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

[Shanemansj13]

I'm inclined to grudgingly agree to 50 wins.

If Paul could get 50 plus wins, without Blake and Westbrook got 49 last Season, with Durant....

It's not that farfetched.

Yeah but then cross-out their 3rd options as well: Deandre for LAC and Ibaka for OKC. How many wins then? Yes, the Warriors have MORE depth but Klay and Draymond together mean a lot to that team. Eventually teams will gameplan just for Curry, like you said they get to the playoffs but nothing over a 5 seed IMO. No way they have a better record than Spurs, Thunder, Clippers and possibly a couple other teams. I think the Mavs, Rockets (yes the Rockets) and possibly the Trailblazers are even better teams as a whole.

 

[Mecca]

No. I said Lebron won them 2 against the best. Then I said if the Warriors didn't have their 2nd and 3rd options like the Cavs they probably wouldn't win one game which = Lebron is more important to the Cavs then Curry. He can carry a team to victories, Steph, although a superstar, needs other players around him and can't carry teams on his shoulders to the level of Lebron.

......Damn, I agree.

But, only because Lebron can affect the game in more ways than Curry.

Both can distribute.

Curry is the better shooter.

Defense is a slaughter in Lebron's favor.

Deciding factor for me, if Curry's shot isn't falling, the Warriors would be cooked.

If Lebron's shot isn't falling, he can go to the hole and score or draw a foul....even if some are phantom.

However, I disagree that Curry can't carry a Team to a few wins solo.

He opens up the floor for everyone...and let's be honest, how often is his shot off?

 

[Berkeley_Blues]

Dwight's last game in Houston uniform tonight?

 

[Mecca]

Yeah but then cross-out their 3rd options as well: Deandre for LAC and Ibaka for OKC. How many wins then? Yes, the Warriors have MORE depth but Klay and Draymond together mean a lot to that team. Eventually teams will gameplan just for Curry, like you said they get to the playoffs but nothing over a 5 seed IMO. No way they have a better record than Spurs, Thunder, Clippers and possibly a couple other teams. I think the Mavs, Rockets (yes the Rockets) and possibly the Trailblazers are even better teams as a whole.

Their depth is the difference.

Take off their 2nd and 3rd option and they, still have IGGY, Barnes, Speights, Livingston and that Damn Kid Clark.

I'm sorry. But, that is better than Tristan, Delly, Jr and Shump.

Curry is the best player in the NBA. But, they have so much talent, they can win without him.

That's why I say Lebron and CP3 are MORE VALUABLE.....maybe even Wade.

Take them off their current roster and those Teams might not be 8th seeds.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Their depth is the difference.

Take off their 2nd and 3rd option and they, still have IGGY, Barnes, Speights, Livingston and that Damn Kid Clark.

I'm sorry. But, that is better than Tristan, Delly, Jr and Shump.

Curry is the best player in the NBA. But, they have so much talent, they can win without him.

That's why I say Lebron and CP3 are MORE VALUABLE.....maybe even Wade.

Take them off their current roster and those Teams might not be 8th seeds.

All good points. It doesn't mean Curry isn't a better player, it just means those guys are more important to their team but the way Kyrie is playing...who knows

 

[ChrisGar15]

Their depth is the difference.
Take off their 2nd and 3rd option and they, still have IGGY, Barnes, Speights, Livingston and that Damn Kid Clark.
I'm sorry. But, that is better than Tristan, Delly, Jr and Shump.
Curry is the best player in the NBA. But, they have so much talent, they can win without him.
That's why I say Lebron and CP3 are MORE VALUABLE.....maybe even Wade.
Take them off their current roster and those Teams might not be 8th seeds.

Except Delly/Shump/TT -- make Cavs a much better defensive team. So they are weaker on O -- better on D.

Someplace last year I read someone who made a convincing cases that this helped the Cavs last year in the Finals against the Ws -- because they were forced to slow it down & grind (not the Ws strength) -- and they covered the perimeter pick&rolls much better. (but it also really hurt their depth)

The Ws lose on both sides without Klay & Green.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Except Delly/Shump/TT -- make Cavs a much better defensive team. So they are weaker on O -- better on D.

Someplace last year I read someone who made a convincing cases that this helped the Cavs last year in the Finals against the Ws -- because they were forced to slow it down & grind (not the Ws strength) -- and they covered the perimeter pick&rolls much better. (but it also really hurt their depth)

The Ws lose on both sides without Klay & Green.

I agree it did make them better offensively but the workload was all put on Lebron on offense, which he can be used to but to an extreme level. Klay and Green help the Warriors out offensively (more with Klay) and defensively and rebounding (more with Draymond). Love and Kyrie help the Cavs mainly offensively and rebounding with Love. What also helps the Warriors is having other guys that could be starters come fresh off the bench, when they lose Draymond and Klay I would see them being less effective, still a damn good team though for sure.

 

[Mecca]

Except Delly/Shump/TT -- make Cavs a much better defensive team. So they are weaker on O -- better on D.

Someplace last year I read someone who made a convincing cases that this helped the Cavs last year in the Finals against the Ws -- because they were forced to slow it down & grind (not the Ws strength) -- and they covered the perimeter pick&rolls much better. (but it also really hurt their depth)

The Ws lose on both sides without Klay & Green.

Okay......I concede.

You are right.

I am seduced by offense and sometimes forget that defense actually exists.

Casualty of being a lifelong Clippers fan.

 

[Mecca]

All good points. It doesn't mean Curry isn't a better player, it just means those guys are more important to their team but the way Kyrie is playing...who knows

Agree 100%.

Listen, some of us like to roast Kyrie.

But, the kid is a phenom.

He gets buckets.

He is so young still. So, he still has some maturing to do and needs to be a bit more Team oriented.

When/ if he does that, Mercy...........

 

[Montalban]

Hopefully the Dubs can close it out tonight. Go Clippers.

 

[Montalban]

Their depth is the difference.

Take off their 2nd and 3rd option and they, still have IGGY, Barnes, Speights, Livingston and that Damn Kid Clark.

I'm sorry. But, that is better than Tristan, Delly, Jr and Shump.

Curry is the best player in the NBA. But, they have so much talent, they can win without him.

That's why I say Lebron and CP3 are MORE VALUABLE.....maybe even Wade.

Take them off their current roster and those Teams might not be 8th seeds.

The first two, OK, perhaps, but with the third you sunk into absurdity.

 

[CitySushi]

Except Delly/Shump/TT -- make Cavs a much better defensive team. So they are weaker on O -- better on D.

Someplace last year I read someone who made a convincing cases that this helped the Cavs last year in the Finals against the Ws -- because they were forced to slow it down & grind (not the Ws strength) -- and they covered the perimeter pick&rolls much better. (but it also really hurt their depth)

The Ws lose on both sides without Klay & Green.

I 100% agree with this as well. Kyrie and Love are really great talents, but they do have their flaws. The Warriors last year were dominant defensively, which was overshadowed by their excellence on offense. The Cavs were able to muck up the first few games before Kerr and his staff made the adjustment to go small with Iguodala. That's where the Cavs got their edge, by defending the perimeter better. Kyrie and Love are far from good defenders, and Draymond would have feasted (as he has this year) with Love guarding him.

It's hard to make an argument that losing two of your best players helps your team, but against the Warriors, I believe that was the case. Against literally any other team last year other than the Warriors, losing Love and Kyrie would have been significantly worse for the Cavs.

 

[gordontrue]

I really hope the Cavs have a chance to expose this silly myth that losing Love & Irving helped them vs the Warriors.

 

[gordontrue]

It's insane to make an argument that losing two of your best players helps your team

 

[CitySushi]

I really hope the Cavs have a chance to expose this silly myth that losing Love & Irving helped them vs the Warriors.

Kyrie helps much more than Love does against the Warriors, IMO. At least with the way Love has been used by the Cavs.

 

[Mecca]

The first two, OK, perhaps, but with the third you sunk into absurdity.

Lebron and Paul are more valuable to their Teams.

The Warriors can win without Steph against most Teams.

The Clippers and the Cavs are fringe playoff teams, at best, without Bron and Paul.

Learn the difference between being the best player * Curry* and being more valuable to your individual team.

 

[Mecca]

I really hope the Cavs have a chance to expose this silly myth that losing Love & Irving helped them vs the Warriors.

Not long-term.

But, situational ?

Yes.

Basketball is a game of matchup.

The Cavs need Kyrie and Kevin's offense.

They need Tristan, Delly an d Shump for everything else.

 

[Mecca]

Hopefully the Dubs can close it out tonight. Go Clippers.

No matter who wins the Clippers/ Blazers series or how long it goes on....

Warriors in 4.

 

[bksballer89]

No matter who wins the Clippers/ Blazers series or how long it goes on....

Warriors in 4.

No way are the Warriors sweeping the Blazers with no Steph until game 4 or 5. That is a 6 game series to me

 

[Montalban]

Lebron and Paul are more valuable to their Teams.

The Warriors can win without Steph against most Teams.

The Clippers and the Cavs are fringe playoff teams, at best, without Bron and Paul.

Learn the difference between being the best player * Curry* and being more valuable to your individual team.

I know the difference. But it is absurd to say that Wade is as valuable to his team as Curry or James are to theirs; astonishingly so.