[Bryan88]

Belinelli, Wright work hard to get into shape, rotation

The rookie campaigns for Marco Belinelli and Brandan Wright could not have started and ended on more different notes last season. While Wright missed all of summer league to rest a sore hip, Belinelli wowed an entire Las Vegas gym by swishing nonstop three-pointers in his debut in July.

The shooting, though, only eroded from there. Belinelli fired blanks once the regular season started, and by the time Wright ascended the Warriors' rotation, it was Belinelli who was on the inactive list.

"The first few games when (Stephen) Jackson was out, I played like 10 , 15 minutes, but I didn't play a lot after because I know that I didn't shoot well," Belinelli said Thursday. "It's terrible, because you're working hard and you enjoy it when the ball goes (down). It sounds good and it's incredible when you score.

"I think I'm ready now."

Belinelli certainly looked the part after another lengthy workout at the Warriors' practice facility. Gone is the baby fat that outlined his body last season, courtesy of daily, three-hour sessions with Golden State's coaches and trainers.

Belinelli and Wright have been staples here over the last three weeks, starting their days around 10 a.m. with on-court drills before moving on to strength and conditioning work.

Coach Don Nelson wants his younger players to be a bigger part of the rotation, which is just fine by the pair. Wright is fully healed from the groin injury that cost him the final four games of the regular season, and he has been working on his shooting - both mid-range and trailing three-pointers - as well as his ballhandling.