Official 2010-2011 San Jose Sharks Playoff Thread vs Vancouver Canucks; Vancouver Advances

[chris82790]

Originally Posted by acidicality

Got a bad feeling we'll lose to the Cavs on Tuesday.

They've gone 4-5 in their last 9 so I wouldn't be surprised if we allowed them to stay in the game with the Cavs pulling away in the 4th.

 

[daprescription]

Lee on knbr around 4 and Lacob at 5.

 

[lazyj10]

Surprised they don't just do it together since Lacob loves this dude and all

 

[niketalker23]

Checking in as a possible future fan 

...

 

[chris82790]

I'm starting to creep doubts on Lacob sure his tenure has been short but all this guy has done is talk talk talk while not backing up his word.

 

[daprescription]

It's been less than a year though

.. I'll give this guy another couple years before I call him a failure.

 

[chris82790]

Originally Posted by daprescription

It's been less than a year though

.. I'll give this guy another couple years before I call him a failure.

I'm not calling him a failure but I'm just starting to get a little tired of hearing him talk. Don't say changes are going to be made if the only deals you are going to make are Wright and Gadzuric for Troy Murphy, and picking up Al Thornton of waivers.

 

[lazyj10]

Ya well basically capping us out with what we got has me swaying one way already...

To then reference the Celtics who he says took 4 years of accumulating assets to land KG etc... Highly doubtful they would have signed Lee when they had dudes on rookie deals and or a couple cheap years left..

 

[franchise 55]

I say the Warriors trade every asset they have for draft picks and expiring contracts and build through the draft. It's the only way the Warriors turn it around. Who's with me? 

 

[daprescription]

I'd trade everyone except Curry...

[h1]Baron Davis thinks 'We Believe' magic can happen in Cleveland[/h1]
By Marcus Thompson II

[email protected]

Posted: 03/07/2011 03:22:19 PM PST

Updated: 03/07/2011 10:12:26 PM PST


Click photo to enlarge
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Cleveland Cavaliers' Baron Davis (85) and Ramon Sessions (3) gesture after New... ( Mary Altaffer )

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CLEVELAND -- Mentioning the Warriors is all it takes. Baron Davis' eyes light up, and a smile breaks through that famous beard.

Now in his third season since leaving the Bay Area, it is obvious that Davis, recently acquired by the Cleveland Cavaliers, still treasures his years with the Warriors.

"I think about that a lot," Davis said after the Cavaliers' practice Monday. "We were the most-talked-about team in the league. We were playing winning basketball.

"And then," he said, snapping his fingers. "It was over. I feel in Golden State, we never got a chance to take off the way it was supposed to."

On Feb. 24, just before the NBA trade deadline, Davis became big news when the Los Angeles Clippers traded him to the worst team in the league.

It seems that since leaving the Warriors, Davis' career has spiraled -- from the face of the franchise in Oakland to rookie Blake Griffin's sidekick in Los Angeles to Ramon Sessions' backup in Cleveland.

The prevailing expectation was that he would be unhappy in Cleveland, if he showed up at all. The Cavs are 12-50 entering Tuesday's game against the Warriors, and from Dec. 20 to Feb. 9, they lost an NBA-record 26 games in a row.

But where others see failure, Davis said he sees opportunity. He said he is excited about playing for Cleveland because in the Cavaliers he sees a return to his glory years with Golden State. For the first time since leaving the Warriors, Davis said he sees a chance to be himself again, to play his game.

He has designs on finishing what he started with the Warriors, but in Cleveland. He has designs on creating We Believe II.

"It's the same situation as Golden State," Davis said. "Different weather, mind you. But the energy is here. I step into a situation with a bunch of young guys. The organization is great. We have really good folks that are going to push us and push me back to the top. I see this as an opportunity, more so than anything, for me to get back to where I am able to do the things that I am capable of doing."

Davis will get an up-close reminder of yesteryear Tuesday when the Cavaliers host the Warriors. Seeing the few familiar faces left -- such as guard Monta Ellis, center Andris Biedrins and coach Keith Smart -- will no doubt jog Davis' memory.

Remember the "We Believe" signs that used to flood Oracle Arena? Remember how Davis set the tone for the Warriors' historic playoff upset in 2007, torching the Mavericks for 33 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists in the Warriors' Game 1 win at Dallas?

Remember the dunk on Utah's Andrei Kirilenko?

Davis does. These memories are at the foundation of his plans to return to his Warriors glory -- in Cleveland.

"I think he can get close," Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said. "His knee is still an issue. He's playing about 65 percent, 70 percent at the most. If we can get him to where he's 90 percent, he's still one of the best point guards in the league. He's been great on the floor. He's been great in the locker room. I still think he can get back to that point."

Said Ellis: "You can tell the old Baron is coming back. The last few games he's played with them, he's looked pretty good. I think he can do it. He's been proving people wrong for a (long time) now. I know he's going to turn it around."

Davis said he doesn't regret leaving the Warriors. He opted out of his contract on July 1, 2008, walking away from the one year and $18 million he had remaining so he could sign a five-year, $65 million contract with the Clippers.

He said he didn't believe the Warriors wanted him. He said they proved it by offering more than $100 million to Gilbert Arenas and Elton Brand -- much more than he desired. Davis called it "a slap in the face."

Even in hindsight, he said he left at the right time.

However, he can't help but think what could have been. He said the Warriors would have won a championship by now, or at least contended for one.

"I truly believe that," said Ellis, who still regularly communicates with Davis. "I believe if we would've played our cards right that year we played Utah, we would've made it to the finals. We were rolling."

Davis has been trying to recapture the magic since. In Los Angeles, his hometown, Davis was hardly the dominant player he was for the Warriors.

In 21/2 seasons with the Clippers, he never shot better than 41.6 percent. He was down to 12.8 points per game before Los Angeles traded him, which was on pace for his lowest average since his rookie season.

Davis said his time in Los Angeles did two things: saved his legs because his load wasn't nearly as heavy, and helped him approach the game cerebrally instead of relying on his skills.

"My game has transitioned a lot," Davis said. "I've been able to study the game and watch the game by playing a different way. I've been kind of missing that fast-break style, the way we played with the Warriors. That's what was promised to me, that I was going to have an opportunity to run up and down the floor. The freedom wasn't there. I went to L.A. and basically played within a box. Now, I can get outside that box again.

 

[acidicality]

I'm willing to give Lacob time. I'll give him 3-4 years before calling him a failure...I'm actually with him about the David Lee signing. We overpaid, but he's a solid starting power forward. We just don't have that center (even a semi-decent one at that) that can control the paint. I still think long-term we probably will have to trade Monta or Curry to increase our depth in other positions. At least we seem to be headed in a good direction the next few years, hopefully Lacob/whoever the GM is (if it's not Riley) can make the right moves, because we do have solid players to build around...something we couldn't really say the two seasons prior to this one.

I was probably the biggest critic among us in wishing we had done something at the trade deadline

, but if there wasn't the right deal in place then I guess it's better to do nothing. Who knows if there was a deal in place where we could have gotten say, a Deron Williams. That would have been awesome but obviously we probably didn't have the assets.

 

[franchise 55]

Are they headed in the right direction though? I'm kinda sorta just playing devil's advocate here, but if they want to be a fringe playoff team then yeah, fine they're headed in the right direction. But to eventually contend for a title, they're in a horrible position. They're not good enough to be relevant, and they're not bad enough to get a high lottery pick.

Cleveland is in a better position than the Warriors right now.

 

[quaniboixi]

this is season is lost.

but looking at the whole thing, we are improving. we were hella bad last year. we are now mediocre? just somehow get that center and 2-3 more solid players off the bench. we can take next step.

next year warriors....next year....once again.

 

[acidicality]

Originally Posted by QuaniBoiXi

this is season is lost.

but looking at the whole thing, we are improving. we were hella bad last year. we are now mediocre? just somehow get that center and 2-3 more solid players off the bench. we can take next step.

next year warriors....next year....once again.

x2.
 Only if Biedrins wouldn't be this horrible...if he was anything near his 07-08 level, we would be a much better team right now.

We desperately need a player similar to Kendrick Perkins inside. I know you could make a case most teams need it, but we need it in the worst way. I'd be down with signing Oden and/or Yao and taking a flyer on them...you know it's bad when a rookie is already miles away your best interior defender. Having that will also complement Lee's game better and I think we'd have a decent frontcourt.

 

[daprescription]

Kind of like the way Al Thornton has been playing. Doesn't seem to be forcing it, but he's still effective. He might be a guy this team would like to keep for next year if he continues.

 

[acidicality]

Monta and Baron going at it a little

, but Monta's 3's

Al Thornton is a little like Maggette but from what I've seen so far, he's a little more under control. For that price, I think he'd be great to keep off the bench to back up Wright.

 

[tim lincecum]

Love that Monta lighting it up in the 3rd, but it's the Cavs. 

 

[dland24]

A win is a win.

 

[Animal Thug]

Good game fellas.

 

[mjdalegend]

We didn't get our #(*$& kicked by the Cavs.

  

 

[andrew630]

Did ya'll see Hickson's pinky?

That was gross.

 

[acidicality]

Yeah, that was pretty nasty. I hope he's alright.

 

[TheGodFresco]

good win

Monta with a career high 6 triples !

 

[franchise 55]

Looks like I missed a good one. Gotta catch the League Pass replay?

How did BD look?

 

[acidicality]

Naw, didn't think it was that great a game.

But the 3rd quarter was pretty cool though since Baron and Monta were kind of taking turns on offense.

Baron played decent, he had some  nice alley-oop passes.