dgambill

I don't think it is minimizing anything to state the obvious. They've defeated a beat up and neutered GS team. They absolutely will deserve the NBA Championship...it's still a great accomplishment but let's not overstate the achievement. They didn't bring down the dynasty...injuries did...and they finished them off. To act like this GS team is not a shell of its former self I think is funny. It's still a very good team...maybe third or fourth best in the NBA without KD and an injured Klay, Looney, and Iggy but they aren't full strength. This is comparable to the Lakers beating the 87 Celtics...a team that was just a broken down version of it's 86 glorious self. Walton, McHale, Parrish, Ainge all with serious injuries Boston was still good...but not it's great self...Lakers were still the champs but it wasn't as if it was the same as taking out one of the greatest teams of the decade. The degree of accomplishment the Raptors are performing is not the same as taking out the vaunted champs. It won't diminish their crown...but it certainly will change how history views the level of achievement.

If they were fully healthy it wouldn't be a miracle..but they aren't even close to that...and now Steph and Klay and Iggy look out of gas. 5 consecutive years of playing in the finals I mean adding up all those post season games they've almost another season on top...their bodies just don't have the same lift/spring...and they are without their best player..it was a long shot from the beginning. The thing is Kawhi would not be as efficient as he is now if he had to guard someone in this series. Had he been forced to expend a ton of energy guarding KD he wouldn't have the energy to do what he does on offense. This series is over...and I doubt KD comes back and if he did he isn't 100%. It was a nice run but I think this is the end for the Warrior dynasty.

It was funny they showed Toronto's record this year without Kawhi...they are actually better without him than with him. But that is the narrative in GS with KD down. It's dumb really. Fact is when GS signed KD they gave up their bench...they gave up their third scorer in Harrison Barnes (even though he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in that 2016 finals) they just lack fire power and their defensive rotations without KD. The reason why the 3rd quarter Warriors are the 31st team in the NBA is because when all 3 stars are on the floor together they just overwhelm teams...but the rest of the game they typically play with 2 of the 3 and that is usually enough...right now Steph and Klay have shown they are the only two consistent scorers. Watching wide open guys pass up shots over and over to get them the ball it is clear they just aren't enough. Injuries/age kill dynasties....this one is likely over because of just too many injuries to overcome...missing Klay in game 3 and KD...that's the risk you take being top heavy..if they go down you don't have enough bench to carry you through. Klay and Steph were enough to get past Portland but they look exhausted and a hamstring injury likely because Klay is over taxed. I don't think this series would have been close with KD...but clearly without him and with the injuries to Looney and Klay and Boogie isn't in shape and Andre has a calf injury too...they are the wounded warriors..not the champs anymore.

They are not better without Durant...they might not move the ball as well because KD plays more iso ball but even so they score more points with Durant then without. They are more efficient with than without. It just might not be as pretty to watch nor fun but they are most definitely better with and a lot better defensively. Also I consider the teams they beat without him....and that was an easy part of their schedule during the regular season and honestly they’ve swept Portland the last 3 years they just don’t matchup against GS well. They wouldn’t beat Lebron the last couple years without him. Against most teams they are enough but there are matchups he is especially needed..and to win this series they will need him. Their margin of victory is twice as much with KD. I love watching the ball movement but in the end GS without KD is great...with him they are virtually unbeatable in series.

I will say this...I think injuries will finally bring down the GS more than someone taking them out. Injuries are usually the reason dynasties come to an end....GS could win this but I just think they are running out of stars...on a team full of them they just don’t have much left.

Paul’s contract is virtually untradable. You would have to have a huge contact to send back...so it’s more likely an unhappy washed up star for star. If I’m the Nets I want no part of Kyrie...look how he handled another young talented team in Boston? Nope not buying it. Brooklyn should go after KD or Kawhi. As a plan B go after Tobias Harris. Honestly I don’t trust the Lakers front office to accomplish anything. I’d rather sign with the Clippers and that hard nosed bunch. If Houston is going to let Dantoni coach they might as well run back Paul and company. Who knows...if KD leaves GS the West will be up for grabs and who knows maybe you slide by.

You think Chris Paul would play for the Pacers? No way we would trade for him. He would have to sign off on any trade as no team would do so without sending feelers out to him first. Indeed maybe the Lakers....who knows Boston losing Kyrie might need a vet to lead that locker room..but I have a hard time seeing anyone taking on that contract. A team like the Spurs might fit but then again you have that contract. Still guy is too big a diva to play for the Pacers.

Chris Paul would pout and cry and pretend to be hurt and not play. He wouldn’t come to the Pacers and give a 100%. Besides he seems like a jerk.

Andre reinjured his as well. Dynasties usually fall apart due to injuries....I’m not sure GS is deep enough to over come them all. Clearly Toronto’s role players outplayed GS...Pascal, Green, and Gasol all woke up at the same time. GS can steal one Sunday but they looked out of sync...long lay-off did them no favors considering Durant looks no closer to playing.

That’s hilarious...nobody is paying a 34-35 year old injury riddled pg the rest of that contract...you would have to pay to get rid of him. Funny the team is open for trades but the only one worth having is Harden and he is the one they likely wouldn’t give up. Over pay Capella and Paul...that was so dumb. Rockets are finished. The window to win in the NBA is so small...you have to go all in when you have a shot...it don’t work...tear it down and start over. Wish the Pacers had figured that out years ago but they would rather milk the fan base then risk it.

Just a little FYI but Kawhi set out a year because of an injured quad that the Spurs thought he was healed from and he reinjured and then didn’t trust their medical staff about coming back and well it escalated from there. Not from a sprained ankle. Curry has had great success against Toronto in the past...this will be interesting series. I know Toronto won both games in the regular season but that was well the regular season. The team that stays hot and hits 3s will win this series..can guys like FVF and Pascal and the others stay hot against GS? I think Kawhi will get his 30 but who will join him. Not sure they have enough fire power. Raptors do have HCA though so maybe put the Warriors in an unusual position down early in a series. We will see.

I wouldn’t say that is dirty...funny story..well not at the time... after HS I was playing pickup ball at the park and I caught a ball in the left corner with a wide open lane and went up and dunked it and a kid ran right underneath me and took my legs out and spun me and I landed on my arm and face. Busted me up good. He was just trying to scare me and thought I was just going i for a layup. I learned a lesson that day...always know who I am playing with. Uncoordinated non-skilled ball players I would never again put myself in a vulnerable position again. Only ever do that around people I trusted. Even then though I knew the kid didn’t mean it. Wasn’t dirty...but I always had to protect myself.

I think Milwaukee falls back next year. Half of their team are free agents...they are going to want to get paid...and I doubt Milwaukee will spend to keep them all. Small market teams like the Pacers and Bucks just want to compete well enough to make playoffs and sell out...they don’t spend to win it all.

Indeed...Kevin even said he was trying to knock him down just didn’t realize he would send him head over heels. Then a couple games later I think James Worthy just shoved Cedric Maxwell from behind into the second row on his lay up attempt saying it was payback...and neither of those guys were thought with such hate as Pachula who over pursued on a close out with no intent. But yes this is my point. One was a freak accident and one was on purpose.

No I’m a Pacer fan...I don’t hate anyone and I respect and admire GS movement and how they play selflessly. Curry and especially Thompson giving up the spotlight to let a guy like KD come in and be the man. All I think is that in no way did Someone purposely try to hurt someone. To think you know the intent and heart of someone I think is taking it a little far. Sure people think it’s dirty because someone got hurt...but do I think a guy had foresight that closing out that hard was going to cause him to land on his foot and hurt him. No. Bad play...dumb play...reckless play..sure but and maybe this is just my personal definition of dirty I don’t think there was malicious intent nor premeditation...it wasn’t like he pushed a guy in the back on a layup or kicked a guy in the junk or the tripping etc like we have seen. But I get it. Big bruiser that just rebounds and sets screens hurts a guy on a foul so he is the bad guy. I get it. But nothing from the play suggested to me he was trying to hurt him and he hasn’t said anything like he was purposely trying to do it. Anyways nothing to do with these finals and indeed Kawhi is playing the best ball of his career...should be an awesome matchup. Hey...could be worse..could be Cavs GS again. I think this is the last run for the Warriors...it gets hard to stay hungry and motivated and if KD leaves they won’t have money to replace him because they are over the cap (way over when they re-sign Klay. With Andre getting older too I just don’t see them signing another player to fill that 3rd scorer option because Klay and Steph can’t keep playing minutes like they currently are and I doubt this version of Green stays.

I think they stopped doing it because the refs started calling it a foul....but I don’t think it was dirty...it’s a hard close out...most guard are agile enough to not get underneath a shooter...however a more clumsy center who has a history of hard fouls I can see why they just say he is dirty..but I think he is just careless and alouf...again I’m not trying to change minds just my opinion. This should be an interesting series. I’m not sure Toronto has enough fire power but if guys like Van Fleet keep shooting this hot you never know. I feel like they will let Kawhi get his (much like Harden) and try to shut down the rest. I hoped KD would come back and we settle the Kawhi/KD thing but that doesn’t appear to be the case.

Thanks...that would make sense...but again it also goes back to my point that all AAU stats aren’t equal. When these kids go up with their other elites just like HS stats that is their measuring stick...not the other 20 games against marginal competition racking up 35pts per game.

You act like he did it on purpose....how many times did GS foul the Rockets by walking under their 3 pt shooters in the last series? Were they trying to hurt Harden? You think they are a dirty team? It was an accident by a clumsy big trying to close out on a 3pt shooter. They definitely play differently without Durant but we aren’t taking third year with Durant after they’ve gotten board and complacent. We are talking when they were extremely motivated to get revenge on the Cavs and Durant to win his first championship. They were on a mission. I’ll agree to disagree about the Spurs beating them...I respect your opinion but I don’t see any team that year beating the Warriors in a 7 game series.

I can’t take anything away from that. I’ve seen local HS teams down here that would have whooped that Toronto team...and i live in Kentucky! Saying nothing about my old HS team. The other Indiana 2020 team were winning games by like 75 points...it goes to show all AAU stats aren’t equal...why even travel to that tournament when you could play a pickup game against a local HS team and get better competition. SMH

Just like it was conjecture to think Spurs could do what no other team has done since KD has arrived in GS...the evidence is on my side. If you want to hold on to your belief SA would have won that series go ahead I can’t change your mind but all that injury did was perhaps speed up the process of GS moving on. Difference between GS and everyone else is they can lose the best player in the league and still win series...nobody else could say the same.

I was wrong...didn’t think the bench could carry Toronto in four straight games. Not sure they can beat GS even without KD but at least it will be different than GS/Cavs

That happens all the time...I remember Jalen Rose doing it to Kobe Bryant in the finals. (Except Kobe played through it and still destroyed us) We’ve seen the Warriors come back against tons of teams and we all know 1 game doesn’t equate to a series. Warriors would still have beat Spurs. One thing to remember is the Warriors move the ball and offensively cut and screen unlike any team in the league...Bucks are making themselves easy to guard...stand around and wait for someone to draw a defender so they can shoot. Raptors won’t have that luxury against Steph and Klay. I’m sure Kawhi will play great but Iguadala won’t let him get to all the places on the court he wants...a cerebral defender with insane athleticism in his own right. That all said I’m not sure Toronto can continue its hot shooting depending on FVP...that’s dangerous assumption...I would not be surprised to see Bucks come back and win it.

Apparently octagon didn’t represent Reggie Miller back in the 90s when Spike Lee was doing basically the same thing. Difference is Reggie put him in his place...Giannis is air balling free throws. This isn’t unique. I’ve seen this show before...and Reggie played it better. Now not to make this too edgy but I will say this. Instead of Drake make this guy a rich fat white dude....could you imagine how differently this would have been handled? Toronto should just let Drake be known now...cheer, yell, stand up....but you take one step down the sideline except to go to the little girls room and you will be outside watching on the big screen like the masses. NBA doesn’t want to start this trend because they wouldn’t let anyone else get away with it not named Drake. Ok...my two cents lol

Baby had a late night lol. While Rico was up making beverages I was making bottles lol.

I like that Furst and Landers are playing up...getting a taste of elite basketball..and who knows..if we land a couple 2020 kids maybe they convince them to join in 2021.