he’s underrated?

SC: Definitely. Definitely.

WW.net: I just remembered that he was at the Team USA tryouts. Is that something you want to do?

SC: I’d love to be invited that would be a lot of fun, and a great team to be on, and the whole process to go through.

WW.net: I feel like your style would translate to the international game, a lot of shooting, so that’d be good.  One last question, you golfed with Matt Steinmetz, right?

SC: Yes.

WW.net: Is he a decent golfer?

SC: He’s pretty good.

WW.net: Who’s better when you played?

SC: (Smiles) I got him when we played.

WW.net: So for the record, Stephen Curry, better golfer than Matt Steinmetz? I can write that down?

SC: Yes.

WW.net: Okay (Me, laughing), I’m going to let him know about it on Twitter.

Youtube’n It

WarriorsWorld TV feat. Nio Tha Gift

Charles Barkley shows off how NOT to use a microphone

JJ Barea with a great shot

Chris Webber kissing up to David Lee

He Said What?!

Monta Ellis on who are the Top 3 players in the NBA

“I’m going to say LeBron James,” Ellis said. “He can do it all, pass, score, defend, block shots. No. 2, I would have to say, me. I can do a whole lot of things: defend, score, make passes, do whatever I need to do.  No. 1, I’d say Kobe Bryant. There isn’t one player who can stop Kobe one-on-one. He has a lot of stuff. He can defend. And of course, he won four championships.”- Monta Ellis

Andray Blatche on Flip Saunders comments after benching Blatche

“What he said in that press conference was a bold-faced lie, I never said I didn’t want to be coached or didn’t want to play. Who the hell doesn’t want to play? If I didn’t want to play, I wouldn’t have sat with a heat pack waiting to go back in. I would’ve unlaced my damn shoes and sat there. It just wasn’t true. I don’t know why he would say it.”- Andray Blatche

Don Nelson on Reggie Williams

“I think he has a gift. He doesn’t even know how big a gift he has. We’ve just dusted off the surface.  He’s a rare basketball player as far as I can see. He’s able to have the mental capacity to be able to understand the total game.  I think he’s a special player, and here we got him out of the rock heap.” – Via Marcus Thompson II

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