* I asked Anthony Randolph about his injury after the game. He flashed one of those faces he’s known for, the one where it looks like he’s about to cry. He was clearly disappointed, which read to me like the prognosis wasn’t good.
He officially has a strained left groin. It’s the same injury he sustained in Chicago trying to block a Tim Thomas shot. Re-aggravations usually means something wasn’t all the way healed, which means he may need some time for it to actually fully heal this time.

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Nelson was good today in pre-game. He explained deeper about why Crawford needs to go. It boils down to the fact that neither can guard shooting guards. Since one of them has to go, Crawford is the guy.

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Warriors’ internal strife leads to chaos, collapse
By Monte Poole
Staff columnist
BARON DAVIS, the former prince of Oracle Arena, makes his first appearance tonight as a Los Angeles Clipper in the facility where he once raised the Warriors from the dead.

For Warriors fans, the sight of Davis most assuredly will summon memories of the spring of 2007, when their favorite team blasted into the NBA playoffs for the first time since 1994 and, for two brilliant weeks, lit up the landscape.

“It’s definitely like a homecoming,” Davis said last week, anticipating his return to Oakland. “A lot of memories are there, and the adrenaline is going to be circulating. It’ll be good to see a lot of familiar faces in the stands.”

Those familiar faces, the high-spirited “We Believe” fans who enthusiastically support their energetic team, now try to cope with the reality of this woebegone season, which, according to numerous sources in NBA circles, can be traced back to coach Don Nelson, team president Robert Rowell (who operates on behalf of owner Chris Cohan) and decisions based less on building the best possible team than on impulse and ego.

Less than two years after an improbable playoff run led to one of the biggest postseason upsets in NBA history — a first-round series win over No. 1 seed Dallas — and one year after boisterous crowds cheered a 48-win team, the Warriors are back to the outskirts of the league. Officially eliminated from the playoffs Sunday, they are 23-43 and likely to lose more than 50 games for the first time since 2002, when Dave Cowens and Brian Winters presided over a 21-61 oil spill.

How did it come to this?

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We already know Nellie’s answer to this question, but I want yours. He has only been with the team for 48 games. But the Warriors are going to have to decide on what to do with him this offseason, assuming he doesn’t opt out.

Thanks to Tony.psd for the hot graphic. Click here to check out his work.

THE CASE FOR JAMAL CRAWFORD TO STAY

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* The Warriors have been mathematically eliminated from the postseason.

* Jackson is going to miss the return of his good friend, Baron Davis, who comes to town Tuesday (anyone think he’s actually going to play). If I remember correctly, Jackson won’t be able to be in the arena while he is serving his suspension. Neither he nor Nellie was available for interviews after the game.
The Warriors I asked said they didn’t hear what he said to the ref. He certainly looked as if he was shocked. To his credit, Jax has been honest about the techs he’s earned, so he might have legitimately been shocked and not just acting. Possible.

* What’s up with Brandan Wright only getting 8 minutes, 37 seconds? Seriously? I challenge anyone to give me a good explanation as to why he isn’t playing. Can’t say he’s playing poorly, because it isn’t about winning at this point as much as it is developing youngsters,
Nellie pre-game: “Our priority right now is to play our younger guys. We’ve been doing a pretty good job staying competitive.”
Not only is Wright a youngster, but he needs to make up for lost time, having missed 26 games with his shoulder injury. Now is not the time to put him on the end of the bench and forget about him. Nellie rarely doesn’t go with his starters to open the second half. Tonight, Wright was replaced by Azubuike to start the second half. Why? Aren’t the Warriors going big next year? HWasn’t matching up with opposing teams not working out? Is it a coincidence that Wright didn’t play at all in the third quarter, and the Warriors were outscored by 21 after getting dominated in points in the paint?

* While I’m at it, why is Randolph playing just 17 minutes? With Biedrins out, his minutes should be higher. He tied Ronny for the team-high in rebounds (6) despite playing nearly eight fewer minutes.

* Ellis has a thing for Leandro Barbosa. He dunked on him last year. This year, to start the second quarter, he blocked him twice. The second one was nasty, pinning Barbosa to the glass. Remember when Ellis was a pest on defense, under Mike Montgomery?

* By the way, Ellis looked good again scoring. His jumper is coming back. His bursts are coming back. He didn’t get a rebound for the first time this season.
Keith Smart: “He’s getting there. You can see the speed is there, his jump shot in his pocket areas…he’s starting to get those down. It’s just a matter of time. The guy is a gifted athlete, he loves to play, and you can see things are coming back for him.”

* Would you want Matt Barnes back? Nellie keeps saying he has a shortage at SF.

* I was feeling Brandan Wright last night. His activity on offense showed just how confident he’s come on that end of the court. Remember when Biedrins was the dude who never missed? I think Wright is going to become that guy. He only takes shots he can make. Most of them are close range. Plus the Warriors play faster with him on the court (as opposed to Maggette, who along with Jax likes to trot up the court)
Wright said he was fine with Nellie playing him just 16 minutes. He will want more next game, but he understood why Nelie wanted to bring him back slowly.

* But even with Wright’s nice showing, Randolph stood out. He, like Ronny, gives Warriors a presence at the rim. He outhustles everyone on the court. He crashes the boards. But he also gets carried away, mostly on offense. The question begs, who should start? Wright or Randolph?
I’m going to say Wright. Randolph is perfectly suited for the energy-of-the-bench role. My only concern is that he could be forgotten about on the bench.

* By the way, Randolph acknowledged getting banged on by Jason Terry (as if he could deny it). He certainly lit a fire under him.
Randolph: “I take anytime someone dunks on me personal.”

* Nellie said Ellis had a good game (as if he could deny it).
Nellie: “Monta’s best game by far.” Moments later. “It was a real simple game plan, and he had the ball in his hands a lot and we ran screen and rolls most of the night so he had a lot of opportunities and not only made shots, but went to the basket and made lay-ups.”

* Biedrins said his ankle wasn’t as bad as the last time. But if I were the Warriors, I’d think about shutting him down for the season. Ronny Turiaf hasn’t played that many minutes this season. The way this year is going, why risk another injury? Plus, Wright and Randolph need the minutes.

Safe to say coach Don Nelson’s confession before Wednesday’s game didn’t sit well with guard Jamal Crawford’s agent, Aaron Goodwin.
In the process of acknowledging he issued an ultimatum to Crawford, Nelson blamed Crawford “or his friends” for leaking their conversation.

Goodwin: “Jamal’s friends aren’t talking to the media,” said Aaron Goodwin, Crawford’s agent. “They aren’t talking to the other teams who call me to talk about it.”

Goodwin expressed frustration about Nelson talking publicly about the matter. He said Nelson was told to hush by Warriors’ management after it initially came out.

Goodwin: “The problem is Nellie is not listening. It all falls under ‘Nellie being Nellie.’ But if Nellie’s running the show, history shows it’s going to continue to get worse.”

Crawford declined to comment. I asked him if Nellie was right in saying you or your friends leaked it. I asked him if he was upset that Nellie talked about it again. I asked him if this at all impacts his decision to opt out or not. All I could get out of him was “I’m just here to play ball.”

I will give Goodwin created. He ain’t scared. While most NBA insiders hide under the veil of anonymity, he’s calling Nellie out by name and putting his name on it. I wish they all did that.

* Brandan Wright is not only in the line-up. He’s starting! Anthony Randolph is coming off the bench. What’s more, Wright will start off guard Antoine Wright, the Dallas Mavericks’ 6-7, 215 pound small forward. Why, you ask? So Stephen Jackson can guard Dirk Nowitzki.
I can’t say I like that. I know Dirk is the best player, and Jax is the best defender, and the two have history. But that PF guarding the SF stuff only works when the PF is really a SF. In this case, Wright will be pulled out of the key, his comfort zone, to chase around Wright. I’d rather have him on Dirk. At least he has the length to contest Dirk’s shot. Maybe in certain spots, especially down the stretch, i would put Jax on Dirk.

* Maggette is out. He has a sinus infection. He was a feeling bad at shootaround. He came to Oracle tonight but he left early. Never even dressed.

Before I get to today’s practice, it is a must I cover the happenings at last night’s game, and there were plenty. Well, one thing. The love triangle between Monta, Crawford and Nellie.

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The Warriors are going to take inventory this offseason, see what moves they need to make and how they can get better. Over the next few weeks, we are going to do some evaluating ourselves. Here is your chance to give them your opinion (yes, they do read this blog). I will make the best case I can as to why a player should stay or go this offseason. Then you sound off. He’s the hot topic right now so …

Thanks due to Tony.psd for the hot graphic

THE CASE FOR MONTA ELLIS TO STAY

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