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Golden State Warriors News

Coach Mark Jackson seeing some progress in Golden State Warriors
February 9
Oakland Tribune
 
"It was a loss, the latest in a mixtape of late-game failures. But Warriors coach Mark Jackson said he saw signs of crunchtime progress in the 119-116 heartbreaker Tuesday night against Oklahoma City. "We played the best team in basketball, and we had them," Jackson said. Yes, the Warriors committed six turnovers in the fourth quarter. And they blew a couple of important defensive assignments. But if Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant hadn't made his final shot -- or if Monta Ellis, with 48 points, hadn't missed his -- it's a completely different story to Jackson."
Warriors coach Mark Jackson has issue with refs
February 9
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Warriors coach Mark Jackson doesn't use curse words, but he did the NBA equivalent after Tuesday's 119-116 loss to Oklahoma City at Oracle Arena - publicly questioning the officials in his postgame comments. A day later, Jackson still hadn't heard from the league office about a probable fine and stood by his comments. "All I did was make a statement in a professional and respectful manner," Jackson said after Wednesday's practice. "You won't find me cussing out the officials. You won't find me disrespecting the officials. You won't find me being tossed, throwing my jacket and storming out with security. "The respectful thing to do is to speak the facts.""
Warriors to use rookie Jeremy Tyler more often
February 8
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Earlier this season, Warriors head coach Mark Jackson offered this warning to rookie project Jeremy Tyler: "Your moment can come at any point. You can take off running with it, or you can backtrack." That moment apparently has come, and, if the Warriors' transactions this week are any indication, Tyler has taken off running. Kwame Brown is out for the season after pectoral surgery, and Earl Barron was waived Monday - making Tyler the only backup center on the roster."
48 for Monta Ellis in Warriors' loss to Thunder
February 8
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"This has to be way too early to write the Warriors' post mortem. They've played one-third of their season, and there are 2 1/2 weeks to the All-Star Game. Their promised playoff berth can't be out of the question already. But on a night when Monta Ellis gave reason for hope to the semi-delusional, scoring a career-high 48 points (including 30 in the first half), the overall numbers were still too glaring for one of the league's most rosy-eyed optimists to discount questions about the season being lost."
Golden State Warriors getting a spark from reserves
February 7
Oakland Tribune
 
"In reality, Warriors coach Mark Jackson's two crunchtime nods to the second unit are more blips on the radar than a trend to watch. But his decision to close out games with his reserves -- the 'Dubstitutes" -- twice in a week's span against Sacramento indicates just how serious Jackson is about changing the culture of Warriors basketball. "Let me tell you something, I'm not that guy," Jackson said after Monday's practice. "I'm not going to sit and watch guys go through the motions, guys not execute, guys not battle and just score points and ha-ha, hee-hee. No. The fact of the matter is I'm here to win. I know what winning basketball looks like, and I'm not going to have guys out there not"
Warriors ready to face Durant, NBA's quietest star
February 7
San Francisco Chronicle
 Rusty Simmons
"Kevin Durant scrunches his lanky frame into a 1990s GMC van and heads for the Oklahoma City highways. He stops and joins the action when he spots some business men who just clocked out and started a pickup game. He crashes a stranger's barbecue and shoots hoops on the side of a barn."
Cousins, Kings rally to beat Hornets
February 7
Sacramento Bee
 
"DeMarcus Cousins had a first half that pretty much summed up the Kings'. His shots weren't falling. He was being knocked down. He was frustrated. That usually has meant a loss for the Kings, but for the third game in a row, they figured out how to win. The Kings fell behind the injury-depleted New Orleans Hornets by 18 points in the second quarter, but Cousins led them back in the second half for a 100-92 victory Monday night at New Orleans Arena."
Warriors rally to force OT but fall to Sacramento Kings
February 5
Oakland Tribune
 
"Warriors coach Mark Jackson couldn't ask for much more from his second unit, though he tried in Golden State's 114-106 overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night. The Warriors' reserves -- the Dubstitutes -- played almost the entire fourth quarter, save for a few seconds at the end. The quintet of guard Nate Robinson, swingman Klay Thompson, forwards Brandon Rush and Dominic McGuire and big man Ekpe Udoh erased an 11-point deficit and forced overtime. But the Warriors couldn't finish the frenetic comeback. Kings guard Tyreke Evans scored five of his 26 points in overtime, including the dagger 3-pointer with just under a minute left. "Our bench was incredible. The effort was"
Warriors lose to Kings 114-106 in overtime
February 5
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"This night could have been a celebration of the Warriors' starters. Instead, it became a roast of the team's top five guys. "I look forward to the day when I'm not a coach standing over there thinking, 'Do I stick with the reserves or get my starters back in there?' " coach Mark Jackson said after the Warriors' 114-106 overtime loss to the Kings on Saturday night. "That's not a good feeling. "You're supposed to have guys to call on who are ready to wrap up wins." The lineup assembled last season of Stephen Curry, Monta Ellis, Dorell Wright, David Lee and Andris Biedrins finally had a chance to get to .500. They've been teammates for 103 games over the past two seasons, but Saturday marked"
Will the Golden State Warriors' Monta Ellis be an All-Star?
February 4
Oakland Tribune
 
"It's becoming an annual tradition. In early February, the water coolers around the Bay Area are held up by people debating over one question: should Monta Ellis be an All-Star? This figures to be Ellis' best chance ever thanks to a few breaks. Some of his biggest competition in previous years is no longer in the picture. Deron Williams was traded to the Eastern Conference. Brandon Roy retired. Manu Ginobili is out with a broken wrist. In what's a slow start for him, he's still one of the league's best scorers -- his 21.5 points per game rank ninth in the NBA through Thursday. Plus, Ellis leads all shooting guards in assists per game (6.7), a much-improved aspect of his game. "His numbers"
Warriors taking improvement 1 game at a time
February 4
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Something had to change. The Warriors brutalized the first two segments of a very favorable schedule and seemed well on their way to wasting a third. They opened the season with seven home games among their first 10, and went 3-7. They split a four-game trip that included three of the league's worst teams. And they returned to Oakland, going 1-3 at the start of a season-long six-game homestand. Sitting at 6-12, coach Mark Jackson strolled into the locker room and scribbled "8-12" on a dry-erase board. "I believe the Good Word says, 'Write the vision and make it be plain,' " Jackson said. "We don't want to minimize small goals, because they can propel something huge." When Jackson wrote"
Coaches Mark Jackson, Tyrone Corbin played smart
February 3
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"When Mark Jackson and Tyrone Corbin teamed up on the Toronto Raptors for the first two-thirds of the 2000-01 season, they knew they were nearing the end of their playing days. They also recognized that coaching was in each other's future. "I had played with a lot of forwards who got away with athleticism or skill, but he always understood the game of basketball," Jackson said of Corbin. And Corbin on Jackson: "I knew he'd be a coach because of his knowledge of the game and the way he talked to guys in the locker room and in huddles. He understood tempo, game situations and had a unique vision on the floor." Jackson, in his first year as Warriors coach, and Corbin, who took over Utah midway"
Warriors' backcourt resurrects game to defeat Jazz
February 3
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"The Warriors said Tony Robbins was not at Oracle Arena on Thursday night in any official team capacity. But the self-help author and motivational speaker, who has reached more than 4 million people in 100 countries, must have said something exceptionally inspirational to Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry. The Warriors' backcourt made a strong return from the previous game's alternate universe, in which they weren't playing well enough to garner minutes over castaway Nate Robinson and rookie Klay Thompson in the fourth quarter of a victory over Sacramento. Ellis and Curry responded against Utah on Thursday with 62 points on 65.7 percent shooting, 14 assists, nine rebounds and six steals in a"
Jamaal Tinsley shines, but injury-plagued Jazz can't keep up with Warriors in 119-101 loss
February 3
The Deseret News
 
"Overnight, Jamaal Tinsley went from being a rarely used bench player — the guy with the fewest minutes on the team, in fact — to the Utah Jazz's starting point guard. That scenario was almost as surprising as Tinsley going from being a D-League player — the league's No. 1 pick of 2011, in fact — to earning a spot on the Jazz roster as the emergency backup playmaker. But there Tinsley was Thursday, making his first start with the Jazz after a string of injuries left Utah without its top two point guards, Devin Harris (strained left hamstring) and Earl Watson (sprained left ankle)."
Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, David Lee combine for 85 points as Warriors blow past Utah
February 3
Oakland Tribune
 
"The Warriors' starting back court broke out of their slump Thursday. Guards Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry combined for 62 points on 45 shots and six steals, leading Golden State to a comfortable 119-101 win over the Utah Jazz. On top of that, the Warriors' back court had some help. Forward David Lee overcame a 2-for-12 start and finished with 23 points. He was a big reason Golden State racked up 71 second-half points, tying the mark for most points in a half by any team this season. "We played Warriors basketball," Ellis said."
Magic waive Hughes, on verge of signing PG Ish Smith
February 2
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The Orlando Magic were on the verge of signing Ish Smith late Wednesday night to shore up their injury-depleted point guard spot. To make room for Smith on their roster, the Magic waived Larry Hughes after Hughes played 14 minutes in the team's 109-103 victory over the Washington Wizards. Smith, 23, is a truer point guard than Hughes. Team officials decided that they needed to make a move largely because the regular starter, Jameer Nelson, is recovering from a concussion and probably won't return to playing until Monday at the earliest."
Golden State Warriors find gold in swingman Brandon Rush
February 2
Oakland Tribune
 
"The Warriors knew they were getting a terrific perimeter shooter when they acquired Brandon Rush. But come on, this terrific? Outside the 3-point arc, the fourth-year swingman has been out of this world almost from the day he joined the Warriors in late December. But he's been absolutely ridiculous of late -- Rush has buried 14 of his past 17 attempts over seven games, including two huge bombs down the stretch in a 93-90 victory over Sacramento on Tuesday night."
Warriors' Ekpe Udoh searches for consistency
February 2
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"For seven minutes Tuesday, Ekpe Udoh was the guy the Warriors envisioned when they took him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2010 draft. During a 12-point fourth-quarter run, he had two points, five rebounds and two blocked shots. He was the anchor of a defense that forced two shot-clock violations, drew a charge and deflected a ball to Klay Thompson for a steal. Udoh was a difference-maker and a glue guy."
Kings' turnovers add up to loss to Warriors
February 1
Sacramento Bee
 
"Kings coach Keith Smart said he took responsibility for some things he did Tuesday night at Oracle Arena that led to his team's fifth consecutive loss. What were those things he won't do again? "That's between me and myself," Smart said with a smile. In a game you could say they gave away, the Kings lost to the Warriors 93-90."
Golden State Warriors hold off Sacramento Kings
February 1
Oakland Tribune
 
"It took coach Mark Jackson well into the third quarter Tuesday to find an advantage to exploit. And when he found it, he rode it to a 93-90 victory over NorCal rival Sacramento. The advantage was the second unit, known as the Dub-stitutes: guard Nate Robinson, swingmen Brandon Rush and Klay Thompson, forward Dominic McGuire and big man Ekpe Udoh. Those five turned a nervously close game into a much-needed Warriors victory. Golden State's bench outscored Sacramento's 43-21. In the fourth quarter, Golden State's backups outscored the Kings' starters 25-11."
Backcourt-challenged Warriors slip by Kings 93-90
February 1
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Coach Mark Jackson picked an unfortunate night to reaffirm his confidence in the Warriors' tiny backcourt. Before the team went against a defensively flawed pair of Sacramento guards Tuesday night in Oakland, it seemed a safe time for Jackson to stand behind his statement that in Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry, the Warriors had the "best backcourt in the business.""
Warriors' Jackson asserts himself in bench-led win
February 1
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"There has been a growing suspicion that the Warriors' bench is their secret weapon, defensively superior to the starting five and worth a longer look as the season goes on. Coach Mark Jackson didn't just play around with that theory Tuesday night - he played the hand outright, with spectacular results. It was only the Sacramento Kings, in a game likely to draw little notice around the league, but this 93-90 win was built around Jackson's first truly bold show of authority. Monta Ellis? Take a seat for this stretch drive. Stephen Curry and David Lee? You'll ride the pine as well."
Curry's ankle better, but still not quite right
February 1
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"On the surface, everything appears fine with Stephen Curry and his surgically repaired right ankle. He ran without a limp and shuffled without a hitch in starting his fifth consecutive game Tuesday night - his longest stretch without re-spraining the ankle this season. He's averaged 19.3 points on 42.9 percent three-point shooting, four rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.3 steals since missing eight straight games last month. But then there's this: "The ankle is feeling good, but it doesn't respond well after games," the Warriors' point guard said. "It takes a while to get the soreness out of it.""
Andris Biedrins 'not satisfied' with his season
January 31
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Warriors center Andris Biedrins spoke publicly Monday for the first time since logging only 9 1/2 minutes in Friday's loss to Oklahoma City and having his "motor" questioned by head coach Mark Jackson. Biedrins is averaging 16 1/2 minutes per game this season, his lowest mark since 2005-06. He's averaging a career-low 2.9 points per game with 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. Asked what kind of season he's having, the 7-foot Latvian said, "I don't know. I wouldn't say great. I don't know. I mean, it's a great question. Obviously, I'm not satisfied with it.""
Ex-Warriors coach Smart is fit for the Kings
January 31
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist Vittorio Tafur
"Keith Smart's Kings have lost four straight games, but he wouldn't trade places with anyone. No, not even Mark Jackson. Smart, the Warriors' head coach a year ago, returns to Oakland tonight to take on his old team and its head coach, Jackson. And Smart's excited about his 6-14 team and its improvement. "I am in love with the team I am coaching right now," Smart said. "I am looking forward to seeing some old friends in Oakland and to playing the game - but for a chance to get a win, not for any vindication reasons.""
Owner Ranadive pushes technology for Warriors
January 30
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Vivek Ranadive transformed the business world with his real-time technology. He plans to have a similar impact on the world of basketball. "I see an opportunity to create the premier basketball team of the 21st century," said Ranadive, a part owner of the Warriors. "Soccer was the sport of the 20th century, but basketball is something that can be played in countries that don't have enough space for a lot of soccer fields. It can be played in rich and poor countries, indoors and outdoors, by a couple of people or 10 people. "I see basketball as being the 21st century sport and the Warriors becoming the team of the 21st century.""
Warriors getting little production from big men
January 29
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Given the fact Andris Biedrins and Ekpe Udoh combined to score a grand total of three points (all by Udoh) and grab all of four rebounds (three by Udoh) in 29 minutes and 25 seconds of playing time in the Warriors' 120-109 loss to Oklahoma City on Friday night, you could understand if head coach Mark Jackson seemed less than pleased by his big men's performances. After practice Saturday afternoon, Jackson tried to clarify one thing: His displeasure was widespread. "I was down on not just the bigs," Jackson said, "I was down on our motor, the way we got after it. ... (The Thunder) were in attack mode. They were the aggressor all night long, and that's not who we are." Biedrins hasn't scored"
Warriors lose to Oklahoma City Thunder 120-109
January 28
Oakland Tribune
 
"The Warriors, on a given night, can beat any team in the NBA, so this year's mantra goes. Not when they turn the ball over 20 times. Not when they get out-rebounded by 19. Not when two of their top scorers total 28 points on 11-for-33 shooting. That's the kind of night the Warriors had against Oklahoma City, so it's no wonder Golden State fell 120-109 Friday at Oracle Arena. The Warriors (6-12) missed their chance to gain some much-needed momentum, which is exactly what beating the owner of the NBA's best record would have done. "We didn't do it today," coach Mark Jackson said. "They dominated us. ... They dominated us." The Warriors were lit up for 37 points and 14 rebounds by Oklahoma"
Warriors might be able to use Thunder's leftovers
January 28
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"End-of-the-bench guys usually don't drum up much buzz, but the Thunder aren't the average NBA franchise. With one of the best scouting departments in the business, the Thunder consistently have more serviceable players than spots in their regular playing rotation. With maybe the premier development staff, they're constantly grooming someone else to add into the mix. Opposing teams have started to take notice and are trying to purge the Thunder of leftovers. The Warriors grabbed Nate Robinson, who averaged only 7 1/2 minutes per game behind Oklahoma City's stable of guards, and immediately made him their sixth man. Charlotte has given starts to power forward D.J. White and center Byron"
Durant scores 15 in 4th as Thunder beat Warriors
January 28
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"When the Warriors played the Lakers at the Staples Center this month, head coach Mark Jackson probably should have switched Dorell Wright off Kobe Bryant. But the Warriors' small forward persuaded the coach to give him another chance. "He said, 'Coach, I got him,' " Jackson said. "As a coach or a player, you want to hear that when you're in a foxhole with a guy. Even if he doesn't believe it, I want him to convince me that he believes it. "It was refreshing to watch him step up." That bravado didn't work out so well as Bryant torched the Warriors for 39 points in the Lakers' 97-90 victory. But the remnants of that confidence afforded Wright another shot at defending one of the league's top"
Monta Ellis not worried about his points
January 27
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"When Monta Ellis paid a surprise visit Thursday to "KJ," an Oakland teen who was shot last month, the Warriors shooting guard promised to buy him tickets for today's game but wouldn't guarantee a 40-point showcase against Oklahoma City. One of the league's most dynamic scorers the past three seasons, Ellis is struggling to put up points at his normal rate this season. He's shooting 42 percent from the floor, the lowest percentage since his rookie year, and 25.4 percent from three-point range, down nearly 11 percentage points from last season. But Ellis says fans shouldn't worry about that. They should be concerned with more important things. "Win," Ellis said. "That's all I'm trying to"
Same old story at Oracle: Blazers lose
January 26
Portland Tribune
 
"Nothing much was different for the Trail Blazers Wednesday night at Oracle Arena. Stephen Curry and David Lee had huge games to lead Golden State to a 101-93 victory over Portland. It was the 12th loss in the last 13 visits to Oracle for the Blazers (11-8), who are 8-1 at home and 3-8 on the road this season. The only thing different Wednesday was Monta Ellis' performance. Ellis, who averaged 31.7 points in three outings against Portland last season, scored only four points in 2-for-9 shooting. But the flamboyant guard had 12 assists, three steals and only two turnovers in 41 minutes for Golden State (6-11)."
Golden State Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob badly overestimated team's talent
January 26
Oakland Tribune
 coulmnist Tim Kawakami
"There is no magic wand available and no instant Warriors success in the offing, and you get the sense that Joe Lacob is beginning to realize this now. This will go in stages, not in a flash. It will be difficult. It will be risky. He and new coach Mark Jackson can't just wish the Warriors into the playoffs, and sometimes I think they thought they could. If the Warriors co-owner started this season convinced he had a roster ready to make the playoffs, it's probably time to start getting unconvinced. "It's hard to say 'convinced' when you're 5-11," Lacob said in a phone interview Wednesday afternoon, hours before the Warriors played Portland."
Golden State Warriors get past Portland Trail Blazers
January 26
Oakland Tribune
 
"Spend enough time around the Warriors and you'll hear talk about how great they are on offense. Wednesday night against Portland, it was the truth. Point guard Stephen Curry scored a season-high 32 points to go with seven assists and forward David Lee totaled 26 points as Golden State bested the Trail Blazers 101-93 at Oracle Arena, rebounding from Monday's embarrassing collapse against Memphis. "We weren't stressing about it at all, we just knew that we had an extreme lapse of play last game," Curry said. "We know when we have the opportunity that we are capable of closing out games.""
Warriors' Robinson gives them their grit
January 26
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Frederick P. Soft, KO'd weeks ago by Jim Harbaugh, has recently been seen lurking around Oakland, looking to make a comeback. On Monday, Soft checked himself into a basketball game and helped the Warriors blow a 17-point lead in the final 7:12, losing to the scrappy Memphis Grizzlies. It was a Warriors low. Grizzlies were sprinting and diving, Warriors seemed to be playing in Jell-O. Guards Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry blew up."
Lee outplays Aldridge as Warriors top Blazers
January 26
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"David Lee said he doesn't belong in the All-Star Game and definitely shouldn't be considered one of the elite power forwards in the league. "Not right now. Not with our team not winning," Lee said before Wednesday's game. "If we were above .500, maybe I might deserve that kind of talk. I think winning should be one of the biggest factors in measuring individual players.""
NBA deal lifts value of Warriors franchise by 24%
January 26
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Blockbuster TV deals and a new collective bargaining agreement lifted the value of the average NBA team to record heights, and only one team experienced an increase as large as the Warriors, according to Forbes' annual "The Business of Basketball" report. The Warriors netted a new TV agreement with Comcast SportsNet that boosted the overall value of the franchise to $450 million, a 24 percent increase over last year. The leap is larger than any team except the Lakers, who used a $200 million annual deal with Time Warner Cable to bump the franchise value 40 percent, to $900 million."
Warriors look to rebound after 'embarrassing' loss
January 25
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"In the aftermath of the Warriors' debacle against Memphis a night earlier, reserve guard Nate Robinson on Tuesday had to censor himself from using one of the dirtiest words in sports. "Coach pointed out times that we weren't tough," Robinson said. "We went over toughness plays. You're not going to play a perfect game. This is not Pleasantville. But we need to be scrappy. "We've got all of the talent and all of the skills in the world. We've got guys who can play. We've got a great coaching staff. We have it all, but we need to be a little tougher. All we need is toughness.""
Grizzlies steal victory on road over Golden State
January 24
Memphis Commercial Appeal
 
"Tony Allen intercepted a pass and cruised the other way for a layup that trimmed the Grizzlies' deficit to a point with less than two minutes left in the game. About 18 seconds later, another steal led to a collective gasp in Oracle Arena as Mike Conley scored a lay-in that stunningly gave the Griz a lead for the first time since the game's opening possession."
New coach Mark Jackson still confident but Golden State suffers another late collapse
January 24
Oakland Tribune
 
"Monday's game showed exactly why first-year coach Mark Jackson still believes the Warriors are a playoff team, as they dominated a legit contender in Memphis. Monday's game also showed why some think Jackson is crazy for such belief. Golden State squandered a 20-point lead in an epic collapse, losing 91-90. "First thing that comes to mind," forward Dorell Wright said, "is unacceptable.""
Warriors blow 20-point lead, lose to Grizzlies
January 24
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Warriors coach Mark Jackson said his team should be embarrassed. Warriors small forward Dorell Wright said the 17,549 fans at Oracle Arena on Monday night should still be booing their team. Warriors point guard Stephen Curry said the team had reached a new low point. Those are the kinds of things that are said after a team does everything possible to blow a 20-point lead and remains in 14th place out of 15 Western Conference teams because of a 91-90 loss to Memphis."
Coach Mark Jackson would prefer Warriors run more
January 24
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"The Warriors are slowing it down this season, and coach Mark Jackson is not too happy about it. "I'd like us to push the basketball much more," he said before Monday's game against Memphis. "I think we're trying to be too patient at times. I'm constantly on the guys to push the basketball and not look over at me to call a set. "It's a process, like everything else.""
Golden State Warriors searching for late-game magic
January 23
Oakland Tribune
 
"The standings show the Warriors have 10 losses, but coach Mark Jackson said they have been beaten only twice. "I would say two teams beat us: the Philadelphia 76ers and the Charlotte Bobcats," Jackson said recently. The other eight? They are the results of a lack of clutch play. The Warriors have made defensive progress and exhibited team unity, and management has made some good moves, but it all has been obscured by the team's inability to finish games strong. Jackson said he is encouraged, but winning is something a team must learn. And if the Warriors don't learn the lesson soon, their playoff promise figures to go unfulfilled."
Warriors close to becoming a winner, coach says
January 23
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"The Warriors are about to play three Western Conference playoff teams, and head coach Mark Jackson is convinced that his squad should be talked about in that same class. The Warriors (5-10) host Memphis (9-6) tonight, Portland (9-7) on Wednesday and Oklahoma City (13-3) on Friday. "We're getting after it, we're battling, we're a defensive-minded team, we're a professional team, we have no quit, we're a no-excuse team when excuses have been there for the taking," Jackson said. "In watching film, we're excited about the direction we're headed. There is evidence that we are very, very close to being the team that I envision.""
NBA cites steal that cost Warriors as illegal
January 22
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"The NBA released a statement Saturday admitting that its officials missed a kicked ball violation in the final seconds of Friday's game that cost the Warriors a chance to beat Indiana. "Pacers guard George Hill intentionally kicked the ball away from Warriors guard Monta Ellis during his crossover dribble," the statement read. "According to rule No. 10, Section IV.b, kicking the ball or striking it with any part of the leg is a violation when it is an intentional act. The officials missed the kicked ball violation which should have resulted in a dead-ball situation and Golden State inbounding the ball on the sideline nearest the spot of the violation." The Warriors got Darren Collison to"
Stephen Curry returns to Warriors lineup in loss to Indiana Pacers
January 21
Oakland Tribune
 
"The Warriors like their chances with the ball in Monta Ellis' hands and the score tied in the final seconds. That scenario went horribly wrong Friday night. Ellis was picked clean by the Indiana Pacers' George Hill as he attempted a drive to the basket. Hill raced in for a layup, was fouled and converted a three-point play with 1.8 seconds left. Just like that, the Warriors were left to digest a 94-91 loss -- one that left coach Mark Jackson steamed on several fronts. Replays appeared to show Hill kick the ball right after knocking it free from Ellis. The referees ruled it unintentional and let play continue rather than blow the whistle. "The referees felt it wasn't intentional, obviously"
Warriors consider extending Brandon Rush contract
January 21
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"The Warriors have little to gain from inking swingman Brandon Rush to an extension before Wednesday, but he's playing so well that they're at least considering the move. Warriors general manager Larry Riley said he's had discussions with Rush's agent, Mark Bartelstein, about a one- or two-year extension. If they don't reach an agreement by Wednesday, Rush will become a restricted free agent at the end of the season - meaning the Warriors could match any other team's offer. "I love it here, and I want to be here," Rush said before Friday's game against Indiana, the team that dealt him to the Warriors during training camp. "Whether we sign an extension or not, it won't make any difference at"
Stephen Curry returns to Warriors' lineup in loss
January 21
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"It might be time to try something different. Even the officials are tired of watching Monta Ellis in isolation sets at the end of quarters and games. Video replays clearly showed that George Hill's right foot kicked the ball on Ellis' dribble with 3.9 seconds remaining Friday. The officials didn't call a kicking-the-ball violation, and Hill raced to the other end of the court for a three-point play that gave Indiana a 94-91 victory over the Warriors at Oracle Arena. "It was a tough missed call," head coach Mark Jackson said. "He clearly kicked the basketball. The referees felt that it wasn't intentional, but obviously it was. "At the end of the day, I don't blame the referees. I blame our"
Warriors find a bench on the road
January 20
Oakland Tribune
 
"You can argue that the Warriors' most effective lineup doesn't include Monta Ellis. Nor David Lee. Nate Robinson, Klay Thompson, Brandon Rush, Dominic McGuire and Ekpe Udoh might form the team's best five-man unit. If any positives can be taken from a disappointing 2-2 trip, it's the emergence of Golden State's bench. Embracing their roles as supporting cast members, those five players are making depth a Warriors strength and are having real impact on games. They're all pretty good athletes. They all can play multiple positions. Perhaps most important, they all have something to prove. Robinson wasn't on a team when the season started. Indiana couldn't wait to trade Rush, the lottery pick"