The Warriors' practice was noticeably calmer Wednesday, Day 2 of swingman Stephen Jackson's return from suspension. Members of the organization were doing all they could to turn the page. Coach Don Nelson described the situation as "over." Second-year forward Anthony Randolph went as far as saying "it's not a situation." Jackson, however, wasn't as successful at putting up a front. Questioned about the happenings during Friday's game against the Lakers in Los Angeles, Jackson expressed disappointment in his teammates.
"Nobody reacted but me, so the team didn't have a reaction," Jackson told reporters after practice. "It was only me standing up for myself. I don't think anybody else stood up for me. But if the shoe were on the other foot, I would have stood up for somebody on my team. And they didn't do the same for me."
Jackson initially expressed disappointment at the coaching staff for keeping him in the game and not backing him when replacement referees whistled him for five fouls and a technical in the first quarter.
Wednesday, Jackson also elaborated on his beef with Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. The two were locked in a heated matchup that got Jackson the five fouls and his blood boiling, which led to his two-game suspension.
"I'm not a fan of Kobe," Jackson said. "I'm not somebody who looks up to him. I'm a grown man myself. So when I go out there and play the game, I play the game. I feel like I'm just as good as him. I might not get the publicity or notoriety he gets, but I feel like I can play with anybody in the NBA any given night."
Bryant reportedly called Jackson "young fella" during the game, and Jackson complained of Bryant throwing elbows. Jackson perhaps expected his teammates to mix it up with Bryant in his defense. Their failure to do so might have played a part in Jackson relinquishing his team captaincy Tuesday.
The Warriors picked up their options on Randolph and Brandan Wright, guaranteeing Randolph's third season and Wright's fourth. The decision to pick up Randolph's option was a no-brainer. Wright's was not so easy since he suffered a separated shoulder. But after a successful surgery, the Warriors are confident Wright will recover. The Warriors haven't released a timetable for his return, but Nelson said Wednesday that Wright has "got to sit out another year, but he's certainly worthy of that extension."
