An hour before tip-off Tuesday night, a smiling Antawn Jamison sat in a director's chair on the floor of the Arena in Oakland, facing the music from a Portland television crew. The same tired, hollow questions. The same sincere, earnest answers.

Everyone looks at the Warriors' miscast players and wonders if they'll ever amount to anything. Jamison, the most recognizable name and face on one of the NBA's most downtrodden teams, swears it'll all come together soon.

Honest. "You have to remain positive, because if you start letting this all get to you, you'll never recover," Jamison said. "It will get better."