Warriors haters can suck it.

We got a ton of crap for picking the Warriors in 7 earlier this week. Well, we're feeling a little better about our pick today. The City took it to the Mavs for 4 quarters, while Don Nelson pretty convincingly outcoached Avery Johnson as the Warriors won 97-85. Bizarre call by Johnson to alter the starting lineup of the league's best team, but he must have felt he needed to do something different because of that 0-3 regular season record against the Warriors. Dirk Nowitzki did his usual A-Rod in the postseason impersonation, while Josh Howard wasn't all that great either. Meanwhile Baron Davis, the key to the series, was unreal. He went for 33 pts, 14 boards, 8 assists and 3 steals (because no one on the Mavs can guard him). We're also really glad that Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy don't play for us anymore. Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington are working out much better.

Some people will say, whatever, it's one game and point to the fact that Stack, Dirk and Howard had off games. True. But so did J-Rich, Monta Ellis and Harrington. And Biedrins was a non-factor. The Warriors didn't exactly play the game of their lives but won, and that should scare the Mavericks the most.

Outside of the Bay Area, pretty much no one in the mainstream media (except for Simmons), gave the Warriors much of a chance. Well, it might be time for people to rethink their thoughts on this series. The Warriors may not win the series, but they're not going away any time soon.

-WCK