So a watered down Version of the Warriors win the title with declined Klay Thompson and mostly role players? LOL

[fightinfunbags]

If it wasn't for a perfectly executed leg lock on Morant by Poole and a choke job by the Suns, the Warriors wouldn't have even been in the finals. Luck and cheating can get you far sometimes. That's why gambling and grifting are still popular.

Somebody can’t get over the level of shade thrown at the Lakers bubble championship.

 

[Ojb81]

It's definitely possible, it's just really really hard for teams to stay hungry and focused and on track. It takes luck to go far in the playoffs, even for MJ's teams. And remember the 1996-8 team was totally different from the 1991-3 one, except for Pippen and Jordan. It's more likely they needed a couple years to regroup. Steve Kerr has said by 1998 his Bulls team kinda was sick of each other so it's not really all on Krause that they ended it there.

It's kinda like the Warriors. The 2 years they were bad gave them time to reload and rest and all the rest, and maybe helped them this year. The last year with KD 2018-2019 I remember as being pretty joyless and not that fun. Once again the superteam was expected to roll and they did but no one liked it much and the talk was all about if KD was staying. Even if they hadn't got super injured in the Finals, and won them, I don't know that KD would have stayed and if he did I don't think it would have been that fun.

LeBron never even did it with the same team more than 4 in a row.

That's a reasonable take.

 

[Robotech]

It's definitely possible, it's just really really hard for teams to stay hungry and focused and on track. It takes luck to go far in the playoffs, even for MJ's teams. And remember the 1996-8 team was totally different from the 1991-3 one, except for Pippen and Jordan. It's more likely they needed a couple years to regroup. Steve Kerr has said by 1998 his Bulls team kinda was sick of each other so it's not really all on Krause that they ended it there.

It's kinda like the Warriors. The 2 years they were bad gave them time to reload and rest and all the rest, and maybe helped them this year. The last year with KD 2018-2019 I remember as being pretty joyless and not that fun. Once again the superteam was expected to roll and they did but no one liked it much and the talk was all about if KD was staying. Even if they hadn't got super injured in the Finals, and won them, I don't know that KD would have stayed and if he did I don't think it would have been that fun.

LeBron never even did it with the same team more than 4 in a row.

Makes a lot of sense. I never thought of it that way, but the Warriors kinda did something similar to the Michael Jordan sabbatical. Let's hope they can get a threepeat in. I'm sure everyone here would love it!

 

[Robotech]

If it wasn't for a perfectly executed leg lock on Morant by Poole and a choke job by the Suns, the Warriors wouldn't have even been in the finals. Luck and cheating can get you far sometimes. That's why gambling and grifting are still popular.

I almost forgot that Jordan Poole is a Terminator robot.

 

[rmilia1]

Its not really fair to judge GS this year imo

Steph, Klay and Dray played 11 whole minutes together the entire regular season

It's at least just as possible Klay will be much much better next year as it is that he's declining

Add in Wiseman, an improved Poole, Moody and Kuminga and you will have an even better version of GS next year

But i see no real basis to say this year's Warriors team was watered down unless you're solely comping then to the dominant teams from 16-18 ( given those Warriors teams may have been 3 of the best 8 teams in NBA history )

 

[Robotech]

Its not really fair to judge GS this year imo

Steph, Klay and Dray played 11 whole minutes together the entire regular season

It's at least just as possible Klay will be much much better next year as it is that he's declining

Add in Wiseman, an improved Poole, Moody and Kuminga and you will have an even better version of GS next year

But i see no real basis to say this year's Warriors team was watered down unless you're solely comping then to the dominant teams from 16-18 ( given those Warriors teams may have been 3 of the best 8 teams in NBA history )

Steph and Dray missing so many regular season games might have even helped. It was forced load management. Those guys were fresh in the playoffs.

The Warriors also had a perfect storm of an experienced core, players who emerged (Poole, Looney, and GP2), and high motivation, including the desire to validate the dynasty and the desire by individual players to prove that they are better than how the critics rate them.

 

[Mebert]

I am excited for the end of the super team. It seems like most of those with the most enthusiasm for it are aging out.

 

[tlance]

Its not really fair to judge GS this year imo

Steph, Klay and Dray played 11 whole minutes together the entire regular season

It's at least just as possible Klay will be much much better next year as it is that he's declining

Add in Wiseman, an improved Poole, Moody and Kuminga and you will have an even better version of GS next year

But i see no real basis to say this year's Warriors team was watered down unless you're solely comping then to the dominant teams from 16-18 ( given those Warriors teams may have been 3 of the best 8 teams in NBA history )

I think you hit this on the head.

GS will be the Vegas favorites heading into next season, but they are far from the lock they were in ‘17 and ‘18.

They could very realistically be better next season and still not win.

 

[rmilia1]

I think you hit this on the head.

GS will be the Vegas favorites heading into next season, but they are far from the lock they were in ‘17 and ‘18.

They could very realistically be better next season and still not win.

Yeah i mean was this years GS watered down comped to last years Bucks, the 20 Lakers, 19 Raptors, 14 Spurs, 11 Mavs etc etc

I would probably take this GS team over quite a few of those teams and they would compete with all of them

Ultimately this thread kind of reeks of the old man "get off my lawn" business people always do

"These new guys couldn't hold Dick Butkus' jock strap" or " no way could guys now play in the era i grew up watching!!"

Its lame. My Dad used to tell me MJ would've got stomped by Wilt and Bill. He was wrong then just like people who say today's guys couldn't compete in the 90s are wrong

The notion is pretty preposterous really lol

 

[Robotech]

Yeah i mean was this years GS watered down comped to last years Bucks, the 20 Lakers, 19 Raptors, 14 Spurs, 11 Mavs etc etc

I would probably take this GS team over quite a few of those teams and they would compete with all of them

Ultimately this thread kind of reeks of the old man "get off my lawn" business people always do

"These new guys couldn't hold Dick Butkus' jock strap" or " no way could guys now play in the era i grew up watching!!"

Its lame. My Dad used to tell me MJ would've got stomped by Wilt and Bill. He was wrong then just like people who say today's guys couldn't compete in the 90s are wrong

The notion is pretty preposterous really lol

Athletes and sports tend to progress as time goes by, but few will accept this.

 

[rmilia1]

Athletes and sports tend to progress as time goes by, but few will accept this.

Yep

Imagine dropping Ja Morant in 1986

" ok Mark Price. You got Ja on D. Just body him a little. That will teach him"

Lol

 

[shopson67]

It does feel wide open. However, one of the taking heads (Nick Wright) was saying that he expects Giannis and the Bucks to be in the Finals for the next 5 years. He could easily be wrong, though.

Jrue is 32, doubt he holds up at this level for 5 years (or Middleton for that matter).

 

[tlance]

Yep

Imagine dropping Ja Morant in 1986

" ok Mark Price. You got Ja on D. Just body him a little. That will teach him"

Lol

Forget Mark Price.

Gary Payton would have a tough time guarding Ja. He would certainly do better than most today, but he never had to face anybody that explosive.

 

[ElPatron1]

I think you hit this on the head.

GS will be the Vegas favorites heading into next season, but they are far from the lock they were in ‘17 and ‘18.

They could very realistically be better next season and still not win.

Lakers will be the favorites if they land Kyrie (and stay healthy)

 

[tlance]

Lakers will be the favorites if they land Kyrie (and stay healthy)

Honestly?

Depends on what they do with Russ in the process.

 

[ElPatron1]

Honestly?

Depends on what they do with Russ in the process.

I don't know if Kyrie actually is going to the Lakers first, because you can't really trust most media sources...Most just make stuff up and call it their sources and never even bothered to talk to Kyrie.

I mean it would be the right mix of youth and talent. I always thought Kevin Love was the weak link. Kyrie, AD and Lebron would be a better duo. Factor in Lebrons age, Kyrie and AD health i would say they would be on par with the Cavs teams. I would say Kyrie, AD, Lebron >> Curry, Thompson, green with all thier injuries they have had and their older age imho

Russ may play a backup role, or just traded for anything. I don't know his contract details or the Lakers cap situation tho.

 

[tlance]

I don't know if Kyrie actually is going to the Lakers first, because you can't really trust most media sources...Most just make stuff up and call it their sources and never even bothered to talk to Kyrie.

I mean it would be the right mix of youth and talent. I always thought Kevin Love was the weak link. Kyrie, AD and Lebron would be a better duo. Factor in Lebrons age, Kyrie and AD health i would say they would be on par with the Cavs teams. I would say Kyrie, AD, Lebron >> Curry, Thompson, green with all thier injuries they have had and their older age imho

Russ may play a backup role, or just traded for anything. I don't know his contract details or the Lakers cap situation tho.

Of course all of this is true.

Absolutely no debate AD is far better than Love at the top of his game. But is he healthy? Is he committed to being the best version of himself.

Lot of variables around Kyrie and the Laker support pieces too though.

Media probably would pick the big names from LA, but the Dubs could very easily be better next year too.

Either way, it is a series everyone will want to see.

 

[logic]

Either way, it is a series everyone will want to see.

And here I thought everyone wanted to see Kings v. Magic

 

[Robotech]

And here I thought everyone wanted to see Kings v. Magic

I'm probably weird for caring about this, but the uniforms alone would make it a bad Finals matchup. This is not aesthetically pleasing.

 

[Montalban]

Today's NBA teams have to defend nearly the entire half court. Celtics were face guarding Curry just as he crossed half court and even when he didn't have the ball. It's just much harder for traditional centers to have an impact now.

Imbiid is an exception. teams seem to be made up of all wings and a point guard now