Series Thread: WCF: 1) Golden State Warriors vs 3) Portland Trail Blazers

[bksballer89]

So are you saying LeBron doesn’t have any credit for his titles? He left Cleveland to join Wade and Bosh to form a super team. Then left Miami to join up with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to form a super team back in Cleveland.

If Durant went to GSW and was coming off the bench and didn’t play a major role in their title runs — I’d agree wholeheartedly with you. That isn’t the case though.

There's a difference though.

Lebron came to Miami WITH Bosh. It's not like Bosh and Wade were already there, made 2 straight finals (winning one). Miami were a 5th seed and eliminated in round 1 the season before

Durant joined a team who won 73 games and made 2 straight finals prior to him joining them.

 

[Shanemansj13]

So are you saying LeBron doesn’t have any credit for his titles? He left Cleveland to join Wade and Bosh to form a super team. Then left Miami to join up with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to form a super team back in Cleveland.

If Durant went to GSW and was coming off the bench and didn’t play a major role in their title runs — I’d agree wholeheartedly with you. That isn’t the case though.

Huge difference in those comparisons.

 

[Shanemansj13]

There's a difference though.

Lebron came to Miami WITH Bosh. It's not like Bosh and Wade were already there, made 2 straight finals (winning one). Miami were a 5th seed and eliminated in round 1 the season before

Durant joined a team who won 73 games and made 2 straight finals prior to him joining them.

Yep and him joining Kyrie and recruiting Love...that isn't close to KD joining Steph and Klay. Love AND Kyrie hadn't sniffed a playoff game in their career. The adjustment and comparison is way off.

 

[trojanfan12]

So that is the standard greatness is going to be measured on, they “might” have one less title out of what is getting ready to be 3? Sorry, I saw someone play that entrenched in my kind what greatness really is. No participation trophies in my world.

lol @wanting an asterisk next to the name of a 2 time finals MVP because you backed the wrong horse.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

There's a difference though.

Lebron came to Miami WITH Bosh. It's not like Bosh and Wade were already there, made 2 straight finals (winning one). Miami were a 5th seed and eliminated in round 1 the season before

Durant joined a team who won 73 games and made 2 straight finals prior to him joining them.

So it’d be better if say Durant joins up with Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis this off-season somehow — then he’d have earned his title? All it is, is finding a team who has the cap space necessary to add multiple superstars. GSW just did it better than everyone else, because they built their superteam thru the draft and were able to add Durant.

The only teams in recent memory to have ‘earned’ an NBA title is GSW pre-Durant, San Antonio and Dallas. You can throw 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018 NBA champs all in the same category.

 

[trojanfan12]

I'm actually worse than that. I show up 2 hours early to the show and blare their music in the parking lot on top of it.

Please, at least tell me that you aren't the guy standing in the back of the venue playing air guitar.

 

[bksballer89]

So it’d be better if say Durant joins up with Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis this off-season somehow — then he’d have earned his title? All it is, is finding a team who has the cap space necessary to add multiple superstars. GSW just did it better than everyone else, because they built their superteam thru the draft and were able to add Durant.

The only teams in recent memory to have ‘earned’ an NBA title is GSW pre-Durant, San Antonio and Dallas. You can throw 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018 NBA champs all in the same category.

I mean I never said anything about him not earning his title. He balled out so saying he didn't earn it wouldn't be fair.

I was simply stating him going to GSW and Lebron going to Miami were not the same deal in terms of how good the teams were before they went to their respective teams

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

I mean I never said anything about him not earning his title. He balled out so saying he didn't earn it wouldn't be fair.

I was simply stating him going to GSW and Lebron going to Miami were not the same deal in terms of how good the teams were before they went to their respective teams

One player handpicked his teammates, one player handpicked the team he’d join.

In the end — what each player did wasn’t really different. It isn’t any different than what Boston did, it isn’t different than what Houston is trying to do, OKC is trying to do, etc.

Teams want to put together a ‘superteam’. GSW just did it better than everyone else.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

Huge difference in those comparisons.

The only difference is — LeBron handpicked the superstars he wanted to team up with. Durant picked the team he wanted to team up with.

Are you saying if Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis end up in NY and they win a title — they would have earned it? Give me a break. ALL superstars today want is to stack their team with the best players and have a handful of teams battle it out for a title.

The NBA should just cut out 20 or so teams and have 8 super teams. The other 20 have no chance in hell of winning a title in today’s NBA.

 

[blazer prophet]

GS is doing all the little things Portland isn't... following their shots, working harder to get an open shot.... It's tough to watch. GS also never gets down or anxious when behind. They just keep doing what they do. IMHO, they're a far better team than the Shaq/Kobe Laker teams.

 

[CitySushi]

There's a difference though.

Lebron came to Miami WITH Bosh. It's not like Bosh and Wade were already there, made 2 straight finals (winning one). Miami were a 5th seed and eliminated in round 1 the season before

Durant joined a team who won 73 games and made 2 straight finals prior to him joining them.

But if you think about the context, Lebron, Bosh and Wade teamed up knowing that they would have multiple championships. They ended up having less than what they would have imagined, but that was more of their own doing than opponents. Goal for goal, KD, Lebron, Bosh and Wade all had the same agenda. To win as many championships as possible.

The Warriors just lost the 2016 NBA finals. In 2015 the Cavs took them to 6 games without Love and Kyrie and at one point were up 2-1 in the series.

The Warriors were a championship level team, but not anywhere near a lock to win. If you want to put an asterik (not you, but others) around the Warriors 2015 Championship for not winning against Kyrie and Love and also boast about the Warriors losing when the Cavs were fully healthy, then I don't see how you could argue that KD was not a necessary addition to put the team over the hump.

 

[LAD]

I am not making assumptions

But It would be surprising to see him play Monday.

The injury seems on the mild side.

My assumption comment was directed on the original poster who made the comment. That was not you.

 

[LAD]

Game 3 Dame shot 5 of 18 or 27%.

So, as I previously stated, Dame will shoot them out of at least one game - in this case game 3 was that game.

Game 2 wasn't much better. 6 of 16 or 37%.

 

[LAD]

Thats why there will always be an * next to Durants championships. He won't get any respect until he can prove that he can win a title with his own team.

I'm guessing an * next to championships is always better than a 0 next to championships.

 

[LAD]

Never said KD wasn't an all time great. But I think his move to G.S. was 100x worse than LeBron going to Miami.

Why? Because it looks to me like it's working out even better for KD than it did for LBJ.

 

[LAD]

How many of those were playoff games vs a great team with HCA?

Well, in fact, they are undefeated in the post season without KD.

 

[Wamu]

Why? Because it looks to me like it's working out even better for KD than it did for LBJ.

Well seeing as how KD went to a better situation than LeBron I'm not surprised. But it doesn't doesn't change the fact that KD ran to a team that he couldn't beat. That were the 2x defending conference champs. Did you know Steph was the 2x League MVP too?

When LeBron went to Miami they weren't a championship caliber team. But when KD joined the Warriors they were.

 

[LAD]

So it’d be better if say Durant joins up with Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis this off-season somehow — then he’d have earned his title? All it is, is finding a team who has the cap space necessary to add multiple superstars. GSW just did it better than everyone else, because they built their superteam thru the draft and were able to add Durant.

The only teams in recent memory to have ‘earned’ an NBA title is GSW pre-Durant, San Antonio and Dallas. You can throw 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018 NBA champs all in the same category.

It kills me when people lash out at KD for joining a team that gave him the best chance of winning, but then turn around and say LBJ didn't do the same thing.

To act like LBJ, Bosh & Wade didn't plan to team up in Miami is a joke & really damages one's credibility.

 

[LAD]

Well seeing as how KD went to a better situation than LeBron I'm not surprised. But it doesn't doesn't change the fact that KD ran to a team that he couldn't beat. That were the 2x defending conference champs. Did you know Steph was the 2x League MVP too?

When LeBron went to Miami they weren't a championship caliber team. But when KD joined the Warriors they were.

Never mind LBJ hand picked Bosh & Wade to form a superteam, for the same purpose that KD went to GS, right?

 

[Wamu]

Never mind LBJ hand picked Bosh & Wade to form a superteam, for the same purpose that KD went to GS, right?

So you're saying both situations are the same? I keep forgetting that the Heat knocked the Cavs outta the playoffs the year before LeBron went to Miami.

Wait a minute. Or was it the KD led Thunder that got knocked outta the playoffs after having a 3-1 lead against the Warriors?

I'm no fan of LeBrons (the decision, that party, saying he would remember all those that disrespected him after his decision). But I can take my opinion of a player & set it aside for any topic. Just like I have done w/ Kobe for years as an example.