Series Thread: WC semifinals: #6 Golden State Warriors vs #7 Los Angeles Lakers

[Black Adam]

Yeah but I said that about game two. I think the Warriors are gonna fight hard tonight. We will probably get A( alternate) D (day) tonight. lol

I'd hope AD keeps it up, but I wouldn't bet the house on it...

I can always hope, though...

 

[socaljim242]

I'd hope AD keeps it up, but I wouldn't bet the house on it...

I can always hope, though...

If he could just concentrate on defense every game. It feels like when he's not on offensively, he also doesn't give it his all on the defensive side.

 

[msgkings322]

Big game tonight. I think ultimately the winner of this series may be the winner of game 4.

Warriors need to stop shooting themselves in the foot with dumb turnovers. On top of that they're going to need to come out with some urgency. It seemed from my POV that they coasted a lot last game and didn't put in the effort required to win a road game in the second round of the playoffs. After their initial run to go up 11 complacency stepped in and they just weren't efficient on either ends of the court. Also shooting better couldn't hurt either.

This has been a pattern all playoffs and most of the regular season frankly. They turn up the intensity in must win games (like game 2 this series, games 3, 5 and 7 last series). So yes I think they win it tonight but these teams are pretty even and any outcome wouldn't surprise me.

While it would be nice to see total intensity every playoff game (instead of let downs like game 6 vs Sacto, game 3 vs Lakers) it should be remembered that they aren't big favorites in these playoffs. They aren't gonna win any series in 4 or 5 games, they are all gonna be long series of ups and downs.

Heck all the remaining teams won't be able to pull off short series, I think every remaining playoff series goes at least 6 no matter who's playing. This is parity.

 

[CitySushi]

This has been a pattern all playoffs and most of the regular season frankly. They turn up the intensity in must win games (like game 2 this series, games 3, 5 and 7 last series). So yes I think they win it tonight but these teams are pretty even and any outcome wouldn't surprise me.

While it would be nice to see total intensity every playoff game (instead of let downs like game 6 vs Sacto, game 3 vs Lakers) it should be remembered that they aren't big favorites in these playoffs. They aren't gonna win any series in 4 or 5 games, they are all gonna be long series of ups and downs.

Heck all the remaining teams won't be able to pull off short series, I think every remaining playoff series goes at least 6 no matter who's playing. This is parity.

It's more of an issue for me that this team went from being up 11 in the 2nd quarter to losing the game by 30. That's a 41 point swing.

I'm not under any illusions that the Warriors should just be able to walk over the Lakers. They are as you said a good team. This was always destined to be a long series. But here's the thing with that blowout loss...the Lakers were able to rest their stars. The longer this series goes, and the more minutes that Lebron and AD have to dish out at a high pace, that favors the Warriors. Getting blown out is the worst of all worlds. If the Warriors lost this game at the Wire and Lebron and AD had to play close to 40 minutes each, that's a bonus. Instead the Lakers got a win going away and very little game mileage on those guys.

It's not just the losses that matter, it's how they lose that is going to be an issue.

 

[msgkings322]

It's more of an issue for me that this team went from being up 11 in the 2nd quarter to losing the game by 30. That's a 41 point swing.

No doubt, they were looking pretty good and then completely lost composure in the 2nd quarter.

I'm not under any illusions that the Warriors should just be able to walk over the Lakers. They are as you said a good team. This was always destined to be a long series. But here's the thing with that blowout loss...the Lakers were able to rest their stars. The longer this series goes, and the more minutes that Lebron and AD have to dish out at a high pace, that favors the Warriors. Getting blown out is the worst of all worlds. If the Warriors lost this game at the Wire and Lebron and AD had to play close to 40 minutes each, that's a bonus. Instead the Lakers got a win going away and very little game mileage on those guys.

Of course, lotta things went wrong game 3

It's not just the losses that matter, it's how they lose that is going to be an issue.

No disagreement from me.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

The Lakers need to play their own game tonight and not try to match the Warriors with 3 balls.

Get them in the paint, and try to get them into foul trouble.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

But here's the thing with that blowout loss...the Lakers were able to rest their stars.

So were the Warriors though.

I get what you are trying to say. If game 3 went down to the wire, the Warriors would probably stand a better chance in game 4, no matter the outcome of the previous game.

But Steph and Klay got just as much rest as AD and Lebron did in both the last two games.

The fitness level of the Lakers stars doesn't seem as much as an issue as I expected. It's more about if AD even bothers to show up.

 

[CitySushi]

So were the Warriors though.

I get what you are trying to say. If game 3 went down to the wire, the Warriors would probably stand a better chance in game 4, no matter the outcome of the previous game.

But Steph and Klay got just as much rest as AD and Lebron did in both the last two games.

The fitness level of the Lakers stars doesn't seem as much as an issue as I expected. It's more about if AD even bothers to show up.

Steph and Klay can run all game long. Their endurance has never been an issue. So the rest, in just this series, isn't nearly as important as it is for the Lakers.

In the only highly contested game of this series, AD played 44 minutes. Lebron played 40.
Steph and Klay both played 37-38 minutes.

That would pile up over the course of the series. Instead we've had two blowout games. Just imagine what game 4 would look like if Lebron and AD had to carry those similar type minutes in games 1-3.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Steph and Klay can run all game long. Their endurance has never been an issue. So the rest, in just this series, isn't nearly as important as it is for the Lakers.

In the only highly contested game of this series, AD played 44 minutes. Lebron played 40.
Steph and Klay both played 37-38 minutes.

That would pile up over the course of the series. Instead we've had two blowout games. Just imagine what game 4 would look like if Lebron and AD had to carry those similar type minutes in games 1-3.

Klay and Steph are 33 and 35 years old and both have had significant injuries over the last few years.

Now naturally longer minutes will affect Lebron and AD a lot more, especially in the short run.

But if this series goes to a game 7 after close games, pretty much anything can happen

 

[bksballer89]

The extender

 

[msgkings322]

The extender

That rep of his has been debunked but I hope it's true tonight!

 

[shopson67]

If he could just concentrate on defense every game. It feels like when he's not on offensively, he also doesn't give it his all on the defensive side.

He holds up pretty well defensively either way, but it goes unnoticed due to the lack of numbers offensively IMO. He had 7 rebounds and 3 blocks in game 2 despite sitting the 4th with the game out of hand. He missed at least 3-4 makeable shots (similar to shots he made in games 1 and 3). If those go down, perhaps the game is tight enough for him to play extensively in the fourth and suddenly those overall numbers don't like quite so unusual. Not dominant AD, but season average AD.

In general though, your statement holds true for any NBA defender that is also a scorer. If they're not involved on offense, the overall effort wanes. Or worse, if they're battling offensively and not getting shots to fall, that extra spent energy leaves less for the other end.

AD is often the target, and sometimes that's deserved, but the Lakers need to make shots and get to the line to keep the Warriors from feasting in transition regardless of who's taking the shots. Even when the Lakers get their guards back defensively for transition, they just aren't that great defensively to begin with.

 

[shopson67]

The extender

No worries, series extends beyond tonight regardless. Now if he's doing game 6....

 

[DJ]

Need to win this one tonight to put the Warriors' backs against the wall.

#Noexcuses.

 

[trojanfight]

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Need to win this one tonight to put the Warriors' backs against the wall.

#Noexcuses.

Worst case scenario and they lose, they're exactly where they should be and GS takes HC advantage back.

Before the series started I would have happily taken 2-2 after four games.

Now I'm just greedy and want the 3-1

 

[DJ]

Worst case scenario and they lose, they're exactly where they should be and GS takes HC advantage back.

Before the series started I would have happily taken 2-2 after four games.

Now I'm just greedy and want the 3-1

GS is a bad road team. Need to win and then head to SF.

They play a lot better at home.....

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

GS is a bad road team. Need to win and then head to SF.

They play a lot better at home.....

Playoffs. Completely different ball game. They beat the Kings in Sacramento.

That being said, guys like Draymond can't always handle the home crowd properly.

 

[tlance]

That is a pretty major leap.

No, I don’t think that.

 

[trojanfan12]

Big game tonight. I think ultimately the winner of this series may be the winner of game 4.

Warriors need to stop shooting themselves in the foot with dumb turnovers. On top of that they're going to need to come out with some urgency. It seemed from my POV that they coasted a lot last game and didn't put in the effort required to win a road game in the second round of the playoffs. After their initial run to go up 11 complacency stepped in and they just weren't efficient on either ends of the court. Also shooting better couldn't hurt either.

It's interesting because both teams did more or less the same thing over the past 2 games.

In game 2, the Lakers started fine and looked like they were going to try to be greedy and try to get both games...then the Warriors picked up their intensity, started hitting shots and the Lakers decided they were good with a split.

In game 3, the Warriors looked like they were going to try to steal HCA back, the Lakers picked up their intensity, started hitting shots and the Warriors decided they could get HCA back by winning game 4.

I think/hope we'll get full game efforts from both teams because the Lakers don't want to give HCA back and the Warriors don't want to go down 3-1.