Celtics-Warriors game preview: Boston's size vs. Golden St.'s quickness

Over the past few games, Golden St. has been starting Anthony Randolph at center and Corey Maggette at power forward. Now, if you're playing a pickup game against a team with little structure and no viable big men, that's okay. But against an NBA team with big, talented, physical interior players? Then, it could be a recipe for disaster.

Granted, playing Randolph at center is probably better than playing Mikki Moore, out with an injured heel. (Note: Even sitting with an injury, I still expect Mikki to get into foul trouble.)  But against the Celtics, a team that loves to go inside early and often, taking advantage of their big, skilled frontcourt, Golden St.'s so-called big men could be in for some serious trouble.

If Don Nelson expects Maggette to be able to defend KG, or Randolph to defend Perk, he's got another thing coming to him. 

On the other end, though, the C's could have some serious issues matching up with the Warriors' quickness.  Maggette should be able to drive by KG just about whenever he chooses, and Randolph should be able to go around Perk more or less at will.

Really, whoever dictates the style of play should win this one.  If the Celtics slow the game down and pound the ball inside, it could become a bloodbath; if the Warriors get their athletes out in space and utilize their speed, it could be a game. 

So what wins, size or quickness?

I say size, but let's just be happy Baron Davis isn't on the Warriors... He has both.

*****

Three things to look for in tonight's game:

•  Rajon Rondo vs. Stephen Curry - Curry isn't the NBA's quickest player, and Rondo just might be.  If Rondo is aggressive going to the hoop, he should have his way with the athletically unimposing former Davidson star.
• Rasheed Wallace's shot selection - In the first half of yesterday's game, 'Sheed was posting up and destroying Brian Skinner on the blocks.  In the second half, he was short-arming three after three.  When 'Sheed's down low, he's a force... he just doesn't do it all the time.
• Glen Davis - Big Baby could have a huge impact on this game.  He is strong enough to destroy Golden St. down low, yet quick enough to stay in front of the Warriors quick "big men."  It's weird to say someone so overweight is quick, but Big Baby is one nimble chunker.

*****

Other links:

• The return of Glen 'Big Baby' Davis
• Throwing some dimes: Rajon Rondo impressing teammates with leadership
• Stephen Curry faces another test against Rajon Rondo

Stephen Curry faces another test with Rajon Rondo tonight

Just look at Stephen Curry's opponents for this three-game stretch:

Wednesday night, Chris Paul. Saturday, Steve Nash. Monday, Rajon Rondo.

It may not yet be time to insert Rondo into a group with those other two guys, but nonetheless that is a murderer's row of point guards.

At this point, all Curry wants for New Year's is a game against Chris Duhon and the New York Knicks. And, after battling three of the top point guards in the NBA, Curry deserves a night off against the likes of Duhon. (He'll have to settle, though, for tomorrow night's game against Derek Fisher. Fisher will seem like an old washed-up bum after playing Paul, Nash and Rondo in successive games. What's that, you say? Fisher IS an old, washed-up bum? Sorry, I'd forgotten.)

If facing Rondo provides a far different challenge than playing against Nash, it still provides a tough matchup for Curry. Curry, one of the less athletic PG's in the NBA, will have his hands full defending the uber-quick Rondo. Defending Rondo is no easy task, even for the best defensive point guards. But when you get a middling defensive guard in his rookie season, that task looks even more daunting.

"He's doing a lot better than he was at the beginning of the season," Don Nelson told the Contra Costa Times about Curry's defense. "I know Coach (Keith) Smart has been working with him a lot, talking about his stance and not backing up so much in transition."

Curry better hope that stance is looking good tonight, or he may look like he's stuck in quicksand as Rondo blows by him play after play.

From Rondo's side, Curry brings a (probably welcome) change of opponent. After Baron Davis used his brute strength and above-average athleticism to score 24 points and distribute 13 assists, Curry will rely more on his basketball savvy and perimeter shooting. Unlike Davis, Curry won't put his shoulder into Rondo and try to bully his way to the hoop. He'll be looking to pull-up for jumpers rather than to physically pound Rondo towards the basket. Rondo will likely be happy to see he's matched up against a slower, less physical player than Baron Davis was last night.

So what's Curry's best hope for guarding Rondo tonight, despite his speed disadvantage?

He's just got to hope Coach Keith Smart is better at teaching defense than Mark Price is at teaching free throws.

Stephen Jackson is one unpredictable hombre

What would you say if you had to describe Stephen Jackson?

You’d call him wild, probably. Insane, maybe. A good basketball player, yes.

But, with Jackson, things are never that simple, never that cut and dry. He’s been on the wrong end of all types of incidents: The Palace Brawl, a late-night club incident where he sprayed bullets into the air to instill fear in an argumentative group but then was run over by a car, and finally the dismantling of the Golden St. Warriors franchise. Yet Jackson is a devout Baptist raised in a family where his grandfather not only went to church, but built one.

Jackson is the same man who was once told he couldn’t guest-read to children at a public library, where they were afraid of Jackson’s damaged persona. Once they did let him, though, after prodding, Jackson was so great with the kids that he has since seen his picture in the library’s annual report.

He got a tattoo, an inking on his body of two hands holding a gun next to a church window, reportedly to symbolize his hopes to never shoot a gun, yet is the same man who not only was carrying a gun with him in the wee hours of the morning, but shot it a few times too.

He is the man who prides himself on being a terrific teammate, yet tanked a few games earlier this season as his disgust with the Warriors franchise grew. He claims to be as loyal a person as they come, a person who has his people’s backs every step of the way, yet rewarded Golden St.’s faith in him (they offered him a long-term deal worth big money) by requesting a trade at the first sign of trouble.

He is a great talent as a basketball player, but was cut 15 times (by his count) before finally landing in the NBA with the New Jersey Nets.

Jackson never went to a four-year college, after failing to pass his board exams five separate occasions, but now runs a kindergarten-through-sixth-grade school dedicated to providing an educational foundation in his hometown of Port Arthur, Texas.

He was traded away by Golden St., but is now playing an essential role for a streaking Charlotte Bobcats team.

See, things are never simple with Jackson. One second, he’s a disruptive force tearing apart an entire organization; the next, he’s a galvanizing source of another team’s quest for the playoffs.

Stephen Jackson has been a captain, a criminal, the grandson of a deacon, a problem, a solution, and just about everything else.

Everything, that is, except predictable.

Things to look for in tonight’s game

Charlotte’s offensive woes
Jackson helps the Bobcats offensively, with such a miserably woeful group, he certainly isn’t enough to make anyone fear Charlotte’s offense. Still, this is a different crew than the Celtics saw in their 92-59 victory earlier this season. With Jackson, Gerald Wallace and Boris Diaw, the Bobcats now have three long, versatile players capable of making plays. Still, I don’t think the C’s were up late last night having nightmares.

Kevin Garnett should have a field day
I just told you the Bobcats have a versatile set of long players who can make plays. Which is true. The only problem for the Bobcats is that one of those guys, Diaw, is probably going to have to defend Kevin Garnett. Diaw probably couldn’t even stick with Patrick O’Bryant in the post. (Note: That was called exaggeration. The air we breathe could defend Patrick O’Bryant. Simply letting him shoot does the trick nine times out of ten.) With the way Garnett is playing right now, he could spell a whole lot of trouble for a weak Bobcats front line.

The bench battle
Boston’s bench, like it is just about every game, is far more talented and physically imposing than its Charlotte counterparts. If they play well, the C’s should have a decided advantage of the second units. On the other side, Flip Murray (who didn’t play last time the two teams met) can flat-out score. He’s not shooting a great percentage, or really even a decent one (39%), but when Flip gets it going he can be tough to stop.

NBA Season Preview: Golden St. Warriors

Last year's record: 29-53
Head coach: Don Nelson
Projected Starters: Andris Biedrins, Anthony Randolph, Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette, Monta Ellis

Overlook:

With a young, inexperienced lineup, look for the Warriors to lose more games than they win. There’s a lot of talent in Golden St., but the Warriors likely still have a ways to go before they will be considered true playoff contenders.

X-Factor:

Jay – Stephen Curry. Does the rookie guard have what it takes to make the transition to the NBA or will he be yet another collegiate star who doesn’t pan out in the league? I’m worried his frail build and lack of elite athleticism will keep him from making too big an impact, but the gunner from Davidson could prove me wrong.

Tommy - Don Nelson. This odd collection of talent gives me visions of Nelson sitting in a dark room somewhere, watching film and cackling to himself. It'll be fascinating to see what Nelson and Co. can come up with.

TJ - Monta Ellis will need to show more leadership heading into the season as the Warriors starting point guard. (That means stay off the bike and in the gym working on your game, Monta.)

Biggest question mark:

Jay – Chemistry. The Warriors have a fair amount of talent, but it’s a mismatched crew. They have little size, no true point guard, and very few players with a defensive mentality. If Don Nelson can somehow get the team to develop chemistry, the Warriors could surprise a lot of people. But it’s a BIG if.

Tommy - Will they have any reliable big men coming off the bench? Even Nelson has to play at least one big guy off the bench and it's slim pickings with Mikki Moore, Ronny Turiaf, and Brandon Wright.

TJ - Will the Warriors honor Stephen Jackson’s request and trade him to a playoff contender or will they let his disturbing attitude destroy the morale of a young nucleus?

Most compelling storyline:

Jay – Can the youth grow up quickly? Anthony Randolph, Anthony Morrow, and Stephen Curry all have the potential to be very good pros, but they will have to mature quickly for this team to have any chance at being good.

Tommy - How long will the Nelson-Curry honeymoon last? Will they have a messy divorce like Nelson and former love Belinelli this summer?

TJ – Can the run-and-gun style of play help this inexperienced roster win some ballgames? While fun to watch, the style has not proven conducive to winning big games.

Player to watch:

Jay – Stephen Jackson. The loose cannon has already begun the season disgruntled with management, requesting a trade before the season has even begun. Can he get his emotions under control enough to mentor a young team? When focused, Jackson is a true threat on both ends of the floor.

Tommy - Monta Ellis. Important year for him. Which way does he go as a player?

TJ - Anthony Randolph is going to be a stud; in my eyes, the question is when, not if. If I were the Warriors, I would rebuild the team around Randolph and Monta Ellis.

Projected Record:

Jay – 30-52

Tommy - 38-44

TJ – 32-50