You read it here first: Warriors will make playoffs
[font=geneva,arial]- Bruce Jenkins, SF Chronicle
[/font][font=geneva,arial][size=-2]Saturday, July 2, 2005
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London -- They say you haven't truly analyzed the NBA Draft until you're thousands of miles away, immersed in tennis. Armed with that time-honored adage, we proclaim the Warriors a decent bet to make the playoffs for the first time in 117 years.
A fan's biggest fear is that the Warriors, with absolutely no pressure on them, created a vast and magnificent mirage over the season's final month. Things could change rudely in the fall, when the league starts fresh and playing-time issues threaten the team's morale.
Just assume, though, that what we witnessed was authentic -- that Baron Davis takes his place with Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade and the NBA's other highly influential stars. Say the Warriors actually become more cohesive with Jason Richardson, Mickael Pietrus, Troy Murphy and others meshing with Davis' virtuosity, and that Ike Diogu improves their toughness, rebounding and transition game. What's to stop the Warriors from cracking the Western Conference's top eight?
For starters, pencil in four playoff teams right now: San Antonio, with a core of stars and a feel for championships; Phoenix, with the kind of up-tempo style that never grows old; Dallas, obviously built to survive all body blows (losing Nash would be a knockout punch for most franchises), and Houston, with a promising draft pick (point guard Luther Head) to join the Tracy McGrady-Yao Ming tandem.
Forget the Lakers. They don't have the money to spend on free agents, and while 17-year-old draft pick Andrew Bynum may have a future (you have to like any center who wants to bring back the sky-hook), this is basically Phil Jackson dealing with phony Kobe Bryant and the same pitiful cast. Rule out clueless Minnesota (moody team drafts a moody guard, Rashad McCants) and hopeless New Orleans. Laugh at Portland as long as Darius Miles and Zach Randolph have uniforms. Admire Utah's acquisition of a point guard, Illinois' Deron Williams, but on a team that finished 26-56, he won't turn into John Stockton just yet.
Since we've given away four spots, that leaves four teams to slide into the playoffs and eliminate the Warriors. Can you seriously pick four? Denver would have to qualify, the way coach George Karl revived the team and especially its sullen young star, Carmelo Anthony. Memphis has a lot of youthful energy, plus the league's most astute executive in Jerry West.
So if you're still on board, two out of three teams -- Seattle, Sacramento and the Clippers -- would have finish ahead of the Warriors. The magic could easily vanish in Seattle, where the Sonics have cap room but are about to lose some key free agents. The perennially weak Clippers drafted a forward, Yaroslav Korolev, who is 18 years old and well removed from readiness. Give an edge to Sacramento, but without much conviction; the Kings have had their day. Keep in mind, also, that most of the top free agents (notably Ray Allen, Michael Redd, Bobby Simmons) have an eye on more attractive destinations -- like Cleveland -- than the second tier of the Western Conference. Conclusion from the offices of Dead Wrong in Public, Big Ben division: The Warriors break through. For some franchises, squeezing into the playoffs means an automatic first-round thrashing and a fan's lament, "Why didn't you just tank it and get in the lottery?" Not with this franchise. It sounds like bliss.
[font=geneva,arial]- Bruce Jenkins, SF Chronicle
[/font][font=geneva,arial][size=-2]Saturday, July 2, 2005
[/size][/font]
London -- They say you haven't truly analyzed the NBA Draft until you're thousands of miles away, immersed in tennis. Armed with that time-honored adage, we proclaim the Warriors a decent bet to make the playoffs for the first time in 117 years.
A fan's biggest fear is that the Warriors, with absolutely no pressure on them, created a vast and magnificent mirage over the season's final month. Things could change rudely in the fall, when the league starts fresh and playing-time issues threaten the team's morale.
Just assume, though, that what we witnessed was authentic -- that Baron Davis takes his place with Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade and the NBA's other highly influential stars. Say the Warriors actually become more cohesive with Jason Richardson, Mickael Pietrus, Troy Murphy and others meshing with Davis' virtuosity, and that Ike Diogu improves their toughness, rebounding and transition game. What's to stop the Warriors from cracking the Western Conference's top eight?
For starters, pencil in four playoff teams right now: San Antonio, with a core of stars and a feel for championships; Phoenix, with the kind of up-tempo style that never grows old; Dallas, obviously built to survive all body blows (losing Nash would be a knockout punch for most franchises), and Houston, with a promising draft pick (point guard Luther Head) to join the Tracy McGrady-Yao Ming tandem.
Forget the Lakers. They don't have the money to spend on free agents, and while 17-year-old draft pick Andrew Bynum may have a future (you have to like any center who wants to bring back the sky-hook), this is basically Phil Jackson dealing with phony Kobe Bryant and the same pitiful cast. Rule out clueless Minnesota (moody team drafts a moody guard, Rashad McCants) and hopeless New Orleans. Laugh at Portland as long as Darius Miles and Zach Randolph have uniforms. Admire Utah's acquisition of a point guard, Illinois' Deron Williams, but on a team that finished 26-56, he won't turn into John Stockton just yet.
Since we've given away four spots, that leaves four teams to slide into the playoffs and eliminate the Warriors. Can you seriously pick four? Denver would have to qualify, the way coach George Karl revived the team and especially its sullen young star, Carmelo Anthony. Memphis has a lot of youthful energy, plus the league's most astute executive in Jerry West.
So if you're still on board, two out of three teams -- Seattle, Sacramento and the Clippers -- would have finish ahead of the Warriors. The magic could easily vanish in Seattle, where the Sonics have cap room but are about to lose some key free agents. The perennially weak Clippers drafted a forward, Yaroslav Korolev, who is 18 years old and well removed from readiness. Give an edge to Sacramento, but without much conviction; the Kings have had their day. Keep in mind, also, that most of the top free agents (notably Ray Allen, Michael Redd, Bobby Simmons) have an eye on more attractive destinations -- like Cleveland -- than the second tier of the Western Conference. Conclusion from the offices of Dead Wrong in Public, Big Ben division: The Warriors break through. For some franchises, squeezing into the playoffs means an automatic first-round thrashing and a fan's lament, "Why didn't you just tank it and get in the lottery?" Not with this franchise. It sounds like bliss.