BRANDAN WRIGHT one of the fastest rising stars in the basketball scene.
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Warriors looking for ways to improve
The San Antonio Spurs have sported a Big Three for more than a decade. The Boston Celtics produced one this season, as did the Los Angeles Lakers. For the Spurs, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili form the core of a team that has won two of the past three NBA titles. In Boston, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen arrived last fall to join Paul Pierce. And the addition of Pau Gasol to Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom in Los Angeles has Jack Nicholson grinning like the Joker. So among the biggest questions for a Warriors team that finished 48-34 but missed the playoffs is this: Are guards Baron Davis and Monta Ellis and swingman Stephen Jackson a sturdy enough foundation upon which to build a championship-caliber team? "I think so," Jackson said. "Because we can play with any stars in the league. We can go out there and match up and play against them. That's just always been our confidence." Last season, that confidence was backed up with results. As the Warriors plowed through the final games to claim a playoff berth after a 12-season drought, it didn't seem to matter which team they were facing. Golden State had the resourceful air of a team that would find a way to win even in the tightest of spots, as evidenced by its 8-4 record against playoff teams in the final six weeks. This season, the Warriors were 2-8 in their last 10 games against playoff teams. "I think we have a really good core group of players, we've got young guys coming up," Warriors executive Chris Mullin said. "(But) obviously, we didn't make the playoffs this year, so to put the adjective 'championship team' on a team that's not in the playoffs wouldn't make much sense." Mullin made clear Wednesday that he would like to keep the central pieces of his team together, guaranteeing the return of Ellis and center Andris Biedrins, both up for restricted free agency, and expressing an expectation that Davis - a potential unrestricted free agent - would be back as well. That means to build on this season's six-win jump, Mullin will have to improve the supporting cast. "We need to get deeper, for sure, and better," Coach Don Nelson said. "But we'll have to stay under the cap and do a good job of managing the monies that we have." The team might be willing to part with forward Al Harrington, who started 59 games but didn't mesh particularly well with Nelson at times. The four most-used reserves - Kelenna Azubuike, Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus and Austin Croshere - are all free agents, and the last three failed to live up to expectations. Nelson held out his rookies early in the season for fear of losing crucial games, and by the time it was clear the Warriors needed their help, it was too late. "We got a little too young this year," Nelson said. "Three rookies on a team is difficult for any team." That said, Nelson and Mullin both expect those rookies to compete for more important roles next season. "I'm really encouraged by the way they've developed despite not getting a lot of playing time," Mullin said. The Warriors' search for a low-post presence remains a priority, but Mullin said he's more satisfied with the team's rebounding and interior defense than in past years. What's missing is someone who can score from the low block, a role the Warriors are hoping rookie Brandan Wright will grow into. "You look over the course of time, teams that have a low-post scorer do much better than teams that just rely on outside (scoring)," Mullin said. "So that's something either you acquire or you develop it." There is also a need for a shot blocker. Without a solid player to protect the rim, opponents will continue to pounce on the defensive shortcomings of Davis and Ellis at stopping dribble- penetration. That's a long shopping list, but with Nelson saying he's going to coach one more season, at most, it might be the time for an all-out push. "It's always urgent for me," Jackson said. "I want to win. Time is ticking on everybody."
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