UNCERTAINTY

With the Golden State Warriors exit from this season's play-offs, what lies ahead for the bay area squad? Right after their fateful loss to the Phoenix Suns, 122-116 which sealed their doom and gave the Denver Nuggets a free ride into the post season party, Warrior fans are now wondering what the future will be for this run and gun "gungho" team.

Will coach Don Nelson be back? How about team superstar Baron Davis? Well, old Nellie loves to play games, remember how he held up during the off-season and stayed much longer than usual in his Hawaiian home before coming to terms with the Warriors last October. Everything is still pre-mature to presume whether he would stage a comeback the next season or think about retirement and fishing in Oahu.

Davis has an opt-out clause in his contract and can sign with any other team this summer. However, I honestly believe that Nellie will play a vital role in Davis' future with the Warriors. If Nelson returns so is Davis thats how simple it is. Nelson has tremendous influence in the transformation of Davis from a self-centered guard during his Hornets days to what he has become now as leader of the Warriors.

2 major factors contributed to the Warriors' failure to duplicate last season's miracle play-off run. First is the trade which sent the team's spiritual leader Jason Richardson to the Charlotte Bobcats for rookie Brandan Wright. As the 2007-08 regular season comes to a close, take a close look at the individual stats of the 2 players:

J. RICHARDSON B. WRIGHT

21.6 PPG 4.0

5.3 RPG 2.6

3.2 APG 0.2

1.3 SPG 0.2

38.2 MPG 9.9

Whew! what a one-sided deal! If only J-Rich stayed with the Warriors, they could have easily reach the 55-win mark this season.

Secondly, the 0-6 start of the Wariors, no thanks to the 7-game suspension of Stephen Jackson, told heavily on their run-up for the 8th play-off spot in the west. To think that they missed the play-off bus by only a game, well, that season-opening 6-game losing streak did the Warriors out! Lets take a review of that 6-game debacle:

October 30, 2007 - Jazz 117 Warriors 96

November 2, 2007 - Clippers 120 Warriors 114

November 3, 2007 - Jazz 133 Warriors 110

November 6, 2007 - Cavaliers 108 Warriors 104

November 8, 2007 - Mavericks 120 Warriors 115

November 14, 2007 - Pistons 111 Warriors 104

After the 6-game tailspin, the Warriors won 9 of the next 10 games. But that is still not enough to compensate for that nightmare of a start.

Well, maybe a good advise for the team right now is to focus their attention on Nellie's and Davis' future with the team and not to think anymore of those "what ifs?".

I'm pretty sure it will be one hell of a busy summer for team Executive Vice President Chris Mullin. But knowing Mullin, he always delivers at crunch time even during his Warrior heydays!