In five games with the new starting lineup, the Warriors have averaged 105.2 points per game, a dramatic advantage over their 94.2 average for the season. Insider Preview dug deeper to see whether this change is attributable to playing faster or scoring more efficiently, and the answer is clear: Both. During that stretch, the Warriors have averaged 100 possessions per game (after accounting for one overtime game), a mark that would lead the league this season. The Warriors have also boosted their Offensive Efficiency from 97.8 for the season (one of six NBA teams averaging less than a point per possession) to 103.1, which would put them in the middle of the NBA pack.

So how come the Warriors are just 1-4 over their last four games? Well, part of it is that they've played three of the league's top teams (Dallas, Miami and Phoenix), but Golden State also fell 111-108 at cellar-dwelling New Orleans - just the second time all season the Hornets have scored 110 points in regulation. That illustrates the Warriors problem - this isn't football, and the same small lineup that produces mismatches and open shots on offense means Golden State has struggled on defense, allowing a 106.8 Defensive Rating. That's somewhat explained by the quality of the opposing offenses, but the Warriors have still allowed those five teams a higher Offensive Rating than they've averaged over the course of the season.

The Warriors schedule will get no breaks tonight against the Sonics, who, win or lose, will head to this weekend's All-Star break as one of four NBA teams 20 or more games above .500. Despite a 95-92 loss Sunday to the Dallas Mavericks, the Sonics are still on a recent roll, winning five of their six games during the month of February. With a win tonight, the Sonics would re-establish their superiority over the Warriors, who won last year's season series for the first time since the 1991-92 season. The Sonics have already won the first two matchups, both in January, pulling away from the Warriors in the second half of the game in Seattle and surviving for a three-point win in Oakland two weeks later.

G U A R D S
	A faster-paced tempo and a well-spaced court with shooters on the wings has played to the strengths of Claxton, one of the league's quickest players (his nickname, Speedy, is definitely not ironic). He had 18 points and 11 assists at New Orleans and 23 points and nine assists last night against the Mavericks. Claxton scored a season-high 27 points against the Sonics in Seattle, repeatedly getting to the basket. (He didn't play in the other Sonics-Warriors matchup.) Luke Ridnour and company have done a better job of stopping dribble penetration of late than they did during the month of January, and it will have to be a focus tonight. Ridnour is coming off his own strong performance against Dallas - 17 points and eight assists on Sunday.
	One of the hidden benefits of the small lineup is keeping Fisher in the starting five. He's been much more effective this season as a starter, averaging 14.8 points and canning 39.3% of his threes. The underlying reason is probably that he's more effective playing off of Claxton than as a pure point guard, a role he never had to play during his eight years in Los Angeles, as he mostly shared the backcourt with Kobe Bryant. There has, however, been some grumbling from Warriors teammates that Fisher has been pulling the trigger too often this season. Sonics guard Ray Allen is coming off one of the worst games of his career, a 10-point, 4-for-17-shooting effort against the Mavericks. Allen had 26 points on 10-for-22 shooting at Golden State despite coming down with the flu afterwards.
F O R W A R D S
	Far and away the best news from the Warriors season has been the development of Richardson, who has played like the budding All-Star Golden State needs him to be. Richardson is 12th in the NBA in scoring at 22.4 points per game, and doing it while shooting a career-best 44.4% from the field. He's also one of the league's best-rebounding guards at 6.3 boards per game, which has allowed him to capably play small forward at 6-6. The Warriors were 0-9 with Richardson sidelined at the start of January with a sprained ankle, and he's been phenomenal since returning, averaging 25.9 points and dropping 30+ four times. But the Sonics limited Richardson in Oakland (he missed the first meeting), limiting him to 9-for-23 shooting. Sonics forward Rashard Lewis was big in that game, scoring 24 points on 11-for-18 shooting.
	On paper, the biggest weak link in the Warriors smallball lineup is using Dunleavy at power forward. Though he's listed at 6-9, 230, Dunleavy is light enough to have trouble defending some small forwards. Dirk Nowitzki lit the Warriors up for 35 points (though he played plenty of center) and Shawn Marion had 21 points and 16 boards. Dunleavy has evened the score on offense, however, averaging 20.0 points on 50% shooting during the last five games (he's also contributing 7.8 rebounds). Reggie Evans of the Sonics should have the opportunity to dominate the glass when he's in the game. Evans is working on a six-game double-figure rebounding streak that doesn't include his 17 boards in Oakland last month.
C E N T E R
	The one big man in the Warriors starting lineup is Adonal Foyle. The veteran out of Colgate has long been one of the league's best shot-blockers (he's averaging 4.4 per 48 minutes, second-best in the league). Foyle tied his career high with 20 rebounds against the Suns, but he's not a particularly good rebounder overall and has averaged only 4.3 boards in the other four "smallball" games. Foyle is also an offensive non-factor. Sonics center Jerome James can almost match Foyle swat-for-swat, averaging 4.2 blocks per 48 minutes, and is a better offensive player who will probably get some looks in the post while he's in the game.
B E N C H
	Warriors swingman Calbert Cheaney (right) was a surprise factor in the Sonics matchup in Oakland, scoring a season-high 21 points on 10-for-15 shooting. He's recorded double-figures just once in seven games since then (10 points in that one), but is a quality perimeter defender. Youngster Mickael Pietrus has a similar skill set, and the two often trade minutes depending on who's shooting well. There's a similar setup at forward between Eduardo Najera, known for his hustle play, and second-year man Zarko Cabarkapa, who has twice scored double-figures off the bench during February. Veteran Dale Davis plays behind Foyle. Playing against a team he felt treated him unfairly at the end of his time in Golden State, Sonics big man Danny Fortson (left) had 13 points and 11 rebounds in Seattle, though whether he can be as effective in a faster-paced game remains to be seen. Fortson is returning from a two-game league suspension. Antonio Daniels was very productive off the bench last week, averaging better than 15 points and not committing a turnover. Vladimir Radmanovic should see plenty of action at power forward as the Sonics match up small with the Warriors, and look for him to get an early call if the starting lineup struggles to keep up with Golden State.

TEAM LEADERS ALLEN RICHARDSON Allen 23.9 PPG Richardson 22.4 Evans 9.3 RPG Murphy 11.2 Ridnour 6.1 APG Claxton 6.0 Ridnour 1.2 SPG Claxton 1.9 James 1.3 BPG Foyle 1.7 Allen 39.8 MPG Richardson 38.2