Write On Sports LLC - "Golden State falls on its own sword" by Jake Lloyd

Golden State falls on its own sword

2007-05-16 11:55:32 | By: Jake Lloyd

A few excerpts from the box of "Obvious":

"We didn't shoot the ball very well tonight" -- Don Nelson, Golden State Warriors coach

"They were really setting for 3-pointers" -- Allan Houston, "NBA Fastbreak" studio analyst

"If it goes in, it looks great, but if it doesn't, it's like, 'What a terrible shot!' " -- Charles Barkley, "Inside the NBA" studio analyst

Yep. The run of the Golden State Warriors is over. And what a ride they took us on. They pulled arguably the greatest upset in NBA history when they knocked off No. 1 seed Dallas in the first round. And I thought they had the guns to get past Utah in the second round.

It wasn't meant to be. Utah sealed Golden State's fate with a 100-87 victory Tuesday night to close out the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series in five games.

What made the Warriors so fun to watch these playoffs -- the 3-pointers, the run-and-gun offense, the swagger, the "we're-not-afraid-of-Godzilla" attitude -- was ultimately their undoing. The Warriors who saw the Jazz score the game's final 12 points were basically the same Warriors who upset the Mavericks.

Except... they were a little slower... and a little less hungry.

"We just didn't get our speed going," Al Harrington said. "It had a lot to do with how they (Utah) played us physical."

When the Warriors were successful offensively these playoffs, they penetrated the lane, creating either layups or open -- emphasis on open -- 3-pointers. The last two games, they settled for contested -- emphasis on contested -- 3-pointers. They didn’t get to the hoop. They didn’t create many layups.

Just look at the deciding game's final six minutes, during which Golden State scored four points. They had 1 Jason Richardson mid-range jumper. 2 Baron Davis free throws. 3 turnovers. And 7 missed 3-pointers. That is -- for all you math people -- more than one missed 3 a minute. Not good.

Golden State finished 6-for-30 (20 percent) from 3-point range. As TNT's Doug Collins kept repeating, it was amazing the Warriors were able to hang tough with the Jazz. If not for 25 Utah turnovers, the game might have been over a lot earlier.

As ugly as the bridge was that Golden State constructed of 3-point bricks the last two games, it was truly original. Unlike Dallas, which made an unprecedented move when it tweaked its starting lineup before Game 1 against Golden State, the Warriors stuck with their game plan until it failed them.

And truthfully, if they had been able to rebound -- if they had a Ben Wallace on their team -- they might still be playing. They were dominated on the boards Tuesday, 59-35. Trailing 91-87 in the final 2 minutes, a Utah offensive rebound, of which the Jazz had 20, led to two crucial points. Golden State simply didn't have the big bodies to match up with Carlos Boozer (21 points, 14 rebounds), Mehmet Okur (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Andrei Kirilenko (21 points, 15 rebounds).

Derek Fisher didn't help Golden State's case, either, hitting three killer fourth-quarter 3s and finishing with 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting (which made up for Deron Williams' dismal 1-for-11, 2-point, 5-turnover performance).

After the game, Nelson lauded his team, praising them for going down fighting -- which they basically did at the end of the third quarter, committing a flagrant foul and committing a handful of technical fouls (another trait, if ungraceful, of the Warriors). And they should be applauded.

The Warriors gave these playoffs some zest, something new. A team that wasn't supposed to be here in the first place. A team that snuck in, then acted like they belonged here all along. A team that wasn't afraid of the regular season's best team. A team that didn't adjust to the bigger, stronger teams, but made them adjust to it.

A team about as mercurial as Larry Brown. But as good as the former6 against Dallas and Game 3 against Utah.

Will the Warriors be back?

Harrington said the pieces are in place -- except maybe for a rebounding big man. Which probably – and hopefully -- means more of the same next year.

UTAH MOVES ON
Charles Barkley said it best: Utah has beaten teams with completely different styles in the first two rounds of the playoffs. First the Jazz knocked off the slow, methodical Houston Rockets. Now they have dispatched of the run-and-gun Warriors.

So it shouldn't matter who Utah faces next. It will be ready for both defensive-minded, halfcourt San Antonio and shoot-as-quickly-as-possible Phoenix.

Still, whoever survives that throwdown will be the favorite against the Jazz. But that team will be worn out -- especially if that series goes seven games -- and Utah will be rested.

Don't be surprised if the Jazz give their next opponent a run for their money in trying to reach the Finals for the first time since Jordan hit that shot over Russell.

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