Quazza wrote:Gasol generally monstored us last year. Don't see why that won't continue. They actually have a pretty decent looking starting 5 now

bigstrads wrote:Sad sad day when a Grizz team looks more balanced and talented than ours.

Quazza wrote:

bigstrads wrote:Sad sad day when a Grizz team looks more balanced and talented than ours.

lol it really does, doesn't it mate

BringTheThunder wrote:Gasol is one ugly SOB

Nelson adds lineup twist to juggling act
Rusty Simmons, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Stephen Jackson says he's sporting a recently chiseled 240-pound frame. He has four new tattoos, with a yet-to-be disclosed fifth one on the way.

With the fresh body and fresh ink, why not try a fresh position?

"At this point, we need to try anything to get us going and get us on a positive note," Jackson said Tuesday. "If that means going small and having more of an offensive team, and it works, then that's what we need."

Jackson got Chinese characters representing honor and loyalty tattooed on his neck this week and two Bible scriptures inked on his chest. His bigger change is that he will start for the Warriors at power forward tonight, when they host Memphis and try to gyrate a season that started by spinning in the wrong direction.

With Ronny Turiaf (left knee) hurting and Anthony Randolph struggling, coach Don Nelson is turning to his third starting lineup in three games. Jackson moves to the "4," Kelenna Azubuike makes his first start at small forward, and the other three starters (Andris Biedrins, Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry) remain.

In starting 0-2 against a tired Houston team and an aging Phoenix squad, the Warriors went through lapses when they didn't look for fast-break points and even longer stretches when they didn't pass in half-court sets.

"You can see how stagnant we are and how that kills the offensive momentum," Curry said. "We've got a lot of talented players who can make one-on-one plays, but we have to pick and choose our spots and be willing to pass when we don't have a good shot."

Nelson is hoping that starting Azubuike will space the floor and playing Jackson, who consistently makes the right passes, at power forward will alleviate some of the troubles. The theory, however, also introduces a possible problem with rebounding.

"Rebounding is an issue anyway, so I don't know how much worse we're going to be by going smaller," Nelson said.

"We'll see," Jackson said. "We have to be able to rebound. It's going to be difficult because they are pretty big guys, so we're going to have to do a great job of team rebounding."

Nelson said the move to the smaller lineup was predicated partly because of Turiaf's injury, but the coach also believes that the switch could spark the team. The Warriors had competitive practices Sunday and Monday, and seemed enlivened by something.

"We've definitely been working hard, but I don't know that it has anything to do with the lineup switch," Curry said. "If players need that to get motivated, I think we've got a problem.

"Losing should be enough to get us motivated."

-- The Warriors play three of their next four at home - all against 2008-09 lottery teams - before heading on a five-game road trip that concludes with games at Cleveland and Boston.

"We need to start playing, and we need to win some games," Nelson said.

"Once you go east, you're playing against good teams and loud crowds," Curry said. "You don't want to try to turn your season around out there."

"Rebounding is an issue anyway, so I don't know how much worse we're going to be by going smaller," Nelson said.

"We've definitely been working hard, but I don't know that it has anything to do with the lineup switch," Curry said. "If players need that to get motivated, I think we've got a problem.

"Losing should be enough to get us motivated."