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

[tdotrep2]

LOL 4 Eastern Conference teams can take down any west aside from the Warriors and 3 can challenge the Warriors better than the Cavs last year.

The 100% healthy Rockets (which they were) would have clapped Boston and be slight favorites over Toronto/Philly. Bucks beat them imo.

ehh....

[HotTubMike]

Pretty funny to call it the Leastern Conference when the West is so overpoweringly strong that POR made the Conference Finals ROFL. The Biggest threat to the Warriors out West is a team primarily known for choking in the playoffs.

That's how things shaped out the last day of the regular season... fortunate for Portland/DEN one of them had to make the WCF. GSW are an absolute juggernaut that can make anyone look bad. HOU has done the best job on them in the KD era.

Uh, yea, go make a list of the top 15 players in the NBA and tell me again how "good" the Eastern Conference is

If making a Top 5 list of players in the NBA, it could easily be argued that 3/5 of them are in the East (Giannis, Kawhi Embiid).

MIL has been the best team in the League this year and only has 1 Top 15 player. # Top 15 players on a team is not exactly a perfect way to measure strength. Heck, some people think OKC has 2 of them and they always get bounced in Round 1

We are discussing conference strength.

It's sensible to discuss where the overwhelming majority of the best NBA talent plays. It's in the Western Conference. Try putting together a WC all-star team and an EC all-star team. No wonder they had to change the format.

MIL does not have the best team in the league. The back-to-back champs do.

Absolutely nobody with any credibility has Joel freaking Embiid in the "Top 5." Get a grip.

[HBK_Kliq_33]

Curry gets a screen from the man enes is guarding and instead of switching\showing on the greatest shooter of all time, enes waits in the paint? Lol Capella was horrible but he at least tried, this is going to be a sweep.

[Smitson]

Blazers will be lucky to steal a game. They’re a good team, but a perennial second round teams who got the benefit of a very lucky bracket.

[HotTubMike]

GSW added durant to beat LeBron not other WC teams.

This.

The fact that they won in Houston without KD....yikes.

further proof that lebron is the goat, a 73-9 win team felt the need to beg another top 3 player in his prime to get past lebron.

I mean..they had already gotten "past" Lebron in '16. I agree that Green calling and begging KD was super weak but let's not distort history here.

This team is still the class of the league with or without Durant.

[bmurph128]

This.

The fact that they won in Houston without KD....yikes.

further proof that lebron is the goat, a 73-9 win team felt the need to beg another top 3 player in his prime to get past lebron.

I mean..they had already gotten "past" Lebron in '16. I agree that Green calling and begging KD was super weak but let's not distort history here.

This team is still the class of the league with or without Durant.

Round 1 the Cavs were missing their 2nd and 3rd best players. Round 2 the Cavs won. Round 3 KD came into it. We'll never know what would have happened, so we have to go off of what happened: they needed KD to get past LeBron.

People have often said "that's just an excuse", but I'd love to see an example of any team in NBA history who won a series missing their 2nd and 3rd best player - particularly a series against a team as good as the Warriors.

I suppose the statement could be amended - they needed KD to get past LeBron when he had at least an average NBA caliber roster around him.

You could also point out that the Warriors were missing Green for a game, Bogut and Curry was hobbled - but they've stormed through the West over the past five years when missing a player for a few games (like KD being out against Houston). That just adds to the disappointment that we never got to see the Cavs and Warriors go at it without KD but with healthy rosters.

[HotTubMike]

further proof that lebron is the goat, a 73-9 win team felt the need to beg another top 3 player in his prime to get past lebron.

I mean..they had already gotten "past" Lebron in '16. I agree that Green calling and begging KD was super weak but let's not distort history here.

This team is still the class of the league with or without Durant.

Round 1 the Cavs were missing their 2nd and 3rd best players. Round 2 the Cavs won. Round 3 KD came into it. We'll never know what would have happened, so we have to go off of what happened: they needed KD to get past LeBron.

People have often said "that's just an excuse", but I'd love to see an example of any team in NBA history who won a series missing their 2nd and 3rd best player - particularly a series against a team as good as the Warriors.

I suppose the statement could be amended - they needed KD to get past LeBron when he had at least an average NBA caliber roster around him.

You could also point out that the Warriors were missing Green for a game, Bogut and Curry was hobbled - but they've stormed through the West over the past five years when missing a player for a few games (like KD being out against Houston). That just adds to the disappointment that we never got to see the Cavs and Warriors go at it without KD but with healthy rosters.

That's nice.

They got past Lebron in '15 without KD

They also had a 3-1 lead on the Cavs in '16 and it took, IMO the greatest comeback in NBA play-off history to beat them... It was a tremendous upset and most thought so at the time... let's not act like it was some sort of domination of GSW by Lebron.

Once they had KD they absolutely embarrassed Lebron... twice.

[bmurph128]

I mean..they had already gotten "past" Lebron in '16. I agree that Green calling and begging KD was super weak but let's not distort history here.

This team is still the class of the league with or without Durant.

Round 1 the Cavs were missing their 2nd and 3rd best players. Round 2 the Cavs won. Round 3 KD came into it. We'll never know what would have happened, so we have to go off of what happened: they needed KD to get past LeBron.

People have often said "that's just an excuse", but I'd love to see an example of any team in NBA history who won a series missing their 2nd and 3rd best player - particularly a series against a team as good as the Warriors.

I suppose the statement could be amended - they needed KD to get past LeBron when he had at least an average NBA caliber roster around him.

You could also point out that the Warriors were missing Green for a game, Bogut and Curry was hobbled - but they've stormed through the West over the past five years when missing a player for a few games (like KD being out against Houston). That just adds to the disappointment that we never got to see the Cavs and Warriors go at it without KD but with healthy rosters.

That's nice.

They got past Lebron in '15 without KD

They also had a 3-1 lead on the Cavs in '16 and it took, IMO the greatest comeback in NBA play-off history to beat them... It was a tremendous upset and most thought so at the time... let's not act like it was some sort of domination of GSW by Lebron.

Once they had KD they absolutely embarrassed Lebron... twice.

Quoting my post and ignoring most of what I said was a solid plan.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

[Joest2003]

Oh no KD is out the Warriors somehow got past the rockets and are now vulnerable. LMAO I swear I can't take the media serious. Were talking about the same team who broke the record for most games won in a season and won championships without KD. Time for the splash brothers to remind everyone who they are. Warriors in 4

[bmurph128]

That's how things shaped out the last day of the regular season... fortunate for Portland/DEN one of them had to make the WCF. GSW are an absolute juggernaut that can make anyone look bad. HOU has done the best job on them in the KD era.

Uh, yea, go make a list of the top 15 players in the NBA and tell me again how "good" the Eastern Conference is

If making a Top 5 list of players in the NBA, it could easily be argued that 3/5 of them are in the East (Giannis, Kawhi Embiid).

MIL has been the best team in the League this year and only has 1 Top 15 player. # Top 15 players on a team is not exactly a perfect way to measure strength. Heck, some people think OKC has 2 of them and they always get bounced in Round 1

We are discussing conference strength.

It's sensible to discuss where the overwhelming majority of the best NBA talent plays. It's in the Western Conference. Try putting together a WC all-star team and an EC all-star team. No wonder they had to change the format.

MIL does not have the best team in the league. The back-to-back champs do.

Absolutely nobody with any credibility has Joel freaking Embiid in the "Top 5." Get a grip.

At least the East had the two best records overall - been a while since that. It also had the 1st and 3rd best teams by SRS - been a while since that as well. When those aforementioned 1st and 3rd best teams are playing in the ECF, this is the best scenario that we've had in a while - and conference strengths won't get better until more stars choose to come East. At least it's stronger than it was last year, and nobody would have thought that when LeBron when to LA.

Everyone knows the West is better overall - but this year at least the East has stronger top teams - that's a step in the right direction.

[MrPerfect1]

That's how things shaped out the last day of the regular season... fortunate for Portland/DEN one of them had to make the WCF. GSW are an absolute juggernaut that can make anyone look bad. HOU has done the best job on them in the KD era.

Uh, yea, go make a list of the top 15 players in the NBA and tell me again how "good" the Eastern Conference is

If making a Top 5 list of players in the NBA, it could easily be argued that 3/5 of them are in the East (Giannis, Kawhi Embiid).

MIL has been the best team in the League this year and only has 1 Top 15 player. # Top 15 players on a team is not exactly a perfect way to measure strength. Heck, some people think OKC has 2 of them and they always get bounced in Round 1

We are discussing conference strength.

It's sensible to discuss where the overwhelming majority of the best NBA talent plays. It's in the Western Conference. Try putting together a WC all-star team and an EC all-star team. No wonder they had to change the format.

MIL does not have the best team in the league. The back-to-back champs do.

Absolutely nobody with any credibility has Joel freaking Embiid in the "Top 5." Get a grip.

-The West has the "Overwhelming majority of talent", yet the East could easily have 3/5 of the 1st Team All NBA... Congrats to the West for having more 2nd and 3rd Tier Stars.

-We'll find out who the Best team in the NBA is. At Worst, MIL is the 2nd Best (assuming something insane doesn't happen like they improbably get destroyed by TOR). GS winning previous years means nothing in assessing this year, unless you consider CLE to be a Top team since they have made multiple Finals in a row.

[benhillboy]

Am I the only one who thinks Steph and Seth aren’t that close? They don’t really fake it either. Not saying they don’t like each other by any means, just don’t have that usual chemistry/ playful ribbing/ competitiveness you usually see from brothers close in age. You’d think Seth would ask to cover Steph in spots since Dame didnt chip him once off the ball.

[FNQ]

Am I the only one who thinks Steph and Seth aren’t that close? They don’t really fake it either. Not saying they don’t like each other by any means, just don’t have that usual chemistry/ playful ribbing you usually see from brothers close in age.

They have in pregames in the regular season. Seems like it would be a little unprofessional to do so before playoff games. ESP in Seth's case, as he's got far more to prove.

[DonaldSanders]

Now the blazers are a bad team? Ok this topic just went off the rails

But Denver (who the blazers beat) is a good team that would give the Warriors trouble. heheh the hot takes get pretty sweaty dirty silly at times with some special contributions from many different people

[benhillboy]

Am I the only one who thinks Steph and Seth aren’t that close? They don’t really fake it either. Not saying they don’t like each other by any means, just don’t have that usual chemistry/ playful ribbing you usually see from brothers close in age.

They have in pregames in the regular season. Seems like it would be a little unprofessional to do so before playoff games. ESP in Seth's case, as he's got far more to prove.

I would expect a coldness right now, granted. Just during AS weekend it was kinda awkward/ cringey with Dell.

[HotTubMike]

If making a Top 5 list of players in the NBA, it could easily be argued that 3/5 of them are in the East (Giannis, Kawhi Embiid).

MIL has been the best team in the League this year and only has 1 Top 15 player. # Top 15 players on a team is not exactly a perfect way to measure strength. Heck, some people think OKC has 2 of them and they always get bounced in Round 1

We are discussing conference strength.

It's sensible to discuss where the overwhelming majority of the best NBA talent plays. It's in the Western Conference. Try putting together a WC all-star team and an EC all-star team. No wonder they had to change the format.

MIL does not have the best team in the league. The back-to-back champs do.

Absolutely nobody with any credibility has Joel freaking Embiid in the "Top 5." Get a grip.

-The West has the "Overwhelming majority of talent", yet the East could easily have 3/5 of the 1st Team All NBA... Congrats to the West for having more 2nd and 3rd Tier Stars.

-We'll find out who the Best team in the NBA is. At Worst, MIL is the 2nd Best (assuming something insane doesn't happen like they improbably get destroyed by TOR). GS winning previous years means nothing in assessing this year, unless you consider CLE to be a Top team since they have made multiple Finals in a row.

Right.

[HotTubMike]

Round 1 the Cavs were missing their 2nd and 3rd best players. Round 2 the Cavs won. Round 3 KD came into it. We'll never know what would have happened, so we have to go off of what happened: they needed KD to get past LeBron.

People have often said "that's just an excuse", but I'd love to see an example of any team in NBA history who won a series missing their 2nd and 3rd best player - particularly a series against a team as good as the Warriors.

I suppose the statement could be amended - they needed KD to get past LeBron when he had at least an average NBA caliber roster around him.

You could also point out that the Warriors were missing Green for a game, Bogut and Curry was hobbled - but they've stormed through the West over the past five years when missing a player for a few games (like KD being out against Houston). That just adds to the disappointment that we never got to see the Cavs and Warriors go at it without KD but with healthy rosters.

That's nice.

They got past Lebron in '15 without KD

They also had a 3-1 lead on the Cavs in '16 and it took, IMO the greatest comeback in NBA play-off history to beat them... It was a tremendous upset and most thought so at the time... let's not act like it was some sort of domination of GSW by Lebron.

Once they had KD they absolutely embarrassed Lebron... twice.

Quoting my post and ignoring most of what I said was a solid plan.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

Yea, let me go into the weeds breaking down four years of finals with the Cavs stan whose hyopthesis is, "they needed KD to get past Lebron" - Uh, no, they didn't, they did it in 2015 and they lost in 7 in the most epic series in NBA history in '16. To act as if that is "proof" that they "had to have" KD is asinine.

[MrPerfect1]

We are discussing conference strength.

It's sensible to discuss where the overwhelming majority of the best NBA talent plays. It's in the Western Conference. Try putting together a WC all-star team and an EC all-star team. No wonder they had to change the format.

MIL does not have the best team in the league. The back-to-back champs do.

Absolutely nobody with any credibility has Joel freaking Embiid in the "Top 5." Get a grip.

-The West has the "Overwhelming majority of talent", yet the East could easily have 3/5 of the 1st Team All NBA... Congrats to the West for having more 2nd and 3rd Tier Stars.

-We'll find out who the Best team in the NBA is. At Worst, MIL is the 2nd Best (assuming something insane doesn't happen like they improbably get destroyed by TOR). GS winning previous years means nothing in assessing this year, unless you consider CLE to be a Top team since they have made multiple Finals in a row.

Right.

Sorry if you cannot realize that you contradict yourself multiple times.

[TinmanZBoy]

No, the warriors do not need KD to win champs... but with KD, the margin for error is a lot higher for them

[bmurph128]

That's nice.

They got past Lebron in '15 without KD

They also had a 3-1 lead on the Cavs in '16 and it took, IMO the greatest comeback in NBA play-off history to beat them... It was a tremendous upset and most thought so at the time... let's not act like it was some sort of domination of GSW by Lebron.

Once they had KD they absolutely embarrassed Lebron... twice.

Quoting my post and ignoring most of what I said was a solid plan.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

Yea, let me go into the weeds breaking down four years of finals with the Cavs stan whose hyopthesis is, "they needed KD to get past Lebron" - Uh, no, they didn't, they did it in 2015 and they lost in 7 in the most epic series in NBA history in '16. To act as if that is "proof" that they "had to have" KD is asinine.

They didn't "have to have him" - nobody knows what would have happened if they didn't sign KD, but they got him to make sure they could beat LeBron. I'm not sure why that's hard to understand:

LeBron in playoffs series against the Warriors from 2015-2018: 1-3

Western Conference against the Warriors in the same time frame: 0-12

They were 6-0 against the West without KD and 6-0 with him - they signed him so that they wouldn't lose to LeBron again.

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