- Oct 8, 2005
- 261
- 10
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my fellow Dub fans. Have fun and be safe, my dudes.
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Originally Posted by Enlightened Thought
i hope you guys are having a great xmas. nothing brings a tear to my eye more than happy warriors fans.
on a sour note: i looked at the Blazers next 5 or so games and i don't think this win streak of their's is ending any time soon
[h1]UK Basketball [/h1]
[h5]Posted on Wed, Dec. 26, 2007[/h5]
[h1]Azubuike emerges as late-game Warrior[/h1] [h2]EX-CAT HAS MADE BIG SHOTS IN CLUTCH FOR GOLDEN STATE[/h2] [h4]By Geoff Lepper[/h4] [h5]CONTRA COSTA TIMES[/h5]
Kelenna Azubuike
[h3]NEW YORK --[/h3]According to Golden State Warriors forward Mickael Pietrus, all you need to know about a player's ability to knock down a game-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 on hand at a Warriors' practice last week. But if opponents look closely at Azubuike these days, they're likely to see a coldblooded shooter who just launched a three-pointer to clinch another Warriors victory.
In his past 13 games, Azubuike is shooting 52 percent from the floor, 44 percent on three-pointers, and he's begun making a habit of nailing shut the coffin lid on the opposition's hopes for victory.
The former Kentucky player drained his first NBA game-winner on Nov. 24, knocking down 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 nevertheless remained clutch in the final period.
His three-pointer against Memphis on Dec. 17 with 2:09 left put Golden State ahead by nine points and iced an eventual 125-117 victory. Two days later in Minnesota, Azubuike delivered a near-carbon copy, nailing a trey at the 2:47 mark to help stamp out a Timberwolves rally that had trimmed a 14-point lead 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' willingness to share the ball and the shots. Every locker room in the NBA is filled with guys who'll tell you that they have confidence in their 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. "If you're going to take those shots, you've got to make sure it's a good shot; otherwise, you're not going to hear the end of it. If it's a good shot, then everybody's comfortable with everybody taking those shots."
When Azubuike started the Warriors' first seven games in place of suspended Stephen Jackson, he was getting to the line more often, creating his own offense off the dribble as Golden State tried to get on track. Now that Jackson is back, the Warriors' passing has improved. Azubuike is settling into the role of a three-point sniper, 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."
Kelenna Azubuike's season statistics:
G GS FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A REB AST STL MPG Pts.
28 25 125-274 33-84 45-63 131 41 15 27.9 11.7
Agreed.Originally Posted by GSDOUBLEU
Horrible charge call
Sorry bro. I have an "audio only" link... but that's just like the radio and you could just go to knbr.com for that...Originally Posted by dland24
Still no links?