Warriors forward David Lee has had an All-Star caliber season, averaging 19.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. (Keith Allison/Flickr)
OAKLAND — On Thursday, the NBA will announce the names of its All-Star reserves. The Warriors expect David Lee and Stephen Curry to be on that list.
Head Coach Mark Jackson told SFBay he would be disappointed if no Warriors (24-15) were named as All-Star reserves. It would, though, be business as usual for Golden State, who are first and foremost looking to add more wins in their push for the playoffs.
But Jackson calmly made it clear he would have a sharp opinion if Lee and Curry are not named:
Practice Audio: Warriors Head Coach Mark Jackson
“I think it would be doing a disservice to the game of basketball and to what those guys have done here, to not have them in Houston. … If they do not get voted in, I think you have to question the process. … I’m sure I’ll have a statement about it.”
Jarrett Jack was in complete agreement with his coach, adding that Lee and Curry deserve to be recognized for the selfless basketball that has brought the Warriors this far:
Practice Audio: Warriors Guard Jarrett Jack
“We play for one another, not for ourselves, we play for one another and our fans. …Come Thursday I hope we’re all filled with some good news.”
Buoyed by back-to-back wins against the Hornets and Clippers, the Warriors take on the league-leading Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, the eve of the NBA All-Star reserves announcement.
The star-studded Thunder,who boast the best record in the NBA at 32-9, present a tough matchup for the Warriors. OKC is bringing their duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to the doorsteps of the Warriors, who are very aware of what they’re coming up against.
Jackson talked about the Thunder with SFBay after practice Tuesday:
“They’re pros, they are absolute assassins on the floor…I think Kevin Durant is spectacular basketball player and he’s going to be a Hall of Famer and he’s an all time great… This league has not seen anything like Kevin Durant, ever.”
Jack said the hype surrounding elite teams like the Thunder gets him even more fired up and ready to compete:
“It definitely perks your ears up … you know, they’re coming into your building and if you don’t get up for that then you’re playing the wrong sport.”
SFBay Sports Editor Ryan Leong contributed to this report.
Last modified January 24, 2013 2:33 am
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