Posted on Wed, Oct. 11, 2006

Diogu behind the learning curve
The forward is making mistakes but thinks he'll get the game plan down


Warriors notebook

OAKLAND -- The problem with a grading on a curve is that someone always
has to be on the wrong end of it.

At the moment for the Warriors, that student is forward Ike Diogu.

During the hour's worth of drills Golden State conducted before Monday
night's scrimmage at the Arena, Diogu repeatedly had to be redirected to
the proper spot on the floor by teammates or coaches.

"Ike's a young player, and he's struggling a little bit right now
learning the plays," Warriors coach Don Nelson said. "We'll have to do
some extra homework with him."

Could Diogu's problems picking up the playbook affect his playing time?

"Absolutely," said Nelson, who has concerns at both ends of the floor.
"It's going to limit his playing time if he doesn't know the offense.
But I'm more concerned about the defensive aspects of the game ... He
makes too many errors there as well."

Diogu acknowledged Tuesday that he still had some learning to do but
pointed out that he had been moved from center to power forward after
camp began.

"I'm not concerned at all," Diogu said. "It's just a matter of studying
my playbook more. ... It's not going to take very long (to be totally
comfortable). It's simple; if you don't know your plays, you're not
going to play. He's made that very clear."

Scrimmage struggles

Monday's scrimmage provided plenty of things for Warriors fans to fret over.

Mickael Pietrus, who earned a starting spot by transforming himself in
training camp, looked very much like the wild-driving, jumper-clanging
disappointment of last season. Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy also
struggled from the outside, going a combined 4-for-12, 0-for-3 beyond
the 3-point arc.

"There were a whole bunch of guys out there that reverted back to the
way they were playing last year. It's just not acceptable," Nelson said.
"If we don't make open shots ... I mean, that's one thing small teams
have to do: Make open shots."

[RM: I hope Nellie knows that making open shots was a problem for the
Warriors last year.]

On the positive side, Keith McLeod made it clear that he can be a viable
option at point guard if Baron Davis goes down with an injury for the
fifth year in a row. Rookie center Patrick O'Bryant was impressively
smooth at both ends, and Andris Biedrins showed expanded range on his
jumper and seems to be the backup big man who's most comfortable in
Nelson's offense.

Off the glass

A day after leaving the Warriors' public scrimmage early with a strained
right thigh, guard Monta Ellis practiced with no apparent restrictions.
.... Pietrus picked up a $20 fine at Tuesday's practice for trying to
take it easy on training camp invitee Anthony Roberson, who was trapped
in a vicious 1-on-1 drill where the defender has to race up and down the
floor until he stops an opponent. Rather than pulling away from the
tired Roberson for an easy deuce, Pietrus lollygagged to the point that
Nelson stepped in. "You've got to have the killer instinct in sports,"
Nelson said. "You can't be a nice guy. That was the lesson I wanted him
to learn." ... Murphy was wearing an NBA headband, a la Derek Fisher, at
Tuesday's practice. With his shaggy hair, it gave Murphy a distinctly
"John McEnroe, circa 1983" vibe. "I tried gel," Murphy said. "I went to
Walgreen's and got barrettes, but I can't go out looking like that, so
headband it is."

-- Geoff Lepper