Tomasson: Nelson wouldn't mind being wrong

Published March 16, 2007 at midnight

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In 1948, a headline blared "Dewey defeats Truman." In 2007, it has been, "Nelson: Playoffs are out of the picture."

If Golden State makes the postseason, one shouldn't blame any misinformation on a newspaper. Nevertheless, Warriors coach Don Nelson might liken San Francisco Bay Area papers to the Chicago Tribune miscalling the 1948 presidential election.

After the Warriors were pummeled 113-83 on Feb. 28 in Chicago, Nelson made what sounded like a concession speech. He told reporters, "I thought I could get this team in the playoffs and it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to do it. I feel like I've failed, really, in a lot of ways."

The San Francisco Chronicle used the headline about the playoffs being "out of the picture." The Contra Costa Times wrote, "Playoffs slipping away."

Then what happened?

Nelson backtracked. Or at least claimed what he said didn't come out right in the media.

"I said that I failed as a coach because that doesn't look good going into the playoffs," said Nelson, talking about where his team stood at the time. "It was interpreted as something different. I still feel that way. And if we don't make the playoffs, then I've failed. I came here to make the playoffs."

Three weeks after Nelson appeared to be looking for a white flag to send up, opponents are seeing the whites in the eyes of the hard-charging Warriors. They've made a surprising run and are in position to break their 12-season playoff drought.

When Nelson picked up his paper the morning of March 1 and read about his apparent concession speech, the Warriors were 26-33 and in 11th place, three games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.

It would get worse. Through March 4, when Nelson had a late-game meltdown and his technical foul cost his team a chance to win at Washington, the Warriors were 26-35 and No. 12, four games out of the No. 8 spot.

Suddenly, though, all that has changed. Did some late precincts report from Hawaii, leading Nelson to withdraw his concession speech? Did some hanging chads in Florida come into play?

No, Warriors star guard Baron Davis returned after missing 13 games because of a knee injury. And other contenders for the West's No. 8 spot began to fall off so rapidly, Nelson likened it to the "plague."

When Nelson picks up his newspaper today, he will see the Warriors are 30-36 and No. 8, two percentage points ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers. Golden State has won four of five, the one loss coming with Davis out.

It got very interesting Monday. Dallas entered the Warriors' den with a 17-game winning streak and a mind-numbing 52-9 mark. The Mavericks left with a 117-100 loss.

"Lucky for us, everyone else (battling for No. 8) was playing pretty bad too, so we really didn't fall off too much," Golden State forward Matt Barnes said. "We knew once we got healthy, we were going to hit a run."

The Warriors are in position to end the second-longest playoff drought in league history. Golden State hasn't made the postseason since 1994, trailing only the 15-year skid the Buffalo Braves-San Diego Clippers-Los Angeles Clippers endured from 1977 through 1991.

The previous coach to steer the Warriors to the playoffs was Nelson himself. But he was fired midway through 1994-95, with Golden State 14-31.

No word on whether he offered a concession speech before his departure.

Fazekas' final bow

Two years ago, Nick Fazekas considered leaving college early, but he couldn't be sure he would be a first-round NBA draft pick.

Fazekas submitted his name for last year's draft, but he withdrew after he got no assurance he would be a first-rounder.

The Ralston Valley High School graduate now is a Nevada senior. But Fazekas, whose Wolf Pack plays Creighton today in the NCAA Tournament, still is no lock to hear his name called June 28 by NBA commissioner David Stern (deputy commissioner Adam Silver handles the second round) in what is projected to be a very deep draft.

"He's probably a late first- or early second-rounder," said Walt Perrin, the Utah Jazz's director of player personnel. "But it's a little too early. The more underclassmen that come out, he will fall."

The 6-foot-11 forward could become a victim of senioritis, a malady that comes from scouts having seen a prospect so much his game is dissected down to every minuscule flaw.

Because Fazekas has been so visible, Perrin downplays the importance of the NCAA Tournament to his draft status.

Maybe that's good considering Fazekas hasn't exactly torn up the tournament. Two years ago, he averaged 10.5 points and shot 23.5 percent in two games.

Last year, he totaled 24 points and 12 rebounds but shot 10-of-23 as his fifth-seeded Wolf Pack was upset 87-79 by No. 12 Montana.

"I'd be surprised if he fell into the second round just because of his size," said NBA draft analyst Chris Monter, who hasn't done a mock draft.

As for those who have surfaced, NBADraft.net projects Fazekas No. 26 and Draft Express has him No. 29 out of 30 first-round picks.

To get a fully guaranteed contract, there's little margin for error for Fazekas, whose strengths are his shooting and size and weaknesses are the lack of brawn and defense, with Perrin saying he could have a "tough time" in the NBA in those areas.

ESPN.com, which considers all eligible players, ranks him the No. 44 prospect for the draft.

Fazekas does have a chance in the NCAA Tournament to continue to show off his stuff. Then again, if he has senioritis, how much will it matter?

Short jumpers

• One Nuggets game next season already looks destined for national television. With Isiah Thomas' contract as New York coach having been recently extended, expect plenty of cameras to be on hand when he next meets up with the Nuggets' George Karl. The two have feuded, especially when Karl used profanity to describe Thomas after the Dec. 16 brawl between the teams. Asked if his next meeting with Thomas seems a natural for national TV, Karl, for one of the few times in his career, said, "No comment."

• Lakers starter Smush Parker is the latest impending free- agent point guard to show interest in the Nuggets. Parker, averaging 11.4 points, said he's "aware of" the Nuggets' need for a point and will look into it but added there are "quite a few teams that'll be looking for a point guard."

Dry spells

• The NBA's longest streaks of consecutive years not making the playoffs.

Team First season out Last season out Seasons

x-Los Angeles Clippers 1976-77 1990-91 15

Golden State 1994-95 2005-06 12*

Dallas 1990-91 1999-2000 10

y-Utah 1974-75 1982-83 9

Golden State 1977-78 1985-86 9

Sacramento 1986-87 1994-95 9

Washington 1988-89 1995-96 8

Nuggets 1995-96 2002-03 8

z-Memphis 1995-96 2002-03 8

Los Angeles Clippers 1997-98 2004-05 8* Active. X-Franchise Was Buffalo Braves For First Two Years Of Streak And San Diego Clippers From 1978 To 1984. Y-Franchise Was New Orleans Jazz ...

tomassonc@RockyMountainNews.com

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