The Golden State Warriors have lost three of its last four and are teetering on the brink of playoff elimination. If it hadn't been for Denver's ineptitude in losses to Sacramento and Seattle, the Dubs would already be done.
And yet as Stephen Jackson, Baron Davis and Al Harrington brick three after three, there is one player who can score consistently at a high percentage, yet Coach Don Nelson consistently ignores him, especially down the stretch.
Yes, I'm talking about the Latvian Legend, Andris Biedrins.
Biedrins may have one of the best 'retro 80's white guy' haircuts in the NBA, but he is also a smooth finisher down low who currently sports the highest field goal percentage in the NBA. With the Warriors' glut of outside shooters and Monta Ellis' ability to either drive and shoot or drive and finish, Biedrins can pretty much always find an opening in the paint.
And when the Warriors go to him, he is pretty much unstoppable. He racked up 15 points in the first half against the Hornets yesterday on a combination of pick-and-rolls, put backs and fast break finishes. He's also been shooting better from the free throw line recently, despite his previously horrible percentage and bizarre shooting style.
But the problem is that, all too often this season, Biedrins has all but disappeared from Don Nelson's game plan. That's what happened in the second half yesterday in New Orleans, and that's what happened in the loss to Dallas earlier in the week.
From a Warriors fan's perspective, it's painful to watch a bunch of quick perimeter shots with no passing when we know we have one of the quickest penetrating guards with a great pull-up jump shot in Ellis, and one of the best athletic-finishing bigs in Biedrins.
There are even some fans who have suggested that Nelson has limited Biedrins' minutes this year to keep his value down as he is to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and the team desperately needs to re-sign both him and Ellis, who is to become a restricted free agent.
Yet in the throes of a playoff chase, that hardly makes sense.
Biedrins is good enough to be a force on this team right now, and he's only going to get better.
I can only imagine when Brandan Wright develops a bit more what this team will be capable of with Ellis driving and either dishing to Biedrins and Wright for easy dunks, pulling up to shoot his great mid-range jumpshot, or finishing himself with his great reverse lay-ins and tear drops.
So listen up, Don. The Warriors offense should be running through Ellis and Biedrins. Their combination of finishing ability and athleticism are the future of the team.
And with the playoffs on the line, they're enough right now to be the present, too.
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3 months ago
I agree that more plays should be called for him. He had 21 points and 17 rebounds the other night against Memphis.
Yeah it was the Grizzlies--but I think he put up something close to those numbers every night.
from 3 months ago
Biedrins has big potential but seems to disappear in games. Most of the time it just seems that Nelson forgets he's there, or buries him on the bench. I feel he also has a problem where he is so consumed with matchups that he'll keep Biedrins off the floor to try to get a better matchup by going small or what have you. What's frustrating is that sometimes you need to force the other team to match up with you by going with your best guys, as opposed to trying to force mismatches by going with a less than optimal lineup.
3 months ago
biedrins is solid and i hope the warriors hang onto him. in the playoffs you need a big man to battle with the best of the west (boozer, duncan, amare, etc.). having andris on the bench isn't helping.
3 months ago
More than anything, Nellie needed to play more of their bench. Jackson and BD are averaging 39 minutes a game and Ellis around 37. In certain games, Nellie goes only six deep, and i think the Warriors are paying the price right now. They have looked tired at times--and fatigued legs are bad news for a team that relies so heavily on three-pointers.
3 months ago
In fairness to Nelson, the Warriors don't run offensive plays at all. Everything is basic screen/roll stuff and iso's. Blame the Warriors players for not sharing the ball with Biedrins.
from 3 months ago
True, and they should definitely share with him more considering they have no low post presence.
3 months ago
They do...it's just Biedrins is not the low post presence you can count on .he's just a "catch under the basket" type player plus a tip in player too. That's all. It's hard to write any plays involving Biedrins that much. As for the Griz game..I mean c'mon..it's the GrIZ. Belinilli even had his career game there!
New Orleans game was an excellent game for him..partly because Chandler gets confused on the warriors screen/roll thing.
He needs to learn how to dribble and handle the ball inside more. He's basically got the best field goal percentage in the league cuz of BD and Monta Ellis. They just do all the work and pass him the basketball right under the basket so he can either dunk it or lay it.
If I were Don Nelson who has his anti-rookie paranoia going on this season, I would let Brandan Wright get some more minutes because he's got a better game than Biedrins Does
2 months ago
This article is even more evident in the wake of Golden State's loss last night to Denver. Biedrins should get the ball more.
2 months ago
Dude, Nelson doesn't trust Beidrins. It's his old school bull-shit. Against Denver the other night they weren't even trying pick and rolls. They should have; it works well, at least to set up things. I would rather have Beidrins at the hoop than a stupid one-on-one BS jumper!
Prove us wrong Nelson!!!!!
Lets see him have a bad shooting night; you give plenty to BD and Jack; even horrible Azubuike.
Lets see Beidrins screw up like those guys, give him a chance and we will be a better team!
And all this goes for Wright, and Marco as well.
Azubuike out, Marco and Wright in!
2 months ago
Erick, Nelson teaches his players to shoot the ball when they are open ("take the open shot"!). That's why you see Harrington and Jackson and Baron and Barnes shooting up horrible looking shots. Not because they are selfish, but because that's the way they have been taught by Nelson. Nelson and his schemes are at fault, not the players.
2 months ago
Dude, Nelson doesn't trust Beidrins. It's his old school bull-shit. Against Denver the other night they weren't even trying pick and rolls. They should have; it works well, at least to set up things. I would rather have Beidrins at the hoop than a stupid one-on-one BS jumper!
Prove us wrong Nelson!!!!!
Lets see him have a bad shooting night; you give plenty to BD and Jack; even horrible Azubuike.
Lets see Beidrins screw up like those guys, give him a chance and we will be a better team!
And all this goes for Wright, and Marco as well.
Azubuike out, Marco and Wright in!
2 months ago
Great article. I agree. Instead of hoisting up bad threes, they need to get Andris the ball down low.
2 months ago
Biedrins is a great(role) player.....but he cannot create his own shot.
2 months ago
Andris works great in the Warriors offense and with all those shooters its easy to get him the ball underneath the basket for easy buckets. The Warriors wouldn't have struggled as much down the stretch if they'd have done that more often.
14 days ago
Biedrins is good.
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