Warriors fans too young to have witnessed the 1975 championship wonder if their team could ever win an NBA title in their lifetime. For 12 magical minutes Wednesday night, it was clear they could. Maybe even someday soon.
If only those dozen minutes could be duplicated about 400 times over the course of a season. Impossible? Perhaps. Heck, the Warriors couldn't even produce one carbon copy Wednesday, blowing a 13-point halftime lead en route to a 119-111 loss at Boston.
Win or lose, those 12 minutes were something special. They occurred in the second quarter after the Warriors had fallen behind 35-28 through one period, and answered several questions Golden State fans have about their team.
Can a Don Nelson team commit to playing defense? Yes. The Warriors held the powerful Celtics without a field goal over the first five-and-a-half minutes of the period, allowing the visitors to climb within 43-41 despite never really finding an offensive rhythm over that stretch.
Can Corey Maggette replace the offense lost when he traded homes with Baron Davis over the summer? Yes. The ex-Clipper buried three jumpers -- including a three-pointer -- in a remarkable three-minute flurry during which the Warriors never missed a shot, going 7-for-7 en route to 17 points and a 10-point lead.
Can Ronny Turiaf instill a hard-hat element to the Golden State lineup? Yes. The ex-Laker was so good in the second quarter, the usually small-ball-minded Nelson stuck with a traditional, two-big-man lineup nearly throughout the period, and it paid off at both ends of the floor. Turiaf even contributed to the final touches of a 39-19 explosion, dropping in a lay-up that sandwiched five free throws by Kelenna Azubuike and Jamal Crawford to extend the lead to 13 by halftime.
And does this team have enough depth to compete without burning its starters night after night? Yes. Nelson made eight substitutions over the 12 minutes of the period and got production from eight different guys.
In the end, the Warriors lost the game. But they were better than the defending champs -- much better -- for 12 minutes, so the dream continues in Oakland.
CELTICS 119, WARRIORS 111: The Warriors complained about playing eight-on-five Wednesday night, believing the referees played a key role in Boston's come-from-behind win. But truth be told: It was the quality -- not quantity -- of the Celtics' free throws that doomed the visitors. Boston attempted just three more fouls shots than Golden State, but made six more to account for almost all the margin of victory. Both teams were called for 24 fouls, but the Warriors' frustration built as the Celtics rarely missed their free-throw opportunities, going a remarkable 32-for-36.
