Golden State is simply not built to grind out games...

[msgkings322]

true but i just have a bad feeling

let me ask you---- with the Cavs i have seen- just a lack of an edge that i had seen before the in the playoffs- an urgency, a sharpness that really is lacking on a game to game basis.

they almost seem fried- the core guys- from deep playoff run after deep playoff run....from playing an extra 20 or so games the last 3 years.

While i look at Boston and Houston and i see teams that are sharp, and hungry and not making as many mistakes--- they might miss shots, but they arent missing as many rotations or committing as many dumb turnovers, or having role players completely disapear at times.

what do you think?

This is plausible, yes. We think of LeBron as superman but he's a human being, he is getting older and he is probably tired. He probably also knows he doesn't have the horses to win this year and may have one eye on the door. And Houston is clearly hungrier than the Warriors. They have to be, the Ws have more talent. But if Paul is hurt now the Warriors have no excuse.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Some truth to the first part of this but the bolded is stupid. KD was never considered as good as LeBron and never will be no matter what he does.

I dont think we will EVER look at KD on the same level as guys like LeBron, Kobe, Duncan, Shaq or even Curry to a certain extent....and honestly- i have more respect for Wade and Dirk and Pierce- who did it their way. All those guys MADE their teams at one time or another and delivered championships by sheer force of will.

 

[trojanfan12]

They've been talking about the replay on FS1 of the last play. KD just stood there letting Ariza press him; made no effort to get open. Draymond still fumbled and choked away. But I wonder what Draymond would've done since KD wasn't open and Curry was getting double teamed.

Klay was setting up for a corner 3 on the same side of the court that Draymond was on when he fumbled the ball away.

 

[trojanfan12]

has any team ever gone to 4 straight Finals?

The Heat.

Not that I remember.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

More people were saying to take Monk than take Mitchell.

Bingo, this is definitely true

 

[Heatles84]

Klay was setting up for a corner 3 on the same side of the court that Draymond was on when he fumbled the ball away.

Wasn't sure of where Klay was. Thanks for that. But Draymond fumbled that game away in the end. GS was in the position to send the game into OT.

 

[trojanfan12]

Wasn't sure of where Klay was. Thanks for that. But Draymond fumbled that game away in the end. GS was in the position to send the game into OT.

Live action, I missed it. But one of the camera angles on the replay was from behind Klay. It looked like he was wide open.

If Draymond doesn't fumble that ball away, it could have been a huge defensive gaffe by the Rockets.

 

[gordontrue]

Meh, I disagree. I've seen the Warriors grind out games. They don't have to often, but they can.

In a weird way... the Warriors are SO talented and SO good... that teams that do manage to beat them won't every really get the full credit they probably deserve.

The narrative is already becoming about how the Warriors aren't as good as we thought - instead of about how the Rockets are living up to their regular season and proving themselves as a formidable opponent.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

This series, particularly Games 4 and 5, has exposed the truth. These guys are clueless when it comes to pressure situations in tight games. They're built for blowouts. They're built to have games catered their way. They're built to have zero competition. They're built for easy street.

The sad part, is that Houston hasn't even played their best game yet...

This series just illustrates just why Kevin Durant never was and never will be as good as LeBron James. It also illustrates that Durant himself was every bit to blame for the Thunder's shortcomings over the years as Westbrook was.

Sorry, but the truth hurts.

Rejoice, OKC - Your team may never win the title, but you can at least take solace in the fact that karma will soon strike Mr. Durant and his spoiled, despicable, and front-running ways - Even if Houston fails to live up to their potential and close out the series.

But, I'm still sticking to my Houston in six prediction for good measure, though.

You come off as a GS hater with your KD comments, but there is some truth in your post from where I sit.

GS is not the same team in tight games, but much like every game in this series...the star cast that gets the most support has won. Gordon especially has been coming up big for HOU the last two games.

The series hangs on CP3's health imo. If CP3 can't go full strength I think there will be a game 7 (don't see HOU winning in GS w/o him) and his health for that game will be critical.

Initially I called it GS in 7, and I'm sticking by that, but this series can go either way.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Meh, I disagree. I've seen the Warriors grind out games. They don't have to often, but they can.

In a weird way... the Warriors are SO talented and SO good... that teams that do manage to beat them won't every really get the full credit they probably deserve.

The narrative is already becoming about how the Warriors aren't as good as we thought - instead of about how the Rockets are living up to their regular season and proving themselves as a formidable opponent.

You wouldn't expect to get this from HOU, but a possession by possession type game played under 100 pts is probably the best way to beat GS.

HOU has gotten more consistency from their role players and I think that's why they are ahead in this series. They are winning in an in-HOU like way.

 

[trojanfan12]

GS is not the same team in tight games, but much like every game in this series...the star cast that gets the most support has won. Gordon especially has been coming up big for HOU the last two games.

Last night's game is a perfect example of this...

The Rockets bench played 52 minutes, the Warriors bench played 53.

The Rockets bench scored 33 points.

The Warriors bench scored 4 points.

The moral of the story is clear...

The Warriors need to play Swaggy P more.

 

[trojanfan12]

You wouldn't expect to get this from HOU, but a possession by possession type game played under 100 pts is probably the best way to beat GS.

Definitely.

They showed a graphic (I think it was this morning on ESPN) that showed that in the first 2 rounds, the Warriors averaged something like 8 or 9 direct iso plays per game.

In the current series, they are averaging something like 22-23 iso plays per game.

That's just not how the Warriors play.

Seems like something the Rockets are doing defensively is causing this and the Warriors haven't figured out how to adjust to it yet.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

The Heat.

I assumed he meant besides the Heat.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

I'll say this; I enjoy seeing Steph Curry sad.

 

[msgkings322]

Last night's game is a perfect example of this...

The Rockets bench played 52 minutes, the Warriors bench played 53.

The Rockets bench scored 33 points.

The Warriors bench scored 4 points.

The moral of the story is clear...

The Warriors need to play Swaggy P more.

You joke but maybe Swaggy makes that shot Cook missed...

 

[gordontrue]

I'll say this; I enjoy seeing Steph Curry sad.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Golden State is only down by one game and yes, they have lost two games in a row, but they have also had injury issues with a key player. The fact that they lost without Iggy, shows they are vulnerable and can be beat, but this series is not over yet - I think it might be a little premature to say the Warriors aren't built to grind out games. In the past they lost to the Cavs in a similar fashion, but championship runs is how a team improves and the Warriors might learn and grow out of this

 

[Shanemansj13]

Kd not built for this.

You put Lebron on GS instead of KD, could you imagine? That would be the best team ever

 

[DorianRo]

Celtics are winning the NBA title

I'm the only one in the world that seemed to know this 2 weeks ago

That would be quite story but I doubt it because of how sucky they are on the road and even if Houston does win and CP3 isn't 100 percent, the Celtics just can't hang on the road to win a series against a team like that

 

[Shanemansj13]

No Paul Rockets vs the Celtics has to be TV execs worst nightmare

Real NBA fans appreciate the Celtics, causal fans that watch an NBA final don't tune in unless the big stars are there

Cavs - Rockets with no Paul could be interesting. Rockets still would be favs imo but it would be a coin toss