Mark Jackson has seen plenty of Playoff battles.
His Knicks and Pacers were staples in the Eastern Conference Finals throughout the 1990s. The wealth of his experience is something that is a clear resource to this growing Warriors team.
Jackson has brought something resembling a championship attitude to the Warriors organization.
This year is looking like it will be a very important and landmark season for the young Warriors. The young core of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, along with veteran David Lee, are all going to be getting some much valuable playoff experience for really the first time this spring.
It is all about growing this team. And preparing for the Playoffs is part of that.
This is where Jackson comes in. All that Playoff experience can put things in perspective. Like Wednesday's loss to the Spurs that closed a three-game road trip at 2-1. The Warriors played the top-seeded Spurs tough in a 104-93 loss at AT&T Center. San Antonio needed Tim Duncan to put in yet another young-man performance to seal the win.
For many Playoff teams, moral victories are not worth very much. For this young Warriors team, though, it could be a very important thing.
"I'm not looking at tonight," Warriors coach Mark Jackson told Project Spurs. "I'm looking at what is going to win down the road. What's going to be effective and how we compete. I thought it was a successful trip and now the point is let's go back home and take care of business."
That reminder from a veteran can really help keep a young team's confidence up. Golden State has certainly needed it.
The Warriors are currently sixth in the West, but have seen themselves slip a little bit. Golden State has gone 9-14 in the last month and has seen its perch in the West become a bit more precarious. The Warriors hold only a one-game lead over the Rockets for seventh, but appear safe with a four-game lead over the Jazz for eighth.
Golden State though is the team that has been in control of its own destiny all season when it comes to the bottom of the West Playoff picture. They do not want to concede that and get stuck playing the Thunder or Spurs. Not that they expect a first round victory anyway.
Right now, it is about getting the experience.
