Golden State Warriors Need to Take a Page From the California Golden Bears
It's hard to believe, but Mike Montgomery has lead the California Men's basketball team to the point of where they are playing the best basketball in the Bay Area—something that can't even be said about the Jason Kidd led teams of the Bears.
While Kidd was at Cal, Don Nelson was running the show for the Warriors. In 1993-1994, the Warriors went 50-32 and were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the Phoenix Suns.
Now back to the present.
The Bears are off to an incredible 13-2 start after being picked to finish eighth in the conference. The Bears prved that their hot start wasn't a fluke after Sunday's defeat of Arizona State Sun Devils, the 17th ranked team in the country.
Meanwhile, the Warriors continue to struggle and are 10-25—soon to be 10-26. What is even more pathetic is the last two losses were to teams that are considered worse than the Warriors, and are games that the Warriors should have won.
The Warriors are at the point where they have become unwatchable. The team has no direction, no leadership, and it almost would be easier for the team to just forfeit the rest of the season, their play is so embarassing.
As inept as their upper-management, speciacally owner Chris Cohan and President Robert Rowell, have been, it's a wonder this can still even be considered a professional team.
Meanwhile, Montgomery continues to the impress as coach of the Bears. The team has been playing way better defense then they had under coach Ben Braun. Their role players hustle and make plays on both ends of the court, as well.
If you were to compare the Warriors to the Bears, the Bears have the advantage. Let's break it down:
Point guard: Jerome Randle vs Jamal Crawford
Winner: Jerome Randle
Rnadle is the better shooter—he is actually a point guard—he's tough, he make plays when the game is on the line, and he's a better defender than Crawford is.
Shooting Guard: Theo Robertson vs Marco Belinelli
Winner: Theo Robertson
This one was tougher, but Robertson is an NBA body already. He can flat out shoot the ball, and like Belinelli, he's a third option when he's on the court and he makes the most out of it. Because of his defense, Robertson is put on the best offensive player of the opposing team.
Small Forward: Patrick Christopher vs Stephen Jackson
Winner: Patrick Christopher
Even harder one to pick here, but Christopher has really impressed me this season with taking smarter shots. He's also becoming a better defender, and he's passing up shots he normally would have taken a year ago.
Power Forward: Jamal Boykin vs Brandan Wright
Winner: Brandan Wright
Wright wins this matchup because he has a variety of post moves, as well as a soft little jump hook. Boykin may be a little bit better defender, and is able to get into position a little bit better on the defensive side, but Wright has the better offensive game and has the ability to effect shots of players with his length.
Center: Jordan Wilkes vs Andris Biedrins
Winner: Andris Biedrins
Really, no explanation here. Biedrins is just way better.
Bench: Omondi Amoke, Jorge Gutierrez, Harper Kamp, and Nicola Knezevic vs Rob Kurz, Kelenna Azubuike, Anthony Randolph, and C.J. Watson
Winner: Bears bench
The Bears bench wins this one easily because they actually put out effort on defense and Gutierrez showed that he can take on a NBA talented player in James Harden and not backdown from it.
By the way, the matchups are based on what they are able to do at their level level of competition.
Chris Mullin was in the stands scouting players for each team. Specifically, Harden, but in the end it was another player, Randle that stole the show from Harden.
I imagine that while Mullin was watching Randle make deep three after deep three, including a clutch three that he was fouled on with a couple minutes remaining in the game, that he wished for a point guard like that who could lead the Warriors—a player that's not afraid to take the tough shot and make it.
The Warriors could use a player who doesn't care about their lack of height, and a player that shows no fear when going to the basket against bigger players.
Mullin got to see that all on a college basketball court from a guard listed at 5'10" but is really only 5'8".
Most importantly, the Bears don't get stuck on who should be taking what shot. They make the extra passes, they move the ball, and they get into the middle of the zone where they can easily make passes to wide-open players, whether it's cutting to the basket or for a wide-open three pointer.
If the Warriors could just learn to be less selfish and pass the ball more, they would be in a better position to score. They wouldn't be having to go one-on-one with their defender, eventually forcing up a tough shot.
So, for Warriors fans who want to see a talented team that could do some damage in the NCAA tournament look no further than Berkeley, CA where the California Golden Bears are playing extremely well.
