Hornets.com’s 1-on-1: Golden State Warriors
November 7, 2006
Hornets.com caught up with Golden State guard Jason Richardson and Golden State television broadcaster Matt Steinmetz prior to Tuesday’s game at the Ford Center. Now in his sixth NBA season, Richardson averaged 23.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists last season and has evolved into one of the league’s premier shooting guards. Steinmetz, a former Warriors beat reporter for the Contra Costa Times and one of the nation’s top professional basketball writers, serves as a TV analyst for Fox Sports Bay Area.
Golden State guard Jason Richardson
Q: New Warriors head coach Don Nelson believes in playing an up-tempo game that encourages his players to run. What kind of impact do you think that will have on your game, considering you are one of the NBA’s best finishers in the open court?
A: I think it’s going to have a huge impact. He’s a coach who likes teams that are capable of running and pushing the ball. I think it’s going to take my game to another level.
Q: What are your expectations for this season? Do you look at this season like if you don’t make the playoffs it will be a disappointing year?
A: I look at EVERY season like that, ever since I was a rookie. That’s just me. But it kind of is at that point now for everyone. Management did their job and got guys to re-sign and stay here. They drafted a lot of guys that they are paying (significant salaries). The core of this team of me, Mike (Dunleavy) and Troy (Murphy), they paid us to perform. We have no excuses now. We have a team and a coach now that can win games. There are no excuses. So if we don’t make the playoffs, it’s a big disappointment.
Q: You took out full-page ads in Bay Area newspapers that apologized to fans for the Warriors’ play last season. What made you decide to do that?
A: My main thing with that was to let the fans know that we were serious about winning. We’ve been promising it for a long time. The Warriors haven’t been in the playoffs for a long time – it’s going on 13 years. Me personally, I feel like our fans deserve better than what we’ve given them. I think we have the most loyal fans in the NBA, and they’ve set attendance records. Our attendance has grown ever since my first year being here. I just feel like they deserve more from us on the court.
Q: You have been one of the league’s most productive shooting guards over the past few seasons, but are still not very well-known except to people who closely follow the NBA. Do you feel like you are still an underrated player?
A: I feel like I am. I feel like I’m capable of being a top-five or top-10 shooting guard in this league. Not many people hear much about Golden State because we haven’t been winning. At times, maybe the time difference is part of it too, because East Coast people can’t really see our games because we are on so late. But I think once we start winning, all of that will change.
Q: Michael Jordan and you are the only players in NBA history to win back-to-back dunk contests. Would you ever consider participating in the dunk contest again?
A: Yeah, I would participate in that again, but only if they get (several NBA stars) back in it. If you can get Vince (Carter), and maybe Kobe (Bryant) to be in it, that would get me interested. Maybe they could get them all for (All-Star weekend) this season in Las Vegas, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.
Q: How do you think you would fare if you did make a return to the dunk contest? Would you be the favorite?
A: [laughs] I don’t know, man. If you get all those guys I mentioned in it, that would be a pretty good dunk contest. It’d be real hard to win it.
Q: What is your opinion of the current state of the dunk contest? Do you have any ideas on how to improve it?
A: The only way you can really improve it, is to bring in all of those guys that people want to see. People want to see someone like LeBron (James) in the dunk contest. They’d like to see Kobe, Vince.
As far as other ideas, maybe they could give the winner a Bentley or something like that [laughs]. People don’t understand: What makes the dunk contest tough is that it’s really hard to come up with new dunks that people haven’t seen. I ran out of ideas a while ago. You have to try to think of doing backflips or crazy stuff like that. You have to try something new. Everything’s already been done, so it’s pretty hard.
Q: Hockey was one of your favorite sports to play as a kid. If you had stuck with it, what do you think your chances of playing in the NHL would have been?
A: My chances would have been pretty good [grins]. I was a pretty good hockey player, and played left wing. I think I could’ve been a good hockey player.
Golden State analyst Matt Steinmetz
Q: The Warriors are a team many people around the league are watching to see what kind of impact new head coach Don Nelson can have with his up-tempo style of play. How much difference in the win column do you think Nellie will make on a team that is coming off back-to-back 34-win seasons?
A: I think one of the things the Warriors are hoping he brings is a better ability to close out games. Because last year I think they were 7-14 in games decided by three points or less. They squandered a lot of opportunities. They definitely feel that by bringing him in, he’s going to clean up some of their late-game problems. They feel like they can be competitive with a lot of teams, but it’s a matter of closing teams out.
Plus, the style he brings is important. Last season the Warriors didn’t run as much as they said they were going to. Nelson has really been pushing the up-tempo style. In preseason they scored a lot of points. They played their best game of the season (Monday) at Dallas. They’re definitely starting to get up and down the floor more under Nelson than they did under Mike Montgomery.
Q: Do you believe the Warriors will make the playoffs and end their postseason drought, which is the longest current streak in the NBA? If you saw many of the preseason predictions in various publications and websites, I wouldn’t say it was a large percentage, but there are some analysts picking them to get there.
A: I think the expectation in the Bay Area is that they at least compete for a playoff spot. They want to be playing meaningful games in April and at least give themselves a chance. I would agree with you, though, not many people have picked the Warriors to make the playoffs, but a few have. The people who did are the ones who really think a lot of Don Nelson, and think so much of him that they think he’s going to be the difference, the guy to give them the eight to 10 (additional) wins they’re going to need to do it.
The personnel hasn’t changed, other than they traded Derek Fisher. So on paper you would look at them and say they’re no better than last year. But the people who picked them to make the playoffs, they do it because of Don Nelson.
Q: What do you expect to see from former Hornets guard Baron Davis this season? He was impressive during preseason and was leading the team in scoring entering Tuesday’s game.
A: First of all, Don Nelson asked him to come into camp in good shape, and he did. He’s definitely in better shape now than he was last season. Nelson said right from the get-go that if Baron Davis buys into the system, he’s going to flourish this season. Nelson’s asking him to play a little differently, especially cutting down on his 3-point attempts. Baron did that during the preseason and has so far in the regular season.
Nelson’s kind of got a history with point guards, whether it’s Steve Nash or Tim Hardaway. Nelson thinks Baron Davis is a great player and that he’s a centerpiece to this team. One of the reasons people in the Bay Area are optimistic is because they really think Baron Davis is going to take to Nelson and really pick up his game.
Q: What kind of progress is first-round pick Patrick O’Bryant making? He hasn’t played much so far (O’Bryant is averaging 0.7 points and 1.0 rebound in three appearances). It seems like the Warriors have been trying to find a long-term answer at center for at least a decade.
A: Patrick O’Bryant is a young kid, a 7-footer. They really like his hands, and he has a very good feel for the game. Nelson said he’s really impressed with how O’Bryant is picking things up. Nelson said a few weeks ago that O’Bryant is going to be one of the keys to the future of the franchise. Now, he also said that right now he needs to get a lot stronger. He’s very young and very raw.
The funny thing Nelson said about O’Bryant was that he thinks (O’Bryant) is going to be a very good player, but Nelson also added, ‘I just hope it happens before I die.’ [laughs] But Nelson really likes him. Nelson has a reputation for being tough on rookies and he’s coaching this kid hard, but he definitely thinks he’s going to be a piece going forward.
Q: What is your impression of the Hornets’ unbeaten start after some of the major offseason moves they made?
A: The thing that sticks out to me was that the Hornets were a team that improved their win total by 20 games last year, and usually when a team does that, most teams continue on that same path (and do not make many roster changes). But they seemed to turn over their team after improving by 20 games. In and of itself, that was pretty unusual.
Obviously the Peja Stojakovic signing was one of the biggest moves of the offseason. I think there are people around the league who think that may have been a little bit too much money for him, but with him, David West and Chris Paul, they really have a nice (trio). Paul can create, and they’ve got a lot of shooters surrounding him.
Tyson Chandler has always been a guy who I thought was an interesting player. I always thought that the guy is so long, but it didn’t seem like he was maxing out his potential in Chicago. Sometimes players need a change of scenery. But anytime you talk to people in the Bay Area, they think that the Hornets are a team the Warriors are going to have to beat out to make the playoffs.
Hornets.com caught up with Golden State guard Jason Richardson and Golden State television broadcaster Matt Steinmetz prior to Tuesday’s game at the Ford Center. Now in his sixth NBA season, Richardson averaged 23.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists last season and has evolved into one of the league’s premier shooting guards. Steinmetz, a former Warriors beat reporter for the Contra Costa Times and one of the nation’s top professional basketball writers, serves as a TV analyst for Fox Sports Bay Area.
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Q: New Warriors head coach Don Nelson believes in playing an up-tempo game that encourages his players to run. What kind of impact do you think that will have on your game, considering you are one of the NBA’s best finishers in the open court?
A: I think it’s going to have a huge impact. He’s a coach who likes teams that are capable of running and pushing the ball. I think it’s going to take my game to another level.
Q: What are your expectations for this season? Do you look at this season like if you don’t make the playoffs it will be a disappointing year?
A: I look at EVERY season like that, ever since I was a rookie. That’s just me. But it kind of is at that point now for everyone. Management did their job and got guys to re-sign and stay here. They drafted a lot of guys that they are paying (significant salaries). The core of this team of me, Mike (Dunleavy) and Troy (Murphy), they paid us to perform. We have no excuses now. We have a team and a coach now that can win games. There are no excuses. So if we don’t make the playoffs, it’s a big disappointment.
Q: You took out full-page ads in Bay Area newspapers that apologized to fans for the Warriors’ play last season. What made you decide to do that?
A: My main thing with that was to let the fans know that we were serious about winning. We’ve been promising it for a long time. The Warriors haven’t been in the playoffs for a long time – it’s going on 13 years. Me personally, I feel like our fans deserve better than what we’ve given them. I think we have the most loyal fans in the NBA, and they’ve set attendance records. Our attendance has grown ever since my first year being here. I just feel like they deserve more from us on the court.
Q: You have been one of the league’s most productive shooting guards over the past few seasons, but are still not very well-known except to people who closely follow the NBA. Do you feel like you are still an underrated player?
A: I feel like I am. I feel like I’m capable of being a top-five or top-10 shooting guard in this league. Not many people hear much about Golden State because we haven’t been winning. At times, maybe the time difference is part of it too, because East Coast people can’t really see our games because we are on so late. But I think once we start winning, all of that will change.
Q: Michael Jordan and you are the only players in NBA history to win back-to-back dunk contests. Would you ever consider participating in the dunk contest again?
A: Yeah, I would participate in that again, but only if they get (several NBA stars) back in it. If you can get Vince (Carter), and maybe Kobe (Bryant) to be in it, that would get me interested. Maybe they could get them all for (All-Star weekend) this season in Las Vegas, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.
Q: How do you think you would fare if you did make a return to the dunk contest? Would you be the favorite?
A: [laughs] I don’t know, man. If you get all those guys I mentioned in it, that would be a pretty good dunk contest. It’d be real hard to win it.
Q: What is your opinion of the current state of the dunk contest? Do you have any ideas on how to improve it?
A: The only way you can really improve it, is to bring in all of those guys that people want to see. People want to see someone like LeBron (James) in the dunk contest. They’d like to see Kobe, Vince.
As far as other ideas, maybe they could give the winner a Bentley or something like that [laughs]. People don’t understand: What makes the dunk contest tough is that it’s really hard to come up with new dunks that people haven’t seen. I ran out of ideas a while ago. You have to try to think of doing backflips or crazy stuff like that. You have to try something new. Everything’s already been done, so it’s pretty hard.
Q: Hockey was one of your favorite sports to play as a kid. If you had stuck with it, what do you think your chances of playing in the NHL would have been?
A: My chances would have been pretty good [grins]. I was a pretty good hockey player, and played left wing. I think I could’ve been a good hockey player.
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Q: The Warriors are a team many people around the league are watching to see what kind of impact new head coach Don Nelson can have with his up-tempo style of play. How much difference in the win column do you think Nellie will make on a team that is coming off back-to-back 34-win seasons?
A: I think one of the things the Warriors are hoping he brings is a better ability to close out games. Because last year I think they were 7-14 in games decided by three points or less. They squandered a lot of opportunities. They definitely feel that by bringing him in, he’s going to clean up some of their late-game problems. They feel like they can be competitive with a lot of teams, but it’s a matter of closing teams out.
Plus, the style he brings is important. Last season the Warriors didn’t run as much as they said they were going to. Nelson has really been pushing the up-tempo style. In preseason they scored a lot of points. They played their best game of the season (Monday) at Dallas. They’re definitely starting to get up and down the floor more under Nelson than they did under Mike Montgomery.
Q: Do you believe the Warriors will make the playoffs and end their postseason drought, which is the longest current streak in the NBA? If you saw many of the preseason predictions in various publications and websites, I wouldn’t say it was a large percentage, but there are some analysts picking them to get there.
A: I think the expectation in the Bay Area is that they at least compete for a playoff spot. They want to be playing meaningful games in April and at least give themselves a chance. I would agree with you, though, not many people have picked the Warriors to make the playoffs, but a few have. The people who did are the ones who really think a lot of Don Nelson, and think so much of him that they think he’s going to be the difference, the guy to give them the eight to 10 (additional) wins they’re going to need to do it.
The personnel hasn’t changed, other than they traded Derek Fisher. So on paper you would look at them and say they’re no better than last year. But the people who picked them to make the playoffs, they do it because of Don Nelson.
Q: What do you expect to see from former Hornets guard Baron Davis this season? He was impressive during preseason and was leading the team in scoring entering Tuesday’s game.
A: First of all, Don Nelson asked him to come into camp in good shape, and he did. He’s definitely in better shape now than he was last season. Nelson said right from the get-go that if Baron Davis buys into the system, he’s going to flourish this season. Nelson’s asking him to play a little differently, especially cutting down on his 3-point attempts. Baron did that during the preseason and has so far in the regular season.
Nelson’s kind of got a history with point guards, whether it’s Steve Nash or Tim Hardaway. Nelson thinks Baron Davis is a great player and that he’s a centerpiece to this team. One of the reasons people in the Bay Area are optimistic is because they really think Baron Davis is going to take to Nelson and really pick up his game.
Q: What kind of progress is first-round pick Patrick O’Bryant making? He hasn’t played much so far (O’Bryant is averaging 0.7 points and 1.0 rebound in three appearances). It seems like the Warriors have been trying to find a long-term answer at center for at least a decade.
A: Patrick O’Bryant is a young kid, a 7-footer. They really like his hands, and he has a very good feel for the game. Nelson said he’s really impressed with how O’Bryant is picking things up. Nelson said a few weeks ago that O’Bryant is going to be one of the keys to the future of the franchise. Now, he also said that right now he needs to get a lot stronger. He’s very young and very raw.
The funny thing Nelson said about O’Bryant was that he thinks (O’Bryant) is going to be a very good player, but Nelson also added, ‘I just hope it happens before I die.’ [laughs] But Nelson really likes him. Nelson has a reputation for being tough on rookies and he’s coaching this kid hard, but he definitely thinks he’s going to be a piece going forward.
Q: What is your impression of the Hornets’ unbeaten start after some of the major offseason moves they made?
A: The thing that sticks out to me was that the Hornets were a team that improved their win total by 20 games last year, and usually when a team does that, most teams continue on that same path (and do not make many roster changes). But they seemed to turn over their team after improving by 20 games. In and of itself, that was pretty unusual.
Obviously the Peja Stojakovic signing was one of the biggest moves of the offseason. I think there are people around the league who think that may have been a little bit too much money for him, but with him, David West and Chris Paul, they really have a nice (trio). Paul can create, and they’ve got a lot of shooters surrounding him.
Tyson Chandler has always been a guy who I thought was an interesting player. I always thought that the guy is so long, but it didn’t seem like he was maxing out his potential in Chicago. Sometimes players need a change of scenery. But anytime you talk to people in the Bay Area, they think that the Hornets are a team the Warriors are going to have to beat out to make the playoffs.
