Golden State has a brand new look, and the fan base hasn't even had 24 hours to adjust. Nevertheless, the show must go on, and the Warriors -- now without Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh and Kwame Brown -- will face Rajon Rondo and the Boston Celtics at 10:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday evening at Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA (TV/Radio: CSN/WEEI).
The Warriors pulled off the first (and maybe only) blockbuster deal of the trade season, sending star guard Ellis, forward Udoh and center Brown to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for center Andrew Bogut and guard Stephen Jackson. The deal would appear to favor Milwaukee in the short term, considering that Bogut is out with a fractured left ankle.
Jackson, of course, played for Golden State from the 2006-07 season through the 2009-10 campaign. Jackson, who averages 16.1 points and 4.0 rebounds for his career, had his best season with the Warriors in 2008-09, when he averaged 20.7 points and 5.1 boards in 59 games.
Golden State is near the basement of the Western Conference with an 18-21 record, placing them third in the Pacific Division and 13th in the West. Despite their record, Golden State is only three games behind the Houston Rockets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference.
Boston is coming off a split in a back-to-back against the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday and Monday at the Staples Center, marking the first two games of their eight-game West coast swing. As usual, the two bitter rivals put on quite a show, but Kobe Bryant and the Lakers finished off the Celtics, 97-94. The Celtics would respond with a statement game against the Clippers, with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen leading the charge in a 94-85 win.
The Celtics continue their road trip against the Sacramento Kings on Friday evening.
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