Monta Ellis led the way with 37 points, eight assists, four rebounds and four steals. He did rack up 11 turnovers but his aggressiveness helped the Warriors — especially down the stretch. Anthony Morrow chipped in with 27, while rookie Stephen Curry had 18.

For the Mavs, Dirk Nowitzki had 28 points, ten rebounds, three assists and two steals. Jason Terry had 21 points off the bench but the only other player on the team to score at least nine points was Drew Gooden (14).

For those that don’t remember the 2007 postseason, that was the one that featured the eighth seeded Warriors defeating the top seeded Mavs. That series was perhaps the most exciting series I’ve ever watched, although neither team has really been the same since.

Monta Ellis is rounding back into form (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

Mavericks Upset by Warriors … Again

It was the upset of the decade, as the Mavericks had the best winning record in the league that year.

Since then however, the Warriors have failed to make the playoffs for the past two seasons. Certain questionable trades were made, with the most recent sending Stephen Jackson and Acie Law to Charlotte.

Now there’s a rumor circulating that Monta Ellis is next in line of disgruntled players

Could a trade be coming for Golden State's Monta Ellis?

Ellis has not verbally expressed his desire to be traded, but his agent Jeff Fried has left the door wide open. Fried recently told the San Francisco Chronicle, “I don’t have any trades working right now, but who is to say what might happen down the road?”

Golden State managed to pickup sharpshooter Stephen Curry in the 2009 NBA Draft. But you have to wonder how a young player will be able to grow and develop on a team that lacks continuity.

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

Is Golden State Looking To Trade Ellis?

In the 2008-09 season, Watson played his second season with the Warriors. He averaged 9.5 points, 2.7 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 24.5 minutes per game. In his rookie season, Watson averaged 3.7 points per contest in 11.5 minutes.

At 6-foot-2, Watson is blessed with long arms and above average athleticism. He has good range on his jumper and he’s able to make it to the basket. While his passing and court vision are below par for the NBA level, he’s a good fit on Don Nelson’s offensive scheme.

Next year, the Warriors look to be loaded at point guard. To get playing time, Watson will have to compete with Monta Ellis and rookie Stephen Curry. It’ll be difficult for Watson to play as much as he did season due to the increased competition but he’s shown enough potential to put up a good fight.

CJ Watson - Golden State Warriors (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

C.J. Watson Re-Signed by Warriors

Coach Don Nelson of the Golden State Warriors stole Curry right out from under the Knicks’ noses when he picked him 7th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft.

To anyone out there who thinks Nelson is planning on trading Curry to the highest bidder (ahem, Phoenix Suns) — think again.

“He can unpack his bags and relax,” Nelson said after welcoming Curry to Oakland. “He can buy a house. We drafted him because we think he’s a terrific player that fits right into our program. He ain’t going anyplace.”

Curry will be paired up with Monta Ellis to create a quick and sharp-shooting backcourt. He will definitely see playing time this fall, as Nelson hopes Curry can help spark his offensive attack.

“I looked at the top 10, and [the Warriors] jumped off the page with the way they play,” Curry said. “I’m a fan of the game, so I notice these sorts of things. I’ve seen enough of them to know I’d fit in here, at least on the surface. It’s exciting to get here and think about what could happen with this offense and this coaching staff.”

If Curry is as exciting to watch in the NBA as he was in college, then Bay-area basketball fans better get ready for some highlight-reel-worthy plays this season.

Post from: EveryJoe

Stephen Curry Is Staying In The Bay Area

First Round

1) Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin, F, Oklahoma

2) Memphis Grizzlies: Hasheem Thabeet, C, Connecticut

3) Oklahoma City Thunder: James Harden, G, Arizona State

4) Sacramento Kings: Tyreke Evans, G, Memphis

5) Minnesota Timberwolves: Ricky Rubio, G, Spain

6) Minnesota Timberwolves: Jonny Flynn, G, Syracuse

7) Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry, G, Davidson

8) New York Knicks: Jordan Hill, F, Arizona

9) Toronto Raptors: Demar DeRozan, G, USC

10) Milwaukee Bucks: Brandon Jennings, G, Italy

11) New Jersey Nets: Terrence Williams, G, Louisville

12) Charlotte Bobcats: Gerald Henderson, G, Duke

13) Indiana Pacers: Tyler Hansborough, F, North Carolina

14) Phoenix Suns: Earl Clark, F, Louisville

15) Detroit Pistons: Austin Daye, F, Gonzaga

16) Chicago Bulls: James Johnson, F, Wake Forest

17) Philadelphia 76ers: Jrue Holiday, G, UCLA

18) Denver Nuggets: Ty Lawson, G, North Carolina

19) Atlanta Hawks: Jeff Teague, G, Wake Forest

20) Utah Jazz: Eric Maynor, G, Virginia Commonwealth

21) New Orleans Hornets: Darren Collison, G, UCLA

22) Portland Trailblazers: Victor Claver, F, Spain

23) Sacramento Kings: Omri Casspi, F, Israel

24) Oklahoma City Thunder: B.J. Mullens, C, Ohio State

25) Dallas Mavericks: Rodrique Beaubois, G, Guadeloupe

26) Chicago Bulls: Taj Gibson, F, USC

27) Memphis Grizzlies: DeMarre Carroll, F, Missouri

28) Minnesota Timberwolves: Wayne Ellington, G, North Carolina

29) New York Knicks: Toney Douglas, G, FSU

30) Cleveland Cavaliers: Christian Eyenga, G-F, Congo

Second Round

31) Portland Trail Blazers: Jeff Pendergraph, F, Arizona State

32) Washington Wizards: Jermaine Taylor, G, UCF traded to Rockets

33) Portland Trailblazers: Dante Cunningham, F, Villanova

34) Denver Nuggets: Sergio Llull, F, Spain

35) Detroit Pistons: DeJuan Summers, F, Georgetown

36) Memphis Grizzlies: Sam Young, F, Pittsburgh

37) San Antonio Spurs: DeJuan Blair, F, Pittsburgh

38) Sacramento Kings: Jon Brockman, F, Washington

39) Detroit Pistons: Jonas Jerebko, F, Sweden

40) Charlotte Bobcats: Derrick Brown, F, Xavier

41) Milwaukee Bucks: Jodie Meeks, G, Kentucky

42) Miami Heat: Patrick Beverley, G, Ukraine

43) New Orleans Hornets: Marcus Thornton, G, LSU

44) Houston Rockets: Chase Budinger, F, Arizona

45) Minnesota Timberwolves: Nick Calathes, G, Florida

46) Cleveland Cavaliers: Danny Green, F, North Carolina

47) Minnesota Timberwolves: Henk Norel, F, Netherlands

48) Phoenix Suns: Taylor Griffin, F, Oklahoma

49) Atlanta Hawks: Sergey Gladyr, G, Serbia

50) Utah Jazz: Goran Suton, C, Michigan State

51) San Antonio Spurs: Jack McClinton, G, Miami

52) Indiana Pacers: A.J. Price, G, Connecticut

53) San Antonio Spurs: Nando De Colo, G, France

54) Oklahoma City Thunder: Robert Vaden, G, UAB

55) Portland Trailblazers: Patrick Mills, G, St. Mary’s

56) Dallas Mavericks: Ahmad Nivins, F, St. Joe’s

57) Phoenix Suns: Emir Preldzic, F, Bosnia

58) Boston Celtics: Lester Hudson, G, Tennessee-Martin

59) Los Angeles Lakers: Chinemelu Elonu, F-C, Texas A&M

60) Miami Heat: Robert Dozier, F, Memphis

James Harden Ended up with the Thunder (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

2009 NBA Draft Results – 1st and 2nd Rounds

The fact that Michael Jackson passed away yesterday was beyond surreal. Add in Farrah Faucet and you’ve got a double-whammy.  Then Shaq gets traded to Cleveland to team up with Lebron for what seems to be a destined championship run in 2010.

The 2009 NBA Draft class was not as strong as in previous years, but definitely offered some surprises.

What else happened on draft night?

Here’s a brief recap for your viewing pleasure:

• Richard Jefferson was traded to San Antonio.

• Blake Griffin was the number one pick in the ’09 draft.

• Tyler Hansbrough went to the Indiana Pacers.

• Golden State stole Stephen Curry from the New York Knicks.

• Brandon Jennings’ short stint in Europe paid off — he was able to gain more experience playing professionally overseas than he would have gotten playing in college. As a result, he was drafted 10th overall.

• Ricky Rubio sank in the draft and ended up going to Minnesota (along with Johnny Flynn for double the point guard fun).

Post from: EveryJoe

A Brief Recap Of The 2009 NBA Draft

In his final season with Davidson, Curry averaged 28.6 points, 5.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. He shot 45.4% from the field and hit 220-of-251 free throws.

The best thing Curry does is score the basketball. His shot is deadly from almost anywhere on the court and his quick trigger allows him to get his shot off with just a sliver of daylight.

Despite his elite scoring ability, Curry does have a few question marks. The biggest question is what position will he play? At 6-foot-3, he’s likely too short to play shooting guard. He also could struggle as a playmaker if forced to play point guard.

If you are a fan of Curry’s and you want to see him light up the scoreboard, you should root for him to land with a free-wheeling team like the New York Knicks or the Golden State Warriors. On such a team, he could quickly become one of the most explosive marksmen in the NBA.

Stephen Curry - 2009 NBA Draft (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

Stephen Curry – NBA Projections and Preview

Short of creating a mock draft, I listed which players I personally think rank in the top ten as far as prospects go. I think they are the cream of the draft crop. Whether or not NBA scouts agree with me is another question.

Lyndsey’s Top Ten 2009 NBA Draft Prospects

Blake Griffin will most likely be the number one pick in this year's NBA draft.

1. Blake Griffin (F/C) — If he doesn’t go number one I’ll be dumbfounded. He’s got the size, skill, quickness and innate athletic talent to make an immediate impact.

2. Hasheem Thabeet (C) — Can you say Dikembe Mutombo? The only different is that I think Thabeet is much more than a rebounding/shot-blocking machine.

3. Ricky Rubio (PG) — This kid, and I stress kid, is talented. I’m excited to see what he can do in the NBA.

4. Ty Lawson (PG) — He was the difference maker in UNC’s Championship season. I don’t think they would have won the NCAA Tournament without him. He’s smart, quick and has the upper body strength to compete in the NBA.

5. Stephen Curry (G) — Curry is probably a mid-to-late first round pick.
But I believe he has the talent to develop into a an amazing player. He’s got to put on a few pounds first though.

6. James Harden (SG) — Great shooter, def. an asset to any team.

7. Tyler Hansbrough (F/C) — I know a lot of people think Tyler is going to be like Christian Laettner … great college career,  not so great in the NBA.  I think Tyler has the drive to work hard and improve at the NBA level. Besides, Laettner may not have been an all-star caliber player but he lasted 13 seasons, which isn’t too shabby.

8. Jeff Teague (G) — Great offensive presence. He’s smart and he’s a scorer. He needs to work on his defense a bit.

9. Jordan Hill  (F/C)— Considered one of the most improved college players since last year. He averaged a double/double for most of the season.

10. Brandon Jennings (PG) — Went to Italy last season because he couldn’t jump right to the NBA due to the age regulation. While he hasn’t made a huge splash overseas, he has the potential to be a big time player here at home with his athleticism and size.

Photo provided by Newscom

Post from: EveryJoe

Lyndsey’s Top Ten 2009 NBA Draft Prospects

While at Davidson, Curry was one of the most exciting players in the nation to watch. The son of former NBA player Dell Curry, the Davidson junior averaged 28.6 points, 5.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 45.4% from the field, 38.7% from beyond the three-point arc and 87.6% at the free throw line.

Stephen Curry, 2009 NBA Draft (Image: Newscom)

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, Curry is projected to play point guard on the NBA level. While he’s not a natural playmaker, his scoring and shooting abilities aren’t in question. Just like his father, Curry has an amazing shooting touch that he can release with lightning quickness.

Most 2009 NBA mock drafts have Curry going in the first half of the first round. There’s also some speculation that Curry could ultimately be a top-five pick in the draft.

Post from: EveryJoe

Stephen Curry Enters the 2009 NBA Draft

Those individuals that decide to stay in college for all four years are few and far between.

Tyler Hansbrough stayed at UNC and amassed numerous national accolades as well a national championship. Add a college degree to the mix and I’d say that he made a smart decision.

Stephen Curry is now wrestling with the same decision. According to SI.com, the main thing holding him back from hiring an agent is the college degree.

Stephen Curry has until Sunday to declare for the 2009 NBA draft.

Knowing that Curry is a well-rounded kid and that the hype and attention he has garnered since Davidson’s 2008 NCAA Tournament run hasn’t gone to his head, I’m not the lease bit surprised that he has yet to make a decision about his basketball future. I could see him returning to Davidson for his senior year. And I would respect him for it.

Photo provided by Newscom

Post from: EveryJoe

Stephen Curry Still Undecided About The NBA