1) Houston Rockets vs. 2) Golden State Warriors

[wildturkey]

I can't understand why Cook was in the game. He clearly was not up for that moment. Should have been Nick Young or Livingston.

So from the start, I have never seen someone THAT open, with the game on the line, with NO ONE coming when Cook had the ball...but as Tlance mentioned, Nick Young or livingston should of been in the game. Young, DEFINITELY after that because PJ Tucker paid no attention to Cook as he stopped Curry's shot.
I have no probs with green having the ball there because it looked like he was about to move the ball again.
As for the series, I'm gonna guess that this is the Warriors "kings" series. The Lakers got in that game 7 in 02, and the kings just didn't know how to close the deal in that situation(even with home court), and the Lakers squeaked out in game 7.

Young shouldn't have been in the game because Young is trash. He is guaranteed to do some dumb shit that will cost you. Like in the last game, he was given the ball late in the game, dribbled to the corner, got cut off, and instead of passing it out with double digits still on the shot clock, he spun around and shot a horrible off balance 3 that almost hit the side of the backboard. Livingston is washed. He hasn't been able to the Warriors anything offensively this series and he can't stay in front of anyone on defense. Cook was in the game to spread the floor and defend. He did both. He just missed the shot. People need to stop blaming Cook. The pass wasn't great. He gathered it. Still had time to hit it, and it just didn't go in. Shit happens. Hell, Curry bricked an easy layup in game 4. Happens to everyone. Kerr isn't a dumb coach. If he felt like Young was better option, he'd be playing this series. But he's not. Which speaks volumes about how bad a decision it was to give him the MLE. The Warriors roster is in desperate need of wing players, Young is perfectly healthy, and can't even be trusted to be in the games that aren't blow outs. Cook is their best option. If you're going to blame anyone, blame the front office for not doing a better job filling out their bench this year.

 

[Kold]

So you're saying the Refs will play a big part in game 6?

I've always said that if anything, they just wanted the Lakers and kings to go 7. Kings got a huge advantage free throw wise in one of those games(with the call before the bibby play in gm 5), but yeah, the infamous one was game 6 with all those soft fouls

EDIT- And yeah, if it comes down to it, the refs will make it go 7

 

[BigDGarciaFan]

The nightmare is almost over

 

[calsnowskier]

Warriors and their fans have been pretty lucky to have very little drama in the last 3 years. Even the weird game 7 loss in the Finals had a smooth sailing year and playoffs before it. This is their first real test in a lot of ways. Let's see what happens...

If you call being down 1-3 “smooth sailing”...

 

[wildturkey]

Said it last game, I'll say it again. This team desperately need Iggy. The Warriors were better defensively this game without him but they are bogging down on offense way too much without him. He might not score much, but Iggy plays a big role in the smaller lineups of moving the ball and knowing when to cut. He's an extra hand, along with Curry, that the key to the Warriors motion. The Warriors are playing through KD too much, which typically goes Iso heavy, and its really got them disjointed, especially late in games. Their decision making has been bad. Houston is taking away Curry or the first option of a play and every thing stalls out. Its those situations where Iggy would make a cut or reset a screen to get things moving again

 

[msgkings322]

If you call being down 1-3 “smooth sailing”...

Fair enough so maybe this is the second real test

 

[Kold]

Young shouldn't have been in the game because Young is trash. He is guaranteed to do some dumb shit that will cost you. Like in the last game, he was given the ball late in the game, dribbled to the corner, got cut off, and instead of passing it out with double digits still on the shot clock, he spun around and shot a horrible off balance 3 that almost hit the side of the backboard. Livingston is washed. He hasn't been able to the Warriors anything offensively this series and he can't stay in front of anyone on defense. Cook was in the game to spread the floor and defend. He did both. He just missed the shot. People need to stop blaming Cook. The pass wasn't great. He gathered it. Still had time to hit it, and it just didn't go in. Shit happens. Hell, Curry bricked an easy layup in game 4. Happens to everyone. Kerr isn't a dumb coach. If he felt like Young was better option, he'd be playing this series. But he's not. Which speaks volumes about how bad a decision it was to give him the MLE. The Warriors roster is in desperate need of wing players, Young is perfectly healthy, and can't even be trusted to be in the games that aren't blow outs. Cook is their best option. If you're going to blame anyone, blame the front office for not doing a better job filling out their bench this year.

Oh Nick Young is guaranteed to do something great, or do something amazingly stupid(sometimes both), we know first hand...but at the least the 2nd time around, when PJ Tucker stood at the FT line, and then took away Curry's shot under the rim. He didn't care about Cook because of what happened on the previous possession. I'm not blaming cook, you can tell that he was nervous, and thought abouht it on that three

 

[wildturkey]

Oh Nick Young is guaranteed to do something great, or do something amazingly stupid(sometimes both), we know first hand...but at the least the 2nd time around, when PJ Tucker stood at the FT line, and then took away Curry's shot under the rim. He didn't care about Cook because of what happened on the previous possession. I'm not blaming cook, you can tell that he was nervous, and thought abouht it on that three

He wouldn't care about Young in that situation either. You're always gonna help onto Curry in that situation

 

[msgkings322]

Oh Nick Young is guaranteed to do something great, or do something amazingly stupid(sometimes both), we know first hand...but at the least the 2nd time around, when PJ Tucker stood at the FT line, and then took away Curry's shot under the rim. He didn't care about Cook because of what happened on the previous possession. I'm not blaming cook, you can tell that he was nervous, and thought abouht it on that three

Didn't Kobe his rookie year have a really rough end of game sequence in the playoffs?

 

[wildturkey]

If Paul's hammy is as bad as his face indicated, I can't decide if I would play him in game 6 or not. Any other team other than the Warriors, I'd say yes. Rest him, you get game 7 at home. But I think you gotta strike GS if you got a chance at them. Still, Houston has played ok with Paul before so its feasible you rest him, everyone gives a ball's out effort and they still pull it off. Not an easy decision for Mikey D, especially considering CP3 making it worse and being out for game 7 is a very real possibility.

 

[Robotech]

I think we have to say if the Ws lose this series it's hard to call the the all time best team. And I'm a fan.

Got to win back to back to get into the all time best conversation.

Young shouldn't have been in the game because Young is trash. He is guaranteed to do some dumb shit that will cost you. Like in the last game, he was given the ball late in the game, dribbled to the corner, got cut off, and instead of passing it out with double digits still on the shot clock, he spun around and shot a horrible off balance 3 that almost hit the side of the backboard. Livingston is washed. He hasn't been able to the Warriors anything offensively this series and he can't stay in front of anyone on defense. Cook was in the game to spread the floor and defend. He did both. He just missed the shot. People need to stop blaming Cook. The pass wasn't great. He gathered it. Still had time to hit it, and it just didn't go in. Shit happens. Hell, Curry bricked an easy layup in game 4. Happens to everyone. Kerr isn't a dumb coach. If he felt like Young was better option, he'd be playing this series. But he's not. Which speaks volumes about how bad a decision it was to give him the MLE. The Warriors roster is in desperate need of wing players, Young is perfectly healthy, and can't even be trusted to be in the games that aren't blow outs. Cook is their best option. If you're going to blame anyone, blame the front office for not doing a better job filling out their bench this year.

Cook has played really well and has earned the trust of the coaches and his teammates. Got a wide open shot. You take that every time.

 

[calsnowskier]

If Paul's hammy is as bad as his face indicated, I can't decide if I would play him in game 6 or not. Any other team other than the Warriors, I'd say yes. Rest him, you get game 7 at home. But I think you gotta strike GS if you got a chance at them. Still, Houston has played ok with Paul before so its feasible you rest him, everyone gives a ball's out effort and they still pull it off. Not an easy decision for Mikey D, especially considering CP3 making it worse and being out for game 7 is a very real possibility.

The Dubs are on their heels and their confidence is shot. You gotta go for the jugular now. Don’t let them get their foundation back.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Per Espn:

• Chris Paul is getting treatment on his right hamstring and will not talk to media tonight. The Rockets will give an update on his status tomorrow.

• Steph Curry on Chris Paul's shimmy: "It was well deserved. It was a tough shot. If you can shimmy on somebody else, you've got to be all right getting shimmied on. So I'll keep shimmying and maybe he will as well."


• Steve Kerr: "I feel great about where we are right now. That might sound crazy..but if we settle down a little bit, and I think we will... we'll be in good shape."

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Got to win back to back to get into the all time best conversation.

Not really. Nobody is going to mention the 2009-10 Lakers

 

[WiggyRuss]

Most of this SERIES? Man you are the queen of hot takes. Game 1-3 their offense was fine. Give the Rockets credit, took them a while but they figured out how to defend GS and disrupt their offense. I hoped Kerr could fix it by now. Hopefully he does for the last 2 games, and hopefully Iggy is back.

yah warriors just dont have enough without iggy

 

[larryjohn]

Said it last game, I'll say it again. This team desperately need Iggy. ....

At some point a team has to quit whining ... "we don't have enough All Stars" to win. (or really good players)

Or even worse ... "one of our top 6-7 players is hurt". (or suspended)

They have Durant, Curry, Klay, Green. Just execute and win the game.

 

[tlance]

You know how many open shots Houston missed? We are talking wide open. See I can make excusss too

About as many as the super crazy contested ones they made.

 

[Raw_Bee808]

 

[tlance]

I think we have to say if the Ws lose this series it's hard to call the the all time best team. And I'm a fan.

Agreed

At the same time though, when we discuss best team it is a single year thing. Nobody talks about the '96-'98 Bulls. It is the '96 version that was clearly best.

Losing this year will diminish them in the eyes of most. But the reality is that win or lose, it doesn't change how ridiculously dominant they were in 2017.

 

[tlance]

He wouldn't care about Young in that situation either. You're always gonna help onto Curry in that situation

I disagree.

Young is trash in general. But he also would not have been afraid of that moment because he has experience and he has an aloof personality. The pass was not bad. Cook dropped it because like Barkley said, he couldn't breathe.

I do blame Kerr because it isn't fair to put Cook in that situation. Outside of garbage time, he played about 10 minutes all series. He should not have been on the court in that situation. Period.