The 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors= Biggest chokers in recent memory

[HuskerCradle2Grave]

I am going with England's National Soccer Team...

 

[Wamu]

I am going with England's National Soccer Team...

 

[lebron23james]

I think what happened to the Ws in the conference finals and the finals was that the odds caught up with them. For 2 seasons now, GS has been used to hitting a statistically unlikely shot, the 3pointer, at a much higher than normal rate. The long distance shot powers their offense. Every game it was either Curry or Klay and when they struggled, Green cleaned it up. When the 3pt % fell to average and below average at the same time they faced a team that could guard the paint (and score in the paint), they struggled, should've lost to OKC and did lose to Cleveland.


True.

Why can't he continue to get better? Because his shooting defied the statistical odds by quite a ways. It's possible that Curry could have an ever better year next year, but it's very unlikely. It's much more likely that last year was the best year he'll ever have. Having said that, the Curry of 2 years ago would still be an MVP candidate and likely have his team in the conference finals.

Exactly, this was my entire point more or less

 

[tlance]

Exactly, this was my entire point more or less

Curry does not have to improve upon his regular season numbers next year, just the playoffs. I will be absolutely shocked if that doesn't happen.

Curry is not as good a basketball player as LeBron, but the fact that some people actually think Kyrie is better illustrates just how poorly Curry played. He will bounce back.

 

[lebron23james]

Curry does not have to improve upon his regular season numbers next year, just the playoffs. I will be absolutely shocked if that doesn't happen.

Curry is not as good a basketball player as LeBron, but the fact that some people actually think Kyrie is better illustrates just how poorly Curry played. He will bounce back.

The problem is teams are just going to guard Curry the same way he was guarded this year and last year for that matter....He is not good enough against a defense like that to overcome that the way a player like lebron can, or kyrie may....I rewatched the games and they were double teaming Irving starting in game 5 and he was still able to make plays and hit his shots while curry wasn't.

 

[tlance]

The problem is teams are just going to guard Curry the same way he was guarded this year and last year for that matter....He is not good enough against a defense like that to overcome that the way a player like lebron can, or kyrie may....I rewatched the games and they were double teaming Irving starting in game 5 and he was still able to make plays and hit his shots while curry wasn't.

I disagree. He is good enough. He just had no legs. Teams tried to guard him the same way in the regular season and he beat them. When you can't drive past anybody, it vastly limits what you can do. Curry is GOOD enough but was a step or two slower in the playoffs than the regular season.

 

[Niner Outlaw]

The problem is teams are just going to guard Curry the same way he was guarded this year and last year for that matter....He is not good enough against a defense like that to overcome that the way a player like lebron can, or kyrie may....I rewatched the games and they were double teaming Irving starting in game 5 and he was still able to make plays and hit his shots while curry wasn't.

I don't think most teams can do what OKC and Cleveland did b/c they lack the personnel--that 3rd/4th good defender to stick to the Ws "other" option.

Most teams don't have that 3rd good defensive player that both OKC and Cleveland have. I'll agree that Kyrie is better at creating his own shot than Curry is, but I won't go so far as to say he is a better player. Was it tired legs? Not with all the extra days off during the playoffs. OKC and Cleveland got into the Ws heads--and it was still close.

x

 

[tlance]

I don't think most teams can do what OKC and Cleveland did b/c they lack the personnel--that 3rd/4th good defender to stick to the Ws "other" option.

Most teams don't have that 3rd good defensive player that both OKC and Cleveland have. I'll agree that Kyrie is better at creating his own shot than Curry is, but I won't go so far as to say he is a better player. Was it tired legs? Not with all the extra days off during the playoffs. OKC and Cleveland got into the Ws heads--and it was still close.

x

I agree Cleveland and OKC did a great job. Not taking anything away from either. That being said, Curry was not the same player when he came back from the knee injury. He had hot shooting moments like always, but he was also less explosive attacking. I don't think he ever got all the way back.

 

[Niner Outlaw]

I agree Cleveland and OKC did a great job. Not taking anything away from either. That being said, Curry was not the same player when he came back from the knee injury. He had hot shooting moments like always, but he was also less explosive attacking. I don't think he ever got all the way back.

If that's true and his poor play was largely caused by the injury, it means two things to me:

1. LBJ's performance in last year's finals are all the more impressive b/c he faced a healthy, ascendant Ws team yet he damn-near single handedly dragged the Cavs to 6 games and it could've easily been 7; and

2. It's impressive that with a slowed Curry, the Ws were only one game from beating a fully healthy Cavs squad.

 

[lebron23james]

I agree Cleveland and OKC did a great job. Not taking anything away from either. That being said, Curry was not the same player when he came back from the knee injury. He had hot shooting moments like always, but he was also less explosive attacking. I don't think he ever got all the way back.

Curry sure looked fine when he was dropping 38 in game 7 vs OKC

 

[tlance]

If that's true and his poor play was largely caused by the injury, it means two things to me:

1. LBJ's performance in last year's finals are all the more impressive b/c he faced a healthy, ascendant Ws team yet he damn-near single handedly dragged the Cavs to 6 games and it could've easily been 7; and

2. It's impressive that with a slowed Curry, the Ws were only one game from beating a fully healthy Cavs squad.

I think LeBron's accomplishments last year were more impressive than this year, and nobody had a more significant impact on a championship team than LeBron this season.

 

[tlance]

Curry sure looked fine when he was dropping 38 in game 7 vs OKC

He is a terrific player. He had a great game against the Cavs too. Does not change anything. You can't look at the stats and say "must be fine." I am telling you he never regained the same bounce that he had before he got hurt. That does not mean he was not good enough to play well. He still needed to be better for his team to win and he couldn't do it.

All I am saying is that you people who assume he is not good enough because of how the Finals played out will be in for a rude awakening next season. He is better than what he showed.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Curry does not have to improve upon his regular season numbers next year, just the playoffs. I will be absolutely shocked if that doesn't happen.

Curry is not as good a basketball player as LeBron, but the fact that some people actually think Kyrie is better illustrates just how poorly Curry played. He will bounce back.

Yeah it is unlikely to improve his regular season. I would think this will be his best season of his career just looking at the ridiculous numbers. 56% from 2's, 45% from 3's shooting 11/game. 30 ppg.

As far as playoffs OVERALL, it wasn't a huge drop from last year. It is mainly the Finals he needs to improve.

His playoffs average ppg dropped 3 ppg but he attempted 2 less shots. He shot 2% less from 3's shooting the same amount. His 2 pt% is basically the same.

 

[ChrisGar15]

I don't think most teams can do what OKC and Cleveland did b/c they lack the personnel--that 3rd/4th good defender to stick to the Ws "other" option.

Most teams don't have that 3rd good defensive player that both OKC and Cleveland have. ...

I don't think it is the 3rd/4th defender thing as much as who is the worst perimeter defender on the other team that the Ws can get to switch onto Curry. I think teams have to switch on the P&R -- if they don't, Curry will get off the quick open 3.

That is the reason Mozgov couldn't play in the Finals. No way he could switch onto Curry. (and also why Kanter's minutes dropped in the previous series) He played a lot vs. Ws last year because Cavs had no other option due to injuries ... they chose to get advantage of Mozgov at the low post ... but sacrificed the ability to switch on the P&R on D.

You have to give TT and Love credit for what they did on the switch. TT consistently did a nice job on Curry. No way Love could consistently cover Curry ... but most times when he switched onto Curry, he did a respectable job. (I think in general that Irving / Love showed they can play respectable defense when needed -- that could be the #1 way Kyrie improves his game moving ahead.)