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Post by afceltic on May 26, 2019 17:48:33 GMT -5
It's weird to think that the East had some really great teams for once (not the least east anymore): TOR, MIL, PHI, BOS(or at least should've been great)....yet, they don't really stack up against the Warriors (or maybe even the Rockets). Just another level I think - specifically on offense. It's hard for the Warriors to not create a matchup or shot they like because of their options and willingness to switch it up. You block one door and they just go to another viable door. I'm hoping TOR can make it interesting just for the sake of watching, but it may be difficult for them to keep up with GS's offense. You are giving Houston way too much credit. They haven't done anything in the playoffs as they are a regular season team and always choke in the playoffs due to their top two players being career choke artists and the "flop and (censored)" offense doesn't work in the playoffs, just the regular season. The offensive system doesn't help either, but now the cancer that is Paul is starting to fight with Harden and this is how it always goes with him. He rubs people the wrong way like he did in New Orleans and with the Clippers and then leaves and blames everyone but himself for that teams failures. That is what makes Paul the second most overrated player of the last 30 years, the only one who is more overrated is Carmelo who is nothing more than a volume chucker. |
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Post by runrondo on May 29, 2019 8:29:11 GMT -5
You're probably right although I didn't think Houston was that bad in this year's playoffs even though they clearly weren't at the same chemistry level as last year. I dislike Chris Paul as well so I can't disagree with the overrated claim although his stats don't necessarily back that up (although the lack of playoff success does). I just get mad that he always seems to have an all-defensive team spot reserved regardless of the games he misses.
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Post by jmost on May 31, 2019 7:45:32 GMT -5
Raptors were impressive last night, playing hard and holding off every GS run. GS was rusty though after 12 days off, so we'll have to see how Game 2 goes and if Siakim can duplicate his career night.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on May 31, 2019 13:30:19 GMT -5
After taking game 1, do you guys think the Raptors are going to win the championship?
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Post by jmost on May 31, 2019 21:58:06 GMT -5
There are a few reasons to believe that GS will be better in Game 2. They gave up 24 fast break points in Game 1. I don't think that will happen again. On a related note, they had a lot of turnovers - probably at least in part due to rust. And they should know now, if they didn't before, that the Raptors are pretty good, so focus should be better. Siakim won't shoot 14-17 again. That said, Iggy is hurting, Durant is still a ways away from playing, and it wouldn't shock me if TOR wins it. I say whoever wins Game 2 wins the series.
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Post by jmost on Jun 3, 2019 15:05:17 GMT -5
Well, GS got their split, and Cousins looked better than anyone had a right to expect, but now Klay is hurt, and if he can't go and KD isn't back SOON, they're vulnerable. So many NBA Finals wind up being determined by who's healthy. We would likely have won in both 2009 and 2010 if, first KG and then Perk hadn't been hurt.
We also likely would have won in '58 (Russell), '73 (Havlicek), '87 (Walton, Parish, McHale, Bias) probably '88-'90 (Bias). Any others?
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Post by runrondo on Jun 5, 2019 7:48:06 GMT -5
I'm still bitter for 2009 and 2010 cause KG really regressed after that knee injury and I'd like to believe he would've stayed at a higher level for those years and maybe we would've been a threat in 2011 and 2012 as well. That would've been the dynasty they deserved.
Although it's fun getting to watch the Warriors fight through adversity. Boogie shined in game 2 and will get a bigger role, but if the Warrirors pull off this series this may be their best win considering the players out there.
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Post by eja117 on Jun 5, 2019 11:50:00 GMT -5
All Raptors at this point
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Jun 5, 2019 12:53:10 GMT -5
All Raptors at this point I’m enjoying watching the ball movement from the Dubs, and wishing we could play like that. |
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Jun 8, 2019 3:51:19 GMT -5
Can the Dubs do the highly difficult (but not impossible) task of coming back from an 1 - 3 deficit?
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Post by afceltic on Jun 8, 2019 7:39:32 GMT -5
No, especially without an 100% KD and probably not with him either. Obviously he gives them a huge boot but Toronto has won 5 out of 6 games against GSW this year and is 3-0 in Oakland, that tells me that they are just the better team. This looks like the end of the run for GSW as the league has caught up with them and the trio of Curry, Thompson and Green isn't good enough to win a championship anymore. That core is about to be 1-2 in the Finals and 2-0 with KD, so as it turns out KD was a necessity not the luxury that everyone thought he was. He hid the limitans of the other three guys in Green's offense, Thompson just being a catch and shoot guy and Curry being to small and therefore terrible on the defensive end (Klay covered that part). But that is one thing that I like about Curry and Klay is that they know who they are and don't try to be anything that they are not if they don't need to.
GSW won't have the money to sign a deep bench due to Klay getting his max contract and Green wants one the year after that. I can see them letting Green walk as he isn't worth a max, but on the other hand he has been there since the beginning and is their glue guy. GSW won't be the destination that they have been for ring chasers as other teams will have caught and passed them. They will still be a really good team, but not the obvious choice to come out of the West or win Championships anymore.
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Post by runrondo on Jun 8, 2019 11:53:25 GMT -5
I knew Leonard was a great player, but he's definitely showing he may be the best at this point. It'd be a shame if Durant can't go one or two games so we could get that matchup on both ends of the court. The Warriors looked pretty dejected out there so I'm not sure they'll be able to come back even if Durant comes back. Durant won't be 100% no matter what anyway.
Still, how crazy would it be if Leonard wins the title with the Raptors and still decides to leave? I have no idea what his motivation is.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jun 8, 2019 12:49:58 GMT -5
No, especially without an 100% KD and probably not with him either. Obviously he gives them a huge boot but Toronto has won 5 out of 6 games against GSW this year and is 3-0 in Oakland, that tells me that they are just the better team. This looks like the end of the run for GSW as the league has caught up with them and the trio of Curry, Thompson and Green isn't good enough to win a championship anymore. That core is about to be 1-2 in the Finals and 2-0 with KD, so as it turns out KD was a necessity not the luxury that everyone thought he was. He hid the limitans of the other three guys in Green's offense, Thompson just being a catch and shoot guy and Curry being to small and therefore terrible on the defensive end (Klay covered that part). But that is one thing that I like about Curry and Klay is that they know who they are and don't try to be anything that they are not if they don't need to. GSW won't have the money to sign a deep bench due to Klay getting his max contract and Green wants one the year after that. I can see them letting Green walk as he isn't worth a max, but on the other hand he has been there since the beginning and is their glue guy. GSW won't be the destination that they have been for ring chasers as other teams will have caught and passed them. They will still be a really good team, but not the obvious choice to come out of the West or win Championships anymore. Afceltic, all good points. I think GS is literally gassed from 5-straight long playoffs. I remember Bird mentioning the toll of back to back Finals. |
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Post by jmost on Jun 8, 2019 18:05:26 GMT -5
TOR has shown me, and I think a lot of people, that the long-prevailing wisdom that you need multiple (super)stars to win a title, is wrong. They have Kawhi, an emerging-but-not-quite-there-yet star in Siakim, and a bunch of solid role players, most of them vets. They play hard, they play together, they're obviously well coached, and they are mentally tough. The only question mark is whether they just got lucky that the Warriors are so banged up, but it looks like they are going to do the only thing you can ask of a team - beat everyone in front of you.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Jun 8, 2019 20:34:15 GMT -5
I think GSW being crippled has greatly affected them. Iggy is limping out there, Looney, who is a key bench player shouldn’t be out there playing. Klay Thompson is playing gingerly, not wanting to reaggrevate his sore hamstring. Of course KD is missing.
If Curry shot the ball like he normally does, they might have won yesterday and tied the series.
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