What a difference one night can make. Just 24 hours after getting blown out by the Los Angeles Clippers 105-86 to kick off their season in underwhelming fashion, the Golden State Warriors put on an absolute clinic at the Oracle Arena in Oakland on Monday night, beating the Chicago Bulls 99-91. What a way for my hometown team to get their first win of the shortened 66-game campaign, and Mark Jackson his first ever coaching victory.

As I wrote yesterday, it appears that the Warriors are going to go as Stephen Curry goes, and he most certainly went last night. After a dismal opening day performance, Curry showed flashes of the brilliant point guard we are all hoping he’ll be, putting up an amazing stat line of 21 points, ten assists, seven rebounds, and six steals, not to mention a couple of breathtaking alley-oops, including a three-quarters court toss to Dorell Wright. And that’s all with missing a large chunk of the fourth quarter after re-injuring his ankle yet again, this time after landing on Kyle Korver’s foot. (Apparently Curry is going to have to miss the Warriors’ next game against the New York Knicks on Wednesday, making an already tough contest even tougher).

Jackson has been stressing that this Golden State Warriors team is going to be focused around defense, so perhaps it’s only fitting that in his first ever win, the team played great D on reigning league MVP Derrick Rose, holding him to 13 points on 4 of 17 shooting, and that they also managed to rack up 16 steals in the process. I know it’s been a while since there’s been basketball, but this was the best defensive effort that I’ve seen from a W’s team in a very, very long time.

And I’m not going to say that I’m right (it’s only been two games after all), but Kwame Brown’s performance Monday night was inspired. In 23 solid minutes off of the bench, the big man made in impact defending against the always tough Joakim Noah. And a +/- of +21? Nicely done, Kwame.

So what does it all mean? That the Warriors are going to play tough D, beat up on good Eastern Conference teams, effectively use 11 players (there is no telling the depths of Coach Jackson’s bench), and win games without scoring 100 points? Probably not. But even if this is just a one-time thing, it was great to see the W’s put together a performance that shows the potential of what this team could one day be.

Can they do it again on Wednesday without Curry against the Knicks? I’m not going to be the one who says that they can’t.

REFERENCES:

“Curry Leads Warriors to 99-91 Win Over Bulls,” Associated Press.

J. Michael Falgoust, “Warriors’ Curry (ankle) Could Miss a Game,” USA Today.

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After making the league’s biggest offseason splash in acquiring superstar
point guard Chris Paul, things may finally be looking up for the Los Angeles
Clippers.

With a palpable level of excitement surrounding the team for the first time
in a long while, the visiting Clippers open the lockout-shortened season against
the Golden State Warriors on Christmas night.

Los Angeles, which has just one winning season and two playoff appearances
over the last 18 years, enters 2011-12 with plenty to be excited about thanks to
Paul’s arrival. After a deal that would have sent Paul to the crosstown Lakers
was rejected by the league, the Clippers acquired the four-time All-Star from
New Orleans for guard Eric Gordon, center Chris Kaman, forward Al-Farouq Aminu
and a 2012 first-round draft pick.

Though Paul certainly didn’t come cheap, the opportunity to pair him with
reigning Rookie of the Year Blake Griffin was too good to pass up.

“We’re not getting caught up in the hype. We can’t control what happens in
the media and what people say, but we can control what happens in this locker
room,” Paul said. “We still have to go out there and continue to get better and
compete. We’re just making sure guys stay focused and understand that it’s a
long season.

“One thing that can’t be measured in the box score is how hard you play. And
as long as we do that every night, we have enough talent that we’re going to
give ourselves an opportunity to win.”

Griffin averaged 22.5 points and 12.1 rebounds to rank 12th and fourth in
the league, respectively. While he stands to become all the more dominant with
Paul running the show, he’s trying to keep an even keel.

“Our goal is the playoffs, obviously, but I’m not going to sit here and
promise that we’re going to win this amount of games, or that we’re going to go
this far in the playoffs, win 60 games and guarantee championships,” Griffin
said. “There’s going to be none of that.”

Besides welcoming Paul, the Clippers signed two-time All-Star Caron Butler
and agreed to terms with five-time All-Star Chauncey Billups.

With its impressive offseason, Los Angeles seems all but certain to improve
upon the 32-50 record it posted last season.

“We all know what we can do with this team. And with the new guys, I just
think it’s going to take us to another level,” said big man DeAndre Jordan, who
remained with the club after the Clippers matched the offer sheet he got from
Golden State.

“We’re going to try to make a run at the postseason. With the moves that
we’ve made, you can tell that we’re committed to winning this year and for years
to come. I’m happy about the direction we’re going in.”

While the Warriors didn’t make nearly as much offseason noise, they’re
counting on new coach Mark Jackson to help turn things around.

Golden State, which finished 36-46 in 2010-11, has missed the playoffs in
all but one of the previous 17 seasons.

“We’re not going to be an excuse team,” he said. “We’re going to find a way
to go get it done. We will be a playoff basketball team.

“… I’m here with a group of guys that I believe in. I’m here with a new
ownership team. I’m here with a new management team, and it’s an exciting time.
I really am not just hoping, I’m believing, I’m anticipating big things.”

The Warriors feature one of the more potent backcourts in the league with
Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry. Ellis ranked eighth in the NBA last season with
an average of 24.1 points and Curry posted 18.6 per game.

Neither Ellis nor Curry, however, are opening this campaign as they would
have hoped. While Ellis was accused of sexual harassment Wednesday in a lawsuit
by a former team employee, Curry is listed as day-to-day with a sprained right
ankle and his status for Sunday is uncertain.

Small forward Dorell Wright, who broke out last season with a career-best
16.4 scoring average, gives the team a formidable third scoring option while big
men David Lee and Andris Biedrins look to control the glass.

These teams split four meetings last season, but Golden State has taken 10
of 11 at home against the Clippers, including three straight by 19.3 points per
contest.