Much of the pessimism about the Warriors' prospects this season stems from Monta Ellis' ankle injury that could keep him out of action until January.
But if the standout guard could have picked the best possible time to miss about one-third of the season, the first two months would have been the obvious choice. Things didn't look good for the Warriors early last season, either, when they opened 1-6 as Stephen Jackson served a seven-game suspension.
But the emotional swingman returned just in time for the club's first big Eastern trip of the season, and the Warriors immediately turned things around on that five-game journey, losing only at Boston.
The Warriors went on to win 20 of 30 against the East (as opposed to going just 28-24 vs. the West) and finished 48-34, which was two games short of a playoff spot in the West but would have ranked as the fourth-best record in the East.
Playing without Ellis for the third time in four nights Saturday, the Warriors scored what might otherwise be considered an improbable win. But no success against the East truly is a surprise.
And now the best part: After they play seven of their next eight games against Western clubs, the Warriors will face seven Eastern teams in succession and 15 in a 20-game stretch that ends right about the time Ellis is scheduled to return.
Suddenly, things look a lot brighter.
WARRIORS 105, NETS 97: After blowing two late leads to begin the season 0-2, the Warriors took no chances Saturday, using a 31-15 third-quarter flurry to build an insurmountable lead. Andris Biedrins, who didn't get off a shot during the Warriors' 1-for-16 slump late in Friday's overtime loss at Toronto, was a go-to guy in the pull-away, scoring on four of the five times the club went to him on the block.
