A Great Time Out

Yesterday, the Golden State Warriors began their season by getting blown out by the Utah Jazz. I went to Knuckles to watch the game with good friends. If you haven't tried the 34 oz. beer mug at Knuckles, please put that on your list. While watching the game, it was tough to watch the W's get seriously outworked on the boards. But that is to be expected all season. The defense just looked horrible. You cannot allow all those weakside cutters getting easy layups. And it happened time and time again. Pietrus shouldn't be guarding Carlos Boozer. Don Nelson's team is built to run and run and run. There will be games when the Warriors shoot 40% like last night and some nights where they are at 55%.

As we watched the game, Claire and I could not stop thinking about how much we miss Jason Richardson. OK, I know a lot of people like the trade, but lets be honest, the trade is not going to help us out right now. There is a trade excemption of $10 million that could help us but I think last time we had a trade exemption we didn't even use it. The point is, the Warriors are not better right now with Brandon Wright not even being active and the heart and soul, J Rich, playing for another team. Wright is a stick and does have tremendous potential but he is at least two to three years away. AT LEAST. We have Baron Davis for one more year and resigning him to a long term deal is dangerous because of the injury risk. So if we don't resign him, we have no idea who will take his place. There were many times during the game when I just didn't know how we could score, especially when Davis sat out. Richardson was a huge part of last season's run and he is gone. Nobody on the team could match the leadership and the heart that he brought.

Last nights loss was just one night. I am sure Troy Hudson will be better, Biedrins will be more of a presence down low, a lot of those shots that where in and out will fall and the warriors will remind us of the WE BELIEVE Warriors of last year. I was real excited with Belinelli's back to back three pointers. That guy looks like Rocky. That is going to turn out to be a great pickup.

Without Stephen Jackson during this rough opening season stretch, I would be happy with a 3-4 record. In fact, I hope GSW can hover just under .500 until 2008. The schedule softens after the all star break and the W's can make another run. But right now, I just hope we can just tread water. After yesterday's game, we need Jackson back badly right now. So for the first couple months of the season, I am going to make like a Stephen Jackson tattoo and keep my hands praying.