Round 2: GS Doves

[Loaf_of_bread]

The stars have aligned!

Anthony "the legend killer" Edwards has his sights set on demolishing the vertically challenged Golden State Doves.

This series could get ugly! My main concern is the psychopath Draymond Green intentionally injures someone.

If the wolves don't beat themselves, this is a sweep.

Oh, and screw Jimmy.

[TimberKat]

The GSW is the "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" version of the Lakers team . You got the mini LeBron ( Butler), the mouse Luka (Curry), a mini Reaves (Podziemski), a mini Hichimura (Buddy), a short Vanderbilt (Green), and a mini Hayes.

On top of that, Mini LeBron and mouse Luka already had their "no rest' game. Wolves chances looking good with home court advantage. The only pressure is game one feels like a must win.

[winforlose]

The stars have aligned!

Anthony "the legend killer" Edwards has his sights set on demolishing the vertically challenged Golden State Doves.

This series could get ugly! My main concern is the psychopath Draymond Green intentionally injures someone.

If the wolves don't beat themselves, this is a sweep.

Oh, and screw Jimmy.

I think we wins game 1, 2, and 5. I think we split 3 and 4. Wolves in 5.

Compare GSW to LAL for a minute.

Is Curry that much better than Luka? Especially with the thumb swelling?

Is Jimmy that much better than Lebron?

Is Green that much more impactful than Reaves? Reaves was a defensive liability, Green is an offensive liability.

I think they are gonna struggle to contain Jaden and Rudy. The resources required to guard Julius (Butler or Green,) will be costly for there overall defense. We should feast on the glass. Our biggest weakness is coaching (Kerr is more experienced and better than Finch,) but I don’t think that will be enough. We are bigger, deeper, and younger. Plus I think talent wise we are overall better.

[bluethunder0005]

I honestly feared the Warriors more than Houston. I can see Steph, Jimmy, and Dray leading that team to a series win. I never really saw a scenario where Houston could beat Minnesota. I know the team matches up well with the Warriors but sometimes all-time greats can do things that other players can't. Houston didn't have any of those all-time great players.

[Loaf_of_bread]

Chuck picked us to win. Could be a bad omen, lol. We just have too much talent at the end of the day. Our inability to show up when we have a bit of confidence might lose us a game or 2...

[Ethomasp31]

I don't think there is a break in the first 4 games (meaning just one day off between games). Wolves need to win the first two games. If they do, I don't think this series will go past 5 games. Those teams were brutal to watch tonight. The Wolves are bigger, younger, more rested, have home court advantage and have more ways to beat you than the GSW. Plus we have ANT. Wolves in 5!

[Klomp]

Chuck picked us to win. Could be a bad omen, lol. We just have too much talent at the end of the day. Our inability to show up when we have a bit of confidence might lose us a game or 2...

That was such a weird analysis across the board from the panel. Don't feel like anyone still has an idea of what Minnesota does.

Ant was never going to be chasing Steph. And if Draymond is chasing Randle, who's going to have Rudy? If you go big, you negate your possible advantage over Rudy, but going small isn't necessarily a sure thing either.

[Klomp]

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[winforlose]

Chuck picked us to win. Could be a bad omen, lol. We just have too much talent at the end of the day. Our inability to show up when we have a bit of confidence might lose us a game or 2...

That was such a weird analysis across the board from the panel. Don't feel like anyone still has an idea of what Minnesota does.

Ant was never going to be chasing Steph. And if Draymond is chasing Randle, who's going to have Rudy? If you go big, you negate your possible advantage over Rudy, but going small isn't necessarily a sure thing either.

They don’t match up well with us. If you want to go the extra step and say we don’t match up well with them either, (I don’t 100% agree, but I would concede an individual matchup or two,) the size advantage and probable rebounding advantage still favors us. Jaden showed you what happens when you don’t defend him with size and intensity. Rudy showed you Super Go Bear mode with 27/24 in game 5. Donte, NAW, Naz and maybe Clark (to chase Curry,) are better than their bench. Curry and Butler are not 100% and they had to play more 2 games than us while getting 4 full days less rest. Plus we have home court.

[TimberKat]

I honestly feared the Warriors more than Houston. I can see Steph, Jimmy, and Dray leading that team to a series win. I never really saw a scenario where Houston could beat Minnesota. I know the team matches up well with the Warriors but sometimes all-time greats can do things that other players can't. Houston didn't have any of those all-time great players.

Except the all-time greats are old and grey. Curry 37 (as old as Conley), Butler 35, and Green 35.

[Loaf_of_bread]

I honestly feared the Warriors more than Houston. I can see Steph, Jimmy, and Dray leading that team to a series win. I never really saw a scenario where Houston could beat Minnesota. I know the team matches up well with the Warriors but sometimes all-time greats can do things that other players can't. Houston didn't have any of those all-time great players.

Except the all-time greats are old and grey. Curry 37 (as old as Conley), Butler 35, and Green 35.

Yes, and they are short. We have too much defensive versatility for whatever scheme kerr comes up with.

[TimberKat]

My only concern, Warriors won 3 of 4 in regular season and both games in Target Center. Both Curry and Buddy played well in all 4 games. I expected we contain Curry better. Maybe that was still early in the season and we also didn't play Clark or TSJ.

[Klomp]

My only concern, Warriors won 3 of 4 in regular season and both games in Target Center. Both Curry and Buddy played well in all 4 games. I expected we contain Curry better. Maybe that was still early in the season and we also didn't play Clark or TSJ.

December 6
December 8
December 21
January 15

We were 21-19 after the last game. We closed the season 28-14 from that point on.

[winforlose]

My only concern, Warriors won 3 of 4 in regular season and both games in Target Center. Both Curry and Buddy played well in all 4 games. I expected we contain Curry better. Maybe that was still early in the season and we also didn't play Clark or TSJ.

So much is different that it hardly is apples to apples. We have not seen them since Butler, and they have not seen our high end play post ASB (with some unfortunate hiccups and f*** ups. Very different stakes, very different situation, very unlikely to matter (case in point we swept the Suns in the playoffs after being swept and blown out by them 3 times in the regular season.)

The real question is who guards Curry and when does Finch start using NAW and DDV as the primary Curry defenders. Don’t waste Jaden on that matchup, use him to neutralize Butler. Don’t waste Ant on chasing Curry either, let him take Podz or Heild out of the game. If Jaden or Randle shut fown Butler we win in 4 or 5.

[TimberKat]

My only concern, Warriors won 3 of 4 in regular season and both games in Target Center. Both Curry and Buddy played well in all 4 games. I expected we contain Curry better. Maybe that was still early in the season and we also didn't play Clark or TSJ.

December 6
December 8
December 21
January 15

We were 21-19 after the last game. We closed the season 28-14 from that point on.

I was at the 12/21 game and we didn't score the first point until 9mins. A lot of standing I think we came back to take the lead after being down 20 but couldn't hold on. 1/15 we had a one point lead with like 12 sec to Go.

[TimberKat]

My only concern, Warriors won 3 of 4 in regular season and both games in Target Center. Both Curry and Buddy played well in all 4 games. I expected we contain Curry better. Maybe that was still early in the season and we also didn't play Clark or TSJ.

So much is different that it hardly is apples to apples. We have not seen them since Butler, and they have not seen our high end play post ASB (with some unfortunate hiccups and f*** ups. Very different stakes, very different situation, very unlikely to matter (case in point we swept the Suns in the playoffs after being swept and blown out by them 3 times in the regular season.)

The real question is who guards Curry and when does Finch start using NAW and DDV as the primary Curry defenders. Don’t waste Jaden on that matchup, use him to neutralize Butler. Don’t waste Ant on chasing Curry either, let him take Podz or Heild out of the game. If Jaden or Randle shut fown Butler we win in 4 or 5.

True, I was looking for how effective we guard Curry and Buddy, we actually started DDV in one of those games. Yes, chasing Curry is the wild card for the series. Hopefully, he is already tired out from HOU.

[winforlose]

My only concern, Warriors won 3 of 4 in regular season and both games in Target Center. Both Curry and Buddy played well in all 4 games. I expected we contain Curry better. Maybe that was still early in the season and we also didn't play Clark or TSJ.

So much is different that it hardly is apples to apples. We have not seen them since Butler, and they have not seen our high end play post ASB (with some unfortunate hiccups and f*** ups. Very different stakes, very different situation, very unlikely to matter (case in point we swept the Suns in the playoffs after being swept and blown out by them 3 times in the regular season.)

The real question is who guards Curry and when does Finch start using NAW and DDV as the primary Curry defenders. Don’t waste Jaden on that matchup, use him to neutralize Butler. Don’t waste Ant on chasing Curry either, let him take Podz or Heild out of the game. If Jaden or Randle shut fown Butler we win in 4 or 5.

True, I was looking for how effective we guard Curry and Buddy, we actually started DDV in one of those games. Yes, chasing Curry is the wild card for the series. Hopefully, he is already tired out from HOU.

Let’s play a hypothetical game. If Curry manages to score between 25-40 each playoff game, does GSW win? Even if he averages 35/6/6 does GSW win? I think the answer is no because I don’t think guys 2-8 are gonna give enough on offense or do enough on defense. Even if Butler and Curry combine for 60 PPG each game, I think Ant and our 2nd scorer (some nights Randle, some nights Jaden, Naz, Rudy, ect..,) give you the same. Curry and Ant pretty much cancel out, Butler and Randle should cancel out, and GSW does not have enough elsewhere to bridge the gap.

[ILC]

If the Wolves want any chance of taking OKC in the next round they have to make quick work of the Warriors here. They cannot go against the best team gassed like they were last year. They have the potential to do it, but I'm worried about the mental game and off ball focus by the Wolves.

They have to ignore Draymond antics, Edwards especially and Randle cannot be drawn into a hero ball type situation against Green, he's a much better defender than anything Lakers had for him.

And then in close games you know Steph will get loose in the corner after an Oreb by Looney or something and hit a big shot. Randle, Naz and Ant especially have to be very focused and not lose their men off ball because they're prone to do so.

Initial prediction is Wolves in 5, but they have to win both at home to open the series. If GSW split I think it goes 7. Either way I have the Wolves, but I think it's going to be much closer than the Lakers series.

[Domejandro]

The stars have aligned!

Anthony "the legend killer" Edwards has his sights set on demolishing the vertically challenged Golden State Doves.

This series could get ugly! My main concern is the psychopath Draymond Green intentionally injures someone.

If the wolves don't beat themselves, this is a sweep.

Oh, and screw Jimmy.

I think we wins game 1, 2, and 5. I think we split 3 and 4. Wolves in 5.

Compare GSW to LAL for a minute.

Is Curry that much better than Luka? Especially with the thumb swelling?

Is Jimmy that much better than Lebron?

Is Green that much more impactful than Reaves? Reaves was a defensive liability, Green is an offensive liability.

I think they are gonna struggle to contain Jaden and Rudy. The resources required to guard Julius (Butler or Green,) will be costly for there overall defense. We should feast on the glass. Our biggest weakness is coaching (Kerr is more experienced and better than Finch,) but I don’t think that will be enough. We are bigger, deeper, and younger. Plus I think talent wise we are overall better.

Draymond Green is far less of a liability offensively than Austin Reaves is defensively. Still a great passer and screener (even if many are illegal screens).

Honestly, Stephen Curry is much less of a defensive liability than Luka Dončić is, and him being a more capable off-ball player does test the defense more than just stationing Jaden McDaniels on him.

I think that Golden State is kind of mediocre, but they matchup with us better than the Lakers did. Far less defensive liabilities on this team, and they have more offensively capable depth.

[KGdaBom]

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Twice in the last three years and only once in all of time before.