Golden State Warriors Blog – Page 88 – NBA Blog

Warriors name Larry Riley GM; Chris Mullin gone

The Golden State Warriors announced today that the club has elected not to renew the contract of Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin. In a related move, the team has named Larry Riley as the club’s new General Manager.

“It’s never an easy decision to make a change,” said Warriors’ President Robert Rowell. “This case is compounded by the fact it involves Chris Mullin — someone who has provided Bay Area fans with many great memories over the years, as both a player and executive. He’s a class individual who will always be remembered for his accomplishments with the Warriors organization.”

Mullin, 45, was named Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations on April 22, 2004, and his current contract is set to expire on June 30. He has spent the last five years in that position after spending two years as a Special Assistant with the club. Prior to his front office tenure, Mullin spent 13 years of his 16-year NBA career with the Warriors, highlighted by five NBA All-Star Game appearances. He retired following the 2000-01 season.

Riley, 64, has spent the last six-plus months as Assistant General Manager with the Warriors after being elevated to that position on November 7, 2008. He originally joined the Warriors as an assistant coach prior to the 2006-07 campaign and spent his first two-plus seasons with Golden State in that capacity.

Riley has accumulated 20-plus years of NBA experience in various capacities prior to being named GM of the Warriors, including a six-year stint as Director of Player Personnel for the expansion Vancouver Grizzlies from 1994-95 to 1999-00. The Indiana native also spent six seasons as an assistant coach/scout with the Milwaukee Bucks (1988-89 to 1993-94) and six years with the Dallas Mavericks in the same capacity (2000-01 to 2005-06).

“We think Larry Riley possesses many characteristics that will allow him to be successful as the General Manager of our team,” said Rowell. “One of his primary strengths is his ability to work with a group of people to achieve a common goal, which his wide-ranging 20-plus years of experience at the NBA level will enable him to do on a day-to-day basis. It is that type of experience and insight that will prove invaluable as we move forward.”

Spurs rout Warriors, stay tied for division lead

The AP reports: Tony Parker scored 17 points and Tim Duncan added 16 points and 13 rebounds before both stars sat out the fourth quarter, and the San Antonio Spurs kept pace with Houston atop the Southwest Division with a 101-72 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Monday night. Drew Gooden had 20 points and 15 rebounds in his hometown for the Spurs, who won their third straight to pull even at 53-28 with the Rockets and Portland, who both won earlier in the night… Anthony Randolph had career highs of 24 points and 16 rebounds, and C.J. Watson added 18 points for the Warriors, who had just seven available players. Injured guard Marco Belinelli again had to dress for the game just to give Golden State the NBA-minimum eight in uniform.

Stephen Jackson predicts changes

The San Francisco Chronicle (Jannny Hu) reports: Stephen Jackson plans on being at Oracle Arena tonight for the Warriors’ home finale, and he might be taking a good look at the teammates around him. As far as Golden State’s captain has been told, not everyone will be back when the team reconvenes next season. “There will be change, things will be shifted,” Jackson said this past week, “but I think the core will be here. I think as a team and an organization, we know the steps that we have to take to correct a lot of these wrongs that we had this season.”

Watson scores 38, short-handed Warriors beat Jazz

The AP reports: The Warriors—all seven of them—beat the Jazz 118-108 on Saturday night, keeping Utah mired in eighth place in the Western Conference with only two games remaining in the regular season. “We want to play loose and play fast. That’s what we’ve been doing,” said C.J. Watson, who scored a career-high 38 points to lead the Warriors. Watson also had nine assists for the second straight night and pulled down seven rebounds as Golden State stunned Utah at the start and never let up when the Jazz tried to rally… Deron Williams had 26 points and 14 assists before leaving in the final minute, holding his ribs with a strained muscle in his side. Carlos Boozer added 25 points and 12 rebounds for the Jazz, in danger of drawing the Lakers in the first round… Kelenna Azubuike scored 18, Anthony Morrow added 13 points and Anthony Randolph 11 for Golden State.

Mutombo gives Rockets boost in win over Warriors

The AP reports: Dikembe Mutombo had 10 points and 15 rebounds, Luis Scola added a career-high 28 points and the Houston Rockets maintained their slim hold on the third seed in the Western Conference with a 113-109 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday. Making a rare start after center Yao Ming was scratched from Houston’s lineup during pregame warmups because of lingering soreness in his right foot, the 42-year-old Mutombo blocked four shots and played a season-high 36 minutes while helping the Rockets complete a four-game season sweep of the Warriors. Ron Artest added 19 points and six assists for Houston, which remained a half-game in front of Portland and San Antonio for the third seed in the Western Conference… Kelenna Azubuike had 32 points and C.J. Watson and Ronny Turiaf added 18 apiece for Golden State (28-51), which overcame a 14-point deficit in the second half before falling short.

Bulls sign DeMarcus Nelson

The Chicago Bulls today signed rookie guard DeMarcus Nelson for the remainder of the 2008-09 season.

Nelson joins the Bulls after playing 20 games in the NBA D-League this season, most recently with the Austin Toros. He has split the season with the Toros and the Bakersfield Jam. On the year, he has averaged 19.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.1 apg and 1.65 spg in 37.5 mpg. He has made .540 from the field, .420 on three-point field goals and .723 from the line. The 23-year-old Nelson is the 23rd Call-Up of the NBA D-League this season.

Undrafted out of Duke, the 6-4, 200-pound guard originally signed a free-agent contract with the Golden State Warriors on Sept. 9, 2008. He appeared in 13 games (five starts) with the Warriors, and averaged 4.1 ppg, 1.8 rpg and 1.0 apg in 13.2 mpg.

Following a four-year career with the Blue Devils, he left Duke as one of six players in school history to record over 1,300 points, 600 rebounds, 200 assists and 125 steals. In 124 collegiate contests, he averaged 10.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.8 apg and 1.17 spg in 26.2 mpg. He also shot .466 from the field, .373 from behind the arc and .586 from the free throw line. He earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors his senior season.

With Nelson’s signing, Chicago’s roster now stands at 15.

Telfair, Love help Wolves beat Warriors 105-97

The AP reports: If the Minnesota Timberwolves hurt their chances to win the draft lottery by winning a few more games, it won’t disappoint Kevin Love one bit. “You never want to accept losing and we’re not trying to lose to get more lottery chances,” said Love after posting getting 20 points and 12 rebounds while helping Minnesota to a 105-97 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday… Sebastian Telfair came off the bench to score 21 points, including a pair of key 3-pointers down the stretch in the fourth quarter when the Timberwolves went with a three-guard offense… Jamal Crawford scored 31 points and Kelenna Azubuike added 26 to pace Golden State, which had its three-game winning streak snapped. The Warriors have not won four straight since February 2008.

Warriors hang on for win over Kings with 7 players

The AP reports: Kelenna Azubuike had 30 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors hung on to beat the Sacramento Kings 105-100 on Sunday night with just seven healthy players in uniform. Jamal Crawford had 20 points and eight rebounds, while Anthony Morrow and C.J. Watson scored 18 points apiece for the Warriors in their third straight victory, including two wins in five days over their closest geographical rivals… Bobby Jackson had 17 points to lead seven players scoring in double figures for the NBA-worst Kings, who lost their fourth straight and 11th in 13 games. Beno Udrih scored 16 points and Jason Thompson added 14 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out for Sacramento, which also lost starting center Spencer Hawes late in the first half to double vision after he was poked in the eye.

Crawford scores 39, short-handed Warriors beat Hornets 111-103

The AP reports: Jamal Crawford scored 39 points, Anthony Randolph matched his career high with 20 points and added a career-high 15 rebounds and Golden State beat the New Orleans Hornets 111-103 on Friday night… Anthony Morrow had 24 points on a career-high five 3-pointers, the last of which gave the Warriors a 99-92 lead with 2:36 remaining. Chris Paul scored on a quick layup to pull New Orleans within five, but that was as close as the Hornets got… Paul had 43 points, nine assists and four rebounds, and David West added his 25th double-double of the season with 31 points and 14 rebounds for New Orleans, which lost for only the third time in nine games. Peja Stojakovic, playing his first game after being sidelined since March 2 because of back spasms, had seven points in 25 minutes.

Martin scores 50 but Warriors beat Kings 143-141 OT

The AP reports: Monta Ellis scored a career-high 42 points for the Warriors to overcome Kevin Martin’s career-best 50 for the Kings, and the Warriors snapped a five-game losing streak with a 143-141 overtime victory over Sacramento on Wednesday night… “Like Game 7 of the playoffs,” said Jamal Crawford, who had 15 points and seven assists for the Warriors… Kelenna Azubuike had 27 points and 13 rebounds, hitting another free throw with 4.8 seconds left in OT, and Anthony Randolph added 17 points and 10 rebounds as the Warriors rallied to beat their local rivals despite having just eight healthy players.