Series Thread: 1) Golden State Warriors (73-9) vs 8) Houston Rockets (41-41)

[Montalban]

You don't think the All-Star ... the "Top 10 NBA Player" ... Draymond Green could carry the Warriors to a title ?

That is one issue I've had with people saying Draymond is a Top 10 NBA player. There is a big difference between being the leader of the team on offense vs. being the 3rd-4th option. I'm not a big James Harden fan, but he can carry a good NBA team on offense ... and I don't think Draymond could do that. If Draymond was on teams like the Wolves or Grizzles or Blazers or Knicks or Lakers (or almost any other NBA team) ... he would still be the 3rd/4th option on offense.

LOL! One of the most over-rated players in the league. A good player, but not a great one.

 

[Montalban]

Who is saying that? Also it would be a pretty competitive series vs clips actually if they were healthy. You act like Livingston isn't on the team

 

[CitySushi]

You don't think the All-Star ... the "Top 10 NBA Player" ... Draymond Green could carry the Warriors to a title ?

That is one issue I've had with people saying Draymond is a Top 10 NBA player. There is a big difference between being the leader of the team on offense vs. being the 3rd-4th option. I'm not a big James Harden fan, but he can carry a good NBA team on offense ... and I don't think Draymond could do that. If Draymond was on teams like the Wolves or Grizzles or Blazers or Knicks or Lakers (or almost any other NBA team) ... he would still be the 3rd/4th option on offense.

Respectfully disagree.

Yes you are absolutely correct in that Draymond is not more than a 3rd or 4th SCORING option. But if you limit his value to scoring, you're taking a very narrow approach to the game of basketball.

Even though Curry is the Point Guard on this team, Draymond is the facilitator. Take this view, if you have a PG who averages 14.0 pts and 7.4 assists during a season, that's a great year for a starting point guard. But then you also factor in he averages 9.5 rebounds a game. Oh and he also happens to be the second best defender in the NBA.

Make no mistake, Draymond is the second option on this team. Klay is the second scoring option, but for the team, Draymond is next in line to get the ball after Steph. Draymond has been referred to as the MVP of this team, while Steph is the MVP of the league. He is what allows the Warriors to go small. He is what allows the Warriors to dominate in the pick and roll. He's the one who can stretch the court to bring bigs out to space the court. He's also the one who guards everyone from 1-5. He's the leader on the team in assists and rebounds (think about how crazy that really is).

Draymond is not a guy you plug in and say "get me 20 points a game". He's a guy you can build a team around conceptually because of all the things he does well. People who say he's overrated have a hard time grasping game planning because they only see players in one on one comparisons. Put it this way, would you rather build a team around Carmelo or Draymond?

 

[Heatles84]

Exactly. It isn't as big of a loss for the Warriors, but obviously still big. Lebron means more to the Cavs then Curry means to the Warriors, obviously. They have enough depth to take down most of the West without Curry, but the injuries of other teams could make that easier than expected. Hopefully teams can stay healthy and Curry can try to get back to 100%.

I agree with everything you just said. The whole in this argument is that yes, the Dubs can get by the Clips/Trailblazers in the next round without Curry. However, he's going to be needed against the Spurs. I already have my doubts if they can beat the Spurs in a 7-game series. Without Steph, I think they'd lose in 5 games. Same goes with the Cavs as no Steph = Cavs title.

 

[Heatles84]

Respectfully disagree.

Yes you are absolutely correct in that Draymond is not more than a 3rd or 4th SCORING option. But if you limit his value to scoring, you're taking a very narrow approach to the game of basketball.

Even though Curry is the Point Guard on this team, Draymond is the facilitator. Take this view, if you have a PG who averages 14.0 pts and 7.4 assists during a season, that's a great year for a starting point guard. But then you also factor in he averages 9.5 rebounds a game. Oh and he also happens to be the second best defender in the NBA.

Make no mistake, Draymond is the second option on this team. Klay is the second scoring option, but for the team, Draymond is next in line to get the ball after Steph. Draymond has been referred to as the MVP of this team, while Steph is the MVP of the league. He is what allows the Warriors to go small. He is what allows the Warriors to dominate in the pick and roll. He's the one who can stretch the court to bring bigs out to space the court. He's also the one who guards everyone from 1-5. He's the leader on the team in assists and rebounds (think about how crazy that really is).

Draymond is not a guy you plug in and say "get me 20 points a game". He's a guy you can build a team around conceptually because of all the things he does well. People who say he's overrated have a hard time grasping game planning because they only see players in one on one comparisons. Put it this way, would you rather build a team around Carmelo or Draymond?

Can I give an 11/10? Is that possible? @trojanfan12

 

[LAD]

Have some faith. They stepped up in the 2nd half of the Rockets game. Kerr needs to put on his thinking cap and they need to ride it out if possible until Curry's back on the floor.

What they need to do if keep having Shaun start in Curry's place & run specific plays for Klay without the ball. He's at his best when he's used as a spot up shooter.

 

[LAD]

The Dubs are without their best player right now and have essentially been for the entire playoffs. Curry has played a total of 1 combined game. Also, as Wiggy made mention, Curry's likely not going to be 100% until the offseason as I would bet he can go after 2 weeks, but there will be some limitations.

If this happened to Lebron on the Cavs, that first round series with the Pistons would still be going.

Shane is hating on the Dubs because he knows they can still win in the playoffs without Curry. Now if LBJ goes down they're done seeing as though they struggle to win a single game- let alone a series of games.

 

[LAD]

You don't think the All-Star ... the "Top 10 NBA Player" ... Draymond Green could carry the Warriors to a title ?

That is one issue I've had with people saying Draymond is a Top 10 NBA player. There is a big difference between being the leader of the team on offense vs. being the 3rd-4th option. I'm not a big James Harden fan, but he can carry a good NBA team on offense ... and I don't think Draymond could do that. If Draymond was on teams like the Wolves or Grizzles or Blazers or Knicks or Lakers (or almost any other NBA team) ... he would still be the 3rd/4th option on offense.

The problem with your comparison is Dray isn't only used on offense. He's their teams defensive anchor- and we all know defense wins titles.

 

[Shanemansj13]

The Dubs are without their best player right now and have essentially been for the entire playoffs. Curry has played a total of 1 combined game. Also, as Wiggy made mention, Curry's likely not going to be 100% until the offseason as I would bet he can go after 2 weeks, but there will be some limitations.

If this happened to Lebron on the Cavs, that first round series with the Pistons would still be going.

Yes, it would be because in the end Lebron is more important to the Cavs than Steph is to the Warriors as we are finding out. But on another note, as the Cavs played without their 2nd and 3rd options last year and won 2 games against the best team. Could the Warriors do that?? I would have lots of doubts they could even win one game, let alone two.

 

[CitySushi]

Yes, it would be because in the end Lebron is more important to the Cavs than Steph is to the Warriors as we are finding out. But on another note, as the Cavs played without their 2nd and 3rd options last year and won 2 games against the best team. Could the Warriors do that?? I would have lots of doubts they could even win one game, let alone two.

Lebron is more important than Curry to what the Cavs do, but Klay and Draymond are much more important to what the Warriors do, than Irving and Love to the Cavs. Your analogy about the two is based again on a one on one comparison, versus the sum of it's parts. If Curry is out, because what Draymond and Klay do is so important to the Warriors, they would be more likely to have success than a team lead by Irving and Love.

Lebron is a one man wrecking crew. He has been his whole career. That's not shocking to say. Lebron has single handedly carried subpar teams to the playoffs and made deep runs. It wasn't until he was paired with superior talent that he was able to win it all.

The Warriors wouldn't be able to win 2 games against the Cavs if Draymond and Klay were missing. But again, that just points out how much more impactful they are to the Warriors than Kyrie and Love.

 

[Shanemansj13]

I agree with everything you just said. The whole in this argument is that yes, the Dubs can get by the Clips/Trailblazers in the next round without Curry. However, he's going to be needed against the Spurs. I already have my doubts if they can beat the Spurs in a 7-game series. Without Steph, I think they'd lose in 5 games. Same goes with the Cavs as no Steph = Cavs title.

Yeah I agree, the Spurs are too good of a team to get past them without Curry even with the great depth of GS. Put Leonard on Klay and the series is over in 5 at most, maybe a sweep.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Lebron is more important than Curry to what the Cavs do, but Klay and Draymond are much more important to what the Warriors do, than Irving and Love to the Cavs. Your analogy about the two is based again on a one on one comparison, versus the sum of it's parts. If Curry is out, because what Draymond and Klay do is so important to the Warriors, they would be more likely to have success than a team lead by Irving and Love.

Lebron is a one man wrecking crew. He has been his whole career. That's not shocking to say. Lebron has single handedly carried subpar teams to the playoffs and made deep runs. It wasn't until he was paired with superior talent that he was able to win it all.

The Warriors wouldn't be able to win 2 games against the Cavs if Draymond and Klay were missing. But again, that just points out how much more impactful they are to the Warriors than Kyrie and Love.

Yeah, I was asking and I agree with everything. That is what I think too.

 

[Hambombs]

Lebron is more important than Curry to what the Cavs do, but Klay and Draymond are much more important to what the Warriors do, than Irving and Love to the Cavs. Your analogy about the two is based again on a one on one comparison, versus the sum of it's parts. If Curry is out, because what Draymond and Klay do is so important to the Warriors, they would be more likely to have success than a team lead by Irving and Love.

Lebron is a one man wrecking crew. He has been his whole career. That's not shocking to say. Lebron has single handedly carried subpar teams to the playoffs and made deep runs. It wasn't until he was paired with superior talent that he was able to win it all.

The Warriors wouldn't be able to win 2 games against the Cavs if Draymond and Klay were missing. But again, that just points out how much more impactful they are to the Warriors than Kyrie and Love.

I can actually argue that the warriors without klay and draymond all season would win as many games as the cavs did this year

 

[CitySushi]

I can actually argue that the warriors without klay and draymond all season would win as many games as the cavs did this year

Please do then. I don't see any way that would be possible. But I'm interested to hear why you think they would.

 

[Hambombs]

??

 

[Hambombs]

Please do then. I don't see any way that would be possible. But I'm interested to hear why you think they would.

Do you honestly think the warriors are 16-17 games worse without klay and draymond? Most of the warriors wins this year are because of steph. They could win 54-55 games with steph and without klay and draymond

 

[Hambombs]

LOL! One of the most over-rated players in the league. A good player, but not a great one.

The dude is pretty damn good

 

[Shanemansj13]

I can actually argue that the warriors without klay and draymond all season would win as many games as the cavs did this year

Nah, I highly doubt that. Curry isn't a one man show, he needs other good to great players around him to dominate, Lebron doesn't.

 

[Hambombs]

Nah, I highly doubt that. Curry isn't a one man show, he needs other good to great players around him to dominate, Lebron doesn't.

I'm not so sure about that. I bet anything the warriors would win atleast 54 games with just steph and minus draymond and klay

 

[Shanemansj13]

Do you honestly think the warriors are 16-17 games worse without klay and draymond? Most of the warriors wins this year are because of steph. They could win 54-55 games with steph and without klay and draymond

Klay is underrated, especially defensively. Draymond does the little things but it wins games for the Warriors. They are a low seed in the Western Conf without them.

So their lineup would be:

Curry
Iggy
Barnes
Speights
Bogut

Not a bad starting 5, but Speights IS a jumpshooter and is far from the rebounder Draymond is. They have nothing inside really. It could get them a 5th seed or so, but not 57 wins.