Warriors: Exciting Mediocrity
By Ryan Reed
California is represented by four teams in the National Basketball Association, but the Golden State Warriors seem to receive less attention than the other three teams. This is odd considering the Warriors, who have averaged over 100 points per game the past few seasons, are arguably one of the more exciting teams to watch. But perhaps the lack of widespread support is more understandable considering the Warriors have only made one playoff appearance in the last 18 years. High-scoring offense is fun to watch, but it does not necessarily translate to wins.
While not the best team in the league by any means, the Warriors have one of the most enthralling backcourts in Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry, as well as their former player turned broadcaster turned head coach Mark Jackson. Furthermore, the Warriors play at Oracle Arena in Oakland, which is only a 40 minute drive from Santa Clara and 55 minutes on the Amtrak. Since tickets are relatively cheap and can pay for a full night of basketball entertainment, I decided to attend a game.
The Warriors came into the contest with a measly 2-5 record and were hosting the Utah Jazz. The Jazz entered with a slightly better, yet still mediocre, record at 5-4. I was most eager to watch Monta Ellis of the Warriors, one of the quickest and most electrifying players in the league.
The game was up-tempo, as expected from the Warriors. Golden State was up by just three points going into the fourth quarter. They had gotten a boost from newly acquired Nate Robinson, who, at only 5-foot-9, is surprisingly a three-time slam dunk champion. But it was Ellis who carried the team, making 16 of 17 free throws and hitting back-to-back shots down the stretch to give his team an 85-81 lead.
Raja Bell, the Jazz's most tenacious defender, came back onto the court in an attempt to reign in Ellis. This substitution led to a 7-2 run by the Jazz, who took a one-point lead with 20 seconds remaining. The Warriors had a chance for a highlight finish, but Ellis' shot at the buzzer rimmed out, and the Jazz escaped with the victory. Although the home team lost, the intensity of the game made the trip to Oracle Arena well worth it.
A few nights later, the Warriors had perhaps their biggest challenge of the year when LeBron James and the 8-1 Miami Heat brought their talents to the Bay Area. The Warriors were able to claw back from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime, where the often publicized struggles of the Miami Heat in clutch were on full display. The Heat was outscored 15-10 and the Warriors pulled off the upset.
These two games perhaps illustrated the reason why very few of the California basketball fans that I have encountered are loyal to the Warriors. One night, they lose to an average team like the Jazz, but then they come back and knock off a stellar team like Miami. Inconsistency is frustrating.
Ryan Reed is a freshman history major.