(By e.Chang)

Currently: 31-21 (.596); 6th Place in the Western Conference

Last Week:
v. Bobcats (lost)
v. Bulls (WON)
at Phoenix (lost)

This Week:
Mon: v. 76ers (WON)
Wed: v. Heat
Sat: Rising Stars Game (starring your Harrison Barnes)
Shooting Stars Challenge (starring your Steph Curry and his dad, Dell!)
All-Star Slam Dunk Contest (starring your Harrison Barnes)
All-Star 3-Point Contest (starring your Steph Curry)
Sun: NBA All-Star Game (starring and starting your Steph Curry!!!)

How's your newish year going so far? Good? Great? The same as last year? Probably the same, yeah? Still smoking, still drinking, still on the North Beach diet. I feel you. But January 1st, though! Man, was it full of promise.

Back in those heady days, the Warriors were in the middle of almost making history. They had closed out 2013 with 6 straight wins and in the midst a 7-game Eastern Conference road trip. On January 8, the Dubs lost in Brooklyn, unable to set a franchise win-streak record and an NBA road trip record. And then it all went to hell. But January 1st, though!

On January 2nd, the Dubs got back to business, playing their first game of the new year in Miami. That was the game that was circled on everyone's calendar. The Miami Heat. The reigning repeat NBA Champions. And some guy called King James. He did ok. 26 points, 5 assists. Those are pretty good numbers. They're not 36 points and 12 assists though, which is what Steph Curry hung on the Heat. And they're not 32 points and 14 rebounds either, which is what David Lee put up. On January 2nd, the Warriors were the hottest team in the NBA, walked out of Miami with a 123-114 win in their pocket, and I finished my first P90X workout. Gonna be a good year, I know it.

Since that game, the Dubs have won 10 and lost 8, including 5 losses at home. I've gained 4 pounds. In fat.

Tonight, the Dubs take on the Heat again, this time in Oakland. The Heat have gone 12-6 in the interim, including 7 wins in their last 9 games. Whatever home-court advantage the Dubs have at the Roaracle has seemingly disappeared of late and our big-man, Andrew Bogut, will remain sidelined with a mysterious shoulder injury. Not good. Tonight's game will be the Warrior's last game before heading into the All-Star break. The first half of the season has shown that the Dubs can absolutely play with the big boys--the Heats and Thunders--and yet their record and standing show that they haven't yet earned a spot in the championship conversation. Let's hope that comes in the second half.

*****

Speaking of the All-Star break, a huge congratulations to our very own Steph Curry for making his first All-Star Game appearance! While David Lee absolutely deserved his All-Star spot last year, everyone in the Bay felt that Steph got shafted. He showed the rest of the nation why in the second half of the season, and even more so in the post-season. Since then, he's become one of the most familiar faces in the NBA and the voting proved it--Steph received the second-most votes in the Western Conference and fourth-most overall. This is the first time a Warrior received the most votes for his position since Rick Barry in 1976 and the first Warrior to be named a starter since Latrell Spreewell in 1995.

A Golden State Warrior is starting in the All-Star Game. Sweet baby Jesus. Now go make us proud, Steph!