March 2005 Golden State Warriors Wiretap

Diogu Becoming Close To Untouchable In Artest Scenarios

Dec 31, 2005 2:46 PM

Golden State might actually have more pieces to deal directly with Indiana than any active suitor ... barring a change of heart from Jerry West in Memphis and an 11th-hour willingness to part with Shane Battier.

The Warriors also have a GM known for dice-rolling; just go back to last February's trade deadline when Chris Mullin was willing to take on Baron Davis in spite of a contract and health history that scared many teams off.

One sticking point here: Indiana would undoubtedly want Ike Diogu (see Box 2) as part of any package, and the rookie bruiser is approaching untouchable status already.

ESPN

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Davis Scores 34, Game-winner As Warriors Beat Mavs

Dec 31, 2005 12:41 AM

Baron Davis was Golden State's latest hero against Dallas, scoring a season-high 34 points, including the go-ahead basket with .5 seconds left, for a 111-109 victory on Friday night.

Jason Richardson had 32 points and Troy Murphy contributed 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Warriors.

"There've been many times when we came in here and lost by two or three, and other times when we lost by 20," Richardson said. "Anytime we can win on them, we'll take it."

Dallas led by as many as 10 in the fourth quarter, but Richardson scored 16 in the final quarter and Davis added eight.

With the game tied at 109, Davis nailed an open 21-footer from the left wing with less than a second left to give the Warriors their first lead of the fourth quarter.

ESPN

Tags: Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, NBA

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Hometown Criticism Getting To Dunleavy

Dec 29, 2005 4:16 PM

The Oakland Arena crowd got all over Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday for kicking the ball out of the low post and passing up a shot. Dunleavy gestured to the crowd with his hands as if to say "Relax, already!" He did the same thing moments later after he nailed an outside jumper.

Dunleavy was not amused after. "I'm really tired of the negativity around here," he said. "We're trying our best. We play hard. If they're going to come out as fans, they shouldn't be negative. I didn't see enough (Boston Celtics) green out there to get so many boos." Dunleavy later passed up another shot in the fourth quarter and the shot clock ran out on the Warriors.

Contra Costa Times

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Pietrus Recovering As Expected, No Return Date Set

Dec 28, 2005 2:41 AM

The Warriors re-evaluated Mickael Pietrus on Monday and said he was "progressing as expected." Pietrus, who has been out since Nov. 21 with a sprained knee ligament, will begin adding skill work to his current strength and conditioning regimen.

As for a possible return date, the Warriors said Pietrus "will be re-evaluated again over the next two weeks relative to a return to team activities."

SF Chronicle (scroll down)

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Ike To Replace Foyle In Starting Line-Up

Dec 28, 2005 2:40 AM

Ike Diogu showed up for practice Tuesday knowing that changes were needed to get the Warriors back on the winning track. He just didn't figure that he'd be front and center among those changes.

In a move sure to please Warriors fans, Diogu will replace Adonal Foyle in the starting lineup beginning with tonight's game against Boston. Coach Mike Montgomery informed his team of the anticipated switch before practice, though he still caught his rookie by surprise.

"I was kind of like, 'Wow.' I didn't expect that at all," Diogu said. "The last two games, I've been playing a lot, but the games before that, I wasn't really playing. So that's just how it is.

"Some nights, you're going to be on. Some nights, you're going to be off."

For the moment, Diogu is on. He has scored 39 points in his last two games, leapfrogging Foyle and second-year player Andris Biedrins in the Warriors' rotation. Montgomery is now gambling that Diogu can help spark a team that has lost five straight, all with the same story line.

SF Chronicle

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Foyle Becoming The Odd Man Out In Golden State

Dec 27, 2005 1:26 PM

Foyle will either be replaced by Ike Diogu or Andris Biedrins or both, or he'll be traded as Chris Mullin maneuvers to acquire a complete big man.

It's not all Foyle's fault; if Troy Murphy could play the low post, Foyle wouldn't have to play pick-and-roll-and-oops-I-dropped-it with Baron Davis, and wouldn't have to guard every tough big man.

But Murphy's there. He scores, rebounds and makes free throws. Foyle doesn't, doesn't always, and doesn't.
That big contract Mullin gave Foyle last summer won't make a trade any easier. But worse players with worse deals and much-worse attitudes get moved all the time.

Mercury News

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Dunleavy's Struggles Continue

Dec 23, 2005 2:17 AM

It's been 26 games since Mike Dunleavy signed his five-year, $45 million contract extension, and Dunleavy's fourth season -- once projected by his college coach to be a "breakout year" -- has instead been among his worst.

Not only is the Warriors' forward struggling to match his numbers from last season, but in most cases, he isn't coming close. Dunleavy's points, rebounds and steals are all down. His shooting percentage is way down.

Possessions have come and gone without him ever touching the ball. And when crunch time nears, the starting small forward has been repeatedly left on the bench. The regression, at least from last year's slasher and finisher, has plenty of people -- including Dunleavy himself -- wondering where he fits in these days.

"It's funny, I've been here for four years and I'm still trying to figure things out with this team," Dunleavy said Thursday. "I think I have a pretty good feel for the game, but trying to fit in with these guys. ... As long as we've been here together, we don't know each other as well as you think we would think."

SF Chronicle

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Artest Rumors Make Their Way To Golden State

Dec 14, 2005 12:21 PM

Make no mistake about it. To a man, there are a few Warriors who will tell you in a heartbeat they'd love to have Indiana Pacers small forward Ron Artest as a teammate.

"(Expletive) yeah," Warriors guard Jason Richardson said. "He's one of the top players in this league. To get a guy like that ..."

Artest has been a hot topic around the league since the Pacers revealed Monday they are looking to deal the embattled All-Star after his public trade request. Warriors executive vice president Chris Mullin has a good relationship with Indiana's CEO and president Donnie Walsh, who traded for Mullin near the end of his playing career and groomed Mullin for a move to the front office.

Rumors and speculation had made its way to the Warriors locker room prior to Tuesday's game. One player said he was told of a scenario of the Warriors sending small forward Mike Dunleavy and center Adonal Foyle to the Pacers for Artest and center Jeff Foster, whom the Warriors drafted in the first round (No. 21) of the 1999 draft and immediately traded his rights to Indiana for the rights to guard Vonteego Cummings and a future pick.

The numbers match, as the Pacers' pair will earn $11.8 million this season and the Warriors' pair will make $11.9 million. Because both teams are over the salary cap, the contracts only have to come to within 25 percent of each other instead of the usual 15 percent. Also, Dunleavy and whichever one of the Warriors' younger talents -- i.e., forward/center Andris Biedrins, forward Zarko Cabarkapa, swingman Mickael Pietrus -- Indiana wants would fit. Guard Derek Fisher could be traded straight up for Artest, although it would certainly take a draft pick or a young talent to make it worth the Pacers' while.

If the Warriors were to acquire Artest, that would give them a starting perimeter of Artest, Richardson and Baron Davis. It would also significantly improve their ability to defend the perimeter.

"He plays so hard all the time," Foyle said. "We could use that. I admire anyone who plays like that."

Mercury News

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Ellis Rather Sit With Warriors Than Play In D-League

Dec 13, 2005 9:36 PM

Warriors rookie guard Monta Ellis is one of the last players to walk off the court each practice. And every time, he heads for the locker room with a smile.

He's appeared in just two of the 20 games, totaling 14 minutes. But he's happy he's not in the NBA Developmental League.

"I'd rather this, not playing and working in practice, instead of being in the D-League and playing," Ellis said. "I just feel like the D-League is just not my level of play. I feel like this here is going to be better. I like to be pushed. I like for people to go at me and make me better and I make them better."

The Warriors, as has much of the NBA to this point, have declined using the new NBADL, the league's first crack at a minor league system. Neither of the Warriors' little-used second-round picks in June's draft -- Ellis and forward Chris Taft -- are expected to be designated to the team's NBADL affiliate, the Fort Worth Flyers.

There have been just eight players sent to the D-League thus far. Members of the Warriors contend the rookies will be better served to stay in the NBA.

"I think it's important for them to be with us," Warriors coach Mike Montgomery said. "I think we need to teach them as much as we can; they need to learn from the older players about how to be a pro."

Contra Costa Times

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Baron And Wade Named Players Of The Week

Dec 5, 2005 3:15 PM

The Miami Heat?s Dwyane Wade and the Golden State Warriors?  Baron  Davis today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Nov. 28 through Sunday, Dec. 4.

Wade averaged 28.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists while shooting 46.8 percent.  He  also  led  the Heat in scoring in three of the four contests, including  a  pair  of 30-point games, as he led the Heat to a 3-1 week. In the Heat?s 107-94 victory over the Knicks, Wade scored 33 points, tying his season high, and his five steals at Atlanta tied the Heat season high.

Davis led the Warriors to a 3-0 record by averaging 21.0 points and 13.0 assists per game. In a 113-106 win over the Sacramento Kings, Davis had season highs of 25 points and 16 assists, including six three-pointers.  He also had back-to-back 20-point/10-assist games vs. Sacramento and Charlotte. Davis pledged to donate $500 towards Hurricane Katrina relief effort for every point he scored vs. his former team (Hornets) totaling $8,500 after his 17-point performance against the Hornets.

Press Release

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