OMG what a game! Seriously, that game was an embarrassment to the NBA. So obvious they wanted 5 games. Props to Cleveland for shooting well and feeding off the refs. What a ridiculous laugher
What game were you watching? The officials "corrected" a technical call on Draymond Green where he hit Shumpert in the face to keep him in the game. They assessed a Flagrant 1 to Kevin Love for a block where there was minor incidental contact, but when Green again essentially wrestled Tristan Thompson to the ground they called it a regular foul. And then they refused to assess a foul to Zaza Pachulia after he punched Shumpert in the groin. They also called a completely random technical on Dhantay Jones for talking to Durant. If anything, the refs tried to drag Golden State back into a game that they looked like they didn't want to be in.
From the get go, calls felt heavily in Cleveland's favor. It was pretty ridiculous for a while. The Cavs took incredible advantage of it and once things swung back the other way the Warriors just weren't good enough and the Cavs were too good to really make it interestering.
Not one response in this thread to LeBron's ridiculous off the backboard dunk?? That one needs to be re played at least once a year for the next 25 years
I'm happy for Lebron. That guy is too good.... the Cavaliers are too good of a team to get swept out. At least they showed some fight. I hope they can take one in Oakland. Maybe we can see the doubt creep into the Warriors minds. You know they don't want to go back to Cleveland.
Not one response in this thread to LeBron's ridiculous off the backboard dunk?? That one needs to be re played at least once a year for the next 25 years
it wasn't even a breakaway, but instead in semi-contested position.
Not one response in this thread to LeBron's ridiculous off the backboard dunk?? That one needs to be re played at least once a year for the next 25 years
it wasn't even a breakaway, but instead in semi-contested position.
It was one of the greatest individual recoveries from a mess up I've ever seen.
Not one response in this thread to LeBron's ridiculous off the backboard dunk?? That one needs to be re played at least once a year for the next 25 years
It was definitely impressive and extremely heads up athletic move. But I also don't get too excited about a guy leaving his feet before he knows what he's gonna do with the ball.
Seriously, props to the Cavs. They shot lights out. Their blatant constant holding is weak especially when it's not evenly called. Warriors need to step up their D.
Not one response in this thread to LeBron's ridiculous off the backboard dunk?? That one needs to be re played at least once a year for the next 25 years
it wasn't even a breakaway, but instead in semi-contested position.
A break away dunk is essentially a gimme. This wasn't a break away and in the finals. He dunked on Durant too
Whew! Everybody can breath easier now and stop complaining! 'Parity' returned to the NBA last night. The Warriors were not able to simply sweep their way to an NBA title! It is Warriors AND Cavs mashing everybody else! Not just the Warriors!
Seriously, props to the Cavs. They shot lights out. Their blatant constant holding is weak especially when it's not evenly called. Warriors need to step up their D.
Lol. You realize if the refs consistently called moving screens on Golden state, they'd be lucky to average 90 a game.
GS shot more FTs then Cleveland last night, Draymond should have beeen ejected twice, Zaza got to punch a guy in the nuts without even getting tagged for a flagrant or T (shoulda been ejected), Love got a BS flagrant. Durant got to openly shove Jefferson twice with no foul called on either.
Anyone who is *****ing about GS not getting the calls needs to put down their Steph Curry doll for a minute and rejoin he rest of the world in reality.
If the Cavs come back and win the series, Durant can always opt out and join the Cavs this summer.
Durant going to Warriors understandably rankled some fans of other NBA teams, but there is also a lot of truth that the Warriors simply got a lot of things right. They built a 'dynasty' level team at a place that had not been even to the Western Conference Finals in decades.
Below is a pretty good YouTube video walking through all the smart decisions that the Warriors made.
1) Drafted Curry with 7th pick in 2009 NBA draft. 2) They brought in Jerry West as an advisor. 3) Drafted Thompson with 11th pick in 2011 draft. Jerry West apparently was key to deciding to take Thompson. 4) Drafted Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green (in 2nd round) in 2012 draft. 5) Traded away Monte Ellis which helped make space to bring in Iguodola. 6) Hired Steve Kerr to coach, plus a lot of other smart staff hires.
= 2015 NBA Title and then 73 win team and team that probably would have won last year's title had Green not gotten suspended for Game 5.
Then, yeah, they got lucky with the cap spike last year and they made a really smart and aggressive move going out and getting Kevin Durant. And it is not surprising at all that Durant wanted to go play with a team that actually knew how to play a beautiful looking brand of basketball than the caveman ISO heavy 'your turn then my turn' game with Westbrook and a bunch of otherwise offensively challenged dudes at OKC.
There are 30 teams in the NBA all trying to beat one another and game the system, and the Warriors were able to climb to the top of that mountain. They won't stay up there forever, but they are getting their moment right now and kudos to them.
Spokenlike any fan of another team should definitely speak. Totally agree. Every dominant team in every sport has tons of haters because of their dominance. They are still fun to watch though!
Here is also a Ringer article recently written that walks through the events that made the Warriors what they presently are.
Towards the end of his rookie deal, when he was really showing signs of being special, Curry busted up his ankle. His 2nd contract wasn't nearly as big as it could have been, and one could argue he's been the most underpaid guy in the league the last 3+ years. That has helped tremendously...if they'd had Curry on a max deal last year they would have had to get rid of more than just Barnes/Bogut.
And it is not surprising at all that Durant wanted to go play with a team that actually knew how to play a beautiful looking brand of basketball than the caveman ISO heavy 'your turn then my turn' game with Westbrook and a bunch of otherwise offensively challenged dudes at OKC.
The same OKC team that would have beaten the Warriors last year if not for a timely Klay Thompson three-point barrage in game 6. Hats of to the Warriors for ultimately winning the series but it was VERY close.
Anyway, no one is questioning whether or not the Warriors made shrewd moves, so I'm not sure how relevant your post is. Up until the end of last year, I suspect many of the Warriors "haters" were of the "I don't like them but I respect them" variety (myself included). Probably not too dissimilar to how "haters" of the Bulls dynasty felt about them.
And I get why KD wanted to try out a different brand of basketball than the one he played OKC. No issues there. But in the eyes of many fans (maybe not you), going to Golden State was a chicken-bleep move given everything that happened a few months earlier. I think that's a much greater source of backlash against the Warriors franchise than jealousy of their shrewd moves.
As much as I despise the team and many of the players, I do respect what they have done and it is impressive the way that they have struck gold in the draft and been able to develop players. The KD deal was really a stroke of luck, but to get that good you normally have to get lucky somewhere along the way. Hate 'em, but respect them.
And it is not surprising at all that Durant wanted to go play with a team that actually knew how to play a beautiful looking brand of basketball than the caveman ISO heavy 'your turn then my turn' game with Westbrook and a bunch of otherwise offensively challenged dudes at OKC.
The same OKC team that would have beaten the Warriors last year if not for a timely Klay Thompson three-point barrage in game 6. Hats of to the Warriors for ultimately winning the series but it was VERY close.
Anyway, no one is questioning whether or not the Warriors made shrewd moves, so I'm not sure how relevant your post is. Up until the end of last year, I suspect many of the Warriors "haters" were of the "I don't like them but I respect them" variety (myself included). Probably not too dissimilar to how "haters" of the Bulls dynasty felt about them.
And I get why KD wanted to try out a different brand of basketball than the one he played OKC. No issues there. But in the eyes of many fans (maybe not you), going to Golden State was a chicken-bleep move given everything that happened a few months earlier. I think that's a much greater source of backlash against the Warriors franchise than jealousy of their shrewd moves.
Yeah, my impression is that Durant's move rankled people more because it was to the team that had just beaten him in the Western Conference Finals.
Had OKC for example lost to the Spurs last year in the second round, and then Durant made the same decision to go to the Warriors, it seems like his move would have been viewed at lot differently. Even though in that scenario, we'd still be dealing with the Warriors + Durant on it right now.
Very fair point. If the Spurs had swept the Thunder last year, I think KD's decision to go to Golden State would have been received a bit more kindly. Obviously there would still be some eye rolls but at least in that scenario, he's not leaving a team that was two minutes away from the finals to go to the team that knocked them out. Interesting hypothetical for sure though.
The Warriors support staff has had to plan and then cancel a trophy presentation and party for 4 straight Finals games now. Games 5, 6, & 7 last year and Game 4 this year.
They are probably getting really good at planning that party by now.
Yea, I was thinking about that after game 4. The Warriors have lost 4 straight closeout games to the Cavs in the NBA Finals. Maybe if they lose again tonight the doubt will start creeping in a little bit further.