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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.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

There is the quick update of the day.

That’s all the news for today.

EMMETT BERG

A former employee of the Golden State Warriors today sued team owners, executives and star guard Monta Ellis for sexual harassment, charging that lurid texts from the National Basketball Association star led to her termination.

Oakland resident Erika Smith was hired to work on community relations for the Warriors in 2007 and regularly interacted with team members as part of her duties until her termination in August, according to documents filed in Alameda Superior Court.

Her firing came nine days after a local media outlet inquired if Ellis was “stalking” Smith.

In November 2010, Ellis, who is married, allegedly began the first of a total of 61 unwelcome texts of a sexual nature to Smith’s work cell phone, including a photograph of his genitals.

According to the filings, “During the period that Monta Ellis was incessantly texting Plaintiff, Monta Ellis informed Plaintiff that the texting would not be discovered since he was using a ‘secret’ cellular phone that was kept by equipment manager and for which the bills went to Monta Ellis’ grandmother.”

A January 13, 2011 incident described in court documents alleges Juanika Ellis, Ellis’s wife, discovered the secret phone and texts, and was demanding the ouster from the Warriors organization of Smith, who had previously also worked for NBA teams the Washington Wizards and the Phoenix Suns.

Action was delayed, according to the documents, to ensure Monta Ellis wouldn’t learn of his wife’s knowledge until after a “big game” against the Los Angeles Lakers.

In a statement released to the media Wednesday afternoon, Rick Welts, Golden State Warriors president and chief operating officer, said the team discovered a consensual relationship between Smith and Ellis and intervened to tell both “to stop promptly, directly and fairly.”

“The Warriors have never taken any action against for any inappropriate reason, and we deny the allegations she is making.”

Burton Boltoch, an attorney representing Smith, disputed the existence of a consensual relationship, and added that the team “does not address the allegations, the coverup and the fact that they didn’t do an investigation.”

Neither Ellis nor team officials were immediately available for comment.

– Reuters

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That’s all for today.

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

Read More: nba trade rumors 2011, Chris Paul (G – NOH), New Orleans Hornets, Golden State Warriors

Chris Paul has a lot of suitors for his services. The New Orleans point guard has put himself on the trading block, and there are plenty of offers out there. The Golden State Warriors have been putting out offers with Stephen Curry (and potentially Monta Ellis), but they won’t make the deal unless Paul agrees to an extension.

Which he apparently won’t. David Aldridge of NBA.com reports.

Chris Paul will not commit to signing a contract extension after this season with either the Golden State Warriors or Los Angeles Clippers if he is traded to either team by the New Orleans Hornets, citing the potential financial hit if he were to do that rather than becoming a free agent and signing a new deal with a new team next summer, according to league sources. That has left potential deals with both teams in limbo….

It’d make sense for Paul not to lock himself into an extension; he doesn’t know how good his team might be when he gets traded. Almost the entire league knows he wants to join a big franchise like the New York Knicks or the Los Angeles Lakers, where there will always be superstars and there should be a greater possibility of being on a championship contender. The Warriors have a lot of issues, and it’s hard for them to really be considered as a team that’s on the rise until they make some big moves.

Until those moves are made, Golden State is probably going to drop behind other prospects in the race for the best point guard in the league.

To discuss the idea of CP3 possibly leaving the Hornets or potentially going to the Warriors, head to At The Hive (our New Orleans SB Nation community) and Golden State of Mind (our Golden State SB Nation community).

Feel free to leave your comments below.

It’s going to be a very Merry Christmas in the Bay Area this year.

It was just announced that my hometown team, the Golden State Warriors, will help kick off the NBA’s brand new 66-game season on Christmas Day, as the final part of the five contests that are taking place on the 25^th.

The Warriors will host the Los Angeles Clippers to wrap up what should be a fantastic day of basketball, which includes Boston at New York, Miami at Dallas, Chicago at the Lakers, and Orlando at Oklahoma City.

Now the reasons why I’m excited for this game are almost too numerous to mention, but we should just start with the most obvious one first: the NBA is back, and just like everyone else, I want to see my team play as soon as possible. Who wants to wait until the 26^th? Give me a game on Christmas, please.

It’s really hard to say what kind of year the Warriors are going to have, and who will be on the roster come opening night. Will Monta Ellis(notes) still be on the team? (Those rumors of a trade with Memphis for Rudy Gay(notes) are coming up once again). Will new coach Mark Jackson manage to help take point guard Stephen Curry’s(notes) game to the next level? (Now wouldn’t that be fantastic). Will Andris Biedrins(notes) manage to get more than single-digit points and rebounds for the first time in what feels like a very, very long time? (Almost certainly not, but it’s a new season, we can hope). And will owner Joe Lacob use the amnesty clause from the new Collective Bargaining Agreement to shed David Lee’s(notes) contract? (The answer to that last question seems to be a resounding no).

So yes, who knows what W’s team we’ll see out there on Christmas Day, but no matter who it is, I know for sure that I’m going to enjoy seeing the Oracle Arena rocking, and the Warriors showing off their run-and-gun style up and down the floor.

And of course if you’re reading this and not a Warriors fan, there’s also another good reason to tune in. The Clippers employ a fairly large and athletic power forward by the name of Blake Griffin(notes), who has been known to dunk on a player or two, and also has a thing for jumping over Kia’s. Griffin himself is worth the price of admission (or at least the simple turning on of your television).

The game begins at 10:30 PM Eastern/7:30 PM Pacific on Christmas Day and will be shown nationally on ESPN.

Welcome back NBA – I’ve missed you.

REFERENCES:

ESPN.com News Services, NBA Adds 2 Games to Christmas Opener, ESPN.com

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

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As if Mark Jackson’s tenure as the Golden State Warriors head coach hasn’t been strange enough with the lockout, Jackson spoke with the media Wednesday and discussed some of his Jax-brand of basketball ideals, which are a bit different from most NBA coaches to say the least. 

Make the jump to see what he had to say.

Jackson is a man of faith, and will not let that take a back-seat to his duties as a coach. Therefore, Jackson will not use any curse words when on the bench, or anywhere else for that matter: 

Jackson hasn’t used a curse word in more than 20 years, and he doesn’t plan to start anytime soon. 

“You’ll never hear that,” he said. “I’m going to treat (refs and players) with respect, and I’m going to be demanding. … I truly believe that you coach the guys in practice … but you let the guys play the games.”    

He’ll likely be one of the only coaches in the NBA not using four letter expletives as part of his coaching mantra, which is kind of refreshing. Hopefully all that ‘respect’ equals some wins this season (if we have one). 

Another interesting note is how Jackson views going over game tape, as well as spending time on the team in general.

He said he doesn’t put much stock in getting to the building at 6 a.m. and staying all day. His stance is the same for film study.

“I’ve played for coaches that used it above and beyond, even out of control,” Jackson said. “I’m a guy that will use it to show examples. I’m not a guy you’re going to see with bags under my eyes because I’ve watched film all night long.”    

Once again, as long as you’re winning ball games that’s fine with the fans, but when the W’s begin a tailspin there might be some talk of the team being unprepared. Let’s hope Jax knows what he is doing. 

Feel free to leave your comments below.

It’s a new era for the Golden State Warriors, with owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber leading the franchise and head coach Mark Jackson plucked from the ESPN broadcast booth to mold the players into winners. No one’s quite sure what the team is going to look like a few years from now, but Chris Cohan and his cronies being nowhere near the franchise’s Oakland offices has bred a good amount of optimism. Still, the new braintrust hasn’t proven much of anything — Lacob and Guber have had just one transitional season as owners and Jackson has never coached at any level.

Ultimately, they’ll only be able to win over fans with wins. But, for now, they’re trying in other ways. On Wednesday, the Warriors held an event for roughly 3,000 fans at Oracle Arena. Based on comments from the team’s head honchos, they are setting some huge goals. From Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle (via TBJ):

“Don’t stand up and clap when we’re a playoff basketball team, because we won’t be standing up and clapping as a team,” Jackson said. “Our ultimate goal will be to hang a championship banner.”

Those kinds of stirring and outrageous statements were the norm as about 3,000 Warriors season-ticket holders listened to a panel discussion with the team’s hierarchy, including Jackson, co-owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber and executive board member Jerry West. [...]

The foursome was introduced to the crowd like a team’s starting lineup. They took seats at midcourt under blue and yellow lighting as some of the league’s elite introduced each one via previously recorded video. David Stern introduced Lacob, Magic Johnson for Guber, Pat Riley for West and Reggie Miller for Jackson.

Wow, it is really too perfect to have Miller introduce Jackson. I mean, not only were they teammates in Indiana, but they have also been the two most widely despised announcers of NBA games for the last two seasons. I bet they even traded tips on how to spout off even more cliches about a sport they understand at an expert level.

The real issue here, of course, is not related to Jackson’s famous friend. Instead, it’s figuring out why a coach with no experience whatsoever would pretend that the playoffs are an insubstantial goal for a team that’s made the postseason twice in the last 19 seasons. When the “We Believe” team made the playoffs as the eighth seed in 2007, fans jumped for joy. I know, I was one of them. Beating the Mavericks that year was just considerable icing on the cake.

I understand the idea behind Jackson’s quotes: He wants to shoot for the highest heights of the sport, and that competitiveness is noble. On the other hand, he’s also setting himself up for failure. It’s perfectly fine to set multiple goals for his team, the last of which should definitely be winning a championship. To act as if anything short of ultimate glory isn’t worth cheering is pigheaded and irresponsible. Making the playoffs would be a terrific step in the right direction for a franchise that hasn’t had a coherent plan for some time now. Fans are smart enough to realize that these things take time.

Jackson’s biggest problem with the Warriors is that, because he hasn’t coached a single game, he appears to be all talk with no substance. These comments do nothing to dispel those concerns. As long as he makes ridiculous promises, he might find it difficult to get the respect he covets so dearly.

Related: Golden State Warriors

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