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WARRIORS NOTEBOOK
Pietrus' run as a starter might last awhile
- Janny Hu, Chronicle Staff Writer
Monday, February 6, 2006
Mickael Pietrus has started five straight games, scoring 14 or more points in all but one game and providing his usual hustle on defense.
Pietrus' play appears to have earned him the starting small-forward spot for the moment, though Warriors coach Mike Montgomery refused to name his starting lineup for tonight's game against Denver.
What makes Pietrus' performance more valuable are two dates that loom for the Warriors: Golden State has a $5.287 million trade exception -- the largest in the league -- that expires Feb. 14. The trade deadline is Feb. 23.
Vice president Chris Mullin has maintained that it would take time to evaluate his roster. And the better his supporting cast plays, the higher its worth grows, the more expendable other players become.
Pietrus will be looking for a contract extension in the summer and the Warriors will have a tough time fitting him under the luxury tax, alongside their long-term commitments to Mike Dunleavy, Derek Fisher, Adonal Foyle, Troy Murphy and Jason Richardson.
Herb Rudoy, Pietrus' agent, said he wasn't concerned about his client's future in Oakland after Dunleavy received his pricey extension, and, so far, Pietrus is echoing the feeling.
After Saturday's game, he said he would prefer to be a starter "like everybody" and wouldn't give up the spot without a fight. He also said the Warriors' success was his primary focus.
"As long I have a 'W' at the end of the game, that's the most important thing for me," he said. "After that, as for starting five, I don't deal with that."
No fouls here: A priceless moment was lost amid the Warriors' 109-77 win over Minnesota on Saturday night. With 1:02 left in the first quarter, Murphy was whistled for a shooting foul on guard Ricky Davis.
Murphy, who already had one foul, threw his hands in the air and looked toward the nearest official. Then he looked at teammate Andris Biedrins.
"Who's the foul on?" Murphy twice asked the referee. Before long, Montgomery had joined in the questioning and Biedrins was raising his arms straight up.
It was the first -- and probably last -- time the Warriors have wanted Biedrins to be charged with a foul. And to that end, it also was a sign of how far he's come.
The backup center kept himself in the game after the call was corrected, an achievement in itself for someone known as much for his foul-per-minute pace as his poor free-throw shooting.
Biedrins used his quickness and length on defense, played 16 minutes, and would have played more had the game not disintegrated into garbage time.
"It's hard because big guys, you have to help everybody," he said. "If
somebody's coming to the basket, maybe you don't get a foul on your guy, but
you just foul somebody who's penetrating. You have to come over and help."
Warriors tonight
Opponent: Nuggets
Where: Arena in Oakland
When: 7:30 p.m.
TV/Radio: FSNBA/680 AM
E-mail Janny Hu at jhu@sfchronicle.com.
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