Monta Joins Thunder on Warriors Curse Victim List

Seriously, I now believe in curses. Monta.

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA (TICKER) —Golden State Warriors Guiard Monta Ellis admitted that he lied about the left ankle injury which most likely
will cost him the first three months of the season, according to a report
published Saturday.
Citing a team source, the San Jose Mercury-News reported
that the Warriors know that the star guard’s injury was not sustained “in a gym”
and that “it happened outdoors and not while playing basketball.”
The 22-year-old Ellis had been diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, a torn deltoid
ligament and a syndesmosis disruption last week. Golden State did not release a
timetable for his return, but multiple sources claim he will not be back until
at least January.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AvZjqOKpeai6AEg5SNtRkEK8vLYF?slug=txwarriorsellis&prov=st&type=lgns

Some teams’ misfortunes can be linked to a certain personality or personalities. Knicks with Dolan the Lesser, Zeke, and Larry Brown. Pacers with the cascading effects of Artest. Hawks and Clippers with their ownership. Bucks with the secret lawyer cabal that runs the team from the shadows. Kevin McHale.

The Warriors, though, seem to be caught in a typhoon of bad luck atop bad decisions. I remember being angry when they let Mitch Richmond go. Webber and Don Nelson’s first tour of duty. Overpaying Foyle like a royal. Now, this summer they’ve lost defensive stalwart Pietrus, bench gunner and energy man Sgt. Barnes (albeit, coming off a bad season), and Baron von Davis. Oh, and Jack believes he’s underpaid.

None of these recent moves are killers if one assumes that Monta maintains his trajectory. Watching him play in the regular season has convinced me he’s going to be a very special star. Of course, his playoff withering may be symptomatic of a psyche that will shy away from assuming the burden of being the best. Nevertheless, I figured that a roster of gunners (Monta, Jack, Spaghetti, and Baby Al) backed by thugs like Turiaf and Azubuike would be competitive. This vision works only if Monta Ellis becomes the team’s on-court leader and focal point. If Monta is playing like short Jordan out there, then Jack et al. won’t feel as compelled to take matters into their own hands.

Here’s to a full and speedy recovery.