Counting W's for Week 1

By: Atma Brother #1 of Golden State of Mind

Are you ready for the first week of the 2007-2008 Golden State Warriors season? I know I sure am! This season we're going to roll out a new weekly Warriors predictions and preview segment right here on The W Column for FSN Bay Area called Counting W's. It seems like a natural match for this space.

Please feel free to post your own predictions and thoughts in the comments section all season long too. There's nothing more fun than a little weekly picks party. To make things easier for tracking everyone's picks for the Warriors all season long use Ballhype's NBA Games section and make sure to join the Golden State of Mind Community group.

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There's 3 games on tap this opening week including a back-to-back with both games on the road.

Tuesday October 30: Warriors vs Jazz
Let's put aside the last time the Warriors faced the Jazz in Oakland for a second and think back to the second to last time the Dubs took on Utah's squad at the Roaracle Arena. Yeah I'm talking about THAT DUNK and those hype fans that prompted ESPN to display a decibel level meter to visually depict the energy of the Oakland crowd.

Last year's opening night was a big let down, but this Tuesday my friends is going to be an opening night to remember. The house is going to be packed and the 833+ GSoMers donning fresh orange tee's designed by Warrior design All-Star Tony.psd will not let the Warriors lose.

Admittedly the Jazz proved in the second round of last season's playoffs that they were just a better ballclub than the Warriors. Their physical style of play and interior dominance by Carlos Boozer were simply too much for them to handle. But I think the Warriors will be able to catch the Jazz off guard. Every single Warrior up and down the roster is in midseason shape. It's amazing how fit and trim these fellas are. Instead of sipping summertime milkshakes (chocolate and strawberry of course!) they were drinking Slim Fast. The Warriors are going to come out running and gunning as if it was Game 6 of last year's second round and the Jazz won't know what hit them.

Plus the Warriors will get plenty of help from the best fans in the league!
Prediction: 1 for the W column


Friday November 2: Warriors @ Clippers
Elton Brand might be out with a devastating ruptured left achilles suffered in the offseason for a few months, but keep your eyes on rookie forward Al Thornton. If Clips' coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. gives him the minutes he's going to terrorize the Warriors inside all night long and walk away with a double-double, doing a great Brand impersonation. I've got the over/ under on Clippers' swingman Corey Maggette's free throw attempts at 12.

Despite what should be big nights from Thornton and Maggette, the Warriors should be able to get their first road win Friday night. Baron Davis will put on a show in his hometown (although Quinton Ross played some stellar defense on BD last season) and the Clips don't have anyone that can catch "Mississippi Bullet" Monta Ellis. The Warriors' ultra-fast speed should be able to compensate for the punishment Thornton and Maggette are sure to dish out in paint for 48 minutes.
Prediction: Another one for the W column


Saturday November 3: Warriors @ Jazz
Despite 3 extremely close games last season the Dubs just couldn't get it done in Utah. I don't expect that to change this Saturday, but hey on any given Saturday in Salt Lake City anything can happen. The only way the Warriors can beat big teams like the Jazz is by shooting the lights out and playing the same Warrior tempo that helped them go on that 16-5 run at the end of last season to make the playoffs. Unfortunately on the second game of a back-to-back on the road, the Warriors will understandably be a little fatigued and unable to run in Salt Lake City at hyper-speed for the entire game.
Prediction: 1 for the L column


Overall Week 1 Prediction: 2-1


What are your predictions for the Warriors' first week?