Okay, I'll say it: Is this team better without Durant?

[Mac1958]

It sure does remind me of the fun ol' days right now. In fact, the one injury that concerns me is Iguodala.

Boogie can stay away too, by the way.

Okay, let me have it, I'm ready.

[superunknown]

stop with this nonsense.
no team is better without 2 of their starting 5 players.

[BG]

hell no...the only reason why it seems more fun i think, is the fact, that we don't expect them to come back from 18 down. wie could always say "well, KD's injured, of course we lost", we kind of have an excuse to lose, but we don't lose, that makes it more fun. with KD we're expected to win every game, so a win is less "special" because it is expected anyways. i don't think we're better without him, i just think it's more exciting, because we can still win with him injured and we don't hear the excuses of injuries, that we've heard from other teams we beat in the past years.

[LeonGenesis]

LOL... we're playing with Portland where two of their stars are shooting like crap in the series. We will be losing too if Curry and Thompson were playing like them....fortunately, they have been hot... On top of that, Green is finally playing his best basketball of his life now. Did people forget KD helped us win two titles while Curry played like crap in previous playoff? And now that Curry is on fire...we don't need KD? Seriously?

I want KD, Steph, Klay, Green for life, but I don't blame KD for leaving GSW...why stick around when there is NO appreciation from you guys lol. We haven't won a title yet, and ya think life is golden without KD.

I know a lot of people dislike KD, but was excited when we won the last 2 titles. What a joke you are. Well, wait until we start losing without KD...and ya will be crying rivers LOL. Get use to it because everyone is getting older....

[Muscles]

Not at all. I saw Jerebko, Bell, Cook and Livingston out there at the same time and only guy I trusted with ball in hands was Klay. KD covers up all warts and weaknesses on our team. There will be stretches where we cant score. KD eliminates that scenario. When all of core says KD is best player and needed it ends that foolish question. I will leave you with this from Brian Windhorst article on all the core GS guys saying they need KD. "We miss our guy. He's carried us," Curry said.

[Phase 3]

No. The ball movement, body movement, and pace is better without Durant...but they’re not a better team. Durant’s ability to provide consistent scoring is a needed complement to the splash bros raining from the perimeter.

The Warriors are a great team without Kevin Durant. They’re a dynasty with him.

[watch1958]

I still don't think they have even really figured out how to fit the offense together with Durant, Curry, Thompson, Green, Iguadola all available.

I'd love to have Alvin Gentry back to tweak the offense and see what it could really be like hitting on all cylinders.

Kinda like Secretariat in the Belmont. Let em run, let's see how good these guys can go.

[Phase 3]

I still don't think they have even really figured out how to fit the offense together with Durant, Curry, Thompson, Green, Iguadola all available.

I'd love to have Alvin Gentry back to tweak the offense and see what it could really be like hitting on all cylinders.

Kinda like Secretariat in the Belmont. Let em run, let's see how god these guys can go.

I agree. As much success as this team has had, they haven’t even fully meshed KD into the system. They’ve been winning on their talent. Maybe it’s not possible to mesh at this point. Maybe KD is determined to play the way he wants. I dunno.

Scary how good they could be if they hit their stride together though...

[rcs15]

Nobody can score consistently besides Steph and klay. So hell no.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using RealGM mobile app

[likashing]

What’s up with these GB ppl coming over and trolling with crap threads?

I’ll just ignore this and so should you.

[TinoDubs]

I still don't think they have even really figured out how to fit the offense together with Durant, Curry, Thompson, Green, Iguadola all available.

I guess some of you forgot the ball movement when KD first joint the team. I think we played lot of ISO ball after last year's playoffs, especially after the Rockets series.

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

They are playing harder and smarter without Durant because they are rising to the challenge of playing without Durant. If the bored version of the Warriors tried to play without Durant they would have problems.

[Samurai]

We are not a better team without Durant. We are a different team without him - we pass more and, in turn, have to have more motion without him. In that way, we may be a more fun team to watch, particularly for those who enjoy the motion offense and passing. But the Globetrotters are IMO a more fun team to watch than the Houston 'iso-ball' Rockets, but the Rockets are clearly a better team.

[michaelm]

double

[michaelm]

What a novel idea for a thread.

And the answer is no, lifting for a few games games is different from a whole season or a whole play-offs, with Iguodala already sore after starting only 4 games.

[oaktownwarriors87]

LOL... we're playing with Portland where two of their stars are shooting like crap in the series. We will be losing too if Curry and Thompson were playing like them

You're right, if the Warriors played worse defense and worse offense they would probably lose without Durant.

But they don't. That's kind of the point.

[Coxy]

Yes, we are better without Durant, however we will have long term stamina issues now.

The better question, is are we better long term with a different player in place of Durant, like Ariza, Aminu, ot that type of player. Short answer, is also yes.

[ILOVEIT]

IF the Warriors could replace Durant with Siakm...yes. If the Warriors could replace him with Miratich...yes. If you can't replace him with a solid to good level SF...then no.

The let's Curry dominate and the ball movement continues.

[ILOVEIT]

We are not a better team without Durant. We are a different team without him - we pass more and, in turn, have to have more motion without him. In that way, we may be a more fun team to watch, particularly for those who enjoy the motion offense and passing. But the Globetrotters are IMO a more fun team to watch than the Houston 'iso-ball' Rockets, but the Rockets are clearly a better team.

My eye test tells me that the Curry led Warriors would have beaten the Rockets easier without Durant GIVEN a solid SF in his starting SF spot.

Durant is an ISO god...but his impact the Warriors offense is not a positive as it should be. And that's because of his ISO tendancies.

[xdrta+]

They are playing harder and smarter without Durant because they are rising to the challenge of playing without Durant. If the bored version of the Warriors tried to play without Durant they would have problems.

You would think they would realize that before they get down 15-18 points by halftime.