Game Thread: 04/09/15...Trailblazers @ Warriors, 7:30 pst (TNT)

[GregWarriorsfan]

The Trailblazers have something to play for at Oracle tonight. They're just 1.5 games behind both the Clips and S.A., so that could move up and gain home court advantage for at least the first round. During the last game with the Warriors, they were without, I believe, both Aldridge and Batum...a game that the Dubs won easily. Tonight, they've got both players back.

The Warriors do NOT want to lose their third game in a row, even if it doesn't make any difference in their standing or playoff position. Thompson has been 5 for 21 for his last two games and is probably looking to get back into the groove. Curry could likely break his 3-pt record (for a season) tonight, even though no one seems to care about this. Five threes tonight breaks his record of 272, and he's lit up Portland this year.

I think it's going to be a good game with the Warriors going all out to win it with the help of having their home fans cheering them on. Warriors 116-108.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Dubs win it 116-105.....Curry breaks his own 3pt FGM record....

Portland Trail Blazers vs Golden State Warriors - Recap


Curry breaks record, does a lot more too - Stats & Info - ESPN

 

[GregWarriorsfan]

I've never seen a better game from Curry since the 54 point game versus the Knicks. Just incredible.

 

[CitySushi]

I've never seen a better game from Curry since the 54 point game versus the Knicks. Just incredible.

This was much better than the Knicks 54 point performance(which was a loss). His shooting percentage was off the charts good. He was 7-7 in the 4th quarter and put the Blazers away by himself. That's the most incredible part of his play last night. He was the go to guy and he wasn't going to let the team lose.

 

[GregWarriorsfan]

I think we're gonna make the playoffs.

 

[GregWarriorsfan]

Golden State Warriors vs. New York Knicks - Box Score - February 27, 2013 - ESPN

Above is the box score from the 54 pt Knick game. It's pretty impressive, especially considering the fact that the other starters scored a total of 13 points. He also had some incredible shots in the game and had his career high in 3-point shots for a game, shooting 11 for 13.

The game was meaningless, in the scheme of things. So, the fact that the Warriors lost the game doesn't do anything to diminish Curry's performance. About the only thing that favors your contention that Curry's game last night was better is his overall shooting percentage was higher in last night's game versus the Knick game, 74% to 64%. But, you know me....I don't like to argue.

 

[Montalban]

If Curry's performance in this game does not win him the MVP award then the award is meaningless. Outscored the entire Blazer team by himself in the 4th quarter. Dude is a heck of a player.

 

[GregWarriorsfan]

I keep saying that, and then Harden puts up 50 in another game. I think it's really a toss-up, though of course I'm for Steph.

 

[Montalban]

I keep saying that, and then Harden puts up 50 in another game. I think it's really a toss-up, though of course I'm for Steph.

Curry does so much more than Harden does. Harden is just a scorer like Westbrook.

 

[msgkings322]

Curry does so much more than Harden does. Harden is just a scorer like Westbrook.

Westbrook does a bit more than just score. You do know what a triple-double is, don't you?

Also let's not forget LeBron James, who's in the mix too. Although personally I think Curry should win it, and will do so, but in a very close race.

 

[Montalban]

Westbrook does a bit more than just score. You do know what a triple-double is, don't you?

Also let's not forget LeBron James, who's in the mix too. Although personally I think Curry should win it, and will do so, but in a very close race.

Agreed. After I wrote it I realized that Westbrook does do a lot more than just score. In my opinion he is #2 for the MVP. I'd take him over Harden.

As for James, I think an excellent season has become what everyone expects of him and he has kind of fallen to the back burner. I expect he'll finish 4th even though he may be the league's best player.

 

[GregWarriorsfan]

I think the biggest argument FOR Harden is all of the injuries that Houston has endured....that plus all of the points he puts up. And, he gets a decent amount of assists per game.

The same can be said for Westbrook......outstanding statistics...a team which really had one major injured player (Durant and Westbrook for a while). But, I think Westbrook is ruled out because of their 8th place record (or 7th??) plus the fact that he's missed at least 15 games. I don't think that James is in the conversation. It's not like he isn't great, but their record is a far cry from the Warriors. It's not to say he won't get any votes, but this year it's between Harden, Curry and Westbrook, and I think that there are factors which legitimately rule out Harden and Westbrook, leaving Curry with the MVP.

Does anyone remember when the question "Is Steph Curry a better offensive player than Lebron James" was asked, and many people rushed to James' defense? Well if Curry is this year's MVP, it's not because of his defense.

 

[GregWarriorsfan]

"Curry does so much more than Harden does. Harden is just a scorer like Westbrook."

Let me first say that James Harden is probably my most hated player in the NBA. I dislike him because he's a ball-hog, he has all of these moves which he uses SOLELY to draw fouls, which is not at all fun or exciting to watch. But, when you say that Curry does "so much more than Harden does", you need to check out Harden's other stats....6.9 assists per game and 5.7 rebounds. He's got Curry beat in stats, I'd say. But, one solid reason for that is he plays 4 minutes a game more than Curry. Another reason is that Curry has a lot of help on his team..help in scoring and assisting, etc. James has been without a lot of players this year, so he's had to just take it all on his shoulders this year, which automatically brings to him higher statistics and minutes.

But, in case anyone doesn't understand my position on this, my vote will go to Curry...as though I have a vote.

 

[Montalban]

Curry is the best player on the best team. That usually gets it done. He'll win it and it won't be particularly close. The Portland game sealed it.

 

[GregWarriorsfan]

It's not ALWAYS the best player on the best team normally. Other than Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Lebron James' (with his two championships with Miami), Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar many players have won the MVP and their teams were NOT the best teams in the NBA. It seems that the greatest players of all-time will many times win the MVP when their team is the best or one of the best, but sometimes regardless of whether or not their team was the best team still win MVP. A prime example is Wilt Chamberlain, who won 4 MVPs, but whose Philly team rarely would be considered the best team in the league because that was always the Celtics.

Here's a link to former MVPs:

NBA & ABA Most Valuable Player Award Winners | Basketball-Reference.com

The many players on this list who won MVP awards who were not on the best teams?

Karl Malone (2)
Steve Nash (2)
Kevin Garnett
Allen Iverson
Keven Durant
Charles Barkley

Meanwhile you have both Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, who together have won 5 championships each (if I'm wrong I'm wrong by one championship). Well, somehow they only have one MVP each. I know that they don't give championships out AFTER the finals is over with, but there are some notable exceptions to this unwritten rule of "best player on best team." The people who say this are the ones who are Curry supporters, or else they're making an argument for why Curry could win.

Also of note the Spurs have 5 championships and they were the best team last year, both during the season and in in the playoffs. Tony Parker was their best player. Parker has never won an MVP. Also, it only happened that once during their 5 championships that a Spur was the regular season MVP, Duncan in 2002-03.

In general, I think that only the game's most dominant players in history win the MVP while their teams are the best in the league. Also, these greats sometimes win MVP even when their team isn't the best like Wilt, Jordan and James.

Having said all of that, if Curry doesn't win the MVP this year, the wrong man will be winning it. Because of Curry's play, the Warriors are the best team. Just look at tonight's game versus Minnesota. The Warriors were up by 17 beginning the 4th quarter and some were talking about Curry maybe not needing to play in the final quarter. But, the lead shrunk down to 6 and Curry was back in with about 6-7 minutes left. While the lead got down to maybe a 1-pt lead, it soon was back up to double digits. I'm pretty sure that Curry leads the league by a long ways in plus/minus....if this is the right term....what your team does when you're in the game. The Warriors can sometimes really look bad when he's out of the game.