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Mark Jackson won't guarantee a Warriors playoff berth in 2012

Warriors head coach Mark Jackson made sure to avoid making any guarantees about his 2012 team.

Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire

Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson joined Tom Tolbert and Eric Byrnes on KNBR Wednesday evening to discuss Andrew Bogut's health, which first round draft pick will make the biggest impact for the Warriors, his take on the new flop rule in the NBA and making sure not to guarantee a playoff spot for his team this year.

What's Andrew Bogut's health status heading into camp?

"He's progressing very nicely. We had to play 5-on-5 today. He's not ready, but we are very pleased at where he is and I think the target date is opening night. Certainly doing everything he's been asked to do, as far as the doctors are concerned, that it looks like that is a real date."

As for the litany of rookies this year in Warriors camp, Jackson sees Harrison Barnes as one of the most productive on the team, though the others will have their place as well:

Out of the rookies drafted in the first round: Festus Ezeli, Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes. Which one will make the biggest impact in training camp?

"I really believe all three of those guys. We couldn't have gotten a better group of guys as people, as professionals. They certainly work extremely hard. Harrison Barnes was the No. 7 pick for a reason. He's going to have a real chance at starting. He's the one guy. if everyone is healthy, he has a legitimate chance of coming in and earning a starting position. Those other guys, you are talking about having to beat out Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli you are thinking in your mind no way in the world. That's not going to happen. You're 100 percent right, but all three of those guys will have legitimate chances to play and play right away."

In regards to the new NBA flop rule, Jackson sees that the game has evolved enough to require this type of rule to be installed:

What do you think about the flop rule?

"These guys are so good at doing it and when people think about the flop rule you automatically think about a guy taking a charge, but they have elevated their game of flopping on the offensive end. You can flop and pretend you got hit in a pick and roll or you can pretend you got hit going to the cup, so I think when Jeff Van Gundy, when I was doing TV ... he suggested the rule and I immediately said, ‘It makes no sense.' I understand that guys have gotten so good at it that they trick the referees and possessions of games can be won or lost. It certainly has become time to make a rule and it'll be interesting to see how they determine it."

Jackson took some heat for making a playoff prediction for Golden State last season, and made sure to stay far away from it this year:

So we are not going to guarantee playoffs this year? Are we?

"No we are not. We are going to guarantee great energy, passion - a team that is going to compete and leave it on the floor. We are going to have a lot of fun."

Jackson and the Warriors will have their first preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sept. 7 from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.