By Geoff Lepper
48minutes.net

Your (less and less frequent) daily guided tour through the national and local media coverage of the always-entertaining Golden State Warriors.

PRINT MEDIA
Contra Costa Times (Marcus Thompson II): So, I’m OK with a coach still getting credit for a win when he gets tossed midway through a contest. But if Don Nelson were to retire with 1,333 wins – just one more than Lenny Wilkens – you think people wouldn’t remember this game as “The One Nellie Won From Nearly 2,000 Miles Away, Watching On TV”?
Also: Vladimir Radmanovic makes more of a contribution than anyone has a right to expect.

San Francisco Chronicle (Bruce Jenkins): With Keith Smart at the helm, Bruce sees a Nellie-free future. And likes it.

San Francisco Chronicle (Rusty Simmons): Monta Ellis, on the Warriors’ post-Stephen Jackson era: “[I]t’s a whole different vibe that we’ve got going.” And Nelson now could miss as many as five games, if he tests positive for the swine flu that has already afflicted C.J. Watson.

WEB MEDIA
Hoopsworld.com (Bill Ingram): Nice feature on Stephen Curry, with a fascinating Curry quote on how he’s survived all the W’s drama: “Corey Maggette. He’s really helped me keep my head straight through all of the turmoil the team’s gone through and through our ups and downs. He helps make sure I come in every day and focus and have tunnel vision with all of that going on and make sure I just focus on getting better. He’s really helped me get through this first month. … It’s hard when all you hear when people talk about your team is negatives. It’s tough to keep your mind clear. You have to tell yourself that you know what’s really going on because you’re inside the ropes of the team and you know what to expect every day and how to handle it. I think if you remind yourself of that every day you can get through it.”

NBA.com (Art Garcia): Now that I read this, I had totally forgotten that Avery Johnson coached 13 games in Nelson’s stead during 2004-05 — going 9-4 while Nelson recovered from shoulder surgery and stayed home after wife Joy underwent her own procedure — before Nelson quit outright in late March. How many similar “wins” did Wilkens have in his career?

Dime.com (Jack Jensen): While trying to decide if the Monta Ellis/Warriors relationship can be salvaged, Jensen asks, “Is trading out Ellis for an expiring contract and lesser talent worth the result it will get in the long run?”
The short answer: No. There are only so many pieces you can give away without getting something approximating equal value back. Dumping Ellis in the name of “salary protection” is a bridge too far.

Dime.com: This is the kind of Smack write-up that you actually look forward to.

NBA.com (Dave Ivey): Jason Kidd: “They made shots and we didn’t get stops. Normally we’ll get stops even if we don’t get baskets, but tonight we just didn’t get it done.”

Examiner.com (Mike Massa): Another gamer.

BLOGOSPHERE
Talking Points/San Jose Mercury News (Tim Kawakami): I think my favorite part of this mea culpa on Tim’s part is the comment that reads simply: “WE WATCHABLE.” Succinct and so very, very true.

Fast Break/San Jose Mercury News (Adam Lauridsen): Do we think Stephen Jackson is happy being in Charlotte instead of here?

Inside The Warriors/Contra Costa Times (Marcus Thompson II): The Legend Of The Stone Soldiers, East Bay-Style.

Warriors Wire/Santa Rosa Press Democrat (Jared Cowley): Jared asks, “Is it time to break out the “We Believe” T-shirts again?”
Yo, people: How about we let the team get back to .500 before we go making travel plans for May and June?

Warriorsworld.net (Rasheed Malek): WW’s own mix of highlights from Tuesday.

AUDIO-VISUAL
KNBR (Rod Brooks): Fresh off his victory, we give you Keith Smart.

KNBR (Paul McCaffrey): Bruce Jenkins, discussing Don Nelson’s motivation: “If it is money, then he should be arrested, because he’s one of the wealthiest men around.”

NBA.com: Highlights package.

Comcast SportsNet Bay Area: Monta Ellis, postgame

Keith Smart, postgame

Highlights package