By Geoff Lepper
48minutes.net

OAKLAND — Andris Biedrins, the Warriors’ final iron-man candidate, will not make an appearance in all 82 games this season.

Biedrins, who hadn’t missed any of Golden State’s first 42 contests, will sit out Wednesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a sprained left wrist, Warriors coach Don Nelson said.

“We never want to come out here knowing (Biedrins) is not going to be on our bench,” Stephen Jackson said. “That’s (12.0) rebounds we’ve got to account for.”

Biedrins suffered the injury in Golden State’s 119-98 win over the Washington Wizards on Monday, although he wasn’t certain of when specifically it happened, a team spokesman said. Biedrins was not available for comment at shootaround Wednesday morning.

Most teammates didn’t realize Biedrins had been hurt until he complained of pain at practice on Tuesday.

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By Geoff Lepper
48minutes.net

OAKLAND — In five career games against the Warriors, Kevin Durant has already authored 42- and 41-point performances. Stephen Jackson wants to make certain that doesn’t happen again.

Jackson said that with Jamal Crawford, who’s averaging 25.9 points per game in January, and Corey Maggette, who’s putting up 24.0 ppg in his new reserve role, holding down the fort on offense, he can go back to putting his emphasis at the defensive end.

And with Oklahoma City coming to Oracle Arena on Wednesday, that makes Jackson’s next target Durant.

“At the start of the season I got caught up with trying to make too many plays every time, because I felt like I didn’t have enough help,” Jackson said. “And that caused me to have a poor shooting percentage, more turnovers. Now, I can come down four or five times in a game and not even touch the ball, and we’re still scoring, and just play D. That’s definitely helped me contribute to me playing the whole all-around game on both ends of the court . . . I’m not as tired.”

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FOURTH QUARTER:

** Two calls on Maggette — the first was bad judgment (no need to crowd a guy with 3 on the shot clock 22 feet from the hoop), but the second was a reaction to a bad flop.

** Here’s a third foul of the quarter (five overall) plus a techincal on Maggette, and now we get the Kelenna Azubuike Traveling Power Forward Show.

** With Jamison back and Butler checking out, Jackson is now at the 4.

** He may not be good enough to where he should start and play 40 minutes a night, but Azubuike fills a critical need as a 3-point specialist.

** Jackson is showing improved defensive results today. When he, Belinelli and a slowly improving Crawford all play together, could that actually be a decent defensive trio? It bears watching.

** That’s three wins in four games for the Warriors. Now they only need to go 28-12 the rest of the way to reach .500.

THIRD QUARTER:

** Great steal by Randolph in his first chance to gain a measure of revenge on Jamison.

** Jackson was doing a good job making Caron Butler’s life difficult . . . until he gets free on a fast break and no one covers him at the rim.

** Swopa: Fair enough.

** It’s interesting after all the growth Andris Biedrins has shown this season, but now that the Warriors have three big perimeter scorers healthy, all the, “Oh, we’re going to run the offense through Andris” talk has disappeared completely.

** Andray Blatche is saying, “Hey, isn’t this the team I kicked the crap out of back in November? Oh yeah, I remember now.”

** That steal in the backcourt by Randolph not only was a spectacular move in and of itself, but it saved another odd-man rush in a quarter where the Wizards have taken advantage of Golden State’s proclivity to turning the ball over.

** After seeing so many unforced errors by other Warriors this season, I’ve come to the conclusion that I may have been too harsh in hammering Mickael Pietrus for his mental mistakes in past years.

SECOND QUARTER:

** Maggette forced the Wizards to go zone by shredding Jamison, and that in turn led to Crawford’s 3 there.

** I honestly can’t remember the last time the Warriors were able to blow by an opponent as repeatedly and determinedly as they are today with the Wizards.

** Jim: True enough about Biedrins, and even more impressive has been the…

Just a quick hit because the weather’s far too nice to remain indoors:

The Warriors might be hoping to turn the page when they start the second half of their season Monday afternoon in an MLK holiday matinee against the Washington Wizards, but their shorthanded status will continue unabated.

A team spokesman said guards C.J. Watson (turf toe. left foot) and Marco Belinelli (sprained right ankle) will miss Monday’s game due to injury, joining forward Brandan Wright (partially dislocated left shoulder) and guard Monta Ellis (torn tendons, left ankle) on the bench.

An MRI scan of the painful turf toe on Watson’s left foot showed inflammation but nothing more serious and he’s considered day-to-day. He shot on the side but did not participate in the Warriors’ practice on Sunday.

Belinelli said Friday that he was hoping to play Monday, but sat out Sunday’s work entirely. He’s also listed as day-to-day by the team.

– Geoff

FOURTH QUARTER:

** If the Warriors can continue to get this kind of rebounding from Maggette and Morrow, then small ball might flourish once again.

** That’s a tough drive for Flip Murray, well defended by Morrow.

** And for once, it’s the opposition (Johnson) that falls asleep at the wheel and allows the back-door cut for an open layup. I was of the feeling that Johnson was going to take over the game for the Hawks, but not after that 8-0 burst — and not since JJ has missed eight of his last nine from the floor.

** One of the pluses of bringing Maggette off the bench is that you’re more likely to put him in a bonus situation where his player-control fouls turn into free throws.

** That’s a new season-high in rebounds for Maggette at 14.

** That 3-pointer from Bibby looked truly rancid . . . until it hit nothing but net. And then he does it again to pull the Hawks within a point.

** Nice quick post flash to Maggette to bring the Warriors back into a tie at 106-all.

** Corey Maggette diving on the floor for the steal. Assuming the Warriors hold on, he’s the MVP of this one, no question.

** And with that, the Warriors are at a season-high from beyond the arc (56.3).

** Phil Hellmuth is at the game tonight, and while I won’t say it’s a done deal — remember the Heat? — the Hawks need to hit runner-runner to extend this game.

** That’s a wrap, folks.

THIRD QUARTER:

** Got to be able to accept the entry pass, youngblood.

** Nice look-ahead dish from Crawford to Randolph. Followed by an orderly 3-on-1 break orchestrated by Jackson. It’s almost like this team’s remembering how to run…

** Biedrins may have gotten all ball in blocking Pachulia, but you’re never going to get that call when you come from directly behind a player.

** And then a bad LBF for a fourth foul on Biedrins, who can get whatever he wants on Pachulia right now. Nelson’s going to risk leaving him in there, at least for the moment.

** Tom Abdenour is trying to take a look at Jackson’s leg, but Jackson is trying to walk off the pain after appearing to knock left knees with Josh Smith. I’ll give him credit; even when he should by all rights be on the bench, he wants to play. Period.

** Bob: That’s 3-3 now for Bibby…