By: Jesse Taylor
Reader’s Note: Beginning December 8, WarriorsWorld is spending two weeks examining the play of David Lee, easily the most polarizing player on the Warriors. We are providing an unbiased look by watching David Lee, and only David Lee, on both ends of the floor for a stretch of games ending with the Lakers at Oracle Arena on December 22. Our eighth installment of “The David Lee Watch” follows the matchup vs. Charlotte on December 21.
With David Lee needing two assists to reach a triple-double in the fourth quarter of last night’s blow-out win over the visiting Bobcats, I joked on Twitter that if Lee accomplished the task my David Lee Watch post would simply quote the triple-double line from Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day.” And that would be it.
In a three-minute span, he dished out three assists, admitting after the game that he was going after the stat mark that is typically so elusive for power forwards. He finished the game with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Maybe his most impressive stat was that he did not get his shot blocked once – a category he negatively leads the league in.
If I had just posted the one line in this recap of “David Lee fucked around and got a triple-double,” it probably would have been suffice. If you’ve read my other recaps, you can gather what he did in this game. Lee has been playing at such a high and consistent level beginning with the three games prior to the start of this feature, it’s really becoming monotonous writing these recaps. He has never played this well for such a long period of time.
I started this “Watch” because I just knew it would be a polarizing feature as we watched the highs and lows of David Lee. He would have great games followed by awful games. A 20-point, 10-rebound night would be followed by a 2-14 shooting performance from the field. And I would be there watching his every move, ready to dissect the issues with his inconsistency and lack of impact on a game. That’s the way it’s been for David Lee since he joined the Warriors, right?
Well, not anymore. With just one more game in The David Lee Watch before I post my overall summary, he has yet to have an off night and has had a huge impact on every game – leading them to wins and keeping them close in losses. But he has been known to struggle against longer, more lengthy defenders, so tonight the Lakers with Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard may put an end to his hot streak. But he’s been known for a lot of negative things that he’s just not doing anymore. Ask Josh Smith and Chris Bosh how he recently fared against their length.
One more to go. Let’s see if he can make it another good day.