Counting W's for Week 8

By: Fantasy Junkie of Golden State of Mind

Warriors Weekly Rewind

Another 2-2 week puts the Warriors at 13-11 overall and in 8^th place in the Western Conference race for the playoffs. This week saw the Warriors struggle in a couple games but also play well in their wins. There are many ups and downs with this team, but no matter what, it's always a great time out.

• Game 21: Warriors 96, Spurs 84- Without Tim Duncan, the Spurs were severely handicapped against the Warriors. It was great to see the Warriors put away a team that they should beat and win a game where they don’t score over 100 points.
• Game 22: Warriors 95, Blazers 105- A couple things. First, the Blazers are a tough team to beat especially at home and even without Greg Oden will challenge for a playoff spot. Second, the Warriors just couldn’t get anything going and looked flat on this second game of a back to back.
• Game 23: Warriors 108, Lakers 106- Baron Davis is the man. He came up HUGE in this comeback win. This is why we pay him the big bucks, to deliver when it is needed most. Did you see that step back, fading 3 to ice the game?! As Jim Barnett says, "My word!"
• Game 24: Warriors 87, Pistons 109- Ouch. It’s a game that should never happen. A West Coast team flying to the East Coast for a 9:30am (Pacific time) game? It was a ridiculous start time and gives the Pistons even more of a home court advantage. The Pistons swept the season series with the Warriors and got their revenge for last year.

The Warriors are hovering just over .500 right now as they continue with their 5 game road trip. Fortunately, the road trip sprinkles in the Grizzlies and Timberwolves, two of the bad teams in the league. Throw in the Nets who are struggling and you have 3 winnable games. If the Warriors are as good as we think they are, and they maintain their decent road record, there’s no reason to think that this team won’t do well this week.

Monday, December 17: Warriors @ Grizzlies

The Warriors face the Grizzlies for the first time this year on Monday. At 7-16 overall and 3-7 in their last 10 games, the Grizzlies are not winning but nevertheless still dangerous. They somehow did just beat the Magic in Orlando so you can be sure they’ll give the Warriors problems. Mike Miller always seems to go nuts against the Warriors with his great shooting. Rudy Gay has blossomed in just his second year and is currently the leading scorer on the team. They beefed up their frontline with the acquisition of Darko Milicic. As for their marquee player, Pau Gasol, he will probably miss the game so the Warriors catch a break with that one.

The Warriors will certainly be able to run up and down the court against the Grizzlies who are giving up nearly 106 points per game. The Grizzlies have enough firepower to hang with the Warriors and are certainly a serious threat to run away with the game if the Warriors aren’t shooting well. The Warriors can't come out flat like they did against the Pistons. Fortunately, I think Nellie will get them back on track for this one.

Prediction: 1 for the W column

Wednesday, December 19: Warriors @ Timberwolves

The Timberwolves are the worst team in the league thanks to Kevin McHale. They potentially have a nice young nucleus with Al Jefferson, Corey Brewer and Randy Foye, but their 3-19 record shows that they’re far from ready. They’re also 1-9 in their last 10 games, yikes! I just don't know how the Warriors lose this game because the talent difference is pretty wide. This game should be a cakewalk for the Warriors, but as Phoenix recently found out, any team can beat any other team on any given night. But, as long as the Warriors run, run, run, they'll be able to take this game with ease.

Prediction: 1 for the W column

Saturday, December 22: Warriors @ Nets

The Nets are struggling right now with all of the drama surrounding Jason Kidd and a possible trade. Their big 3, Kidd, Vince Carter, and Richard Jefferson, are still playing well, but they just can’t seem to string the W’s together. I don’t expect them to get a W against the Warriors, but I do expect it to be a fun game to watch. Jason Kidd was made to play an uptempo kind of game with Vince and RJ finishing on the break. Also, the Kidd-Baron matchup will be a joy to watch as two premier PG’s go at it. The Warriors play at a lightning fast speed and the Nets can also run so expect a lot of fireworks with this one.

Prediction: 1 for the W column

Sunday, December 23: Warriors @ Cavaliers

This one is going to be tough. This is the last game of the road trip, the second game of a back to back, and Lebron is back from his injury. Drew Gooden, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Lebron can pound the Warriors on the glass so the Dubs' frontline could be in for a long night. Add in sharpshooting Daniel "Boobie" Gibson and a healthy Larry Hughes, and this Cleveland team will be a tough matchup.

This game will be won or lost in the first half. If the Warriors can come out quick and put some points up in the first and second quarters, they’ll get the confidence and motivation to keep it going in the second half. If they come out and struggle to score against the tough Cleveland D, the second half will be even more difficult. The Cavs won the first game of the season series in Oakland in the Warriors' 3rd game of the season. And even though this is a very different Warriors team from the one that started 0-6, I suspect, the Warriors will still struggle.

Prediction: Another one for the L column

Overall Week 8 Prediction: 3-1

What are your predictions for week 8 for the Warriors?

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