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QUARTER-BY-QUARTER ANALYSIS
First quarter: Jason Hart got the Bobcats off on the right foot, hitting a 21-foot jumper to open the game. But the Warriors came right back with eight consecutive points over the next two minutes to take control early. Golden Start maintained leads of up to eight points through the period, thanks to 52.6 percent shooting and the scoring of Jason Richardson (seven points) and Troy Murphy (six). The Bobcats were still in it, trailing 26-18 at the end of the quarter, but needed to reverse an early pattern of missed layups and costly turnovers. Hart’s six points led Charlotte’s scoring in the first. Second quarter: Golden State was relentless in the opening minutes, using a 6-0 mini-run in the first 41 seconds to extend its lead to 14 (32-18) and then turning an overall 12-3 surge into a 17-point advantage by the time five minutes had elapsed. The Warriors gradually built the lead through the last seven minutes, eventually getting it to 22 (51-29) with 0:50 to play. Charlotte got a late spark from reserve Tamar Slay, who hit a pair of layups and two wing jumpers (one a three-pointer) for nine points. Charlotte starting forward Emeka Okafor, who had rolled his right ankle in the opening period, went out with 1:59 left in the second and was through for the night. Golden State’s halftime lead was 51-34. Third quarter: The night got better, for a while, for the Bobcats. Midway through the period they started to rally and went on to outscore Golden State 16-4 over a five-minute stretch. That got them back in it, cutting a 20-point deficit to eight (68-60) with 1:51 remaining in the quarter. They turned up the intensity, limited the Warriors’ hot shooting to 42.9 percent and appeared ready to complete a comeback. But there was more bad news: Hart, who had gone into the game bothered by a sore ankle, went out to stay with a sprain two minutes into the quarter. Golden State got its lead back to nine, 72-63, by the end of the period. Fourth quarter: The Charlotte surge ended almost as quickly as it had begun. Golden State’s perimeter shooters, led by Murphy with 10 in the fourth, hit time after time from the wings and made 13 of 18 shots in the quarter. That sent the Warriors’ advantage soaring from nine to a second-half high of 21 (99-78) with 2:53 to play. The Bobcats, hurt by the absence of Hart and Okafor in the last two periods, also lost ground because of an injury to starting center and leading scorer Primoz Brezec. Playing primarily down low and unable to hit from the outside because he was unable to raise his right arm, Brezec finished with 3-of-9 shooting and eight points. He was way off his season averages of 16.8 points and 58.3 percent shooting. Gerald Wallace had 22, Eddie House 20 and Steve Smith 13 for the Bobcats. Richardson’s 27 and Murphy’s 22 led the Warriors.
GM & HEAD COACH BERNIE BICKERSTAFF SAYS... (on injuries that limited the playing time of three starters) Let me take my hat off to Jason Hart and Primoz (Brezec). They really shouldn’t have been on the court tonight. Jason wanted to go with his (spained ankle). Primoz…We looked down the bench one time and had two (available) guys there. Hart and Emeka (Okafor) had the (sprained) ankles, so we’ll have to find out what their (status) is, as well as Primoz’ condition. Jason had the problem before and he tried to gut it out. You appreciate the effort but I just don’t think you should try to be a hero because you could set it back some. (on Brezec’s injury) He can’t raise his arm because of some kind of muscle (injury). I found out about it. And I should have known something. He came up to me before the game and said, ‘Coach, I need to get down inside tonight.’ I should have known it was something right there…But still, (the Warriors) were rolling. They needed it and they got after it and made shots. (on Okafor’s injury) He rolled his ankle (in the first quarter). He went back to the locker room and he said he wanted to try it. He tried it (in the second quarter) and then told us at halftime that he couldn’t go. I don’t have a clue at this point about the conditions of any of them. (on how the injuries will affect practice plans) We have to take time off tomorrow. But we need a good hard practice but we just can’t do it. So we’ve got to take tomorrow off and then we’ll try to have a hard practice Monday. But we need the practice because of slippage, offensively and defensively. (on the possibility of activating either Keith Bogans or Jamal Sampson off the injured list) Monday, a decision will be made…Bogans is physically ready. I don’t know whether Jamal is ready. (on the status of point guard Brevin Knight and backup center Melvin Ely, both out against Golden State with injuries). Brevin should be OK…Right now I don’t think Melvin should go on the injured list. We’ve got to roll the dice with him. It’s more day to day.
INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM
EDDIE HOUSE (on the Bobcats’ injuries) You’re out on the floor and regardless of who is injured, the game is going to play out. We’re out there and we’re going to have to play regardless. As long as we can put five on the floor we’re going to have to play.
GERALD WALLACE (on the injuries) Everybody’s got to be ready to play. I played on a team in Sacramento where guys were hurt and we still had the best record in the league. It all comes down to people having to be able to step up and play. |
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