Randolph's playing time is spotty

Warriors coach Don Nelson said second-year forward Anthony Randolph would serve as the backup center for the immediate future.

So when starting center Andris Biedrins picked up his third foul midway through the first quarter on Wednesday, guess who checked into the game?

Mikki Moore.

It was a microcosm of Randolph's night. He played 7:06 in the Warriors' 113-105 win over Memphis. It was enough time for him to record four points, three rebounds, two turnovers and three fouls. He was the first player out of the locker room and unavailable for comment.

"Randolph did fine," Nelson said.

Nelson said he only would play Randolph

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against backup centers, and he stuck to that. Memphis center Marc Gasol — who is 7-foot-1, 265 pounds and came into the game averaging 19 points and 12.3 rebounds — is too big and good for Randolph, Nelson said earlier in the week.

Randolph didn't play at all in the first quarter. He checked out of the game with 9:13 left in the third and never returned.

"It's kind of like déjà vu," Randolph said before the game, "But it's different from last year because people know what I can do. I've just got to keep my head up. It's a long season. I've got a long career ahead of me. These are the type of experiences that will make me a better player and person."

Since his productive play at the end of last season,

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Randolph has been pegged as part of the young core the Warriors are grooming this season. But so far, he's totaled 42 minutes over the first three games, 12 of those coming in a meaningless fourth quarter during a blowout loss at Phoenix on Oct. 30.

Nelson said he planned to stay with Wednesday's lineup — Stephen Jackson and Kelenna Azubuike at the forward spots, with Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis in the backcourt, and Biedrins — to see if it works. That means Randolph will be coming off the bench for the foreseeable future.

With Jackson and Corey Maggette eating up all the power forward minutes, Randolph seems confined to the center position.

  • Center Ronny Turiaf sat out with a sprained left knee.

  • Biedrins got into foul trouble for the third consecutive game. He picked up his third foul at the 6:33 mark of the first quarter and sat the rest of the half. "I think I'm a rookie again or something," Biedrins said.

    — Marcus Thompson II