2019 NBA Finals Thread, Part 1 | Golden State Warriors vs Toronto Raptors

[Winsome Gerbil]

I can’t believe they were people who thought harden was better than Kawhi LOL

KYLE LOWRY MADE FINALS BEFORE CHRIS PAUL

That’s crazy to me. Good him. Best 6’0 PG

Um...the Rockets are in the West, meaning that they get to be beat by the Warriors a round or two before the East teams do. That's all it means.

[xdrta+]

Raps may turn to McCaw to chase Curry around.

I bet we'll see him in this series a bit, especially if Green and/or FVV get in foul trouble... I really liked his defensive intensity in G3 and/or 4 at Philly.

I hope has a energizer game or two off the bench to stick it to GS. Layups, threes, steals, some slash-passes, tight defense, some key rebounds... make GS remember what he was for them.

~ McCaw ~

You sound tuned into the Raps, do you know why McCaw missed several recent games for "personal reasons?" It seemed so odd at a crucial time in the playoffs.

[BVB24]

Raps in 3. Kawhi’s the best player in the series, they have HCA, Fred VanVleet is playing lights out, and Curry’s a notorious Finals underperformer. AND KD might not even play.

Warriors dynasty run is ovaaaaaaa

[Baski]

Danny Green has always had Klay's number. If Danny comes to play you can forget about Klay being a factor. The whole Raps team has gotta play every game like it's a game 7, cos Lord knows the warriors defintely will.

I want Raps in 4 but realistically I think it goes to at least 6 whoever wins.

You make Klay put the ball on the floor and he becomes half the player he is. The Raptors will play him like they played Middleton. Warriors aren't winning without Durant.

That should be the aim. If you can just stick Danny on Klay all series, he'll have to try and create shots on his own at some point. The others have to really do their part defensively, because Danny will help if he has to, and that might give Klay some opportunities to get in rhythm.

[cjx]

2019 Finals

Game 1 Predictions
Toronto 112, Golden State 109 (Raps lead series 1-0)

King Kawhi the Sensational KLaw: 31 pts, 10 rebs, 6 asts, 3 stls, 1 blk
Serge Ibaka: 16 pts, 7 rebs, 1 ast, 1 blk
Pascal Siakam: 17 pts, 7 rebs, 3 asts, 1 stl, 1 blk

Steph Curry: 24 pts, 5 rebs, 4 asts
Klay Thompson: 18 pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts, 1 stl
Draymond Green: 10 pts, 8 rebs, 5 asts, 1 stl

[PizzaSteve]

Warriors fans will be shook at how much Freddy V can guard Steph. I'll warn them right now

shook I tell ya!

LMAO...shook. As if 40 years of bad teams, trading away Wilt for a bag of nuts, and our best player attacking his coach, not to mention Biedrens FTs havent prepared us for the unexpected.

Im just enjoying the ride, win or lose. Harden is at home, so im good (as if everyone forgets RGM was calling that Houston series the finals 2 weeks ago). Any player can get hot...new stars may emerge. Just want good games. So many bricks and eurostep travels during the ECF and anointing new heros before they accomplish anything. Kwahi was the only guy consistently making it feel like a finals. He brought it and will again (btw..he is now the GOAT at playing up an injury then roasting his snoozing opponent, first pop, now Bucks).

Looking forward to a bit more speed and fluid play again. Look at all the people trashing the 3xchamp GS back court, as if one ECF series win by Toronto > 5xFinals, 3xTitles.

[will]

Going to be such an epic NBA Finals.

[BVB24]

He keeps playing like this, Raps in 5.

Read on Twitter

[Castle Black]

Agreed they ain’t beating the Raps without a healthy KD and he ain’t healthy so the writing’s on the wall imo

Read on Twitter

[twoheadedboy]

Raps may turn to McCaw to chase Curry around.

I bet we'll see him in this series a bit, especially if Green and/or FVV get in foul trouble... I really liked his defensive intensity in G3 and/or 4 at Philly.

I hope has a energizer game or two off the bench to stick it to GS. Layups, threes, steals, some slash-passes, tight defense, some key rebounds... make GS remember what he was for them.

~ McCaw ~

You sound tuned into the Raps, do you know why McCaw missed several recent games for "personal reasons?" It seemed so odd at a crucial time in the playoffs.

I think his brother passed away recently.

[BVB24]

Wow Drake pulling out all the stops to make sure his beloved Raps win it all. Even went as far as to get Steph Curry and KD’s names and numbers tattooed on his arm, knowing damn well that the “Drake curse” is real.

Raptors 2019 NBA Finals champs confirmed.

Read on Twitter

[SFour]

All I know is that Warriors aren't beating the Raptors in a 7 game series without KD. That Portland series has everyone overrating them just a bit....just like how the Bucks dominated the Pistons and Celtics & everyone assumed that they would do the same to the Raptors....that **** isn't impressive.

[LoveMyRaps]

Raps in 7.
We're winning this series.

[SuigintouEV]

I have no idea who wins and I am excited to find out.

**** KD though.

[PD28]

We are the HEAVY underdogs this series no question about it. We've relied on our defense all year to keep us in games and I believe we are the best defensive team GSW has matched up with this playoffs and I don't think its close. Let's see if we can fluster them on that end to give us a shot.

[Mister Ze]

Raptors fans... Be better. I have 0 ill will for anyone on your team. I actually like your players, but your fan base is awful. You will lose 4-0 and try not to make asses of yourselves. Maybe everyone else will finally respect you.

We get it, you're upset your team lost 4 in a row and choked which is why you hope the Raptors get swept. Thanks for the well wishes

[Mikistan]

Raps may turn to McCaw to chase Curry around.

I bet we'll see him in this series a bit, especially if Green and/or FVV get in foul trouble... I really liked his defensive intensity in G3 and/or 4 at Philly.

I hope has a energizer game or two off the bench to stick it to GS. Layups, threes, steals, some slash-passes, tight defense, some key rebounds... make GS remember what he was for them.

~ McCaw ~

You sound tuned into the Raps, do you know why McCaw missed several recent games for "personal reasons?" It seemed so odd at a crucial time in the playoffs.

Pretty sure his brother died

[PhilBlackson]

I'll just say GS is certainly not a lock to win it without KD and truly laughable that anyone picks a sweep.

For those of you that haven't caught on yet with Simmons, Butler, Giannis, Middleton...whoever you run your offense through, Kawhi turns that off and forces someone else to ignite that team, good luck doing that consistently an entire series. It's why this will be at best a tough fought series for GS and at worst will have the NBA world stunned when they realize what happened.

It's not coincidence how the Spurs were doing until Kawhi got hurt...he changes how a team wants/likes to play. This will not be no easy path for either team because likewise GSW can defend their asses off but also keep in mind they don't have anywhere near the length and size we just came through. You have to always give the champs their due and have them as the favorites but people are foolish when if they really analyze the game to completely count out the underdog that is the Raps.

[everdiso]

I think the bottom line is that the warriors are getting hyped mostly because they swept the blazers, and they swept the blazers mostly because Curry did whatever he wanted to do, whenever he wanted to do it. He could take over and they had no answer. 36.5pts per game on 66.3ts%. that's insane.

I just don't think there's any way he can do anything close to that against the raps. raps have too many guys that can give him too many different looks. And if he can't do that, who else is going to step up?

the biggest dirty secret in the nba is that Klay is actually a mediocre scorer nowadays, getting only high teens points per game on mediocre efficiency. and then after that they literally have no one else that the defense has to focus on.

raps will most likely hold Curry to much less than the blazers did, and I don't know if they have anyone else that can pick up the offensive slack.

[raptor jesus]

I think the Raps match up pretty well with the Warriors. They have the personnel to switch the Steph/Draymond PnR, chase Curry and Klay around screens. If Durant's healthy then obviously it becomes much more difficult. We'll see.