MT2: Final Warriors grades: Not straight A's, but pretty good

[Allen]

Final Golden State Warriors grades: Not straight A's, but pretty good
By Marcus Thompson
mtho...@bayareanewsgroup.com
Posted: 05/20/2013 09:11:14 PM PDT
Updated: 05/20/2013 11:09:58 PM PDT
http://www.insidebayarea.com/warriors/ci_23287274/final-golden-state-warriors-grades-not-straight-but


Here are the Warriors' 2012-13 grades, based on expectations, and I
didn't expect this: 47 wins despite all their injuries and a trip to the
second round of the playoffs. With that in mind, here are the season
grades for the Warriors.

GM Bob Myers

Grade: A

Comment: The Warriors' front office nailed the three draft picks. PG
Jarrett Jack was perhaps the biggest steal of last offseason. And Carl
Landry was a great signing, too. The four-year, $44 million extension
for Stephen Curry looks like a bargain. After a rough start (Charlie
Bell amnesty/Jeremy Lin release for DeAndre Jordan), Myers and his staff
have put together a string of good moves.

Coach Mark Jackson

Grade: A

Comment: I as much as anyone have nitpicked at Jackson's
decisions/approaches. In print and in person. But in the end, he had
three rookies in the rotation, a center in and out of the lineup and two
defensive weaknesses in the starting lineup. And the Warriors won 47
games. Then, he went and out-coached George Karl before giving Gregg
Popovich a good scare.

PG Stephen Curry

Grade: A

Comment: After the All-Star break, his game really took off. He averaged
26 points and 7.4 assists, which were fifth and ninth best in the league
after the break. After that, he got even more dominant in the playoffs.
He ranks fifth in the playoffs in scoring (23.4), second in assists
(8.1) and second in total minutes (497). And you could argue he wasn't at
Advertisement
his best.

SG Klay Thompson

Grade: B

Comment: Thompson gets a lot of criticism for his disappearing act on
offense and Klay-ups. But the truth is, Thompson's defense has been
vital for the Warriors as he defends the best guard on the court. He
also proved to be willing to take and make a big shot.

SF Harrison Barnes

Grade: B

Comment: He looked like the next for stretches in the playoffs. It was
certainly a revelation, but Barnes benefitted from favorable matchups
and the absence of David Lee. The Warriors need him to be reliable on
both ends and to rebound consistently. If so, the playoffs may be a
coming-out party.

PF David Lee

Grade: C

Comment: Once the veteran you can count on, Lee is now somewhat of an
uncertainty. After the Warriors took off without him in the playoffs,
the question now becomes how can Golden State play the way it did in the
playoffs WITH Lee. Sure, on offense, the Warriors missed the attention
he draws. But on defense they were more effective and still rebounded
well. Lee also faded a bit, thanks to injuries in the second half. He'll
have to remind people next season why he was an All-Star.

C Andrew Bogut

Grade: B-

Comment: He was rocking a strong D before the playoffs. But then he
became a force on D. With one leg and all the anti-inflams he could
take, Bogut gave a glimpse of just how good he can be. It was quite a
sight considering it was scarcely seen in the regular season. Before the
playoffs, he was more talk than game. Now, Warriors fans who once chided
the team for trading Monta Ellis can't help but acknowledge Bogut's
beasting.

PG Jarrett Jack

Grade: A

Comment: He was vital for the Warriors all season. He dribbles the ball
too much, and his defense disappeared in the playoffs. But can you
imagine where Golden State would be without Jack. His toughness and
leadership became part of the DNA of the Warriors, even though he
dribbled too much and became turnover prone later in the season.

PF Carl Landry

Grade: B

Comment: He was really good early in the regular season, as the Warriors
got out to a 30-17 start. But toward the latter part of the year, he
became a jump shooting big man who was sketchy on the boards. Landry
rebounded in the playoffs and often was the Warriors' best hopes at
high-percentage offense.

C Festus Ezeli

Grade: C+

Comment: He lost his starting job to Andris Biedrins for a stretch
because he took his foot off the gas. But eventually, he reclaimed his
status as Bogut's backup. Still raw and prone to mistakes, Ezeli has
some work to do. But he got better at catching the ball and finishing
and was a solid defensive presence in the playoffs.

F Draymond Green

Grade: B

Comment: The Warriors' rookie glue guy really came alive in the
playoffs. When his shot is falling, he is especially impressive because
he also rebounds and does the little things good teams need. His shot
fell at a 42.9 percent clip in the playoffs, which was a drastic
improvement from the 32.7 percent he shot in the regular season. If he
can consistently produce on offense, he figures to be a factor for the
Warriors.

SF Richard Jefferson

Grade: D

Comment: He was failing after missing those free throws in Game 1 that
would've prevented the Warriors from choking. It was a great opportunity
to make his mark after an unimpressive regular season. He bounced back
in Game 2, but not nearly enough to make up for those two free throws.

C Andris Biedrins

Grade: C-

Comment: I think he should have played more. Usually when he was in the
game, he gave the Warriors' something. If he wasn't making $9 million
and hadn't fallen so far from serviceability, we'd be looking at
Biedrins much differently. When he got his chance in the playoffs, he
gave the Warriors' something good. That's saying something for Biedrins.
No, it isn't worth his salary, but it's something.

G Kent Bazemore

Grade: B

Comment: Hard not to watch Bazemore and wonder what could be. He has
size, athleticism and length. He's got a great attitude and some skills
to boot. And as much as any guy on the end of the bench, he contributed
to his team's chemistry and energy. He mattered, and that's big for an
undrafted rookie discovered in summer league.