NBA Games Discussion Thread - Part 3

[FAH1223]

Congrats to the Warriors

Iggy is Finals MVP

[gambitx777]

LeBron just looked gassed, I don't think GS wins this if love and Irving are healthy.

[closg00]

Congrats to the GSW on their championship.

[Kanyewest]

LeBron just looked gassed, I don't think GS wins this if love and Irving are healthy.

It would have been more interesting but I still think the Warriors would be the favorites. I think the Warrriors played down to the level of their competition in Games 2 and 3, and took it up a couple notches.

Of course it will be interesting t see if GSW can keep up their level of play after winning a championship.

[barelyawake]

A) I was really wrong about Curry (thought he would be the best sixth man, but never a star on draft night).
B) Hate LeBron still.
C) I'm more confident we will have the best backcourt in the league next year, and more confident we still need a star big.
D) The Warriors winning playing small ball in the finals was a fluke. Small ball won't win in the upcoming era (nor almost any other previous), and they didn't get there via small ball.
E) Livingston has always been a favorite of mine. I remember an argument five years ago with people saying he was done. He showed great poise and leadership.

[AFM]

Klay Thompson = most overrated player in the league

Let's see
Cant dribble
Cant pass
Not a good finisher
Cant run the break

Literally just a one dimensional jump shooter

Go ahead and flame me

[Sluggerface]

Klay Thompson = most overrated player in the league

Let's see
Cant dribble
Cant pass
Not a good finisher
Cant run the break

Literally just a one dimensional jump shooter

Go ahead and flame me

His placement on the 3rd team over Jimmy Butler was an absolute joke. One of the goat snubs of all time.

[I_Like_Dirt]

D) The Warriors winning playing small ball in the finals was a fluke. Small ball won't win in the upcoming era (nor almost any other previous), and they didn't get there via small ball.

I'm not so sure about fluke other than timing. I agree that small ball isn't going to be a thing, but versatility absolutely is. Teams need to be able to play in multiple ways, and the Spurs really pioneered this. The Spurs would often play uptempo against the Suns and beat them at their own game, but then slow it down against other teams. The Warriors are a variation on that same principle. They can play things slower if they absolutely have to; it isn't their preferred scenario, but they can play guys like Bogut, Lee, Speights, etc. and matchup against the likes of Memphis, or they can go small and force teams to match up with them. Teams still need to be able to play big, but really, they need to add as much talent as they can in any form they can, and they really shouldn't be restricting themselves to a certain type of build, and if they have a choice, the ability to be flexible is an advantage.

[Higga]

Warriors being a title team now being built around a backcourt gives me hope the Wiz can get there too. I think Beal can surpass Thompson and Wall can maybe match Curry(won't be as good a shooter but IMO better defender and distributor which he might already be).

Of course we'll need to upgrade other parts of the team, and there may not be another Steve Kerr like coach out there....

[fishercob]

A) I was really wrong about Curry (thought he would be the best sixth man, but never a star on draft night).
B) Hate LeBron still.
C) I'm more confident we will have the best backcourt in the league next year, and more confident we still need a star big.
D) The Warriors winning playing small ball in the finals was a fluke. Small ball won't win in the upcoming era (nor almost any other previous), and they didn't get there via small ball.
E) Livingston has always been a favorite of mine. I remember an argument five years ago with people saying he was done. He showed great poise and leadership.

"Small ball" was not a fluke, but it is a misnomer. The Warriors were able to go small because so many of their supposed "smalls" were long-armed defensive monsters. Klay, Iggy, Barnes, Green and Livingston -- 5 guys that can switch, get in passing lanes, recover quickly to double, etc. I have no doubt that this is the direction of the NBA. That's not to say that you don't need rim protectors and pick and roll finishers too -- you do -- but back-to-the-basket postmen are luxuries, not necessities.

It is for this reason that I am bullish and excited about the WIzards' young trio. All three rebound and play good D. Otto Porter absolutely swallowed up Derozan in the playoffs, and averaged almost 9 boards per 36 minutes. As he adds strength in the coming years, he's going to be able to slide to the 4 against certain matchups. And his shooting and playmaking on offense will hurt people.

Very happy to see Livingston shine afte the road he has traveled. Both he and Barbosa were Wizards castoffs.

[Ruzious]

In evaluating the finals, I think people have to realize that the finals weren't even close to the best series in the playoffs. Cleveland made the finals against an epically weak East, and playing without 2 of their top 3 players should have made the finals a joke. Quite frankly, GS didn't play anywhere near their best. So making any judgments about how to build the Wiz into a championship caliber team based on that series is a mistake, imo. You do still need quality bigs.

[fishercob]

In evaluating the finals, I think people have to realize that the finals weren't even close to the best series in the playoffs. Cleveland made the finals against an epically weak East, and playing without 2 of their top 3 players should have made the finals a joke. Quite frankly, GS didn't play anywhere near their best. So making any judgments about how to build the Wiz into a championship caliber team based on that series is a mistake, imo. You do still need quality bigs.

I tend to agree. I don't know about this year because of health and hunger, but I think last year's spurs would have caused all sorts of problems for them Dubs.

The length and versatility of Duncan, Diaw, Leonard, Green would have countered a lot of GSW's advantages. And Parker, Manu, Splitter, Mills, Joseph, Bellinelli, are pretty good too.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3y7cWmoBCI[/youtube]

[Severn Hoos]

A) I was really wrong about Curry (thought he would be the best sixth man, but never a star on draft night).
B) Hate LeBron still.
C) I'm more confident we will have the best backcourt in the league next year, and more confident we still need a star big.
D) The Warriors winning playing small ball in the finals was a fluke. Small ball won't win in the upcoming era (nor almost any other previous), and they didn't get there via small ball.
E) Livingston has always been a favorite of mine. I remember an argument five years ago with people saying he was done. He showed great poise and leadership.

A) Check. I didn't see him as a full time PG, but more of a combo guard - which is a dreaded label if ever there was one. Couldn't have been more wrong there.
B) Check.
C) Half a check. Curry by himself would make GS the best in the league, so I think expecting to be The Best is too lofty a goal. Best in the East? Yep. Best under 25/"young" backcourt? Yep. 2nd Best behind GSW? Yep. But Best of the Best? Can't go there yet.
D) Half a check again. I guess it depends on what you consider an "era". I could definitely see it being a primary strategy for much of the league over the next 5 years, for example. Is that an era? I don't know, but it seems like a long time in NBA years. Plus, even if/when the league figures out a counter to smallball (think the NFL & Wildcat or Read-Option), it will still be a case of playing your best players the most minutes. One thing that causes this to fluctuate is the trend of young big guys wanting to be the next Dirk/LeBron/KD, so they are playing more on the perimeter. Then you get into semantics, is KD playing PF at 6'10 really "small ball"?
E) Check. Always liked him, even though he couldn't shoot. After that injury, he's an easy guy to root for and so glad to see him reach the top.

[fishercob]

A) I was really wrong about Curry (thought he would be the best sixth man, but never a star on draft night).
B) Hate LeBron still.
C) I'm more confident we will have the best backcourt in the league next year, and more confident we still need a star big.
D) The Warriors winning playing small ball in the finals was a fluke. Small ball won't win in the upcoming era (nor almost any other previous), and they didn't get there via small ball.
E) Livingston has always been a favorite of mine. I remember an argument five years ago with people saying he was done. He showed great poise and leadership.

A) Check. I didn't see him as a full time PG, but more of a combo guard - which is a dreaded label if ever there was one. Couldn't have been more wrong there.
B) Check.
C) Half a check. Curry by himself would make GS the best in the league, so I think expecting to be The Best is too lofty a goal. Best in the East? Yep. Best under 25/"young" backcourt? Yep. 2nd Best behind GSW? Yep. But Best of the Best? Can't go there yet.
D) Half a check again. I guess it depends on what you consider an "era". I could definitely see it being a primary strategy for much of the league over the next 5 years, for example. Is that an era? I don't know, but it seems like a long time in NBA years. Plus, even if/when the league figures out a counter to smallball (think the NFL & Wildcat or Read-Option), it will still be a case of playing your best players the most minutes. One thing that causes this to fluctuate is the trend of young big guys wanting to be the next Dirk/LeBron/KD, so they are playing more on the perimeter. Then you get into semantics, is KD playing PF at 6'10 really "small ball"?
E) Check. Always liked him, even though he couldn't shoot. After that injury, he's an easy guy to root for and so glad to see him reach the top.

As usual, better said than I could.

[Severn Hoos]

Hey fish, you're too kind - how ya been? Make sure you check out that link in point B) above, I promise it's not a Rick Astley video.

[TGW]

After watching Curry just absolutely put on an offensive clinic in these playoffs, I have a hard time deciding whether I would trade Beal AND Wall for him straight up...yea that seems overboard, but he's that good. If he were more durable, I would consider it. He's that good.

[Ruzious]

In evaluating the finals, I think people have to realize that the finals weren't even close to the best series in the playoffs. Cleveland made the finals against an epically weak East, and playing without 2 of their top 3 players should have made the finals a joke. Quite frankly, GS didn't play anywhere near their best. So making any judgments about how to build the Wiz into a championship caliber team based on that series is a mistake, imo. You do still need quality bigs.

I tend to agree. I don't know about this year because of health and hunger, but I think last year's spurs would have caused all sorts of problems for them Dubs.

The length and versatility of Duncan, Diaw, Leonard, Green would have countered a lot of GSW's advantages. And Parker, Manu, Splitter, Mills, Joseph, Bellinelli, are pretty good too.

Yeah, the Spurs/Clippers series was basketball poetry. The media folks make jokes about the Clips, but that was a great team this season. I would love for the Wiz to be at the Clips' or Spurs' level.

The Spurs really need Splitter to take a step up to transition out of the Duncan era. He must have been nicked up this season, because he did the opposite. It'll be interesting how they handle free agency this offseason.

[closg00]

Post#533 » by Chocolate City Jordanaire » Mon Feb 9, 2009 10:47 pm

Curry and Blair?

Count me as EXTREMELY PLEASED if the Wizards land them.

Having a little fun revisiting the Curry draft, Doc was big on Curry as-well. Fish correctly called-out Thabeet as a future bust.
The Wiz FO needs to read this board and whisper in Ernie's ear.

[FAH1223]

After watching Curry just absolutely put on an offensive clinic in these playoffs, I have a hard time deciding whether I would trade Beal AND Wall for him straight up...yea that seems overboard, but he's that good. If he were more durable, I would consider it. He's that good.

Curry has played 74 out of 82 games every year.

The one year he was injured he missed 40 out of 66 games in the lockout year.

And I guess we were close to having Curry and Wall..

But I guess it'd be better to have Curry and Paul George

Sigh.

[tontoz]

Game 7 of the Spurs/Clippers series was the best game i have seen in a loooong time.