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If Warriors go post season, it could be close
By David Zizmor February 26, 2008 |
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OAKLAND--If Golden State goes to the post season they will be cutting it very close as they are just trailing the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference for the last spot for the playoffs. The chase could come down to a razor thin margin too now that Andris Biedrens is off the active list trying to recover from Thursday night's appendectomy which was successful. For Biedrens it came all of sudden after his successful outing against the visiting Boston Celtics in a two point win for Golden State. Biedrens went 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and was the difference in the game. Head coach Don Nelson refers to Biedrens as the key and heart of the team in contributing those points and rebounds that give Golden State that extra boost to win ball games. The Warriors who play without Biedrens will face the Seattle Super Sonics on Tuesday night at the Coliseum Arena after getting an about face on Friday night against the Atlanta Hawks who handed Golden State their third loss in eight games. Biedrens could have helped make that difference as Golden State lost it by seven points and couldn't do anything to stop the Hawks top scorer of the night Joe Johnson who racked up 27 points. The Warriors play the 76ers on Friday the 29th in addition to Tuesday night's game and also will face the Trailblazers on Sunday night March 2nd all at the Coliseum. The Warriors then hit the road to face Atlanta, Charlotte and Miami all three teams that the W's are expected to beat. But as Nelson pointed out without Biedrens the team chemistry was just slightly out of sink on Friday night and they are going to have to get tracked real soon if they want to chase the Nuggets out of the final and last playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Warriors doctors have targeted March 12th for a Biedrens return and even at that he has to get some practice shots in and get his rhythm ready for NBA play as the climb will be steep at that time of the year particularly if Golden State is still nipping at the Nuggets heels. Bierdens' absent count will be a full 20 days when he returns on March 12th. The Warriors depended heavily on the three point shot on Friday night missing 20-26 attempts. The Hawks used the outside arc to their advantage on Friday night and out converted the Warriors going 30-18 on Golden State for 3's. The Warriors even though they wouldn't say it after the game missed Biedrens sorely particularly in the last few moments of the game when they just couldn't close the gap on the Hawks. Their is no doubt that the Warriors are hoping for a quick return for Biedrens and with a Golden State victory last Friday the Warriors could have moved into the 8th and final spot in the Western Conference for the playoffs over Denver but not if Nugget star Allen Iverson has anything to say about it. The Nuggets are 33-21 and the Warriors are 33-32 third in the Pacific and have won five of their last eight games with three home games left on this home stand. Warrior bullet points: Chris Webber out did himself on Friday for rebounds for a season high with seven and had five assists the five assists now give him ten total for the year. Mickael Pietrus who has been asking for a trade from Golden State played 25 minutes on Friday and couldn't convert one basket for an O for night. Pietrus is not happy about his role on the team and would like to get more minutes somewhere else as he says where he could help somebody. Baron Davis had 35 points on Friday in the loss to Atlanta. Davis led Golden State in scoring and hit 14 out of 27 and also converted four of ten three pointers. Davis went 10 shots or more for the fifth time this season which is a season high. Finally Monta Ellis went 50% going 10-20 with 26 points but his point total for February is down. Ellis is 83 for 136 (61%) for February. The Warriors host Seattle on Tuesday night for a 7:30PM tip at the Coliseum. David Zizmor covers Warriors basketball each week and Jeremy Kahn does game day coverage for Sportstalk on 1690 KFSG Sacramento. |
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