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Warriors' big shot Azubuike
BALL IS IN GOOD HANDS WITH GAME ON THE LINE
By Geoff Lepper
Bay Area News Group
Article Launched: 12/22/2007 01:39:57 AM PST
NEW YORK - According to Warriors forward Mickael Pietrus, all you need to know about a player's ability to make a winning shot can be found in his eyes: "When you look in Kobe's eyes, you see he's going to beat you," Pietrus said. "When you look in Buke's eyes, all you see is Buke."
Pietrus was kidding teammate Kelenna Azubuike with the comparison to Lakers star Kobe Bryant for the benefit of media at Friday's practice. But if opponents look closely at Azubuike these days, they're likely to see a cold-blooded shooter who just launched a three-pointer to help clinch a Warriors victory.
In his past 11 games, Azubuike is shooting 51.7 percent from the field, including 43.5 percent on three-pointers, and he has begun making a habit of ending opponents' hopes for victory.
Azubuike made his first NBA winner Nov. 24, sinking a three-pointer with 6.8 seconds remaining to put the Warriors up for good in a 100-98 overtime victory at Philadelphia. Since then, he hasn't needed to come up with a similar piece of last-minute magic, but Azubuike has remained a clutch performer in the final period.
His three-pointer against Memphis on Monday with 2:09 remaining put Golden State ahead by nine points and iced a 125-117 victory. Wednesday in Minnesota, Azubuike delivered a near carbon copy, hitting a three-pointer with 2:47 left to help stamp out a Timberwolves rally that had trimmed a 14-point deficit to eight.
"I'm not surprised, because he's in a spot-up situation, and if a guy comes off (to double-team another Warrior), that's what he's supposed to do," Warriors Coach Don Nelson said. "He's a confident guy when he gets his shot, and we encourage him to take it."
To Azubuike's way of thinking, his success is an outgrowth of the Warriors' egalitarianism when it comes to shots. Every locker room in the NBA is filled with guys who will tell you they have confidence in teammates with the game on the line, but Azubuike's success makes it clear that the Warriors are living by that credo, not just talking it up.
"A lot of times, the only guys who can take shots in those situations are your All-Stars and all that," Azubuike said.
When Azubuike started the Warriors' first seven games in place of suspended Stephen Jackson, he was getting to the free-throw line more often, creating his own offense off the dribble as Golden State tried to get on track. Now that Jackson is back, giving the Warriors' passing ability a boost, Azubuike is settling into the role of a three-point shooter, trolling the wings to give Jackson and Baron Davis an outlet to make opponents pay for committing too early to double-teams.
"We definitely, of course, look for Baron and Jack in those situations, and they kind of make the plays," Azubuike said. "If I hit those shots, I got it from those guys, when they were double-teamed. So it's basically them making the right plays. Hopefully, whoever they pass it to, it's a good shot and they knock the shot down."
@ Pietrus's comment
