By Geoff Lepper
48minutes.net

I have to admit, I didn’t think much of all the praise being lavished upon the Warriors in the wake of their two “close” defeats in Cleveland and Boston earlier this week. I thought the only things missing from all the happy chatter were some freshly-sectioned oranges and homemade Rice Krispie treats, because it all had that air of youth-soccerdom: Good job, way to go, you tried hard and that’s what matters.

Read the rest of this entry…

By Geoff Lepper
48minutes.net

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

BLOGOSPHERE

Talking Points/San Jose Mercury News (Tim Kawakami): Setting the stage for Thursday’s potential showdown between Jeff Fried, Monta Ellis’ agent, and Warriors brass.

(Perhaps the NBA can hold a special “non-expansion dispersal” draft next summer to help the Warriors out after they sell off everything of value.)

Inside The Warriors/Contra Costa Times (Marcus Thompson II): This was from Monday, before Tim’s post, but now serves to amplify the depths of Ellis’ frustration.

Plus: Wrapup from the Cavaliers game.

Fast Break/San Jose Mercury News (Adam Lauridsen): Taking Ellis to task for not being willing to fill the void left behind by Stephen Jackson’s departure.

I don’t share his optimism, but Adam likes what he saw from the Jackson-less Warriors against Cleveland on Tuesday.

Read the rest of this entry…

By Geoff Lepper
48minutes.net

If LeBron James’ call for players to give up use of the No. 23 takes root, Warriors guard C.J. Watson — one of 13 men in the league this season wearing Michael Jordan’s old number — won’t mind all that much.

After all, he’s only wearing that uniform because Brandan Wright has the one he really covets: the No. 32 he wore at Tennessee.

“Unless me and BWright work something out, I don’t really mind,” Watson said of James’ plan, which is meant to recognize Jordan’s contributions to the game. “(I’m) not really mad about it, (I) agree he’s the best.”

Phoenix guard Jason Richardson, another one of the No. 23 wearers, said via Twitter that he’s up for the change.

“Im all 4 it he’s the greatest player to ever play,” Richardson said. “NBA should of retired 23 yrs ago.”

Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy gave voice today to the opposition, pointing out that Jordan did not make the same sacrifices as did Jackie Robinson, whose No. 42 has been retired by Major League Baseball.

“There actually were guys before Michael who could play the game,” Van Gundy said. “Then you should retire numbers that (Bill) Russell, Wilt (Chamberlain), and certainly Oscar (Robertson) wore. I understand LeBron didn’t grow up watching those guys, but still.”

Watson, however, thinks James’ star power will win out. “I’m sure it will go into effect since LBJ spoke up.”

By Geoff Lepper
48minutes.net

OAKLAND — Not much upstages LeBron James these days, but the Warriors managed it Thursday, announcing on their Web site that Monta Ellis will return Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

After one moped accident, two surgeries, hundreds of hours of rehab, six practices and one critical meeting to discuss the six-year, $66 million contract that he placed in jeopardy, Ellis is set to step back onto the floor at Oracle Arena.

Warriors coach Don Nelson said on KNBR that Ellis will start Friday — presumably alongside Jamal Crawford — at the point and expects him to log somewhere between 20 and 30 minutes.

“I was very concerned that he would maybe never be the same player again, because it was a very severe ankle (injury) — he severed two tendons in his ankle, and they had to surgically repair them and put pins in them and a whole bunch of stuff — and I was thinking he may never be the same again, but I can assure you that he will be,” Nelson said. “I’m watching him in practice and he’s coming back way faster than I thought. . . . I think he’ll be the same Monta we’ve grown to love and enjoy watching.”

Ellis only began practicing in 5-on-5 drills nine days ago, but has long felt that his ankle was 100 percent physically and that it was merely a matter of getting into basketball shape. In a sign of his anxiousness, he famously yelled, “Let me play!” after dunking at the Warriors’ shootaround Wednesday morning.

Read the rest of this entry…

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.”

Read the rest of this entry. . .