WCF | P1: (1) Golden State Warriors vs (3) Portland Trail Blazers

[dc]

GSW added durant to beat LeBron not other WC teams.

Basically, yeah.

People are forgetting how good that 17' Cavs team was. Sure, their defense wasn't good, but that was Lebron (Top 2-3 player of all time) surrounded by 2 all-stars, an army of shooters and 2 excellent rebounders. That was peak Lebron with more or less the perfect team around him.

The Warriors, who were VERY GOOD defensively that year, weren't able to stop the Cavs from scoring in that series. Like, not even a little bit. People are fools if they think the Warriors would've been able to keep up with the Cavs scoring with Harrison Barnes in Durant's place.

FOH with that.

[-TheDocOfDenial]

GSW added durant to beat LeBron not other WC teams.

Basically, yeah.

People are forgetting how good that 17' Cavs team was. Sure, their defense wasn't good, but that was Lebron (Top 2-3 player of all time) surrounded by 2 all-stars, an army of shooters and 2 excellent rebounders. That was peak Lebron with more or less the perfect team around him.

The Warriors, who were VERY GOOD defensively that year, weren't able to stop the Cavs from scoring in that series. Like, not even a little bit. People are fools if they think the Warriors would've been able to keep up with the Cavs scoring with Harrison Barnes in Durant's place.

FOH with that.

Exactly. They do not beat that cavs team with out Durant and they do not beat houston last year with out durant either. It is a very real possibility that GSW only ends up with one ring with out Durant and using this years playoffs to discredit what he did for them the last two years is revisionist history at its finest.

[michaelm]

So KD fans still think he didn't cheat his way to rings? Lmao

More hot takes about a series being over based on 1 game. That has really been proven to be reliable in the preceding play-off series, hasn’t it?.

It is all match-ups anyway. Portland rely on a great back-court, among the very best in the NBA. GSW have one that may be the best in the history of the NBA, and the perfect defensive players to put on Dame and CJ as has been said.

Giannis for one is a very different challenge, as was LeBron, and they very much would need/needed Durant for them. Sure they might have won another title without Durant, but they wanted a dynasty just like other players and teams, and LeBron in particular, and you also couldn’t design a PG better suited to Durant than Curry, after all those years next to Westbrook, a great player and all in his prime when he had his full health, but with whom he was not a particularly good fit, and with poor game planning and coaching at OKC.

Posters on here also predicate their arguments on the basis that peak Curry is available all the time, which history proves can’t be relied upon. Call it excuse making if you like, and it is obviously no concern of opposing teams, but god mode Curry relies on him being close to completely healthy, which he just isn’t all the time. Even in games in the 2016 regular season if he tweaked his ankle his shot deteriorated.

do you even read what you write? you just want your team to have the easiest way to a ring. bbbut giannis, bbbut lebron. that was the beauty of the nba, to find ways to beat your opponent, not to stack up and create an avengers like team .

I remember what I write fairly well actually, and also thousands of posts like yours.

Once again a poster who is no fan of Durant’s anyway and in all likelihood doesn’t want him to succeed wherever he might go thinks Durant’s career choices should be bound by your preference, the competitiveness of the NBA being uniquely his responsibility, while his peers do whatever the hell they feel like, including departing/trying to depart their teams mid contract in the cases of Kawhi and Davis.

Pretty much any fanbase apart from OKC’s will be delighted to have him next year.

[michaelm]

So KD fans still think he didn't cheat his way to rings? Lmao

More hot takes about a series being over based on 1 game. That has really been proven to be reliable in the preceding play-off series, hasn’t it?.

It is all match-ups anyway. Portland rely on a great back-court, among the very best in the NBA. GSW have one that may be the best in the history of the NBA, and the perfect defensive players to put on Dame and CJ as has been said.

Giannis for one is a very different challenge, as was LeBron, and they very much would need/needed Durant for them. Sure they might have won another title without Durant, but they wanted a dynasty just like other players and teams, and LeBron in particular, and you also couldn’t design a PG better suited to Durant than Curry, after all those years next to Westbrook, a great player and all in his prime when he had his full health, but with whom he was not a particularly good fit, and with poor game planning and coaching at OKC.

Posters on here also predicate their arguments on the basis that peak Curry is available all the time, which history proves can’t be relied upon. Call it excuse making if you like, and it is obviously no concern of opposing teams, but god mode Curry relies on him being close to completely healthy, which he just isn’t all the time. Even in games in the 2016 regular season if he tweaked his ankle his shot deteriorated.

Oh please stop this sorry ass excuses. Curry is Curry first ballot HOF, Klay on his way there too. Two will go as best combo guards to ever play together. They also have finals MVP coming off the bench who already stopped LBJ one time. GSW team is still loaded with talent with or without KD. 30 mill he eats can bring more talent. Sorry buddy your boy bandwagon hopper and his rings mean nothing.

Perhaps you could try reading my post. I actually said in that post that Curry and Thompson were likely the best backcourt in NBA history.

And no, at this stage GSW can only re-sign their star players because of bird rights, if KD leaves they are still well over the cap. No complaints from me, that is the way the salary cap is supposed to work, and it will have been a glorious run, particularly if they win the title this year which I don’t see as a given at all.

[whatisacenter]

I am expecting a closer game 2. I think Portland will play with more energy and Stotts will probably make adjustments after sounding defiant in defending his game plan right after the game.

[Roy The Natural]

I am expecting a closer game 2. I think Portland will play with more energy and Stotts will probably make adjustments after sounding defiant in defending his game plan right after the game.

I mean.. he has to right!?... That was the worst gameplan I've ever seen defensively. If someone remembers a worse gameplan going into a playoff game, I'd love to see it.

[HotTubMike]

The warriors are not going to destroy the east winner no matter who they play. Both Toronto and Milwaukee are better than any team in the west outside of golden state.

And Milwaukee matches up tremendously well against them and have the most physically dominant and unstoppable player in the NBA right now. I would not bet on the warriors against Milwaukee this year.

1. Rockets would likely be favored against either Bucks or Raptors;
2. Let's make a bet right now. Warriors vs. whichever team prevails from ECF. I'll bet Warriors.

The bucks would have massacred the rockets. Are you out of your mind? How would they have defended them at all?

I also believe the bucks will beat the warriors even with Durant. They are too physical, too disciplined, consistent effort every game, consistent from 3, and too dominant in the paint in regards to shot blocking and scoring. I will gladly take that bet.

Toronto would also be a good series for the warriors although I think they are a little too reliant on kawhi.

lol

Leastern conference fan talk is cheap.

Lets see how you do when your in the ring with GSW.

It won’t be pretty.

[LeonGenesis]

Finally, a series where we don't have crybabies and floppers (Houston fans and GSW haters) complaining about the game. A lot of respect for Portland Blazers...class act team and players and fans.

[Impuniti]

1. Rockets would likely be favored against either Bucks or Raptors;
2. Let's make a bet right now. Warriors vs. whichever team prevails from ECF. I'll bet Warriors.

The bucks would have massacred the rockets. Are you out of your mind? How would they have defended them at all?

I also believe the bucks will beat the warriors even with Durant. They are too physical, too disciplined, consistent effort every game, consistent from 3, and too dominant in the paint in regards to shot blocking and scoring. I will gladly take that bet.

Toronto would also be a good series for the warriors although I think they are a little too reliant on kawhi.

lol

Leastern conference fan talk is cheap.

Lets see how you do when your in the ring with GSW.

It won’t be pretty.

I asked one guy who thought the Raptors would be better defensively than the Rockets to put a bet (which teams keeps the Warriors to a lower PPG average throughout each series). If both teams make it, lets make an avatar/signature bet for the rest of the year (or we can push it for the full 2020 as well).

He has since disappeared.

[red_power]

Blazers played a regular season game here. Obviously it didn't work at all and Curry bombed myriad wide open 3point shots tonight.

Blazers really need to adjust rotations and defensive scheme in order to stay competitive against this opponent.

[picc]

Its mindblowing that after the playoffs we've had we still have hot takes from people who have never been more sure of anything than what they think right now.

Is this the twilight zone?

[WestGOAT]

Can't believe I watched the majority of this game. Looked like a regular season game. Portland didn't look prepared at all. Warriors were not even that good the first two quarters, but Blazers were even worse.

How do they also not adjust their pick-n-roll defense on Curry? Who the hell thinks it's a good idea to give him wide open 3s? How does Klay get wide open 3 when he is basically the main threat on the floor with Curry sitting??? This just boggles the mind


I'm going to lose a lot of respect for Portland (and Denver) if Warriors steamroll this series.

[deadfeather]

The Blazers are a bad team. Honestly they are on par with the Wizards in the East. It's unfortunate the Thunder couldnt shoot to save their lives and the Nuggets couldnt hold a lead because they were both tiers better than this Blazers squad that got swept by the Pelicans. Now we have probably the worst conference finals we have ever had and hopefully ever will have. Even with the refs trying to hand Portland the game by sending them to the line couldnt keep them from getting blown out. This was the closest a game between these two could ever get.

The Bucks or Raptors should be pretty angry right now that the regular season ended up resting the starters of their finals opponents before they had a chance to compete because Curry, Klay and Green wont see a 4th quarter until the finals now. What a waste.

[packforfreedom]

Blazers are good at playing badly and still hanging around for most of the time. Offensive rebounds and free throws can provide that.
But that's not nearly enough against the original Warriors. I'd be surprised if Portland wins a game in this series.

[SweetTouch]

Game by game KDs legacy is shattered

[red_power]

Blazers are good at playing badly and still hanging around for most of the time. Offensive rebounds and free throws can provide that.
But that's not nearly enough against the original Warriors. I'd be surprised if Portland wins a game in this series.

Yep blazers have neither versatility nor firepower to match the warriors' motion offence.
But still this team is relatively effective when a basketball game turns into hard nosed low paced crappy iso ball, while warriors are pretty allergic to that playing style without Durant.
So portland had really better to force GSW play their way.. which can an impossible task to achieve though.

[red_power]

To all complaining how weak blazers are as a warriors opponent, just imagine Jokic having to defend all 48 minutes against that Curry-Green pick and roll
And unlike blazers, nuggets can do nothing to avoid that.

[GildedState]

And unlike blazers, nuggets can do nothing to avoid that.

A Lillard/McCollum-Kanter in that same PnR is just as stupid.

[red96]

The Blazers are a bad team. Honestly they are on par with the Wizards in the East. It's unfortunate the Thunder couldnt shoot to save their lives and the Nuggets couldnt hold a lead because they were both tiers better than this Blazers squad that got swept by the Pelicans. Now we have probably the worst conference finals we have ever had and hopefully ever will have. Even with the refs trying to hand Portland the game by sending them to the line couldnt keep them from getting blown out. This was the closest a game between these two could ever get.

The Bucks or Raptors should be pretty angry right now that the regular season ended up resting the starters of their finals opponents before they had a chance to compete because Curry, Klay and Green wont see a 4th quarter until the finals now. What a waste.

Come on no they're not. They'd likely finish top 4 in east as well. They're just no match for even a Durantless Warriors. That doesn't make any team a bad team. Most teams in the league would get blownout as well.

Warriors in 4 or 5. In the finals with a healthy Durant, Warrors in 5 or 6 wouldn't be surprising.

[MrPerfect1]

The bucks would have massacred the rockets. Are you out of your mind? How would they have defended them at all?

I also believe the bucks will beat the warriors even with Durant. They are too physical, too disciplined, consistent effort every game, consistent from 3, and too dominant in the paint in regards to shot blocking and scoring. I will gladly take that bet.

Toronto would also be a good series for the warriors although I think they are a little too reliant on kawhi.

lol

Leastern conference fan talk is cheap.

Lets see how you do when your in the ring with GSW.

It won’t be pretty.

I asked one guy who thought the Raptors would be better defensively than the Rockets to put a bet (which teams keeps the Warriors to a lower PPG average throughout each series). If both teams make it, lets make an avatar/signature bet for the rest of the year (or we can push it for the full 2020 as well).

He has since disappeared.

PPG is a bad way to measure defense. Hou plays the 5th slowest pace in the NBA. Of course teams that play at a slower pace will allow fewer points