NBA FanHouse

Don Nelson Sidelined With Pneumonia

Matt Steinmetz — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:05:00 EST

Golden State coach Don Nelson has been diagnosed with pneumonia and did not accompany the Warriors on their upcoming road trip, which includes games at Dallas on Tuesday and at San Antonio on Wednesday.

Assistant coach Keith Smart will coach the team in Nelson's stead.

The Warriors have been hit hard by injury and illness this season, and needed assistant coaches Russ Turner and Rico Hines to participate in practice on Monday just to give the team eight healthy bodies.

Kelenna Azubuike (left knee), Raja Bell (wrist), Andris Biedrins (abdominal muscle), Speedy Claxton (left knee), Devean George (left knee), Ronny Turiaf (left knee), C.J. Watson (H1N1 virus), Brandan Wright (shoulder) are all out for Tuesday's game against the Mavericks.

The Warriors were granted a hardship exception on Friday to sign center Chris Hunter, which allows the team to carry a 16th man. Still, they will likely have just eight players for the two Texas games.

Smart has served as the Warriors' head coach before, the most recent time being a preseason game against the L.A. Lakers. Smart also served as the team's head coach in two of the final three regular-season games last year.

"If I had never coached any of the games before, it would be like 'OK, this is an opportunity,' " Smart said. "But for me, because it's been that way since the day he got here, I already know what I'm supposed to do. I don't look at it any other way because we've done it this way for a long period of time."

Nelson is just 20 wins away from overtaking Lenny Wilkens as the NBA's all-time winningest coach. If Smart guides the Warriors to a victory in any of the next two games, Nelson will still be credited with the win on his coaching record.

Don Nelson Sidelined With Pneumonia originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stephen Jackson: Winning Wasn't a Priority for Golden State

Chris Tomasson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:45:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Warriors

MILWAUKEE -- Four months after Stephen Jackson arrived in Golden State in January 2007, the Warriors won their first playoff series in 16 years. They went 48-34 the following season, their best record in 14 years.

Jackson would like to take plenty of credit for it.

"The Warriors were (garbage) when I got there, so look what happened,'' Jackson said in an interview Friday with FanHouse. "So I love challenges.''

That's why the 10th-year swingman is ecstatic about his trade last Monday from the Warriors to Charlotte. Even though the Bobcats (3-8 entering Friday) never have made the playoffs since entering the NBA as an expansion team in 2004, Jackson believes it's "a great opportunity for me to be part of something great.''

Also: Don Nelson Opens Up About Issues with Monta Ellis

Jackson no longer believed that was a possibility in Golden State. The Warriors, devastated by injuries, went 29-53 last season and they were off to a 3-6 start (they entered Friday 3-8) when Jackson got his wish and was dealt.

"I wanted to win and I didn't feel like winning was a priority (in Golden State),'' Jackson said. "I didn't feel like winning was the main goal there, and I didn't want to be a part of a situation where winning is not the main focus. I want to be somewhere where they want to win, where they want to compete. So that's why I wanted out.''

"I wanted to win and I didn't feel like winning was a priority (in Golden State). ... So that's why I wanted out."
- Stephen Jackson Jackson didn't get into a lot of specifics about why he believed the Warriors weren't putting a premium on winning. He did say not spending to acquire players was one concern.

"As a whole from the top of the organization to the bottom of the team, (wanting to win) wasn't the total attitude, and you can see it by being there,'' Jackson said. "(Player acquisitions had) something to do with it, but it's a number of things. I'll be going on all day saying about things that I wasn't happy with.''

Jackson had a bus to catch after Charlotte's morning shootaround in Milwaukee before Friday's game against the Bucks. So he didn't have time to talk all day.

But he did say plenty.

Jackson said he had no regrets about publicly stating in August that he wanted to be traded. The NBA fined him $25,000 for his comments.

"I've been speaking my mind my whole career, and that ain't going to stop,'' he said.

Jackson said his relationship with Warriors coach Don Nelson didn't deteriorate until Nelson suspended him for two games during the preseason, costing him $139,090 in salary. The suspension came after Jackson had a run-in with Nelson during an Oct. 9 preseason game against the Lakers, and the following week Jackson gave up being captain of the Warriors.

"I didn't have a problem with Nellie until he fined me in the preseason,'' Jackson said. "I was supposed to be the captain and he fined me in the preseason. That's when our relationship went sour. But I still have respect for him. I have nothing bad to say about him. But the fine in the preseason I felt was unnecessary.''

Jackson said he was upset with Nelson for not defending him against the officials when he picked up five fouls and a technical in the first nine minutes against the Lakers. He didn't return to the game after his outburst.

"I told him how I felt about leaving me in the game in the preseason and getting five fouls in the first quarter and not standing up for me with the referees,'' Jackson said. "I spoke my mind, and he didn't like what I had to say.''

Now, though, Jackson has become Larry Brown's problem. Well, check that. The Bobcats coach doesn't believe Jackson will be pose much difficulty.

"You asking me about problems?'' said Brown, whose Bobcats acquired Jackson and guard Acie Law for guard Raja Bell and forward Vladimir Radmanovic. "No. I've known him." As Brown went on to explain, Jackson tried out for the 76ers when Brown was the coach in 2000, and Jackson also played for Brown's close friend Gregg Popovich from 2001-03. "He's like family. I haven't heard any teammates have a problem with (Jackson).

"It's like Rasheed (Wallace, a controversial player who helped Brown win a title with Detroit in 2004). You never heard teammates have a problem with Rasheed. You never heard coaches have a problem with him. He wants to win. It's important to me. ... Obviously, a kid like (Jackson) is not going to be on the trading block unless things are working out. Again, you hope that the trade works out for everybody.''

Problems haven't been new for Jackson.

While Jackson was with Indiana In 2006, there was an altercation outside an Indianapolis strip club, when he was punched and hit by a car but not hurt seriously. Jackson then fired a gun into the air. That led to a seven-game NBA suspension to start the 2007-08 season.

It was hardly the first time Jackson had been suspended. He got a 30-game NBA suspension from the Pacers after he went into the stands during the infamous Nov. 19, 2004 brawl at Detroit. Jackson eventually pleaded no-contest to a misdemeanor assault charge, getting one year's probation plus community service.

Thursday marked the five-year anniversary of the brawl. Jackson was asked how he looks back on it now.

"I didn't even know you all remember that,'' he said. "I didn't know the brawl had an anniversary. I don't look back on it. It happened. I got fined for it. I left it at that. The only thing I remember from the brawl is getting fined. I don't remember how it happened. I don't even think about it until you bring it up.''

Now, what Jackson wants to think about is helping the Bobcats break a six-game losing streak. He entered Friday averaging 19.5 points and 45.0 minutes in two Charlotte games.

"It's working out well,'' Charlotte guard Raymond Felton said of Jackson's acquisition. "He's just trying to get used to the offense. We all know what he brings to the game. He's a hard worker.''

Brown said the Bobcats made the deal because they needed more scoring. Considering Jackson, 31, has three more seasons on his contract after this one for about $28 million, it's a move that was made for the long haul.

That's fine with Jackson, whose career scoring average is 15.5.

"Championship experience, leadership on both ends of the court, and a guy that wants to win and has a positive attitude,'' Jackson said when asked what he brings to the Bobcats. "(It's) a great situation for me. ... It's another chance for me to help another team get back into the playoffs and get back to that winning attitude.''

Jackson was on San Antonio's 2003 NBA title team. But he didn't say anything about taking credit for that. The Spurs were pretty good when he got there.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com or on Twitter @christomasson.

Stephen Jackson: Winning Wasn't a Priority for Golden State originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nelson Opens Up About Issues With Ellis

Matt Steinmetz — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors

Warriors coach Don Nelson doesn't give a lot up to the media these days. He's acknowledged losing interest in the daily give-and-take with the team's beat writers and looks to end his postgame press conferences as quickly as he can.

Nelson has said, though, that he likes doing radio because it's a way to speak directly to the fans. To that end, Nelson had one of his most open exchanges on Thursday while speaking on his weekly radio show on KNBR.

Co-host Tom Tolbert, who once played for Nelson, asked the Warriors coach about what happened in New York last week with Monta Ellis. According to various reports, Ellis asked Nelson why the coach seemingly blamed him for everything, and Nelson ended up waving Ellis off.

"I just disciplined Monta," Nelson said. "I didn't think he was doing the right thing in practice. I disciplined him and it's over, and that's really all I have to say about (it). ... I think the relationship can be better as we go along. It will have to get back to where it was at the beginning. But he's going through a lot, too. (Stephen Jackson) was his best friend. It will get better, I'm sure."

Later during the interview Tolbert's partner, Ralph Barbieri, pressed Nelson about Nelson's relationship with players, specifically Ellis. Nelson was asked a hypothetical question about whether or not the Warriors would trade Ellis if Ellis were unhappy.

"I'm not even going to go there," Nelson said. "I'm not going to anticipate any negative stuff. If it happens, we'll deal with it. Talk to me if it happens, would you please?"

When Barbieri suggested it wasn't unreasonable to ask about Nelson's relationship with Ellis, and how disciplining Ellis might further deteriorate the relationship, Nelson interrupted.

"It's not unreasonable to think that the coach will discipline his player when the player isn't doing the right thing in practice," Nelson said. "What's the problem with that? That's my job description. That's what happened and that's what I did. ... Evidently, some people are having a problem with that. I'll do it tomorrow and I'll do it the next day and I did it with Tolbert."

Barbieri then said it wasn't an issue of whether Nelson was right or wrong in disciplining Ellis, but rather the issue was that now he had a "pissed-off" Ellis on his hands.

"You know what ... that's Monta's problem," Nelson said. "If he's pissed off at me, he can be pissed off at me. All he's got to do is play for me. He doesn't have to like me. He can be pissed off at me. All he's got to do is give his best effort. Do what the coach says and be the best player he can be. If he can do that, we won't have a problem."

More Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

Nelson Opens Up About Issues With Ellis originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kelenna Azubuike Out for the Season

Matt Moore — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, NBA Injuries

How could this season get worse for the Warriors? Their coach seemingly has no interest in developing their young talent, teaching defense, fighting for wins or managing the team. Their captain had his captaincy revoked after asking for a trade, which he eventually received. Their star is currently asking for a lifeboat and the nearest emergency exit. They don't have cap space for 2010, they're losing games left and right and they've even been hit with swine flu. How could this possibly get any worse?

Oh.

The Warriors announced today that Kelenna Azubuike has a torn patellar tendon in his right knee which will require season-ending surgery.

The fourth-year wing was averaging 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, and now he's gone.

The Warriors were so depleted following Azubuike's injury, C.J. Watson's bout with swine flu and Stephen Jackson's trade that they only eight players dressed in Tuesday's 114-108 loss to the Cavs. Raja Bell, who came over in the trade for Jackson, would have been available but decided soon after arriving from Charlotte that surgery and rehab would be more enjoyable than playing for the Warriors.

I would say we've reached the low point for the Warriors season -- but it's only November 17th. That's the scariest part of all.

Kelenna Azubuike Out for the Season originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monta Ellis Next Up on 'I'm a Warrior, Get Me Out of Here!'

Tom Ziller — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:10:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, NBA Rumors

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News reports that the agent for Monta Ellis will meet with Warriors management Thursday, with the entree allegedly an Ellis desire to be traded away. Just like Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson. In fact, with this latest news, I'm beginning to think something wacky is going on in Oakland!

It's all become a little more ridiculous every single day for Golden State. Kawakami reports that when Ellis attempted to do a leadership schpiel to the team following an embarrassing 28-point home loss to the Clippers, coach Don Nelson (the apparent source of Monta's consternation) told the guard to "be quiet." The pair had an altercation in front of the media a week later. Fun times.

Adding salt to all this, Raja Bell, acquired in Monday's Jackson trade, has decided to go ahead with wrist surgery he had been delaying as a Bobcat. He would essentially prefer months in a cast to suiting up for this tragic franchise. How perfectly illustrative.

Monta Ellis Next Up on 'I'm a Warrior, Get Me Out of Here!' originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warriors Trade Stephen Jackson to Bobcats for Bell, Radmanovic

Matt Steinmetz — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Warriors, NBA Transactions

The Golden State Warriors no longer have a Stephen Jackson problem. He's Larry Brown's issue now.

The Warriors and Bobcats reached agreement Monday morning on a trade that will send Jackson and Acie Law to Charlotte for Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic. Jackson had made it clear late in the summer that he "was looking to leave" the Warriors and hadn't relented on that theme through the early regular season.

The Bobcats weren't on Jackson's original "wish list" of teams, however, his agent, Mark Stevens had said about a week ago that his client would be willing to play for any team if it meant getting out of Golden State.

The Warriors and Bobcats had talked about numerous scenarios over the past few weeks. The Warriors had wanted Boris Diaw as part of the deal, but Charlotte didn't want to give up the versatile forward. The Bobcats had wanted to include center Nazr Mohammed, but Golden State had little interest in him.

The Cleveland Cavaliers had been the favorites in acquiring Jackson, but that apparently changed in recent weeks. It was widely reported the Warriors wanted to acquire Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and his expiring contract, for Jackson but the Cavaliers were unwilling to do that.

The Warriors had been very interested in acquiring second-year power forward J.J. Hickson from the Cavaliers, but in recent games Hickson has emerged, making Cleveland less likely to part with him.

It remains to be seen if Charlotte will keep Jackson or look to move him. The Bobcats now find themselves with three versatile swingmen -- Gerald Wallace, Boris Diaw and Jackson.

Perhaps the best part of the trade from the Warriors' perspective is that it saves them approximately $20 million.

Bell is on the final year of his contract, and Radmanovic's contract runs through 2010-11 (assuming he doesn't exercise his early termination).

Jackson, on the other hand, has three-plus years remaining on his deal, and is owed upwards of $28 million after this season ends. Jackson signed a contract extension with the Warriors less than a year ago, and it runs through 2013.

More Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

Warriors Trade Stephen Jackson to Bobcats for Bell, Radmanovic originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brandon Jennings Drops 55 on Warriors

Tom Ziller — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:36:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, Warriors

Bucks rookie point guard Brandon Jennings, he of the European diversion, created enough hype to fill up the Bradley Center twice during his first six games, with a 20-point per game average earning Rookie of the Year chatter coast to coast. Suffice it to say Jennings's 55-point outburst Saturday night against (yes) the Warriors will ratchet up to volume of those calls to unbelievable levels.

Jennings dropped 29 points in the third quarter against Golden State, and 45 in the second half for a come-from-behind 129-125 win for Milwaukee. He broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Bucks rookie record for points in a game (KAJ, then Lew Alcindor, had 51) and came within a bucket of teammate Michael Redd's single-game franchise record (57). He was three points away from Wilt Chamberlain's NBA rookie record for points in a game.

And of course, Jennings drew rave reviews from his coach Scott Skiles, a former point guard.

Skiles told reporters that Bucks coaches unleashed Jennings at halftime. BJ had only 10 points at halftime, all of them coming in the second quarter.

"We just simplified it. We gave the ball to Brandon and let him go to work. He doesn't force it normally, especially considering he's a rookie.

"It's hard to say this, especially when he gets 29 points in a quarter. But he's not greedy. He's still playing basketball out there; he's not searching for his own. He's trying to help us win the game."

The Warriors passed on Jennings to select guard Stephen Curry with the No. 7 pick last June. Curry scored 14 points in 26 minutes of play against Milwaukee.

Brandon Jennings Drops 55 on Warriors originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Westphal Having Fun, Nellie Looks Done

Matt Steinmetz — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:20:00 EST

Filed under: Kings, Warriors, NBA Coaches

SACRAMENTO -- Sacramento Kings coach Paul Westphal and Warriors coach Don Nelson might not know it, but they find themselves in similar situations. Both are experienced coaches trying to guide young teams, each with a few veterans sprinkled in.

The expectations for both teams are low, with few believing either team will sniff the NBA's postseason. Both teams have intriguing rookie point guards (Tyreke Evans/Stephen Curry), talented but flawed shooting guards (Kevin Martin/Monta Ellis) and promising second-year power forwards (Jason Thompson/Anthony Randolph).

But stop right there. That's where the comparison ends.

Hopefulness and positivity surround Westphal and the Kings these days, while despair and pessimism cloak Nelson and the Warriors. The two franchises are separated by just 75 miles, but there seems to be a world of difference between the two.

"I really like these young players," Westphal said before the Kings won their fourth straight by beating the Rockets 109-100 on Friday night at ARCO Arena. "They're hungry young kids for the most part or veterans who have been kicked around a little bit and have something to prove. They're giving everything they have. They're playing hard and playing together and it's really fun when it's like that."

The Warriors were 3,000 miles away at the time, taking care of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. But fun is not something they're having. Stephen Jackson wants out and is making a nuisance of himself. Ellis and Nelson have under-the-surface issues that are becoming less and less under-the-surface.

The fan base is clamoring for Randolph to play more, but Nelson is reluctant and unwilling to play the kid more. But perhaps most striking is the joylessness that seems to envelope Nelson, who sits just 21 wins shy of earning the all-time mark for NBA coaching victories.

If and when Nelson does pass Lenny Wilkens' all-time record later this season, it figures to be a sad honoring. Think about it: When it happens, the Warriors are likely to be 24-40 or 24-48 or 24-55. Or, perhaps even worse, the thing could linger into next season.

On Friday in New York, Nelson admitted: "This is a difficult team to coach so far."

Yet throughout training camp and into the first week of the season, Nelson maintained he was excited about the Warriors. Few, if any, believe that. Now, there's talk that Nelson might even step down, although that seems unlikely considering he's still owed approximately $10 million of the remaining $12 million on his deal.

Nelson's critics would argue that he doesn't seem to be coaching much these days. His practices are short, and he delegates an inordinate amount of responsibility to his assistants. Assistant coach Keith Smart handles the entire defense, a responsibility given to him last season.

Nelson, 69, looks dispirited on the sidelines, the days of leaping off the bench to argue a call or shout out instruction gone. The polite way to put it is that he doesn't look engaged.

But it's not just Nelson's demeanor, it's what he's conveying with his words. He seemed to go out of his way recently to suggest that the only reason he's still coaching is because the organization begged him to stay there.

"Actually the organization wanted me to do two more years," Nelson said on Friday. "I was ready to retire after last season and so I signed on for two more years and I'm going to oblige my contract."

That's much of the issue. To Nelson, coaching right now seems like an obligation. For Westphal, it's the opposite.

"All I can say is so far, so good," Westphal said. "Everybody has embraced what we're trying to do and they're giving their best. You never know what tomorrow is going to bring in this league, but right now I don't have anything to complain about with regard to their attitudes or effort.

"It's we all want to be a part of bringing this franchise back to life in this city. The chance to be part of that and take steps in that direction and what it will look like when we finish doing that is what excites me the most."

It's hard to imagine the Warriors are excited about their future, particularly in the immediate. They're 3-5, which isn't all that bad, but consider this: The combined record of the teams they've beaten is 3-26 (Memphis, Minnesota, New York).

And now they're looking at the following stretch: at Milwaukee, at Boston, at Cleveland, Portland, at Dallas, at San Antonio, L.A. Lakers.

Meanwhile, the Kings are 5-4 and playing hard. But Westphal knows there's a thin line between success and failure, optimism and pessimism, and, yes, even he and Nelson.

"Look ... come back 40 games from now before you start talking about magic," Westphal said. "All I can say is we're having some good things happen and we hope to keep it up."

Down the road a piece, it's an entirely different story.

More Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

Westphal Having Fun, Nellie Looks Done originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Josh Smith Path to Salvation: Who Should Convert?

Tom Ziller — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Hawks, Heat, Nuggets, Warriors

Hawks buzzard Josh Smith has famously wasted quite a few Atlanta possessions over the years by taking ill-advised three-pointers. That phraseology is actually redundant when it comes to Smith: it would be considered ill to ever advise Smith to take a three.

Thankfully, someone showed Josh the light, and he hasn't attempted a trey all season. He convinces when he tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he hasn't even felt tempted to fire up a bomb. He found Basketball Jesus! Like a good son of the word, he should spread his experience. Which players would most benefit from a Brother Smith knock at the door?

Monta Ellis, G, Golden State. Ellis has a career three-point shooting mark of 29.1 percent. He has slowed his outside trigger this year, but averages 1.3 three attempts per game over his career.

Anthony Carter, PG, Denver. You may be interested to learn that Carter, who seems to fancy himself a designated gunner at times in Denver, has a career 23.9 percent mark from downtown. He took 217 threes over the previous two seasons, and hit only 66. Not a good look.

Gerald Wallace, F, Charlotte. Smith's kindred spirit has certainly backed off trey-shooting heights reached under Sam Vincent, but one three for Crash is one three too many. Incidentally, Wallace has hit exactly one three this year ... in 10 attempts.

And finally, Dwyane Wade, SG, Miami. Maybe it's sacrilege to suggest a superstar should abandon a shot as part-and-parcel to basketball as the three-point basket, but let me burn, brothers.

Wade is never going to learn how to consistently hit a three-pointer. He's a career 28.1 percent deep shooter, and last season he hit his peak of ... 31.7 percent. For a guy who gets to the rim at will, draws an unbelievable amount of fouls and hits two-pointers at an above-average rate, he needs to let the three go. (Of course, I write that after a game in which Wade hit three of six. C'est la vie.)

If Wade needs to pace himself on pace, there are better ways to use the rest possessions than by firing up threes. Like, almost anything short of handing the ball to the other team would be better. (That's only a small exaggeration.)

I never thought I'd be advising Dwyane Wade to take a page from Josh Smith's book, but there you go.

The Josh Smith Path to Salvation: Who Should Convert? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stinkface Chronicles: Iggy Popped

Rob Peterson — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: 76ers, Grizzlies, Kings, Nets, Trail Blazers, Warriors, NBA Videos

Rookies. What do they know?

Not much except that, with the per diem paid over the table in NBA instead of under it in college, they need to get the donuts before practice, carry their teammates' bags and stay out of the way of the veterans.

Oh, about that last part? The Nets' Terrence Williams, rookie out of Louisville, may need to work on it a bit.

Video after the jump.

You see, poor Mr. Williams (and to be fair, two teammates) had the misfortune of trying to check the Sixers' Andre Iguodala on a fast break last Friday. And unlike the indignities of fetching fried pastry weathered by rookies off the court, Williams' suffered his inaugural association humiliation on it.

Iguodala, the man who delivered the blow to Williams' self-esteem, unleashed a dunk so furious that Iggy's teammates were moved to hold each other.

Let's look at the dunk itself. Like many of today's bruising, well-built forwards in the NBA, Iguodala tucked the ball in the crook of his elbow as if he were going to plunge into a Lincoln Financial Field end zone instead of emasculating T-Will by sweeping the leg on Williams' Y-chromosome.

But Iggy's tuck served two purposes: one, going one-on-three as he did, Iguodala had to protect the rock, and two, it allowed him to cup it so, as the late, great Chick Hearn once said -- and Sixers announcers Marc Zumoff alluded to -- "rock the baby to sleep." Then again, if anyone rocks their baby like this, I'm calling Child Protective Services, because it's clearly abusive.

Veterans Bobby Simmons, who has never played much defense in his career, and Courtney Lee, who probably had Dwight Howard come down hard on him in practice last season in Orlando more than a couple of times, backed away once they saw Iguodala tuck it. They know you don't pass from that position. But Williams challenged, and the rookie paid the price. Moments after Iguodala sent the Wachovia Center crowd into a frenzy, he nearly sent Williams into the courtside patrons.

Williams will learn. In the meantime, he can always tell his grandkids about the day he gave a piggy back ride to Iggy.

As for the Sixers bench, the dunk was cause for celebration. Because it was early in the game, most of the Philly subs had their warmups on and you can't really tell who's who from the camera angle. But you can see one Sixer get up, run down the length of the bench and embrace a teammate. Very touching.

Yet, the most interesting reaction may be from an assistant coach, who may or may not be Mike O'Koren. Check the video at the four-second mark. Just as Iguodala takes off, the coach two seats to the right of the first Sixer in his warmups, pops up as if his chair were wired for an electric shock. Decorum dictates, however, and he catches himself before he stands up.

Whether the coach was anticipating something great or whether he was just caught in Iguodala's backdraft can be debated. But when a seen-it-all coach does this and gets caught up in a slam, you got stinkface.

Speaking of which, Rudy Gay, who has perpetrated a few nasty slams in his time, got his on Tuesday night as he fought the Outlaw, but the Outlaw won.

Travis Outlaw, my goodness, you're a bad man. First off, the rebound was one of those man-among-boys reach-back-and-snatch-it-right-out-of-your-grille boards. But to follow up with a windmill off of both feet and in Gay's mug, well, sir, I must stand an applaud as the fans wearing jerseys with your number did at the end of the clip. Well done, and yes, as the announcer noticed, "And look at Rudy Gay. He's stunned!"

As were we all.

And finally, our FanHouse man in Northern California, Tom Ziller, threw this one our way, a sweet, sweet inbounds pass from Donte Greene to Jason Thompson. We'll let him explain.

"Nothing great from either bench (GSW was looking morose at that point). But watch Donte when JT actually throws it down. He mimics it, like he was actually executing the dunk off his pass. It's like a talent-show dad doing the choreography from the audience."

Agreed, Greene's reaction was priceless. But there was a slight bench reaction, not, however, from the Warriors players but Golden State coach Don Nelson. He looks perturbed, miffed and altogether bothered. He smacks his hands, shakes his head and thinks, "Paul Mokeski would have never let that happen. I need to go home to Hawai'i."

Nellie only has himself to blame. The Warriors are a mess of his own making and his stinkface may become permanent.

Stinkface Chronicles: Iggy Popped originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cleveland Remains Stephen Jackson's Most Likely Destination

Matt Steinmetz — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: 76ers, Bobcats, Cavaliers, Heat, Warriors

We all know Stephen Jackson is a short timer in Golden State. And now, with the Warriors off to a troubling 2-4 start, it looks as if Jackson will be gone sooner rather than later.

When Jackson first said he was "looking to leave" the Warriors, he listed Cleveland, New York or one of the Texas teams as desired destinations. Since then, a few other teams have supposedly expressed interest.

Charlotte, Miami and even Philadelphia are said to have emerged. However, there remains little doubt that the Cavaliers remain Jackson's most likely end-up spot. The reason: compatibility.

Let's take a look:

o. Cleveland Cavaliers: There is no doubt Jackson would be a big help to the Cavaliers. It would give Cleveland a secondary playmaker to LeBron James, and a shot-maker too. Jackson would also be a plus on the defensive end, allowing James the occasional break from guarding the opposition's best perimeter player.

While the remaining three-plus years and $30-plus million on Jackson's contract are a heavy price for the Cavaliers to pay, it's a relatively small investment if it nudges James toward staying in Cleveland long-term.

The Cavaliers are reluctant to trade Zydrunas Ilgauskas because they don't want to lose a big. The Warriors would love to have Ilgauskas' expiring contract, although they know that's likely wishful thinking.

Still, there is a deal here, and it involves some combination of J.J. Hickson, Daniel Gibson, Jawad Williams, Darnell Jackson and Danny Green and possibly Delonte West. The fact Cleveland isn't exactly firing on all cylinders offensively doesn't hurt.

o. Miami Heat: The Heat has recently been mentioned, although that doesn't seem to make much sense. Miami has made it clear they're not interested in taking on long-term money.

Jermaine O'Neal is a coveted player because of his expiring monster contract ($23 million). But the fact remains Miami isn't likely to move O'Neal for just that reason.

Miami believes it has a shot at signing James as a free agent in the offseason, and it is not about to give up on that dream for Jackson.

o. Charlotte Bobcats: Despite Mark Stevens, the agent for Jackson, recently saying he doesn't care where his client ends up, that's not really believable. Can you really envision Jackson in Charlotte, with Larry Brown the coach? Me neither.

There's also the very real issue of the Warriors wanting Boris Diaw, and the Bobcats only wanting to part with Vladimir Radmanovic and/or Nazr Mohammed.

o. Philadelphia 76ers: Philly would be willing to move Samuel Dalembert, whose contract expires at the end of next season. But Dalembert has a trade-kicker in excess of $2 million.

In addition, the Warriors would have to include another player, and the Sixers would surely insist on Speedy Claxton, who's got an expiring contract. The problem with that is such a deal would put the Warriors in luxury tax land, a place they're unwilling to go.

More Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

Cleveland Remains Stephen Jackson's Most Likely Destination originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Talking With Rookie Stephen Curry

Elie Seckbach — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, NBA Videos, Interviews

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

Warriors' rookie Stephen Curry is just starting in the NBA -- and at least for now, it seems like more fans know his name than his face. In this FanHouse video, we talk to Stephen about making it to the NBA, what he'd be if he weren't a professional basketball player and what's it like to have teammates who once played against his dad.

Check out the video after the jump.

Talking With Rookie Stephen Curry originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stephen Jackson's Agent Rips Don Nelson to Shreds

Tom Ziller — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:47:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors

Angry agents ripping team execs and coaches isn't a new phenomenon, but Mark Stevens -- the rep for disgruntled Warrior Stephen Jackson -- might have painted a masterpiece in ripping Golden State coach Don Nelson in a discussion with ESPN.com's Chris Broussard. Stevens dredged up just about every demon in Nelson's basketball past, reaching back to Nellie's Bucks tenure in 1970s.

The whole tirade -- which is definitely worth a full read -- comes from what Stevens called "disgust with the quality" of Nelson's coaching. FanHouse's Matt Steinmetz watched the impetus for Stevens's tirade, a 120-107 blow-out loss at Sacramento. It was ugly, and Stevens is telling the truth: Nelson indeed looked like he didn't want to be there.

Stephen Jackson's Agent Rips Don Nelson to Shreds originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More Than Just a Bad Start for Warriors

Matt Steinmetz — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:33:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, NBA Press Box

SACRAMENTO -- It's not so much the Warriors' 1-4 start that's the problem. It's the teams they've lost to and the manner in which they've been defeated.

Nobody expected the Warriors to be among the Western Conference elite. But they shouldn't be a team that can't compete with the L.A. Clippers and Sacramento Kings. But they can't. Not now.

What a miserable weekend it was for the Warriors. And you could tell by taking one stroll through the locker room after their 120-107 loss to the Kings on Sunday that there's more to this tough start than just a tough start.

"No identity, that's it," Corey Maggette said. "There's no identity, there's no chemistry ... so we've got to figure it out. It's chaos."

Don't be fooled by the 13-point margin of defeat. The Warriors were down 112-87 midway through the fourth period before a late run made the final score more cosmetically appealing.

On Friday, the Clippers took apart the Warriors 118-90 at Oracle Arena, a place where Golden State usually can hold its own. We'll see if they can't do that against the Timberwolves there on Monday.

For the second straight game, Warriors coach Don Nelson was in no mood to elaborate on his team's performance. He spoke to the media for fewer than two minutes after the loss to the Kings. On Friday after the Clippers' loss, he was on the dais for less than 60 seconds.

He spent half his time on Sunday praising Paul Westphal and the Kings before getting around to his own squad.

"Again, we didn't have a very good game," Nelson said. "I thought we gave it our best effort and it wasn't good enough. That's really all I have to say."

Said Stephen Jackson: "Another beatdown. What can I say? It's just all bad right now."

Jackson was like a lot of Warriors on Sunday. His numbers didn't look all that bad - 21 points on 7-of-16 from the field - but those numbers mattered little because the Warriors weren't really in the game for most of the night.

"It can be tough, but you have to stay positive," Jackson said. "What else can you do? They're already looking for somebody to blame it on so I ain't going to be negative. I'm going to stay positive and say we've got a lot of work to do and try to get this one (Monday)."

Monta Ellis struggled against the Kings, finishing with just nine points, five assists and zero answers.

"I don't know ... I don't know, man," Ellis said. "Like I said last game we've got to figure it out somehow. If I had an answer I would give it to you. At this point I don't know. At this point all we can do is try to play our way out of it. We can't talk no more. Can't say this, can't say that, get through this as a team. It's a tough start but the only way we're going to get out of it is if we get ourselves out."

More Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

More Than Just a Bad Start for Warriors originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nelson's Curious Lineups Make Things Tough on Anthony Randolph

Brett Pollakoff — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:50:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors

PHOENIX -- The Warriors played basketball like five individuals wearing the same uniform on Friday, instead of like an NBA team that was anywhere near capable of playing as a cohesive unit. As a result, they were run off the floor by a Suns team that shared the ball to get easy baskets, led by a 20-assist performance from Steve Nash.

Besides the fact that Nash had more assists than the entire Warriors team did, there was something else that was interesting about this one, and that was the way that Don Nelson chose to use - or not use -- one of his most athletic players in Anthony Randolph.

In Golden State's season opener, Randolph came off the bench and was allowed to play just 10 minutes. He had eight points, four rebounds, an assist, and a blocked shot in that brief appearance, but stiffness in his back was blamed for his limited time on the court.

On Friday in Phoenix, given the way things played out, it would be hard to use Randolph's health as a reason for Don Nelson's curious use of him against the Suns.

Randolph was in the starting lineup, and played the game's first seven minutes. He managed four points, two rebounds, an assist, and a blocked shot. Again, fairly productive.

But Randolph didn't see the court the entire second quarter.

This is a classic example of Don Nelson just subbing guys in and out seemingly at random, with no rhyme or reason, and no consistency for his players to rely on as they try to build that all-important team chemistry.

"It's been like that since I've been here," Stephen Jackson said afterwards, when asked about the lineups varying so greatly from night to night. "I mean, we've never had a solid lineup. But coach makes that decision, he feels confident with the guys he puts out there, and I think as a team we've got to find a way to get the job done.

"The chemistry that we used to have, it's not even close [to what we have now]," Jackson continued. "But I think it's up to the coaches to figure out which guys to have out there to get that chemistry back."

Nelson made it clear that the lineups were his decision, but refused to explain the method to his madness. When asked to talk about how he chose to use Randolph on Friday (more on that in a moment), the tenured head coach simply wouldn't discuss it.

"No," Nelson responded. "I put 'em in, and they come out when I take 'em out."

If anything is clear in Golden State, it's that statement right there.

After sitting for 17 consecutive minutes of game time, Randolph was back in the lineup to start the third quarter, and managed to stay in there for a whopping five and a half minutes. He did get a couple of rebounds and a trip to the free throw line, but was far less engaged overall than he was to start the game.

Can you blame him?

Nelson wasn't finished messing around, and had one more trick up his sleeve: he reinserted Randolph to start the fourth quarter -- with the Warriors down by 19 points -- and left him in there for the entire period, while the Suns' lead ballooned to as many as 27 points.

Just a very strange way to manage the game, and an even stranger way to treat one of your most talented players who was, you know, a member of the game's starting lineup.

But as Randolph sat visibly dejected in front of his locker afterwards, he took the high road when asked about the difficulty of playing in such an uncertain situation.

"I've got to come in ready to play, whenever he puts me in there," Randolph said. "I'm just trying to get out there and prove myself to him."

It would be great to see Randolph do exactly that -- if only Nelson would give him a legitimate chance.

Nelson's Curious Lineups Make Things Tough on Anthony Randolph originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live Tweet: Suns Vs. Warriors

Brett Pollakoff — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:25:00 EST

Filed under: Suns, Warriors, NBA Live Blogging

When the Suns and the Warriors get together, it's always a good time -- uptempo basketball at its finest. Both teams are coming off of close first games of the season, but with decidedly different results.

Golden State blew a 10-point halftime lead at home to fall to the Rockets, while Phoenix got an "old white guy shot" from Steve Nash in the closing seconds to get his team a road win over the Clippers.

What happens tonight is as much of a mystery as Don Nelson's distribution of minutes, but it's likely to be a lot of fun either way. So join us beginning at 10PM EST by following @NBAFanHouse, or simply read on to follow along below.

Twitter Updates on Suns vs. Warriors

NBA FanHouse on Twitter

Live Tweet: Suns Vs. Warriors originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don Nelson Channels His Inner Belichick

Matt Steinmetz — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:45:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, NBA Media Watch, NBA Coaches

Don Nelson insisted again on Thursday, like he's been insisting since the start of training camp, that he's excited by his young Warriors team and that he is having fun coaching it.

But that's not the way it looks. Nelson has grown increasingly short with the media in the past year or so and his pregame press conferences are littered with one-word answers and uncomfortable silences.

One day after the Warriors lost to the Rockets 108-107, a radio host on the team's flagship station opened his program by saying it sure seemed like Nelson's heart wasn't in it anymore.

The long and short of it was that coaching just wasn't doing it for Nellie, now 69 years old.

"You know, we have some issues we're dealing with, but yeah, coaching a kid like (Stephen) Curry is a lot of fun for me," Nelson countered. "And to watch him develop and get better and better. (Anthony) Randolph, the same thing. ... Yeah, I'm very excited about our young guys. I'm having fun. Yes, I'm having fun.

"I've never looked like I'm enjoying myself during a game, if that's what you mean?"

Actually, it isn't. What we're really talking about here is the parts about being an NBA coach that don't necessarily involve coaching - the travel, the grind, the dealing with the media, etc.

"No, I don't care much for this anymore," Nelson said, referring to dealing with the media. "I've been beat up so bad by being honest with the press, I'm going to be the (Patriots coach Bill) Belichick of the NBA. I'd rather talk on the radio where people can actually hear my words than get it misconstrued somehow. It looks different in print sometimes when you say something. The way you say it sometimes you can't identify it in print. I'm more careful. Yes, I'm more careful."

Once upon a time, and even at the beginning of his second stint with the Warriors a few years back, one of Nelson's strengths was dealing with writers, etc. He would engage in banter, share a personal anecdote or two and even go off the record to better explain some of the things he was doing.

Those days seem gone.

"It's really sad," said Nelson. "I don't like doing it but I've been forced to do it, so what can I tell you?"

How about: Why? What happened? What changed? Are people writing untruths or have there been inaccuracies when it comes to Nelson and the Warriors?

"Slanted ... slanted," Nelson said. "It's not that it's not true or inaccurate, it's slanted or taken out of context sometimes, so it looks worse in print or different in print than it was actually meant to be."

So all you can do is believe Nelson when he says he's having fun. Even though it looks like he isn't.

More Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

Don Nelson Channels His Inner Belichick originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rockets Sneak Attack by Boat Stuns Warriors in Oakland

Rob Peterson — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:06:00 EST

Filed under: Rockets, Warriors

For the Houston Rockets, the word rocketship took on a whole new meaning on Wednesday.

Thanks (or no thanks) to a broken cable that has closed the Bay Bridge, the Rockets were faced with two choices to get from their hotel in San Francisco to Oracle Arena in Oakland to play the Warriors.

They could either take a different bridge, which would have made it a three-hour bus ride or, they could go by ferry.

Knowing that most NBA players like to arrive on the second (i.e. last) of two buses that take teams to games, guess what mode of transport they chose?

Yar! Ye be right if you guessed the Rockets shipped themselves across the San Francisco Bay by boat. Hopefully, there were commuters who took pictures of the 40 players, coaches and other Rockets' staff clambering onto the upper deck of a ferry.

Yet, not every Rocket player embraced the idea of heading out to sea.

"I'm a BART guy," Chuck Hayes, the Rockets only Northern California native said. "Get me on the underground train and I'm good. I was a little nervous. You see so many movies where boats sink."

Thankfully, the San Francisco Bay is free World War II Axis submarines or of icebergs and none of the Rockets were reduced to shark chum. Thanks to their alternative transportation, the Rockets made tipoff in plenty of time. They had their land legs, too, edging the Warriors, 108-107.

Rockets Sneak Attack by Boat Stuns Warriors in Oakland originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stephen Curry Has a Fan in Chris Paul

Matt Steinmetz — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:40:00 EST

Filed under: Hornets, Warriors

Warriors coach Don Nelson has gone out of his way to compare rookie Stephen Curry to a young Steve Nash. That's a nice comparison and one any young player would likely take.

But Curry's already got a mentor, thank you, and it's tough to argue with his choice: Chris Paul.

Curry and Paul, both from North Carolina, go back a few years. But this summer their friendship grew, the result of spending nearly a month working out together at various venues in the South.

"I was with him three or four weeks and we worked out every day, five or six in the morning," Curry said. "We would lift together and then for about an hour and a half we'd do on-the-court stuff with our trainer. We traveled to Orlando, New Orleans, Winston-Salem, Charlotte. Pretty much wherever he was, I followed him."

Curry first met Paul when Paul was at Wake Forest. Then Paul did some work with Curry's father, Del, who has a charity foundation. Now, the two share the same representation and a mutual respect.

And no one's got a better scouting report on Curry than Paul.

"He had to shoot the ball the whole time in college (at Davidson)," Paul said. "A lot of people have underestimated his ballhandling ability, too. He's a complete player. At times, he'll get a chance to show it. At times, he'll just be a shooter. When he has to, in the open court and stuff like that, he's great with the ball."

That was the case on Thursday night when Curry put together a 14-point, 10-assist, six-rebound night in the Warriors' final preseason game. He had the play of the evening when, in transition, he found Monta Ellis with a lovely behind-the-back feed that resulted in a layup.

When Curry was drafted there were questions about whether he was a point guard or two guard. Well, if the preseason has proven anything it's that playing the one comes pretty easily to him. He led the Warriors in assists despite not playing a ton of minutes.

"He can play either," Paul said. "He shoots it well enough to be a shooting guard but handles it well enough to be a point guard. With their team, who's to say who's what? The five-man can bring the ball upcourt."

If there has been one concern with Curry so far, it's been his inability to consistently make perimeter shots, which was supposed to be his strength. He shot just 36.6 percent in the preseason. Paul chuckled when told there was some concern in the Bay Area about Curry's stroke.

"It's preseason," Paul said. "One thing about this offense, you're going to get enough shots to find your rhythm. And this is his first year."

As for Curry, he says Paul has shown him how to be a pro.

"It's just his work ethic, what he does in the offseason to prepare," Curry said. "What's this? His fifth year? And he's working four hours every morning, going hard. I was trying to keep up. I can pick and choose some stuff that I saw him do, but nothing specific. It's about being in the gym working.

Stephen Curry Has a Fan in Chris Paul originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maggette Starts Over Randolph, For Now

Matt Steinmetz — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:07:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors

OAKLAND, Calif. -- When Warriors coach Don Nelson let it be known early Thursday that he was going to start Corey Maggette at power forward instead of Anthony Randolph, you could almost hear a collective groan among fans in the Bay Area.

"Not this again," seemed to be the refrain.

Randolph is considered the Warriors' brightest young star and figured to be a shoe-in to start at at the four this season. But now that Maggette's the man -- at least for now -- it's only natural to wonder whether Randolph is back in Nellie's doghouse, a place Randolph spent a good chunk of his rookie season.

At least right now, that doesn't seem to be the case. Randolph didn't even take the news as a demotion, really. He said his back hasn't been right most of the preseason, and the injury has affected his play. He sat out the Warriors' final preseason game on Thursday night against the Hornets.

Randolph thinks he'll be back in the starting lineup by Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Rockets, but anyone who knows Nelson knows that isn't a given.

"It wasn't news at all," Randolph said. "I worked hard during the offseason. It's just a little thing. I've got to get back healthy. Hopefully, I'll be right by Wednesday. I'm just not explosive right now, not able to move how I want to because of my back."

Nelson said he realizes Randolph isn't 100 percent right now, but he's looking at production, bottom line.

"He's going to have to play a certain way to be effective for us and he knows how he needs to play," Nelson said. "He did that the first two or three [preseason] games and then he kind of got away from it. I don't know if it was injuries or what."

Nelson said fans shouldn't view all of this as Randolph taking a step back. Then again, you can tell Nelson is looking for more consistency.

"When he does the things we need him to do, play at a high level, why, he's going to get plenty of playing time," Nelson said. "It's going to be tough to keep him off (the floor). But he's going to have to be evaluated by his number of rebounds. That's the main thing. And his running, defense and shot-blocking. The things he does very well are the things we want him to do."

Whether or not Randolph does that as a starter remains to be seen.

More Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

Maggette Starts Over Randolph, For Now originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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