Beautiful (Warriors 111, Mavs 86)
When the third quarter started Thursday night at the Arena, the basketball game ended. I’m not quite sure what took its place. It was part myth, part funk concert, part morality play, part buddy movie. Whatever it was, it was beautiful and I feel lucky to have witnessed it. We’ve shocked the world. We’ve believed and been rewarded. We’ve earned the name printed on the front of our jerseys.
It will take a while for me to wrap my head around this. You readers have been so eloquent, stirring, and funny in your comments the last few weeks, I’m leaning on you to put words to what we just saw. It’s too big for one person to break down, but I’ll give it the ol’ Baron Davis try.
Three knocks on modern sports come up over and over again: players don’t work as a team, they’re only in it for the money, they don’t show respect for the game. Game 6 was so special because it seemed to exist in a world where those things aren’t problems. The rest of the nation is starting to understand that we don’t just believe in the Warriors because they’re the home team, they’ve actually given us something unique in the NBA and pro sports right now to believe in.
First, the team knock. Baron Davis will get the press for the game and series He deserves it. He’s our face (beard) and our court-leader. What he did was super-human and the stuff of top 10 countdowns years from now. But make no mistake about how Baron arrived at this point. Over the last 30 games, Davis has put the team’s game ahead of his own. He’s gotten others involved, worked to build confidence, and only taken over when absolutely necessary. His unselfishness has been contagious. Even hobbled tonight, his presence on the floor seemed to settle the Warriors. They knew he would be there to work the ball around, to take on four guys in the key so three somewhere else could have open looks. For the first time in the series, the nation finally saw the Ws’ ball movement: back door cuts, drive and kicks for open threes, unbelievable fast breaks. It’s loose and fun, but it’s not about one player trying to get his. It’s about integrating five players on the court into an unstoppable whole. The Mavs finally got a big taste of it in the third quarter.
Second, the money knock. There wasn’t a player on the court tonight for the Warriors who didn’t prove something personally. A game after getting kicked out, and years after being endlessly described as a thug, Stephen Jackson left the world with only his game to talk about. After hearing about how the Warriors were too inexperienced to put a good team away in Game 5, he stepped up in the middle of the third quarter and repeatedly punished the Mavs from behind the arc. There was still a lot of time to play when he was done, but you could feel in your gut that it was over. Jackson just smiled. Baron Davis wears his injury history like an asterisk on his accomplishments: he’s a great point guard, but he’s always injured. New Orleans threw him out largely because they thought he was prolonging his recovery time and refusing to play through pain. Thursday night on a clearly beaten-up knee and tweaked hammy, Davis not only played but dominated. He continually broke down the Mavs’ interior defense on one good leg. Again, all he could do was smile. It took Jason Richardson a long time to get to the playoffs. To make sure he gets to spend more time here, he added the final killing blows in the fourth quarter. He snuck back door for a brutal dunk, old-school JRich, eye-level with the rim. He then immediately dropped a three from the corner off a Warriors’ steal. Jason didn’t smile. He screamed. Busted-up Matt Barnes, the reject? Washed-up Don Nelson, the quitter? Intentionally-hacked Andris (who drained both, by the way)? They weren’t throwing themselves across the court and pounding their bodies to the point of breaking for a contract. They weren’t hugging, and laughing, and dancing on the sidelines because they just got paid. This team has been fighting for pride for the last two months. They won it for themselves and for us, the fans, Thursday night. But they still look hungry (I recognize that look from Barkley’s eyes).
Third, the respecting-the-game knock. If I hear another person talk about how the Warriors play “bad” basketball, I’m going to lose it. What the nation witnessed Thursday night was the result of a carefully executed plan set loose from the mind of Don Nelson, where it had been stewing in scotch for a few decades with annual upgrades and tweaks. The third quarter laid it out step-by-step:
- The Warriors’ fast, slashing players attacked the rim to open the quarter. They made some lay-ups and missed some others, but drew fouls and defensive attention.
- The versatile, jump-shooting Warriors began to leave one or two players lurking at the three-point arc. With the earlier penetration, the more traditional Mavs team was afraid to commit too far for fear of being beaten off the dribble. Stephen Jackson rained down open three after open three. He and other Warriors hit so many of them because they were WIDE OPEN LOOKS, created by their earlier offense.
- In the chaos created by the Warriors quick attacks and frantic pace, the Mavs tried to set up their traditional offense. The Warriors ran different, interchangeable players at each Mav. Jason Terry got the ball at the arc but found himself unable to get around the quick feet of Andris. Devin Harris tried to pass the ball to Dirk, only to find the pass cut off by the long, physical Jackson and quick, flashing Davis or Ellis. The defenders swarmed because they weren’t afraid of losing a man. The other defenders were quick enough to get there to cover (passes tend to take more time with four hands in the passer’s face). They swiped because they have hands fast enough to cleanly strip the ball. They bodied-up because they had nothing to lose. They’re smaller and not likely to get called for the contact, since it annoys but doesn’t overpower.
- As the Mavs offense broke down, the Warriors got steals. The Ws, with 4 or 5 ball-handlers on the court, continually pushed the ball, searching for mismatches or seams before the Mavs’ defense could set up position. If nothing was immediately available, the Warriors pulled out, waited for the double team or a bad switch, and then began the drive-and-kick dance anew. It kept going faster and faster. Next thing you knew, the Ws were up by 25 points in an elimination game against a 67 win team.
The Warriors won tonight because they had a superior game plan, which they executed with tremendous discipline and more than a little fight from somewhere deep. Critics seem to think the Warriors can’t be playing the game the “right” way because they’re smiling, laughing, and chest-bumping as they do it. I would argue that all of those things (and this series) are just evidence that they’re not only respecting the game, they’ve loving it.
So where does all this rambling leave me? I’m not quite sure, but I do know this: The Mavs are a fantastic basketball team. If we want respect, the last thing we should do is trash our opponent. It was a glorious series, but we found a way to beat them. Game 6 provided the clearest evidence that they didn’t give this series to us. We took it from them.
As a fan, I also know that these are the moments that you remember for a long time. They are the payoff for dark days. They are rare. The Mavs were a team weighed down by expectations. We are a team that can take pleasure in laughing in the face of the low expectations others give us. There is a defiance, shock, and pure joy that comes from winning as an underdog. We may not be in that position for much longer. We (the franchise and the fans) should enjoy this moment while we can. We’ve earned it.
Absolutely, enjoy the present moment.
I’m a little ashamed to say that when Baron went out with the hamstring injury I said “that’s it, the seasons is over” With Harrington (wasn’t it tough to see his expression on the bench as he watched his team move on without him) and Ellis contributing so little, and Nelson holding true to his 6 man rotation threat, there seemed to be not enough force to continue on.
I was wrong and I’ve never been happier to have been so.
Though I’m not sure if the leagues MVP voting has already occured, but with the reigning contender now doubtful as being the only worthy candidate I would nominate Baron Davis for consideration. If the W’s continue on and place even higher, and the nation starts to see them as more than a fluke or good matchup team (with Dallas) some consideration would
have to be given to him. If one of the criteria for MVP is how important was a player to his team’s rise to the top rungs of the leagues playoffs, could there be more than a couple of otherplayers (Nash comes to mind)that are worthy?
Exuberant speculation perhaps after an amazing win, series and season.
I want one of those T shirts!
Charlie
Adam:
You have been the Baron Davis of the Warrior fan base this year. Thank you for your solid and detailed analysis, but more importantly for your class and dedication.
There is so much to love about this playoff series - the fact that it came against such a good team in the Mavs only makes it the sweeter. Even my sports-resistant wife is getting wrapped up in it!
Man, I need a cigarette. And I don’t even smoke.
Jeff
As a die-hard Mavs fan, let me say congrats. It’s too soon for me to put aside the competitiveness with the Warriors that has built up over the last few weeks (sorry, but I’ll never be a Matt Barnes fan…), and I’ll probably be rooting for Steve Nash and the Suns going forward.
But you guys played a terrific series. You exposed all of the Mavs’ weak spots, shut down the league MVP, and made our coach look incompetent. You won it fair-and-square, and I salute you. This wasn’t luck.
Enjoy it.
We’re probably the franchise most like you in a lot of respects. We had a decade of futility (even your worst teams weren’t as bad as ours). And we rode Nellie’s creativity, false modesty, and exuberant style to some terrific upsets in the early days. Our first playoff series win in many years against Karl Malone and the Jazz is still one of my favorite moments. The ride up is pretty damn fun, because there’s literally nothing to lose.
Best of luck in Rd 2.
Charlie is absolutely right. While I feel for Dirk, the fact is he’s a tall and talented small forward able to get his perimeter shot off on most people. All this talk about him banging down low and going to the basket is simply not his game. He didn’t annoint himself MVP. I always thought of the league MVP as a great player at both ends of the court, able to inspire and lead his teamates to do great things, and able to perform under all adversity (ie. Bird, Jordan, Jabbar, etc.). He’s a terrific offensive player and from what I hear, a great guy. That’s all.
I also completely agree with Charlie’s comments. This blog is so outstanding for it’s intellectual approach to the game, it’s integrity, and thoughful commentary. I believe it’s a reflection on you Adam and the high caliber of the Warrior fans.
By the way, after Matt Barnes’ posterizing Dirk, I did scream at 1:30AM and woke up the wife. What the hell. I deserve it!
Mythic, epic. . .I have no words.
“Strength is born in the deep silence of long-suffering hearts” A. Helps
The fact that I’ve had to plan my sleeping patterns to take advantage of the off-days, because I’m up late in Raleigh watching the games in my basement(so as not to wake the wife and kids) on game days, says it all. And I’m dragging ass at work but don’t give a damn! Even last week while at my wife’s company conference in Vegas, there was no question that we would be sitting somewhere watching the games which is why we ate our Friday night $230 dinner at the bar of the steakhouse rather than in the restaurant. I’m a lucky guy, yes. Remember, this is the woman who blew an overnight outing with me(and paid babysitter) on the Ws game in Charlotte!
A lot of great things have been said but here are some that I think are understated:
1. Monta did a GREAT job in his short stint in place of BD when he tweaked the hammy. He settled things down with a couple of baskets and an assist and kept the game square until BD made his return. I’m hoping this portends great things in subsequent rounds.
2. We’re still underdogs. Steve Kerr’s comments about how the Mavs were so disappointing in their play, rather than praising the Ws, started to bug me but then I realized how much of an advantage that is for our team. We relish the role - it keeps us loose and allows us to play the “chaos” offense without getting too tight.
3. The way we handled the last 8 minutes of the game was superb, the best part in my book. We’ve always been able to put together incredible runs like in the 3rd, but closing out games well is what elite teams do. After the game 5 fizzle, it was very nice to see the Ws keep the door closed on the opponent after racking up the big lead. Even if they missed shots, the ball was rotated for a good attempt and we hustled after loose balls and boarded strong to deny the Mavs even a thought of a chance of coming back.
4. Bob Edwards’ XM radio interview show lead off with the Warriors, which to me says they have arrived big time. Bill Simmons, ESPN.COM Sports Guy, fessed up that a Ws jersey was one of the few non-Boston items he actually owns/wears. Snoop Dogg in the house? Woody Harrelson? It must’ve been 4:20 all damn night!
5. BD, SJAX, and JRICH are all averaging >20/game. With such incredible balance, it’s going to be tough for any of the other teams to match up. It was great to see JRICH dunk a few because he hasn’t appeared to have the extra hop that has been his trademark since his return to the court, yet he’s been a much better player without the high-riser game! Ironic that Nellie’s style works so much better today than in the past; then again, the role of the big man has diminished since the Run TMC days so having a big 5 is less crucial. Plus, this is a much more aggressive and bigger “small” team than Run TMC. Barnes, Biedrins, and JRICH all had double-digit rebound games - when was the last time the Ws had three in the same game? Aside from Duncan, I don’t see a 5 quick enough to stay in the game against our best five.
Gleeful rambling - I LOVE IT!
Look forward to getting no sleep through the next rounds.
Unbelievable! Barnes played out of his mind-if not out of his hamstring. Davis played exceptionally well on one leg; not even Heather Mills McCartney could have danced around Dallas’ defense so well. When Davis went down, Ellis spelled Davis wonderfully: taking the ball to the hoop and hitting a jumper, which allowed the Warriors to maintain a slight lead if not even until Davis returned.
The Warriors can use the rest until Monday’s game. I believe the Warriors can win the next series in 5 or 6 games. Both teams play boring basketball: run the clock to 5 seconds and shoot.
The Warriors can run on Houston, but Tracy McGrady is a more athletic Dirk, but without the shot.
Anyways, I’m rambling. I’m still excited about winning the first round.
Go Warriors!
Just happy to be here! Doesn’t matter who we play next even. A little bit flabbergasted really - in all the best ways.
Nelson’s been initiating offensive tweaks for decades - in some ways their current game plan is a culmination of his life’s work exploiting mistmatches and ball movement. Just as crucial though, is this the first Nelson team that plays a stifling defense or what? When they switch so fluidly from man-to-man to zone, and rotate smoothly on switches, they make for a fairly difficult D to break. Who woulda thunk?
BIG UP NOW - RESPECT DUE!
Is this great or what? This series and the W’s play in particular has inspired basketball fans all over the country. David Stern must be abosultely giddy over this. Cindarella stories mean $$$ and the media is riding this wave.
Mano got it right. It was defense that won the series. Nelson always strived for this but never had the personnel to execute it. Credit the ‘tweener athletes like Barnes, Petrius, and SJax for making it work.
And to think, an entire week of Warriors reporting and not one mention of Spreewell’s choke. How far have we come!!
To the Believers:
I just want to thank all of you for making this experience surreal and unforgettable. Last night I was lucky enought to be in Section 212 - standing room only - with my brother. We had the pleasure of screaming our heads off with some guys standing next to us that we didn’t know but were going just as crazy….then you look around and EVERYONE was going just as crazy. Jumping around, high-fiveing, hugging, towel swinging, chest-bumping, and just plain having fun. It was a sight to see. They turned the lights off for the introductions and the flashes of cameras lit up the arena, fire balls soared out of the court with each players entrance….and then the real fun began. I’ve been to a lot of sporting events - 2002 World Series Game 4 and 2002 Raiders Conference Championship are the most notable - and I have never be part of anything close to what I was a part of last night. It felt like a dream. I know that this experience will stay with me forever. I will be able to show my kids the video of when I not only witnessed buy experience history. What a feeling. I truly believe that with our crowd the way it is, no team can win a game in our house. It’s just too intimidating for the opposition and too motivating for our boys. We have shocked the world and we arn’t done yet.
To Andrew:
I have to commend you for having the integrity and class to come to our venue of celebration to congratulate us. I appreciate your insights about the Mavericks past relative to ours. Trust me when I say that I will soak this feeling into my soal.
To the rest of the world:
The best has yet to come with this Team. We have more to prove and have the capability to be the best Team in the NBA. Keep doubting us. Keep telling us we can’t so we can have more satisfaction when we do.
I also agree that this current GSW team plays the best defense among all Nellie’s teams in the past. I think it has something to do with the players athleticism & mentality. The GSW starters and key bench players are all athletic enough. Jax started on the San Antonio Championship team and he brought the toughness mentality to GSW.
If the extra couple of days could allow BD and Barnes to recover, we can go a long way in this playoff
I posted my thoughts at the end of the previous blog entry late last night after I got back from the game (check it out guys, you’re in it). I couldn’t wait for Adam’s now typical brilliance to get posted. I see he was also up late/early.
Over the weekend, we do need a few, hopefully minor repair jobs before we crank it up in round two. Barnes and Baron need all the rest they can get. Nellie needs to show Harrington and Ellis game tape of them playing with confidence from earlier this season and then work his mind magic to get them back into the rotation. And someone needs to tell Jackson he’s a punk loser and eject him from practice to get him fired up for Monday night.
Just a note from the Game: About 20 minutes after the buzzer with a still substantial part of the crowd milling around so happy they didn’t know what to do with themselves, I noticed Jim Barnett wrapping up his broadcast. As he took off his head phones, we called out to him. He turned and had the biggest ear to ear smile I’ve ever seen and he let out an undercover primal yell. The production guys around him gave him a side long look and laughed it off. It feels great and no one can keep us from enjoying it.
A Believer
Congrats GS. Great series and you destroyed us. I know you all have been waiting for this for a long time. It makes me happy to read stories this morning about Jason Richardson. He was so exciting to watch at Michigan State and to know he went through humiliating years for this…I’m happy for him.
Matt Barnes…he’s the protypical player that everyone hates unless he’s on your team (ala Rodman except considerably more skills). What a player! Davis..enough said. He’s amazing. Stephen Jackson…no, I can’t root for him. Sorry.
But, great series.
Anyway, congrats. I’m crossing my fingers for a Phoenix/GS Conference Finals. 120-115 final scores every game. Love it!
Add it all up, & what we had in this [1] Warriors run to get in the playoffs; & [2] first round winn against the # 1 seed:
The Most exciting thing to happen in the Bay Area since Joe Montana and our first Superbowl win!
Adam, first of all let me extend my sympathies to the Dallas Mavericks, one of the classiest organizations in all of sports.
Some “experts” may think that we beat the Mavs because we have their number. But as the Western Conference will soon learn this Warriors team can PLAY. And not just offense either. Don Nelson is a master at finding an opponent’s weakness and exploiting it offensively or defensively. I can envision AB, Pietrus and the kitchen “book” swarming over Yao Ming, making his life totally miserable; constant traps flustering Deron Williams; or BoomDizzle relentlessly posting up Steve Nash and making him and Leandro Barbosa play defense (for a change). Of all the teams that are left in this tournament I fear San Antonio the most but no matter who this team plays they will not back down.
The Warriors are no longer a mere basketball team. They have morphed into the NBA version of cockroaches; a team that you can’t kill and a team that absolutely refuses to die. Beware Western Conference; when a team such as this reaches the cockroach stage they become truly dangerous.
Wow. After the Warrior’s win last night I was starving for any bit of news/replays I could find; it’s been such a long time that I didn’t want the night to end.
A couple of things:
1. With all this talk about the Warrior’s defense, I think that this Warriors team has the offense and defense to do major damage. This team has the energy, skills, and the fun-loving spirit of the Run-TM-N-C (the N is for Nellie) days with one big difference: Nellie is able to play zone defense. The original run-and-gun team was amazing on offense but couldn’t hold up defensively because they had to ‘man up’ on defense. Could you see Barkley scoring 50 points with Gatling/Webber behind and Hardaway coming over to help? Forty points, maybe…
2. I hate to to count our chickens before they hatch, but I think thirteen years of playoff deprivation should ‘count’ for something. If we can beat Utah or Houston, the team Warrior fans are worried about are the Spurs and rightfully so. If the Spurs should happen to beat the Suns, we could have a slight advantage in that we get to see what worked and didn’t work for a team whose style is very similar to ours.
Again, Adam, thanks for devoting so much time and energy into providing this great site.
Anyhoo, I’m still too excited about this win to stop talking/writing/reading about our Warriors. So gimme more!!!
Hey PhilB, the difference between the W’s and cockroaches is the W’s come together when the lights come on, not scurry away!
Couple of observations, and Adam, thank you for leading this forum with such objectivity and class throughout this amazing year.
I’d be willing to bet that around Warrior Nation…when the clock was down to 6 plus minutes in the fourth, W’s up by 21, who can honestly say that you weren’t holding your breath just waiting for Novitski or Howard or Terry to wake up and steal away the magic we were enjoying…scars that come from watching us give up, on so many occasions over the last 13 years, that 4th qtr lead only to lose in the last second are difficult to overcome…It wasn’t until the camera locked in on Dirk ON THE BENCH with about 4 min left that I truly started to realize this wasn’t a dream….and our long trail of suffering was actually coming to a close.
I had to give up my season tix in 93 (sect 201 rocked!!) when I move to LA for work. My last visit to the Colliseum was with my then 7 year old daughter (in her way too big Hardaway jersey)…and to be able to sit with my now 20 year old and her fiance last night, (wearing that same Hardaway jersey) and experience the official end of the dark years, was actually quite an emotional moment. We were jumping up and screaming all through the game…but when it came down to the final buzzer, we both just sat there quietly absorbing the moment. (actually had a tear in my eye, I know…not very Warrior like).
To all of you on this blog who have endured so much yet still believed….and to Adam for leading us so eloquently….I just want to say thank you. Up until last night, “WE BELIEVE” truthfully had an asterisk next to it…I think we all were waiting for the other shoew to drop no matter how good it looked…When you see Barkley wearing a WE BELIEVE shirt on the post game show…the asterisk can be erased!! Go W’s from a faithful LA based fan.
btw…any other W’s faithful in LA? We should gather together and find a place to watch Round 2!
How many times have we, as W’s fans, had a false sense of security/confidence regarding the outcome of a game? And how many times have we had our hearts ripped from our chest when we looked at the final boxscore. When the Playoff matchups became apparent how many of us were silently happy that we drew the Mavericks. When the W’s stole game 1, how many of us were shocked that it was actually happening but not surprised. When the W’s held serve at the O and clinched the series victory how many of us grown men and women started to cry?
It started innocently enough. Before the game last night I was NERVOUS. I went to Youtube and watched some wonderful W’s highlight videos and the goosebumps broke out. Dinner was a blur because I was so anxious for the game to start. Then there was some pointless commentary on TNT from the previous game. And then I saw the Oracle Arena wearing the golden “We Believe” shirt and my eyes started to well up. The game finally started and I taught my 6 year old daughter some colorful phrases and expletives in a poorly officiated (can you say ONE-SIDED) first half. And then a weird thing happened. We started the 3rd quarter up by two. Not climbing out of a hole like we did in game 5. And over the course of the next 12 minutes history was made. My daughter who was up way past her bedtime turned to kiss me goodnight and I was crying. She said to me “daddy, boys aren’t supposed to cry”. The Warriors allowed me to teach her a very important life lesson. I replied “it is o.k. to cry because sometimes your feelings well up sooo much that you have to let them out, and it doesn’t matter if you are a boy or a girl. If you believe in something with conviction and passion and want it bad enough you too will cry if you get it. Then she asked me “are you happy?” “Beyond belief” I replied. Thank you Warriors. WE BELIEVE!!!
As the British would say, “a brilliant game”. A near-classic. Only thing removing this from full classic status is the fact that the the third quarter domination left little doubt for what was to become a full fourth quarter celebration. Needed a bit more tenseness at the end to qualify for classic status, IMO.
A few words about the trashing of Nowitzki: I’m not a fan of his, but I think he’s getting a raw deal. Not every superstar can be Magic, Michael or Larry. Karl Malone came up empty at times. I’m sure even Barkley had a downer here and there, and if I’m not mistaken, the past two seasons’ MVP has not even made it to the finals. The guy helped win a few games in this series - and with the way the W’s challenged even in those games, that was an accomplishment. It’s easy for the media and fans to delight in someone’s failings, but unless you’re out there competing against the massively growing snowball that has been the Warriors in recent weeks, it’s difficult to fully appreciate the magnitude of the stage on which these guys are performing.
Barnes: while some in the league might view his flagrant on Ager as dirty, especially with the game in hand, it was clear before that play that something was brewing between them. Also, Baron getting knocked about like a pinball surely weighed into his decision to extract some measure of payback.
While Ronnie Lott got the BD hug at the end, somewhere Steve Young was smiling as the last Bay Area monkey was thrown thrown off the collective backs of the GSW franchise and its adoring fans.
Ausgezeichnet!
The Warriors are truly warriors to the nth degree. They play like a wounded animals, pumping up their hearts with adrenaline to such levels where pain no longer exists. The ectasy of their accomplishments is so much sweeter knowing how long they have had to suffer the slings and arrows of public humiliation by the doubting ThoMasses led by Sir Charles. This small market team will have an immense impact on the future of NBA basketball because of the exciting genre the Warriors have been displaying, which will definitely leave a lasting impression on the minds of the fans. The low scoring NBA games in the past years will be replaced with energetic, frenetic, and hyperkinetic styles that were characteristic of the MagicShowTime era. Baron Davis is now the Magic Man pulling out all the show-stopping tricks like making the Mavericks disappear and making the Sexy Starlets like Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson appear. How does one make all those trick shots he makes during pressure situations, and also in spite of a wounded knee and hammy. During the regular season, my favorite trick of his was when he drove against Sacramento and he performed a wraparound dribble and caught it with the same hand and scored the bucket. That was one of the most athletic basketball maneuvers ever done. I am really looking forward to many more Warrior games, now in the playoffs, and in many more seasons to come. The Warriors have such a young team that I am hoping this excitement will last for many years. I hope Nellie can coach a lot longer. He is the savior the Oracle was prophesizing about in his house…
This was no “near-classic,” this game was absolutely as classic and legendary as Sports can GET. A game doesn’t need to be decided at the last minute to be a classic, and last night was easily one of the greatest Sports-related moments of my entire life. Thank you Warriors for this AMAZING year, and I can’t wait for the second round.
In reading all these blogs, it’s clear to me how starved W fans have been. Never quite realized the extent of it. Just remember that everything from here out is gravy and despite what happens, this will have to go down as the second greatest season ever.
If you want to give thanks, first go no further than the Clippers for tanking against the Kings at the end of the season and enabling all this to happen.
Question of the day - How would Dunleavy have performed in SJax’s shoes last night?
Sorry about that Dave in LA, but I lived on the East Coast and New York cockroaches don’t run! I lived in the Los Angeles area as well good to see you represent the Warriors in the Southland.
What makes it all great for me is after most of people (myself included) gave up on the season. Not many people thought the Ws would make playoff this year and how people were screaming for a power forward. I was frustrated that the Ws were not competed at the level I thought they could and should had. I said so many times, win or lose, as long as the Ws give 100% of their efforts, I can live with that. With every game that the Ws lost, I criticized and held Nelson accountable for not getting the team ready to compete. Lack of focus, happy three shooting teams, etc…
I criticized the way Nelson ran his offense, hated his defense schemes. Disagree with Adam about Nelson’s coaching styles. Argue with Wfan1 about the level of the player talents, I thought the Ws were good enough to be the 7 or 8 seeds, but did not play like it. Hated Baron heroic style, on and on…
BUT…with about 20 games or so left in the regular season, I did not know what happened and I still do not know now, but I do not care. Because, we have witnessed something incredible; the ways the Ws turned the season around, first making playoff and winning the series against the Mavs to go to second round, I have no word to describe this phenomenon. Everything is just right…and I mean everything from coaching styles, players making decision when to shoot, when to pass, defensive rotation, etc…
Not only the Ws compete as the level that I was hoping for, they give us more than what I was expected, all I can say is I am proud to be a fan and I BELIEVE the Ws chance vs. any team throughout the playoff.
To me, this is a much more fun and more satisfying than the run of TMC.
GO WARRIORS GO…
Andrew:
I’ll tell you what happened. The W’s got the kick in the butt they need after the outrageous finish of the game in Washington. They were mad! That was the pivotal moment.
JanG,
Could very well be
When you’ve truly suffered, the highs have so much more meaning. I’ll always remember how my entire block roared when D. Clark made ‘The Catch’ (I heard that from my mother who was outside–I was part of the roar, so I didn’t actually hear it). The suffering pre-Olympics of the 1980 team made their victory so much more special. I guess the last twelve years have been simply preparation for the elation that has overwhelmed so many over the last week or so. Nellie was someone I loved the first time around and I have been incredibly happy to have him back. S. Jackson deserves a place in Northern California’s heart forever–and to think I would have been happy with a peanut for Dunleavy. I look forward to Harrington getting a chance to shine frustrating Yao (I expect Houston to win the next game) and Ellis feeding off his fine performance under extreme pressure in game 6 when Baron went down. It’s all good from here on out and Nellie it is absolutely great to have you back!!!! (and to soundly outcoach the guy people kept saying was better than you were because he ‘focused on D’. GO WARRIORS!!!!!
And thanks for great commentary for a guy who rarely gets to see a game out here in Prague, Adam; keep it up!
Im 40 years old and have been a Dubs fan all my life, growing up in Salinas, constructing my game after Bernard King & Wold B Free.
As well as attending Rick Barry camps in the summer at Sonoma State and paying $200 season after season for the NBA ticket, since I live in Socal.
Anyways as sappy as this may sound, this team has brought many tears of joy the last two weeks and as I am writing this now the emotion and joy that this team has given me is so validating and wonderful!
God I love this team! Thank You Warriors!
WE AINT DONE YET!!
WOW ! I’ve never read so much outpouring of emotion over a basketball team, and I’m happy to share in the love. This Warrior team and season has been something really special. This has been a great place to share that experience with all of you. There’s plenty more to go. Whether it be Rockets or Jazz next, it will allow us to keep this going. More champagne anyone?
Savor the moment…Mavs were easy because Nellie knew each mavs players and strategies…If Warriors meet a worthy opponent like the Suns or the Spurs or the Piston, they won’t have a chance…Nellie tends to choke..
Tony:
Let’s not forget that it works both ways. Avery Johnson and Del Harris know Nellie intimately and could certainly have constructed a game plan to counter his game plan. Perhaps Nellie is so clever, he devised a counter to Avery’s counter of our game plan. Or not!
Last time I looked, Nellie was not on the court.
Ok…JanG
u can tell I’m a Piston homer..lol
Tony:
First of all, the Mavs weren’t easy. That was a tough battle that the W’s were able to win because of sheer will and determination (not to mention the emotional uplift that the Fans provided). Any team that we face from here on out can be beaten if we do more of the same. We believe and will continue no matter what!
GO WARRIORS!!!
yeah right…go Pistons!
They guaranteed we wouldn’t make the playoffs
They taunted us that Dallas “allowed” us to be the eighth seed
They said we’d be swept
They called us midgets
They declared us a bunch of classless thugs
They posted us as 9 point or more underdogs in the first 5 games
They told us we lacked the killer instinct
They assured us we’d regret failing to finish off Dallas in 5
They never, ever gave us a shred of respect
Now…
We’re graciously inviting them to watch us do it all over again….
In Round Two.
NEVER underestimate the heart of a Warrior
This whole thing is really bringing out the analytic poet in you, JP … hope you’re right re the next series … actually — speaking from basic ignorance — Adam’s program for the next series looks pretty cogent … good luck to all here …
I left this post on another thread, but will repost it here. Congrats Warriors…
To Just Puked and Mano and all the Warrior faithful… I haven’t been lurking, just out of the office until now. Let me say this:
The Golden State Warriors kicked the Dallas Mavericks out of the gym. Crushed them. Made them look silly. They were, without question, the better team in this series. Like I said before, I can feel your excitement, because I remember it just a few years ago when the Mavericks started to get good. But you guys have done something special and made history. Congratulations. Baron Davis is amazing, D Wade-like in his will to win. Stephen Jackson is a punk, but a cold-blooded basketball player. Nellie is a genius. What else can I say?
I have to say that I (and pretty much everyone in Dallas) is in shock. Take away the fact that the Warriors were simply playing better basketball, I will give you that. But put yourself in our shoes for a minute… we’re just asking, how does this happen? How does a team stay focused and committed to each other and consistently, night in and night out come up with huge gutsy shots, make stops when they need ‘em, play together and do marvelous things through a long 82 game season and put together 67 wins… and then… come out and play this series like they don’t really want to be there? I mean, that makes no sense. Again, GS had alot to do with that, with the way they played them and the matchups. But there was nothing there. This team, even the coach, looked so different than they did in the playoffs last year against Phoenix and San Antonio. From the first game on, they looked, lost or disinterested…or something. Avery Johnson worked this team like a master through the regular season, getting certain guys to come through when he needed them, keeping them focused. When they’d clinched the playoffs in like, February (literally), they always said the right things: it’s not about the number of wins in the regular season, it’s only about the playoffs, the playoffs, the playoffs… and so this is how they come out and play when it’s showtime? How do Mavs fans explain last nights 3rd quarter? With your back against the wall, knowing all the questions you’ll face all summer, you come out and play like that? Again, great shooting by GS, great defense. But Dirk doesn’t even TRY to take it to the basket, just kinds of passes it back to…whoever. Josh Howard, who all season long makes incredible, athletic basketball plays, just…doesn’t do anything? Hey, I can see getting beat in your gym, no question. But by 26 or whatever it was? When all you’ve talked about all season is getting back to the Finals? IT MAKES NO SENSE to a bewildered Maverick fan.
I thought they had turned the corner with their win in Dallas Tuesday. I had faith in my playoff-tested Mavericks. Boy, was I wrong. And I have to say…I’m totally baffled.
Not that you guys care… enough of my rambling…go celebrate and enjoy your win! Good luck in the 2nd round. You can beat these two teams.
Dave in LA: I am also a Bay Area refugee, adrift in LaLa land. You can find my contact information on my website: http://www.AdvancedBodyMechanics.com.
(Same Jeff as posted comment #2)
I am in NoHo, but there has got to be Crossroads School-friendly bar in Santa Monica that would be happy to put thier native sun up on the big screen…
Jeff
Will be interesting to watch from here.
Champions Win, Warriors Choke!
Big D Jeff:
I have a lot of respect for you coming to this forum and being a standup Fan. I would have a hard time trying to figure out what happened to your team in the playoffs and why they looked the way they did if I were in your shoes. My side of the fense shows almost the exact opposite view…played a pretty lousy season until 20 games left (some great moments no doubt, but overall pretty lousy) and then to come in and play like there was no doubt. For us everything just worked out right…for you it didn’t. But you’re team will recover and be back next year…you are a good sport I must say.
Thanks Nevin, I’ve enjoyed the dialogue. The irony of this series is amazing. The greatest is of course, Nellie coming back to haunt Cuban. That Nellie left so Avery could teach this team defense so they could win a championship, and then it’s the stifling GS defense on Dirk that kills us. But there’s also the sad irony for Mavericks fans of working so hard to lock away the number 1 seed in all of basketball, only to draw the team that we can’t beat. We literally should have lost 15 more games, and we’d be fine. What we would give to have played Utah or Houston or the Lakers. I’d take San Antonio in retrospect. Anyone but you guys. And the final irony that, if we would have tried, maybe just maybe we could have beaten you guys at the end of the year, and there would be no golden We Believe shirts, and we’d get to coast through the first round against the Clips. My only consolation, is now I get to get some sleep and don’t have to stay up for 9:45pm starts, and the way the Mavs were playing, we were doomed for heartache in the next round or so anyways…
We still won yeah?!? That’s crazy!!
—
OK for our TX peeps, a little love on how to get their team to bounce back:
1) Watch other teams (we’ve gotten very good at that of course but it helps quite a bit).
2) Trade, release or disappear Erick Dampier. The basketball gods have decreed - no ring for THAT GUY sorry. Don’t get mad at me - your beef is with karma.
3) Cuban has to pay Nelson. You’re invoking the Davis-Shanahan relationship (and that didn’t work out too well for the owner and ower). DO WHAT YOU CAN TO AVOID THAT FATE! The Broncos have been tapping the Raiders for decades - in retrospect the millions owed would have been cheap by comparison!
4) If you re-sign Stackhouse realize he’s a spot shooter now - he doesn’t have the explosiveness to attack the rim consistently anymore. He’s going the way of Michael Finley. Still nice to have around, but don’t over pay either, because he’s got some fire left for sure, but knees?
5) How much does it suck to HAVE HAD Steve Nash? How many times during these games did you wish you had a PG who could distribute, get the ball to his scorers in position, and generally uplift the quality of team play? Still Billups becomes available, or maybe bring Kidd back?
—
So now we’re on to Houston most likely? Anybody remember how much $$$ Enron and TX energy companies owes us from a couple years back? Let’s take out some frustration on their basketball team!!
I was there last night for the Warriors coronation and I don’t believe I will ever forget the plapable emotion that swept through the building during that improbable third quarter. How often do you get to witness a fairytale come true right before your astonished eyes and in such cascading fashion?
Running an anointed, arrogant, perennial winner from Dallas out of the building, three-after-amazing-three, was like “The Catch” in ‘ 81 - You could not believe what you were seeing.
I remember once upon a time, Bill King’s voice screaming hoarsely from an AM transister radio during the Warriors amazing run through the 1975 playoffs. Their 48-win team sweeping the 60-win Bullets in 4 at the Cow Palace. Nothing about their journey then was expected, inluding King leaving his seat on-air to go up into the stands after a fan who had poured a cup of beer over his head in Seattle. This was better.
Every now and then sports, with all of it’s excesses and problems, elevates itself to the relm of wonder and even beauty. For 48 giddy minutes last night, a fan could once again feel all of the the passion, excitement and yes, belief, that you hadn’t felt since you were 5 on Christmas Eve, certain that Santa was on your roof and nothing was impossible.
Enjoy this moment while it lasts.
Baron for MVP, are you kidding me? How many games did Warriors win? MVP is a regular season trophy. If Dirk wins it, he earned it. Does he want it? probably not.
Baron for MVP of the playoffs round 1-absolutely, and, though i am NOT disowning my MAVERICKS as some in Dallas say they will, I am hoping the Warriors go to the finals. At least then we can feel that we got beat by the NBA finals champs.
Oh, and the Warriors fans are GREAT !!! I have been to only 4 Mavs games at AAC this year (who can afford the tix), but, I have found that most of the fans that are there are too busy socializing and drinking than watching the game and cheering. I guess when you when as many games as the Mavs have, it gets a little ordinary, but, hats off to Warriors fans. I think I felt the ground shake all the way back here in Texas.
Bay Area fans are great in all sports because they know they live in the finest area in the country if not the world. The Warriors won simply because they wanted it more than anything else. We know they are flawed in many areas of the game, but that doesn’t matter if you want to win more than anything else in life. If they carry that attitude they will go to the western conference finals. They will probably lose to the suns or spurs in six, but we don’t care because they have shown the heart of a champion.
To Mark Selmi
Game 4 was in Washington, not the Cow Palace
Dave in LA, another Bay Area transplant here! I live in Seal Beach. Going to PHX tomorrow for the most part of the week, but DEFINATELY need to hook up for the home game in rnd 2. Hit me up.
Big D Jeff,
Thanks for your post #37… that’s just what I wanted to hear from a Dallas fan. A no-excuses tip of the cap to the W’s, with something more specific about what disappointed you about the Mavs. Too many fans give too much credit to the good things their team does and too much blame for the bad.
Mark… you reminded me that we didn’t even get to see all the 1975 championship games on TV back then! How far it’s come. Remember the pathetic two-page spread we got in SI, and no cover? Lame.