Golden State Of Mind Q&A

Our favorite Warriors blog, Golden State Of Mind, asked us to help them out with a Q&A in honor of tomorrow’s match-up between the Wolves and Warriors at the Target Center. 

  

Click here to see what our bloggers had to say in response to Golden State Of Mind’s questions about the Wolves. 

 

To see what GSOM’s Atma Brother #1 had to say on expectations and predictions for his team, click the "read more" button below.  

Twolves Blog: There was no dispute that the Warriors could put points on the board last year.  At the end of the season, they were a hot team and matched up very well with the Mavericks.  However, the defense out there is still suspect, which is ultimately fine since the game plan seems to be "run them out of the gym."  Additionally, without the end of season run, the squad may have been in the lottery.  I think on a nightly basis, the Warriors have a chance to take down any team with their scoring, and they make for a very intimidating first round match up for anyone that draws them.  That being said I still think the national media overinflated the kind of season they had by predicting a three or four seed jump in the playoff standings.  From an outsider’s view, I still see the Warriors as a .500 team and fighting for a 7 or 8 seed.  What were Warrior fans expectations for the team heading into this season?

 

Atma Brother #1  (Golden State Of Mind): I’m not going to lie. The Warriors have always had the most loyal, passionate, and intelligent fans in the entire NBA despite their losing woes and the hilariously, horrific mismanagement from owner Chris Cohan and whatever random outmatched front office he instilled. But the We Believe movement and return to NBA relevance brought on a lot of homerish types who had this team winning 50 or so games. There were some that thought getting a 4th of 5th seed was a given. That isn’t too say that that either isn’t possible if the team gets hot like they did last Spring, but given the heavy minutes Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson are playing early on and the injury history of this team, that isn’t probable.

I think your assessment is spot on. Without any major trades or gigantic internal in season leaps from young players like Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins, Patrick O’Bryant Brand this is a .500 ballclub, give or take a few games. The 7 or 8 seed is very attainable, but as TWolves fans know in this talented and deep Western Conference no playoff spot is guaranteed unless you’re the Spurs, Suns, or Mavericks. At the beginning of the season I had this team pinned down for the 8th spot in the West, but only if they made some trades to upgrade this roster during this season. As long as they stay healthy, this roster as presently constituted might actually be good enough to get in though.

 

Twolves Blog: The Twolves are now in the same position as the Warriors have been in years past (Missing the playoffs, rebuilding, having young players with potential, etc.)  Being that we have not seen much of Brandan Wright, how does he look?   Are you happy with drafting him and what do you think his potential upside looks like?   Do you think that Wright will eventually become part of the future "core players" along with guys like Monta Ellis and Biedrins?  What other young guys on the Warriors do you really like from what you’ve seen so far?

Atma Brother #1 (Golden State Of Mind): I wish I could give you a decent scouting report on Brandan Wright, but he’s barely played and when he has it’s been mostly garbage time against the other team’s backups. For the most part he’s done all anyone can really ask during those sparse minutes. To really gauge Wright’s progress this season you would either have to be at every Warriors practice, which I’m unfortunately not, or have to know his game intimately from his high school career and brief stint at UNC. So I’ll just pass the mic:
* Aran Smith from NBADraft.net
* Jonathan Givony from DraftExpress

I’m happy that the Warriors could grab a lottery pick in the uber-loaded 2007 NBA Draft, but I’m not all that ecstatic about getting a player that Nellie has said is 2-3 years from contributing at the expense of a player who fit in really well on this team and gave the Warriors about 20-6-4 last Spring. We had 12 years of "rebuilding". The West is only to get tougher with Greg Oden, Kevin Durant, and even Al Jefferson + Corey Brewer. There’s no better time to win than now. With a few upgrades of last Spring’s roster this team could be right up there with the Mavericks and Suns. Instead they took a few steps back just to save some dough.

Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins are already good starters in the league and should turn out to be top 15 at their positions in the NBA  (Beindrins maybe top 10 if the league continues its center drought), but they probably aren’t ever going to form a dynamic superstar duo. Neither will probably ever make an All-Star squad. Unless Brandan Wright blossoms into a superstar, I don’t think I could safely say that minus guys Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington, and Matt Barnes, a core of Ellis-Biedrins-Wright would even make the playoffs in the West a few years from now. You have to figure a few years down the line Greg Oden and Trail Blazers will be dominating, the Suns will still be solid with Amare, the Rockets will still be good with TMac and Yao, Mark Cuban will find some way to keep the Mavs winning, and Chris Paul and the Hornets will be great. Hey if the TWolves get rid of Kevin McHale by then too, they’ll probably be a playoff team as well.

As far as the other young players on the roster- #9 pick in the 2006 NBA Draft Patrick O’Bryant is as good as gone after this season if not earlier, 2nd round pick Kosta Perovic from that draft class is looking to improve on his zero threat position in the DLeague and looks like a highly questionable offseason signing, and #18 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft Marco Belinelli can shoot beautifully, but has awful shot selection and doesn’t pass, rebound, or play D to justify any playing time. You obviously have to give Ellis, Biedrins, Wright, O’Bryant, Perovic, and Belinelli more time, but right now this core doesn’t look like it will ever form a playoff squad without some major additions or retentions (Davis, Jackson, Harrington, and Barnes).

Twolves Blog: Did anyone in the Bay Area feel compelled to purchase the 79th copy of the Troy Hudson’s cd "Undrafted", just to make T-Hud feel welcome?

Atma Brother #1 (Golden State Of Mind): Haha I’d venture to say that the GSoM Interview Trilogy with Golden State Warriors hype man extraordinaire Franco Finn (Part I | Part II | Part III) has more online downloads that T-Hud’s album. But you know, we treat our folks right in the Yay Area. By the time Troy’s tenure with the Warriors is over we’ll make sure his "Undrafted" album pushes Platinum status!