Series Thread: Western Conference Finals: OKC Thunder VS Golden State Warriors

[LAD]

I only was able to watch the first quarter of the game (daddy duties called for Mickey Mouse, since mom was at work). Probably for the best, considering the final score of the game.

Couple of thoughts though:

1) Injuries are not an excuse as every team has gone through them at some point. But just wanted to point out it's clear that Curry is not even close to 100% right now. He's lost a step, has no explosiveness and is weirdly lacking confidence. He's been pretty awful on both ends of the court and not anywhere close to the level of play he was at this season. That injury to his knee is affecting him.

2) That being said, even if he was at 100%, I don't think this series outlook is any different right now. OKC is playing their best level I have ever seen, from top to bottom. Everyone is contributing, but more importantly they're sharing the ball and trusting each other. They are looking like the juggernaut everyone thought they could be for the past 6 years.

3) The Warriors will have some big decisions to make in the off-season with regards to both Bogut and Ezeli. How does Bogut go from being a dominant defensive presence against the Rockets, to flat out terrible against the Thunder? Howard is a much tougher cover than Adams, but Adams is giving him the business. Same with Ezeli, and to add to that his stone hands are worse now than their rookie year.

4) Big, big, big props to OKC. Honestly, the way they have played this entire series has been downright impressive to say the least. If the Warriors lose to them, aside from my team losing, I don't have any issues with it because they have been the better team. From a talent perspective, many have argued they have more than the Warriors, but their problem was they were never able to put it together. It's starting to look like they finally are.

5) I'm still holding out hope for the Warriors turning it around in game 5. They've shown they can win in OKC during the regular season and are capable of winning 3 in a row against a great team. The odds are heavily stacked against them because with Curry's injury, the Warriors are going to have to bring their A+ game, just to make it competitive.

To your point in #3- this brings me back to a discussion we had on these boards about Bogut. Remember I called him out on the very particular things that are lacking in this series. It's interesting though because shortly after our debate he started to step up his game in terms of contributing more on defending the rim & rebounding. If my memory serves me right it seemed to line up with the timing of the team bringing Anderson on board. I wonder if that move lit a temporary fire?

 

[Wishbone]

Seems like he's a nut-kicking-ninja of sorts.

 

[LAD]

You are one of the better posters here...always fair and objective.

I knew that's not what you meant.

Curry is a savage. You can't win them all.

Haters gonna hate. Bandwagoners jump off...

Good riddance to them.

* not referring to anyone in particular*

 

[bksballer89]

As a defending champion, IMO, it's always championship or bust whether it's stated or not.

Bingo. Unless you do some major roster shakeup for the worse as the 2011 Mavs. But in every other case it is always title or bust.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

See this is where I think the difference is. Because they set records and made history WARRIORS fans will always remember this season as being one of the best- even if they lose tomorrow. Not winning a title when you've gotten this close is disappointing to most- but it's only fans of other teams that will mentally place that asterisk next to this season when looking back at it.

I'm a Indians fan. In 2007, they had the best record in baseball, took a 3-1 game lead on the Red Sox in the ALCS and then choked away the next three games while the Sox went on to sweep a Colorado Rockies team that probably had no business being in the World Series.

I fucking LOVED that regular season and was at three of the Indians' post season games. I have great memories of that season and particularly the postseason, but when I think of them, it's never long before I remember that they shit their pants and fucked their chances to steamroll the Rockies just like the Red Sox did.

Those Indians weren't the best regular season team in the history of baseball, and it's still a thorn. I think you're underestimating how blowing the playoffs will smart for Warriors fans.

 

[Wamu]

View attachment 121626

GGGGOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LAD]

Yeah 1st off cant afford another Loss in the Finals, 2nd this would be a Big upset of Toronto pulled this out. 3rd if Cavs do lose what is next for this team? If OKC beats GS this might be LBJ best chance to win a title in Cleveland. He already beat OKC in the finals with KD and Westbrook. Thats a confidence edge to LBJ and the Cavs.

Honestly I thought the Cavs could be OKC if they got past GS. But after seeing them beat Spurs and as of late how they've played the Warriors I think Cleveland is in trouble with either WC opponent.

 

[Wamu]

Honestly I thought the Cavs could be OKC if they got past GS. But after seeing them beat Spurs and as of late how they've played the Warriors I think Cleveland is in trouble with either WC opponent.

Not so fast...!! Tell me who on OKC will stop Tristan?

 

[LAD]

Actually guys are out for a month with that injury lol

Not according to some Heat fans when Whiteside went down with the same injury. He was labeled as "day to day"....of course we never did see him play again after that but what do we know, right?

 

[Robotech]

As a defending champion, IMO, it's always championship or bust whether it's stated or not.

I agree that this is the mental approach that they have carried throughout the season. It's necessary in order for them to have the right mindset. However, the only point I'm trying to make (and maybe this is what LAD is thinking as well) is that when the season's over and there are no more games to psyche themselves up for, the team isn't going to look back and think that they were total failures for not winning the championship. No one is giving back any paychecks if they don't win.

 

[LAD]

Seems like he's a nut-kicking-ninja of sorts.

Which I'm thinking maybe he's practicing for that dark alley fight most people keep referring to between he & Adams.

 

[CitySushi]

To your point in #3- this brings me back to a discussion we had on these boards about Bogut. Remember I called him out on the very particular things that are lacking in this series. It's interesting though because shortly after our debate he started to step up his game in terms of contributing more on defending the rim & rebounding. If my memory serves me right it seemed to line up with the timing of the team bringing Anderson on board. I wonder if that move lit a temporary fire?

Towards the end of the season he was dealing with a few nagging injuries, but I attribute most of it to just simple disappearance. The last two post seasons, he's basically become a non-factor, when during the regular season he was an essential cog. His production, or lackthereof, shows how he impacts the team when they're at their best.

 

[Hambombs]

Not according to some Heat fans when Whiteside went down with the same injury. He was labeled as "day to day"....of course we never did see him play again after that but what do we know, right?

This is straight from google

"On average, it takes six weeks for a MCL injury to heal"

 

[bksballer89]

This is straight from google

"On average, it takes six weeks for a MCL injury to heal"

Thanks Dr. Hambombs

 

[Hambombs]

If there is any team to come back 3-1 it's this team! They didn't win these many amount of games by playing like this

 

[Hambombs]

Thanks Dr. Hambombs

Smartest man is THIS man right here

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

This is straight from google

"On average, it takes six weeks for a MCL injury to heal"

Yeah, that's average, so it includes old folks who don't heal as well, and folks who don't treat it properly. Curry, as a young, professional athlete on HGH should heal much faster than the average Joe.

 

[Heatles84]

See this is where I think the difference is. Because they set records and made history WARRIORS fans will always remember this season as being one of the best- even if they lose tomorrow. Not winning a title when you've gotten this close is disappointing to most- but it's only fans of other teams that will mentally place that asterisk next to this season when looking back at it.

I disagree. In 2013, the Heat won 27 games in a row. The only team to win more was one of the 80's Lakers team with 33. That was a miraculous season no doubt. However, going against the Spurs, I thought were were done when we were down 5 with 25 seconds left in the game. During that time before the Ray Allen 3, I knew how disappointing it was that we were so close yet weren't going to win the title. In my mind, it was a bust season before that comeback happened.

 

[Robotech]

I'm a Indians fan. In 2007, they had the best record in baseball, took a 3-1 game lead on the Red Sox in the ALCS and then choked away the next three games while the Sox went on to sweep a Colorado Rockies team that probably had no business being in the World Series.

I fucking LOVED that regular season and was at three of the Indians' post season games. I have great memories of that season and particularly the postseason, but when I think of them, it's never long before I remember that they shit their pants and fucked their chances to steamroll the Rockies just like the Red Sox did.

Those Indians weren't the best regular season team in the history of baseball, and it's still a thorn. I think you're underestimating how blowing the playoffs will smart for Warriors fans.

The 1993 Giants are one of my favorite teams despite not even making the postseason. Sure, there is a bad memory of losing on that last day, but overall, the good memories outweigh the bad with that 1993 team.

 

[LAD]

This is straight from google

"On average, it takes six weeks for a MCL injury to heal"

Yes, some of us tried to tell them Whiteside wouldn't be back anytime soon. But of course they argued he was different than Steph- even though Steph had the mildest case.