Warriors look to sneak in and make noise in playoffs

So what team is most desperate for a playoff spot this year?

That would be the Golden State Warriors. It has been 12 seasons since Golden State has last participated. Warriors fans have had to settle for vague memories of Tim Hardaway, Chris Mullin, Chris Webber and Latrell Sprewell.

So it’s no wonder the Warriors are desperately trying to put together a late-season run that sneaks them into the playoffs and gives fans some new memories.

Golden State is sitting just behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs. And if it’s entertaining basketball you’re looking for in the first round of the playoffs, the Warriors are the team of choice in that race.

They haven’t received much national attention this season, despite having one of the league’s best coaches, Don Nelson, running the team and one of the league’s best point guards, Baron Davis, running the show. Golden State did get a chance to show off on Thursday against the Phoenix Suns, and managed to put together one of its best performances, beating Phoenix 124-119 behind eight 3-pointers from Jason Richardson and a near triple-double from Davis (a career-long Warrior, Richardson has never experienced a postseason game).

Under Nelson’s up-tempo, defense-optional style of play, the perimeter group of Davis, Richardson, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson and Mickael Pietrus have thrived while Al Harrington has salvaged his season and Andris Biedrins has become one of the best young big men in the league.

Not only can the Warriors make any given game interesting with their style, but they also can make the first round quite stressful for the Mavericks, the likely first-round opponent should they snag the eighth seed.

The Warriors are 5-1 against the Mavs over the past two seasons, including a 2-0 mark this season (Golden State snapped Dallas’ 17-game win streak earlier this season) and have a 112-point average against Dallas.

So maybe the Warriors are actually in line to remind their fans what the postseason actually feels like. More important, an earlier-than-expected playoff appearance would signal a definitive turnaround in the organization with Nelson in his first year back with the team. That could entice free agents to sign with Golden State and be part of a growth process similar to the one Nelson nurtured in Dallas.