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Webber starting to find his niche with Warriors
By Geoff Lepper
Bay Area News Group
Article Launched: 03/02/2008 01:44:25 AM PST
Chris Webber said all along he thought it would take 10 games to become fully reacclimated to the Warriors after a nearly 14-year absence. If game No. 8 is any indication, his schedule might just be on target.
With his performance Friday in the Warriors' 119-97 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, Webber delivered his most compelling evidence to date. He showed that a man who turned 35 on Saturday, and was one of the early survivors of microfracture knee surgery, could still be useful to a team that plays as fast as Golden State.
In 18 minutes, Webber scored eight points, grabbed seven rebounds and handed out three assists. For once, the starting unit showed no signs of lethargy in shooting out to a 15-2 lead.
Even more impressive than Webber's raw numbers were the smaller details, things not necessarily encompassed in the box score.
It was Webber's screen at the top of the key that allowed Monta Ellis to get free for an alley-oop layup from Baron Davis. It was Webber's one-handed rebound and dish out while holding off Philadelphia center Samuel Dalembert with the other arm that led to an open fast-break look for Davis. It was Webber's brisk movement down court that set himself up to convert a 4-foot fast-break runner on a pass from Davis. "I'm just trying to make the best of the opportunities," Webber said. "B.D. was looking for me and that really helped me to get involved. He was really on me, like, 'Score, let's get it going.' So
that really helped me."
To Davis, the need to establish a rhythm with Webber was almost as important as recording the win against the 76ers.
"The season is drawing to an end, and we're going to need his offensive productivity," Davis said. "I wanted to make sure I got him going and just get him feels and touches to where he didn't feel like it was forced. Just get him involved, get him easy shots, make the game easy for him."
With that same hope in mind, Warriors Coach Don Nelson has been carefully selecting his spots for Webber's use. Webber did not suit up against high-octane Phoenix (this was before Shaquille O'Neal made his Suns debut) and despite having no interest in the concept of being a reserve, came off the bench against a Seattle team that is trying to run more often.
"He's an older player that I think I have to be more careful in his matchups, give him a better chance to succeed out there, so I've been trying to do that the last few games against certain teams that are hard for him to guard," Nelson said.
When he's struggled - and he's been getting the blame for a lot of things - he's not always the reason.
"He is what he is. He's been playing with his brain certainly more than his brawn and we understand that. What we need to do when he's in the game, our energy level has to pick up and we have to support him more, I think. Otherwise, it's just not going to work," Nelson added.
• Nelson said Stephen Jackson participated in roughly one-quarter of Saturday's practice after landing on the foot of 76ers guard Louis Williams in Friday's game, exacerbating his sprained left ankle and - according to Nelson - slightly straining his left hamstring. Jackson said Friday that he expects to play today.
I wish Webb the best & hope things are turning around for him in Golden State.
Webber starting to find his niche with Warriors
By Geoff Lepper
Bay Area News Group
Article Launched: 03/02/2008 01:44:25 AM PST
Chris Webber said all along he thought it would take 10 games to become fully reacclimated to the Warriors after a nearly 14-year absence. If game No. 8 is any indication, his schedule might just be on target.
With his performance Friday in the Warriors' 119-97 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, Webber delivered his most compelling evidence to date. He showed that a man who turned 35 on Saturday, and was one of the early survivors of microfracture knee surgery, could still be useful to a team that plays as fast as Golden State.
In 18 minutes, Webber scored eight points, grabbed seven rebounds and handed out three assists. For once, the starting unit showed no signs of lethargy in shooting out to a 15-2 lead.
Even more impressive than Webber's raw numbers were the smaller details, things not necessarily encompassed in the box score.
It was Webber's screen at the top of the key that allowed Monta Ellis to get free for an alley-oop layup from Baron Davis. It was Webber's one-handed rebound and dish out while holding off Philadelphia center Samuel Dalembert with the other arm that led to an open fast-break look for Davis. It was Webber's brisk movement down court that set himself up to convert a 4-foot fast-break runner on a pass from Davis. "I'm just trying to make the best of the opportunities," Webber said. "B.D. was looking for me and that really helped me to get involved. He was really on me, like, 'Score, let's get it going.' So
that really helped me."
To Davis, the need to establish a rhythm with Webber was almost as important as recording the win against the 76ers.
"The season is drawing to an end, and we're going to need his offensive productivity," Davis said. "I wanted to make sure I got him going and just get him feels and touches to where he didn't feel like it was forced. Just get him involved, get him easy shots, make the game easy for him."
With that same hope in mind, Warriors Coach Don Nelson has been carefully selecting his spots for Webber's use. Webber did not suit up against high-octane Phoenix (this was before Shaquille O'Neal made his Suns debut) and despite having no interest in the concept of being a reserve, came off the bench against a Seattle team that is trying to run more often.
"He's an older player that I think I have to be more careful in his matchups, give him a better chance to succeed out there, so I've been trying to do that the last few games against certain teams that are hard for him to guard," Nelson said.
When he's struggled - and he's been getting the blame for a lot of things - he's not always the reason.
"He is what he is. He's been playing with his brain certainly more than his brawn and we understand that. What we need to do when he's in the game, our energy level has to pick up and we have to support him more, I think. Otherwise, it's just not going to work," Nelson added.
• Nelson said Stephen Jackson participated in roughly one-quarter of Saturday's practice after landing on the foot of 76ers guard Louis Williams in Friday's game, exacerbating his sprained left ankle and - according to Nelson - slightly straining his left hamstring. Jackson said Friday that he expects to play today.
I wish Webb the best & hope things are turning around for him in Golden State.
