With all the new talent in tow, with all the athleticism and versatility at Nellie’s disposal, this team is nothing without Baron Davis.
Saturday’s blown 19-point lead showed that, more than anything, the Warriors need their point guard. Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington are talented. Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins are the future. Sarunas Jasikevicius and Matt Barnes and Kelenna Azubuike give the Warriors a pretty deep bench. but this car crashes with out Baron at the wheel, unless Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Chauncey Billups or someone of that caliber takes his place.
The Warriors need a leader. They need someone whose mere presence matters. They need someone who, no matter what the defense does, can make plays and nothing into something.
Baron is that guy.
The team on the floor Saturday was a compilation of good players. But you need a great player to have a chance to win. That’s why the Warriors had such a hard time against a team play the end of a back-to-back to close out a seven-game road trip after arriving in its hotel at 5:30 a.m.
The Warriors should’ve won the game easily. But a monster with no head is no monster at all.