By Geoff Lepper
48minutes.net

The Warriors looked slow and befuddled Friday while the Suns zoomed past them for a 123-101 victory, but Golden State is getting faster in one area, at least:

Last season, it took several weeks before people started wondering what was going on between coach Don Nelson and prized rookie Anthony Randolph.

This year, it only took three days.

In the space of two games, Randolph has gone from a bench afterthought to a starting power forward to a “cleanup on aisle 9” fourth-quarter-blowout specialist.

Hell, I’m dizzy just from typing that.

After the game, according to Brett Pollakoff of NBA Fanhouse, Nelson declined to answer questions about his usage of Randolph, who replaced Ronny Turiaf in the starting lineup, was pulled after 7:15 and not seen again until the second half, when he was made to finish off the dispiriting defeat by playing the entire fourth quarter.

Somehow, I don’t think that’s going to mollify the folks who see Randolph as the savior of the franchise.

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Not much to add this morning, so it’s straight to the linkage:

BLOGOSPHERE

Golden State Warriors/San Francisco Chronicle (Rusty Simmons): Don Nelson goes on the offensive in The Jackson Affair, spinning in the masterly manner of C.J. Cregg: “How sad can a guy be making $36 million over four years? To this day, I really don’t know why (Jackson) wants out. We’re trying to win here, and he can be a big part of that.”

Also, after reading Nelson’s quote about how, “I don’t fall out of love with people. I understand that people get divorced and everything else, but, if you have affection for people, I think it lasts a lifetime,” I have to admit, all I could think of was Jake Gyllenhaal in “Brokeback Mountain.”

Inside The Warriors/Contra Costa Times (Marcus Thompson II): Q: Is it worth worrying about Stephen Curry’s early shooting woes? A: Maybe.

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By Geoff Lepper
48minutes.net

Gilbert Arenas can’t talk enough for the NBA’s liking. I’m betting that Stephen Jackson is talking way too much.

Arenas was fined $25,000 Tuesday by the league in response to avoiding two weeks of interview requests. (And when he did finally speak Wednesday, it wasn’t to say much.)

After a second consecutive day of musings and ruminations without much heed to ramifications, can Jackson’s second league fine of the season be that far off?

Twenty-four hours after renouncing his captaincy, Jackson took the opportunity Wednesday to expand the circle of blame for his L.A. meltdown, lumping the teammates who didn’t ride to his rescue in with coach Don Nelson.

(We’re not even going to delve into the ridiculous notion floated by Jackson, that he’s as good as Kobe Bryant.)

“Nobody reacted but me so the team didn’t have a reaction,” Jackson said of his five-fouls-in-10-minutes Friday. “It was only me standing up for myself. I don’t think anybody else stood up for me. But if the shoe was on the other foot, I would have stood up for somebody on my team. And they didn’t do the same for me.”

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BLOGOSPHERE

Talking Points (Tim Kawakami): First, Monta Ellis accurately assessed the defensive prospects for a potential pairing with Stephen Curry (poor). Now, Brandan Wright is spot on in his observation of what the Warriors need to do: “For us to be a successful team, we’ve got to rebound. I’ve never seen a successful team that didn’t rebound.” Can I get an “Amen”? More importantly, can I get any kind of agreement from the head coach?

Fast Break (Adam Lauridsen): Breaking down the Warriors big men, in minute detail. Lauridsen hopes that “(Mikki) Moore truly is a 12th man and injury insurance.” Based on Don Nelson’s usage of Wright in the past, I wouldn’t bet on it.

PRINT MEDIA

Contra Costa Times (Marcus Thompson II): Now that the Media Day kerfuffle has been successfully snuffed out, the Warriors are waxing rhapsodic on the prospects for Ellis’ season. Nelson says that “Monta, after this season, he’ll be a made man.” Hopefully, the NBA will let him slide on that whole murder requirement the Mafia has for the original made men.

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