The Warriors: Go Figure
The embattled Warriors came shuffling into Monday night's game down in the dumps like a pair of sunglasses in a pit toilet.
They had a cancerous six-game losing streak.
They were winless thus far on an abysmal road trip.
They were nine games under .500, going up against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons, on the road.
They carried the second-worst road record in the entire Association, a pitiful 6-25.
They had won only once all season in the second game of back-to-backs.
They had never, ever won in the Palace of Auburn Hills.
Oh yes Warriors fans, them playoffs is still out there, lurking just out of grasp. But they're there, and this year, the Warriors are still in the game. Playoffs graphic from the JBL Superleague, whatever the hell that is.
And the previous night they had lost an emotional crusher to the Washington Wizards on a questionable call by the refs and a questionable response by coach Don Nelson.
Did we mention the league's second-worst road record?
So on paper, the preliminary data was pretty convincing: the Warriors should have laid down and died like suffering dogs (sorry PETA, it's just a metaphor) Monday night in Detroit against the East-leading Pistons. Paper, schmaper -- that's why the play the games.
In fact, the Warriors absolutely dominated Monday night, that's right, dom-i-nated the Pistons in all facets of the game and manhandled the former Ft. Wayners for the second time this season, 111-93. Go figure.
Instead of a winless road trip and a seven-game losing streak, the Warriors return home tonight with a feel-good blowout win over Detroit and a surge of momentum -- yup, a surge of momentum coming off a 1-4 road trip.
Go figure:
They swept the season series with Detroit, the first time since the 1993-1994 season.
They notched their first win ever in the Palace of Auburn Hills.
They are now 3-0 this season against the current leaders of the Western (Dallas) and Eastern (Detroit) conferences. Huh?
The worst of the road trips and road games are out of the way. In fact, of their remaining 20 games, the Warriors only have to play 9 more on the road. Of those nine road games, only four are against teams with winning records.
The team is finally starting to come together. Injuries, trades, Nellie, court appearances, and other sundry misfortunes have kept the Warriors from putting their best players on the floor at the same time this year, but Monday night, the lineup featured a still-hobbled but really fired up Baron Davis, a still-hobbled but very effective Jason Richardson, man-among-boys Andris Biedrins, scoring machine Al Harrington, and Stephen "I'm not Ron Artest" Jackson, with wunderkind Monta Ellis coming off the bench. Now if the Warriors could get one more big man on the floor, say a number one draft pick, maybe a seven-footer with soft hands and a 7'3" wing span who can run the court and pass, this team would be going places. Hmm, where could we find a big man like that?
But best of all, the Warriors return home after all the trials and tribulations of the recently concluded road flop, still in playoff contention. That's right folks, don't let Tim Kawakami or Don freaking Nelson tell you different, the playoffs could still happen.
With a roster that is finally coming together and the worst of the road behind them, the Warriors find themselves in a position to make a push for the playoffs in the last two months of the season -- when it counts.
With 20 games to play, the Dubs are just 3 games out of the playoffs! Many is the year that Warriors fans could only wish the team was so well positioned.
Don't write the War-yaws off yet. Nawklahoma, Sacto, Minnesota, the Clippers, and even Denver have been doing their best to keep the Warriors in the playoff race. Now it's time for the Warriors to take advantage of their rivals' inability to finish. This team seems to be coming together at the right time. With a little luck and the type of sack the Warriors showed Monday night, look out Dallas, the Ws are coming for you in the first round.
The playoff hunt resumes tonight in the O-rena against the Denver Nugs, current holders of the seventh playoff spot in the Western Conference, a mere four games ahead of your Warriors. Make that three games after tonight.
The Warriors? in the playoffs? this year? Go figure.