from Talking Points with Tim Kawakami
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/kawaka...-on-the-warriors-morrow-phenomenon/#more-2598
-Q: Can you expect Morrow to get 15 to 20 a game?
-NELSON: Yes.
-Q: Right now?
-NELSON: Yes. That’s not hard for him to do. And in our system, he’s going to get enough shots to average 20 a game, I would think. I don’t want to put any pressure on a young kid like that, but he has the ability to get 20 a game.
His decisions on the court are simple and most of the time make sense. His mistakes are good ones for a young player, not bad ones. He definitely is a good-looking player.
-Q: Can Morrow be a go-to guy at end of games?
-NELSON: I wouldn’t go that far. But on the floor, anybody can be a catch-and-shoot guy. I don’t know that I would specifically go to him. But he would certainly be one of the decisions that I would make.
-Q: How does a guy like that fall through the cracks during the draft?
-NELSON: I don’t think you should ask that question after two games. But at the end of the season, that’ll be a good question, if he continues to do what I think he can do.
Let’s see what he does. See if he’s as good as I think he is.
-Q: You put Morrow on Rudy Fernandez. Was that a tough match-up for him? Is he going to get that kind of match-up?
-NELSON: They’re all tough for him right now. But he’s single-minded enough, understands what we’re saying, to get his job done. He doesn’t make too many mistakes out there. The ones that he makes are good mistakes.
-Q: Is it like getting a guy in a trade to have Morrow?
-NELSON: How I feel? I felt good about him in the summertime. I told him not just to be content with making our team, thought he could do that, but I said, ‘You ought to think about being a player this year, for me, in my system.’
I didn’t think it would come true. I wanted to encourage the guy. I thought maybe he was a year away. But my goodness, he’s quite a surprise.
-Q: Losing Baron, Monta to injury, Al’s situation… What does the Morrow thing do to lift a team?
-NELSON: He’s not just a guy that showed up and got a chance to play. I think when you have the ability that he has, he’s such a good shooter, solid stroke and release… should have some attention, probably, from the scouts, including our own. Why did we pass on him, you know?
But the fact is that we’ve got him, we remembered him. Or Mully did. And found a way to have him join our summer team. I think that’s really the key.
-Q: Could Morrow be in a backcourt with Monta down the road?
-NELSON: I could see him in almost any situation. He’s 6-5. He’s a two-guard. I think he can play with anybody.
-Q: How much help does he need on defense?
-NELSON: In two games we haven’t given him a lot of help. I mean, he’s held his own all right. I wouldn’t call him a stopper, but he’s just pretty good.
-Q: Does Maggette’s role change much at the 4? Looks like you’re just putting on the wing, same as always.
-NELSON: We’re going to do what he does best. But he’s got to be a pick-setter more now, off the ball. A little different.
-Q: Are you concerned that Maggette for 40 minutes at the 4 might wear him down?
-NELSON: I’m a little afraid to play Corey 40 minutes until I see how the hamstring is coming. Just hope I can have him for periods of time. There’s more there. He can play at a higher level. And he’s doing just fine right now.
—STEPHEN JACKSON/
-Q: You had Baron’s departure in the summer, then Monta’s injury, then the stuff with Al, other stuff. How much of a lift is Morrow’s play just for this team’s mood?
-JACKSON: It’s a positive that we needed since there’s so much going on. We needed some help, with all those guys out. Losing Baron, Al being out, Monta being hurt.
We needed some kind of good luck, you know what I mean? I think for the most part, Morrow has been that good luck. He’s definitely helped us on offense and helped us get an identity for ourselves.
It’s good to kind of get something good going on this team.
-Q: What’s he capable of nightly?
-JACKSON: I think he’s capable of doing what he’s doing. His upside… sky’s the limit for this kid. The big thing, he’s got to keep working. You can’t really say anything about his shot—he’s just a pure shooter. I think every night he’s going to shoot a good percentage. It just depends on how much he gets the ball and how much he’s into the game.
Some nights he might not get the ball as much. Some nights he might have a night like he had in LA.
I think the biggest thing for him is to stay positive, continue to figure out where he can get his shots and to get better on defense.
-Q: Does it feel like two years ago when you played wide open?
-JACKSON: I think Coach is going to stay with this line-up for minute. It’s been our best line-up so far and we’ve been a little successful.
-Q: You’re trying to help Morrow out on perimeter defense?
-JACKSON: Yeah, I remember my first year in the league, I had all the athleticism and the drive. But I think defense, you have to use your mind a lot. You have to learn angles, know guys’ tendencies and know which way they like to drive it. There’s more to defense than go out there playing with heart.
I’m just teaching him some ways where he can use his body and not have to work so hard to guard guys. Stuff I learned from guys when I was a younger guy.