With 23 seconds left in last night's 106-107 heartbreaking loss to the San Antonio Spurs, Warriors coach Don Nelson called a time-out.  Down by 1, the Warriors guru of hardwood philosophy gathered his troops together to reveal his mastermind strategy..  Only his message(if he had one) was not understood.

Many have debated whether Nelson should have advised his team to hold for the last shot or to go early and try and regain the lead right away, then win it on defense.  Apparently, Warriors players were debating that same topic, as Turiaf came out early to set a pick for Ellis, who thought the Warriors were waiting for a dramatic final shot.  The result, of course was an off-balanced 21 foot jumpshot by Ellis with a defender in his face, and ultimately, another loss for the Warriors.

Rather than lament the Warriors for such an utter lack of an apparent gameplan, (Marcus did a satisfactory job of this in his blog last night) I want to find the light in the end of this long, dark tunnel...

The Warriors had a true moment of clarity last night.. a changing of the guard.  WIth tihe game on the line, the Warriors turned to their new leader, their heir to the throne, and called the "play" for Monta Ellis.  Sure, they could have gone to Jackson, who is the veteran that can make clutch shots.. or even to Morrow, who's got a sure-fire stroke from distance when his feet are set.  But Nelson, in a rare moment of enlightenment last night, recognized that Ellis needs to get that last shot, he needs to step forward, ahead of Captain Jack, and the rest of the Warriors roster, and learn how to put this team on his back.  Last night, it didn't go in.  Hopefully it will in the future.

ECJ