GDT: Warriors @ Nuggets (Game 5)

[CitySushi]

The Warriors will have a tough matchup again playing in Denver, but I have full faith in them to close out this series tonight. The Nuggets are running out of answers and this could end up being a real statement game for the Warriors.

The Warriors will need a big game again from Barnes and they will need the great production they've gotten so far again from the bench tonight.

Lets GOOOOOOOO!!!

 

[Yoshi]

The Warriors will have a tough matchup again playing in Denver, but I have full faith in them to close out this series tonight. The Nuggets are running out of answers and this could end up being a real statement game for the Warriors.

The Warriors will need a big game again from Barnes and they will need the great production they've gotten so far again from the bench tonight.

Lets GOOOOOOOO!!!

Good game from Barnes, not so much from Curry but Denver got away with some calls there especially with them playing physical with Steph. Faried is as annoying as anyone can be in the league and I hope someone gives him a pretty good shot to the chin before it's all said and done.

 

[CitySushi]

Tough game all around. The Nuggets definitely came out with an intensity that was not matched in the first half by the Warriors. Props to the Warriors though for at least making a run towards the end of the game. Barnes played fantastic, although production was inconsistent for the rest of the team during the game. The chippiness is to be expected and I thought the level of physicality in this game was how it was going to be the entire series. Hopefully the Warriors can take full advantage of their upcoming home game to close the series. I don't want to play another one in Denver.

 

[Yoshi]

Tough game all around. The Nuggets definitely came out with an intensity that was not matched in the first half by the Warriors. Props to the Warriors though for at least making a run towards the end of the game. Barnes played fantastic, although production was inconsistent for the rest of the team during the game. The chippiness is to be expected and I thought the level of physicality in this game was how it was going to be the entire series. Hopefully the Warriors can take full advantage of their upcoming home game to close the series. I don't want to play another one in Denver.

Denver threw some shots, and it's time for the Warriors to respond. You can play physical in the NBA without making it appear so obvious and blatant to where you're drawing fouls and even technical fouls. If you're going to screen, get 'em high; if you're going to rebound, fight hard to get position; and if you're going to defend, get in their face and harass them with the same defensive intensity you did to close out game 4. I'm hoping for a victory tomorrow night as well - it's going to be hard and we don't really ever know what NBA refs are up to, but I expect Curry and Klay and Bogut to have better games tomorrow night.

 

[TobyTyler]

I thought the strategy by Karl to have his players punk Curry in this game was brilliant. It completely took Curry out of his game. He got his toughness questioned and that really got to him. Seemed it took the rest of the team out of their game as well. I hope the Warriors don't fall for this again and just play their game on Thursday. If that happens, they'll win. If they get stuck in a retaliation contest with Curry trying to puff his chest out, the Dubs are in trouble. It was a last ditch strategy by the Nuggets but it was extremely effective.l

 

[TobyTyler]

Denver threw some shots, and it's time for the Warriors to respond. You can play physical in the NBA without making it appear so obvious and blatant to where you're drawing fouls and even technical fouls. If you're going to screen, get 'em high; if you're going to rebound, fight hard to get position; and if you're going to defend, get in their face and harass them with the same defensive intensity you did to close out game 4. I'm hoping for a victory tomorrow night as well - it's going to be hard and we don't really ever know what NBA refs are up to, but I expect Curry and Klay and Bogut to have better games tomorrow night.

Disagree 100%. The Warriors can't get caught up in that nonsense. They just need to play their game and they'll win at home.

 

[CitySushi]

I don't think the Nuggets were necessarily playing dirty or taking cheap shots. Mark Jackson's comments after the game weren't because he necessarily thought that they were getting away with cheap shots, was more to the point of emphasizing the NBA and refs for the next game to look for it. If he pronounces they're taking cheap shots, it becomes a huge topic. All actions come under the microscope now.

The issue widens when he makes it more of an issue on the new media darling Steph Curry. The NBA has to protect their superstars and Steph Curry is on the brink of that level. Jackson knows exactly what he's doing here. He's making it an issue so that the NBA has to acknowledge it. He's also doing it so that his players don't have to complain. As a coach myself, I told my players to never worry about the calls and let me worry about it. I want their entire focus on the next play rather than the previous. Jackson is doing the same exact thing here with his squad.

The Warriors have to hold their ground but they can't retaliate with dumb fouls. The Bogut foul on Faried was ridiculous and unnecessary. There are plenty of other times he could have sent a message to him rather than just chuck him out of bounds when he didn't have good position to get a rebound. They have to pick and choose their spots better. I'm not saying they should avoid these types of statements, but simply pick their spots better. Giving an extra hard foul on a shot attempt is much better than an off the ball foul. Giving an extra should lean into a screen is much better than blatantly shoving a guy.

I fully expect Jackson to let his players know how to control themselves in these types of chippy games. He's been in more than a handful of them himself and will keep his team calm.

 

[Yoshi]

Disagree 100%. The Warriors can't get caught up in that nonsense. They just need to play their game and they'll win at home.

Did you read my entire post? I didn't call for the Dubbs to play dirty and start tripping people, but rather for them to up the ante and get a little more physical as well - battling harder for positioning in the paint, setting screens high, and fighting through screens and defending as if there was no tomorrow.

Jackson got a little carried away with his comments, but he's setting the psyche for the rest of the series - the Dubbs were figuratively "punched in the mouth" and he's implicitly inquiring what kind of jaw his team has got.

Joey Crawford will lead what should be one of the league's best officiating crews tonight. Fouls that weren't normally called in the first 5 games will be called tonight especially for the usual suspects (Bogut, Faried, McGee, Green, etc). I also look for Curry to truly explode in this game tonight and for the defending to be some of the best defending this franchise has seen in awhile.

 

[msgkings322]

Did you read my entire post? I didn't call for the Dubbs to play dirty and start tripping people, but rather for them to up the ante and get a little more physical as well - battling harder for positioning in the paint, setting screens high, and fighting through screens and defending as if there was no tomorrow.

Jackson got a little carried away with his comments, but he's setting the psyche for the rest of the series - the Dubbs were figuratively "punched in the mouth" and he's implicitly inquiring what kind of jaw his team has got.

Joey Crawford will lead what should be one of the league's best officiating crews tonight. Fouls that weren't normally called in the first 5 games will be called tonight especially for the usual suspects (Bogut, Faried, McGee, Green, etc). I also look for Curry to truly explode in this game tonight and for the defending to be some of the best defending this franchise has seen in awhile.

I think you're probably right, and for their sake you'd better be...if the Ws lose this game 6 at home they are in trouble in game 7.

 

[TobyTyler]

Did you read my entire post? I didn't call for the Dubbs to play dirty and start tripping people, but rather for them to up the ante and get a little more physical as well - battling harder for positioning in the paint, setting screens high, and fighting through screens and defending as if there was no tomorrow.

Jackson got a little carried away with his comments, but he's setting the psyche for the rest of the series - the Dubbs were figuratively "punched in the mouth" and he's implicitly inquiring what kind of jaw his team has got.

Joey Crawford will lead what should be one of the league's best officiating crews tonight. Fouls that weren't normally called in the first 5 games will be called tonight especially for the usual suspects (Bogut, Faried, McGee, Green, etc). I also look for Curry to truly explode in this game tonight and for the defending to be some of the best defending this franchise has seen in awhile.

The Nuggets are in Curry's head and the defense is pure shit but they only trail by two at half. That is going to come back to bite Denver.