In many ways, the relevance of the Golden State Warriors’ season
was at stake. Against the lowly Washington Wizards, riding a
four-game losing streak, a loss would have flat-lined whatever
faint hopes the Warriors have of making the playoffs. It was with
that backdrop coach Keith Smart made the most significant change of
the season, benching starting center Andris Biedrins in favor of
rookie big man Ekpe Udoh. It was with that backdrop Biedrins took
one on the chin for the team.
WASHINGTON
In many ways, the relevance of the Golden State Warriors’ season was at stake.
Against the lowly Washington Wizards, riding a four-game losing streak, a loss would have flat-lined whatever faint hopes the Warriors have of making the playoffs.
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It was with that backdrop coach Keith Smart made the most significant change of the season, benching starting center Andris Biedrins in favor of rookie big man Ekpe Udoh. It was with that backdrop Biedrins took one on the chin for the team.
It worked, to the tune of a 106-102 win Wednesday night. The Warriors, with Udoh anchoring the defense, held the Wizards to 40.4 percent shooting and _ despite a drag of a fourth quarter _ dominated most of the game.
“It’s great,” guard Monta Ellis said of Biedrins’ handling of the situation. “He’s a pro. He understands the situation, and he accepts his role, whatever that is. You can take your hat off to him. He understands that we’re all in this together.”
According to his teammates, Biedrins’ team-first approach is symbolic of the chemistry the Warriors (27-33) are hoping propels them to a late-season run. They improved to 1-2 on the seven-game road trip.
Udoh finished with six points, two rebounds and three blocked shots. But his imprint on the game went beyond the stat sheet. He protected the rim. He silenced Washington center JaVale McGee (five points and six rebounds in 18 minutes) and provided timely jolts of energy with his shot blocking.
Biedrins had two points and six rebounds in 13 minutes. But his biggest contribution, his teammates said, was how he handled the situation.
“Every single player wants to start and wants to play the whole game,” forward David Lee said. “He kept his attitude up and when he came in he got some big rebounds for us. He wants our team to win right now. That was Coach’s change that he made and he took it like a man.”
Smart talked to Biedrins privately about his plans, and Biedrins told him he would do whatever was asked of him. Smart then informed the team before the game. The move proved surprising, even to Udoh.
“I had no idea,” Udoh said. “I was shocked. I didn’t know what to think. Man. Couldn’t think too long, because it was game time.”
The game began to lean the Warriors way in the second quarter. For the second consecutive game, the reserves were productive.
Small forward Dorell Wright, Udoh, guard Acie Law, swingman Reggie Williams and forward Vladimir Radmanovic turned a 38-34 deficit into a 51-42 lead with 5:42 left in the half. The Wizards, who totaled 33 first-quarter points, were just 7-of-20 shooting with 20 points and four turnovers in the second quarter as the Warriors took a 62-53 lead into half.
Golden State eventually went up by as much as 20 points in the third quarter and led 91-74 entering the fourth.
Sure, the Warriors nearly blew it in the fourth quarter _ missing 14-of-17 shots, turning the ball over six times and allowing Washington to trim the lead to one in the final seconds. But once victory was theirs, that didn’t matter.
“We’re just going to take this win and live with it and move onto the next,” Ellis said. “It feels good to get that monkey off our back. Hopefully we can turn it around now, put a couple wins together and try to finish this road trip off right.”
The players were back to their jovial selves in the locker room after the game. Even Biedrins.
Smart said he brought Biedrins off the bench because he wanted to take some of the pressure off his starting center. Since becoming the Warriors’ starting center in his third season, Biedrins has started 78 percent of the games he’s played. No doubt coming off the bench, while not recovering from an injury, was weird.
But having been playing so poorly, he said he was willing to try something new. In his first 11 February games, Biedrins averaged 3.5 points on 47.5 percent shooting with 5.9 rebounds.
“It wasn’t a problem for me because I’m not feeling myself,” Biedrins said. “I am (frustrated with myself). I’m trying to find out why because physically, and everything else, I feel so great. I don’t have any problems. But mentally I just can’t get that thing right. That’s why me and Coach talked and we’ll just try to find some other way to get me back on the track. If that’s coming off the bench, so be it.”
Notes: Stephen Curry finished with 29 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Over his past three games, he’s averaging 27.3 points on 51.8 percent shooting with 8.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists. €¦ Lee had a game-high 16 rebounds as the Warriors outrebounded the Wizards 54-40.
— Story by Marcus Thompson II, Contra Costa Times
