If Durant is out for the season, who benefits the most?

[Shanemansj13]

The Bulls apparently 87 points. Wow

 

[Wishbone]

Back to back losses for GS.

 

[Hambombs]

Y'all are so funny. This is still the same team that has gone to back to back finals

 

[trojanfan12]

Y'all are so funny. This is still the same team that has gone to back to back finals

Not entirely. They gave up a chunk of that team to get KD.

 

[Hambombs]

Not entirely. They gave up a chunk of that team to get KD.

We replaced bogut and speights with zaza and McGee David west

We replaced Barbosa with Clark

We added Matt Barnes

Iggy and Livingston still play on the Warriors if I'm
Not mistaken

 

[larryjohn]

We replaced bogut and speights with zaza and McGee David west
We replaced Barbosa with Clark
We added Matt Barnes
Iggy and Livingston still play on the Warriors if I'm
Not mistaken

Harrison Barnes ?

 

[Hambombs]

Harrison Barnes ?

He's a bum

 

[Hambombs]

Harrison Barnes ?

I forgot Patrick mccaw. He's a good rookie and better than Barnes

 

[trojanfan12]

We replaced bogut and speights with zaza and McGee David west

We replaced Barbosa with Clark

We added Matt Barnes

Iggy and Livingston still play on the Warriors if I'm
Not mistaken

Right. Not the same guys, so not the same familiarity and in most cases, I don't think the replacements are better players.

 

[Hambombs]

Right. Not the same guys, so not the same familiarity and in most cases, I don't think the replacements are better players.

True but it will do lol

 

[CitySushi]

Right. Not the same guys, so not the same familiarity and in most cases, I don't think the replacements are better players.

I think you can't just compare the replacement players to the old ones because the schemes have now changed for the Warriors.

Bogut was a great passer and screen setter and really great defender. But he was a horrible free throw shooter and you couldn't count on him to score a bucket if it wasn't a lob. Pachulia is almost an 80% freethrow shooter, with a mid range game and good passer as well. He's not on Bogut's level defensively, but he holds his own.

Speights was instant offense with no D. West is more methodical, less offense, but much more toughness and defense. So there's a balance there.

Barnes is an unknown quantity with this team just yet.

Barbosa and Clark I think is the biggest gap between players. Barbosa was way more dependable than Clark has been. Clark initially started the season as the 1st guard off the bench, but eventually lost his spot to McCaw. He reclaimed him for a bit, but his playing time has been off and on lately.

 

[trojanfan12]

True but it will do lol

As long as KD comes back, I agree. If he doesn't, I think Warriors would still be the favorites, but it gets a lot tougher, especially against the Spurs.

 

[trojanfan12]

I think you can't just compare the replacement players to the old ones because the schemes have now changed for the Warriors.

Yes you can. You have to. This isn't comparing players from different era's, this is now. If you replace a player with one who isn't as good, you don't get better at that spot, regardless of schemes.

Bogut was a great passer and screen setter and really great defender. But he was a horrible free throw shooter and you couldn't count on him to score a bucket if it wasn't a lob. Pachulia is almost an 80% freethrow shooter, with a mid range game and good passer as well. He's not on Bogut's level defensively, but he holds his own.

Defense becomes much more important in the playoffs and saying Zsa Zsa Patchouli holds his own on defense is a bit of a stretch. Free throw shooting doesn't matter as much at that position because at the end of close games, the Warriors are likely to be in their "death lineup" so neither Bogut, nor Patchouli are going to be in the game anyway.

Speights was instant offense with no D. West is more methodical, less offense, but much more toughness and defense. So there's a balance there.

Barnes is an unknown quantity with this team just yet.

Agree.

End of the day, the Warriors more than make up for the deficiencies of the guys they got to replace the one's they gave up, because KD is that good. It makes them a better team than they have been the past 2 seasons.

But without KD, I just don't see the Warriors as being as good as the past 2 years.

 

[CitySushi]

Yes you can. You have to. This isn't comparing players from different era's, this is now. If you replace a player with one who isn't as good, you don't get better at that spot, regardless of schemes.

Fair enough. I agree to an extent, but lean 90% to your side here.

But without KD, I just don't see the Warriors as being as good as the past 2 years.

DEFINITELY. The Warriors have the potential to still get to the WCF without Durant, but it's would take an MVP level Steph to get them back to the finals. Then they would still be looking at the short end of the stick in the finals without KD.