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Baron Davis routinely delivers in clutch
Warriors go long with 'short game'
By Marcus Thompson II, STAFF WRITER
Article Last Updated: 01/02/2008 06:32:18 AM PST
Warriors point guard Baron Davis has a new nickname.
In addition to Boom Dizzle, B. Diddy and Too Easy — monikers that celebrate his ubercool nature — assistant coach Keith Smart revealed another handle for Davis. Short Game.
No, it has nothing to do with his golf game. The nickname references Davis' ability to take over down the stretch. In those situations, the Warriors go to their condensed game plan.
Forward Stephen Jackson described it best: "Get the ball to Baron and get out the way."
Because when victory is at stake, especially on the road, that's when Davis has been at his best.
"When the fourth quarter is on the line, you get the ball tohim," Smart said. "He plays below the foul line, he can make plays on (the perimeter). He's a willing passer if he's doubled, and he can take advantage of (shooting guards) and (small forwards), let alone (point guards). Baron just understands the game."
Tonight, Davis plays against the Dallas Mavericks, a team that knows how clutch he can be. Davis hit big shot after big shot in the Warriors' upset of the Mavericks in the first round of last season's playoffs.
Short Game is the main reason the Warriors have a chance to sweep their first three-game road trip in 15 years. In Sunday's win at Denver and Monday's win at Houston, Davis totaled 20 points and seven assists in the fourth quarters. The Warriors outscored the Nuggets 30-23 and the Rockets 37-15.
Davis' numbers only begin
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to illustrate his importance. They don't detail how much he opens up for others as opposing defenses have to focus on him. They don't quantify the confidence-boost the Warriors' supporting cast gets in the final minutes when he has the ball in his hands.
"He does everything," forward Matt Barnes said. "He plays defense. He can guard the other team's best player. He passes with the best, always hits big shots. What else can you do as a player? When it's crunch time, there's no one else you'd rather have on the floor, offensively or defensively."
If you listen to those in the Warriors' locker room, there's no better point guard in the fourth quarter. No one presents such a mismatch on offense and is such a factor on defense.
After what he did to Dallas in the postseason, and how he's come up big in the clutch this season, his teammates are numb to his late-game antics.
"I don't get amazed because that's what I expect from him," Jackson said. "I know he can do it. If y'all seen some of the stuff he does in practice, you wouldn't be amazed. Baron has an imagination out of this world. So when he does something you don't expect, we expect it because we're around him every day."
Davis has been in position to take over down the stretch because the Warriors have made a habit of giving Davis a break. It may not show up in the minutes played, though he has seen a tiny bit more rest. Earlier this season, he was third in the league in minutes played. Now he's 16th and second on the Warriors behind Jackson.
At the very least, the Warriors have been sitting him out at the end of the third quarter, and sometimes the start of the fourth quarter. They also allow Jackson and guard Monta Ellis to take some of the grueling point-guard duties on occasion, giving Davis easier minutes at the shooting guard spot.
"Because he's not always involved in the pick and roll," Smart said, "he doesn't wear out by the fourth quarter."
With relatively fresh legs under him, Davis said his mind-set shifts in the fourth quarter into a takeover mode, especially when the coaches tell him it's time to be aggressive.
"Now or never," Davis said. "Barbeque or mildew. That's my mentality."
