Sports

Don’s Warriors are a big mess

EVERY so often over the past few decades, I have been unable to fight off the urge to poke fun at Don Nelson for two basic reasons.

1. I enjoy the challenge of putting the puck in an open net.

2. He earned it.

Today, in contrast, I come not to bury Nelson, but to praise him. After all, with the opening of the regular season but weeks away, he’s the sole coach to have his team operating in mid-season dysfunction.

Flashback to Friday night: Nelson’s Warriors traveled downstate to take on the Lakers in Inglewood at The House Jack Kent Cooke Built. In 10 minutes, Stephen Jackson, the coach-appointed team captain, no less, picked up five personal fouls and one technical . . . but, to his credit, no firearms.

Next thing you know, Jackson and Nelson became — shall we say –anti-social toward one another, resulting in the coach ordering the player to the locker room.

Nelson then slapped Jackson with the harshest of punishments . . . suspension from the next two preseason games. Giving healthy players off with pay doesn’t begin until the 82-game grind begins.

Jackson, you might recall, was docked 25-large by the NBA last month for publicly proclaiming he would welcome a trade to a team with an actual chance to make the playoffs — a plateau (second round) achieved by Golden State in ’06-07, a first in 13 seasons.

Soon afterward, Robert Rowell began believing Team President Knows Best. It was his decision to low-ball free agent Baron Davis, an inane insult that pushed him to pledge allegiance to the Clippers; in reckless revenge, Rowell, bidding against no one but himself, bestowed a five-year, $48M guarantee on Paper Clip free agent Corey Maggette.

Rowell also was the rascal who declared Jackson “the greatest Warrior player in the history of Chris Cohan’s ownership” while extending Stephon’s contract last season for three years and $27.7 that kicks in 2010-11. In light of Jackson’s simple request, I guess that makes him the greatest player in Cohan’s ownership that wants to play for a championship somewhere else.

Minor details aside, Rowell suddenly ceased listening to goners VP Chris Mullin and personnel director Pete D’Alessandro and, like many street wise, entrepreneurial owners (Mark Cuban) and erudite executives (Wayne Embry, Dave Checketts/Ernie Grunfeld) before him, got sucked in by Nelson’s self-serving corn pone.

The consequence has been two straight seasons of languishing in the lottery, with additional non-tournament excursions and disorder on the court to follow.

Still, any fair-minded columnist must admit the What Me Warriors are hardly unarmed; they’re just lacking a Spartan shield or two. Rookie Stephen Curry is a blast to behold — 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and five turnovers in 37 minutes against the Suns on the outdoor tennis courts at Indian Wells, Calif. Anthony Randolph and injured Brandan Wright possess scary versatility. Anthony Morrow led the league last season in smart-bomb accuracy. Andris Biedrins flaunts All-Star skills.

If only Moped Monta Ellis would stop doing dumb things, saying stuff that even makes Nelson cringe, and start playing like he did from ’06-to-’08 . . .

Ah, Warriors basketball; California’s biggest man-made disaster.

*

The news of Cecil K. Watkins’ death from pancreatic cancer at age 76 spread hastily and harshly throughout the five boroughs over the weekend. It took the air out of New York City basketball.

There isn’t enough room in today’s sports section to list the levels of the game Watkins got involved in — taking them to great heights — or his accomplishments. Only old-timers like me would recall Watkins serving as assistant to Norm Drucker in the ’80s when he was supervisor of NBA officials.

Respected nationwide for his knowledge and leadership in sports and community recreation, he co-founded Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities, Inc., a human-service agency serving Corona, East Elmhurst, and Jamaica, Queens. In the past 36 years, it has secured more than 1,800 scholarships for student-athletes from the metropolitan area.

Watkins had received more than 100 awards, including the Basketball Congress International Commissioner of the Year Award, Boy Scouts of America Recognition Award, and Queensboro President Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a member of the Adelphi University Athletic Hall of Fame and New York City Basketball Hall of Fame.

Leroy Watkins, Cecil’s brother, who passed away a little more than a year ago, was the backup center on CCNY’s famed 1950 NCAA/NIT championship team.

He leaves his wife Valerie and two daughters.

peter.vecsey@nypost.com