![_Golden State Warriors Officially Moving To San Francisco [Updated]](http://sfist.com/assets_c/2012/05/SFArena_Rendering-thumb-250x250-715954.jpg)
The Warriors: Efes Pilsen, It's Turkish for Beersketball
Let the PR horns boldly announce it from the highest rafters: The second Don Nelson era is off to a flying start.
Last night, the Warriors beat up on Turkish squad Efes Pilsen in their first preseason game of the 2006-2007 season. The final score was 120-66, and it wasn't that close. The Warriors were already up 28 at half time -- ah, that has a nice ring to it. The Brewers, from the vaunted Turkish First Division, aren't a premier European team by any stretch, and that's even if they had key players Baris Ermis, Antonio Granger and Nikola Prkacin, none of whom made the trip from Istanbul. But and yet, they lost by only 16 to Denver on Tuesday, and they did just nab their seventh Presidential Cup, so . . .
. . . so it's better than losing, but let's just keep things in perspective. This is the equivalent of USF scheduling Division II cupcakes like Cal State Stanislaus and Sonoma State to puff up their confidence before heading into conference play. No complaints here -- the Warriors can use all the puffing they can get -- but this game should in no way be used to validate the return of new/old coach Don Nelson or his small-ball system.
Before the game though, Nellie wasn't seeing it that way. "This is called an ass-whooping game" Nellie boasted, "we're going to open up a can of ass whoop and see what happens." (Note to Nellie: We believe the proper phrase is, "open up a can of whoop-ass.") And ass whup they did. Killer Warriors blog Golden State of Mind was in the house last night and reported that team looked sharp and fast, with Monta Ellis, Andres Biedrins, and Dujuan Wagner looking particularly good. Even franchise centerpiece Mike Dunleavy looked competent. In fact, seven Warriors scored in double digits as Nellie used more different combinations and looks in the first half of this game than former coach Mike Montgomery used in the last two years.
If only Efes Pilsen was in the Pacific Division instead of the Suns and Lakers. Image from the Türkiye Radyo Televizyon web site.
San Jose Mercury News writer Tim Kawakami had some interesting observations. Among them, Adonal Foyle, making $8.12 million this year, didn't play a single second!. Nice signing Mullie. Similarly, first round pick Patrick O'Bryant played only the last five inconsequential minutes and looked like an odd man out. He was joined by last year's first round pick, Ike Diogu, who fouled early and sat often. No word on whether or not Chris Taft was even allowed to wear a uniform. Nice vision Mullie.
The game apparently wasn't significant enough to be televised or even broadcast on the radio, however, the Warriors did find it in their hearts to charge admission. Not surprisingly, the Oakland Arena was only half full. Compare that to the team's free open practice on Monday.
The first Turkish team to scrimmage with NBA teams, Efes must have been a last-minute fill-in, because they don't even merit a mention on the NBA.com Global web page. In fact, there are links to web pages for nine different NBA.com countries, including noted basketball powers Canada and Japan, but nary a link for Turkey. Don't sweat it TKY, you're a comer, in a few more years, you'll have your own link and people will be asking, Taiwan who?
Continuing with the international theme, the Warriors next play on Saturday at 6:30 in Monterrey, Mexico, where they will take on the Denver Nuggets. That game won't be on TV or radio either. Internet coverage is apparently sketchy, at best. The team's first broadcast game will be on KNBR 680, Tuesday, October 17 against the completely rebuilt Portland Trailblazers.