Dream Team 4: Golden State Warriors

[ACisKING]

The funny thing is, it's not like their basketball players are better than our basketball players. They're just more focused, engaged, and willing. All that intangible bullshit.

Makes me more pissed to think of how bad we've played at some points this year.

I'd argue their basketball players are better than your basketball players. They have the most stacked team in NBA history. Four all nba players and useful veterans. They won 73 games and then added the second best player in the world. It's a joke.

 

[priceFTW]

The Warriors are in the midst of one of the most impressive 8 game stretches in NBA history relative to margin of victory and SRS of opponent. They've done all of this without Curry going crazy from three as well.

What's interesting is that the Warriors are better defensively without Durant even though Durant is having a great defensive year. They also all know their roles and play them better without Durant in there, BUT it's obvious that they'll be even tougher to defeat in a series with him in there.

If anything, with him back, it will mess up their flow a bit, until they get used to playing with him again. There's a reason this team was so good last year. Green's all-around game and defense, and Curry's gravity on offense are all clearly evident. It's strange that people call those two overrated but then look at a team that has outperformed every other team over a three year stretch in NBA history. There has to be a reason for it.

Mostly, though, this exposes Durant and his cowardly move. The Warriors would be the favorites to win the title WITHOUT Durant. Durant knows this and sees for himself how well the Warriors are playing without him and that he's just a luxury piece and is most valuable in that he's not on a possible OKC juggernaut.

 

[Rich]

I does expose Durant, but I think it forces people to admit some things they don't want to. This isn't a deep team. They aren't getting the benefit of all of those illegal screens from Bogut and still....they are really, really good. I think anyone who questioned Green as a top 20 player in the league need to totally scrap that.

 

[cavsfever]

The one silver lining on how the Warriors are playing right now is that it makes our achievement last year even more impressive.

PriceFTW is so right about how this puts Durant's cowardice into sharp relief. What a violation of the unwritten codes of athletic competition.

 

[LeBronistheKing2311]

Just another even more stacked super team for LeBron to conquer to add to his legend and legacy.

 

[mAo_mAo]

I don't give a shit how good the Warriors are in the regular season. Even with their current streak. This was the greatest regular season team last year who almost got bounced in the conference finals.

Playoffs is still a different animal. Starkly different.

 

[Ohio]

I know I've said this a lot, but Iggy isn't leaving this team in the offseason. That dude will sign for the minimum if he has to. People that think he may actually leave are fooling themselves.

Good news is he's 33 and we saw signs of his body breaking down during The Finals last year.

 

[Rich]

I don't give a shit how good the Warriors are in the regular season. Even with their current streak. This was the greatest regular season team last year who almost got bounced in the conference finals.

Playoffs is still a different animal. Starkly different.

Honestly other than fans of a rival team, who the hell cares about "almost" losing in the playoffs?

 

[mhi]

I'd argue their basketball players are better than your basketball players.

So let me expound on what I mean.

Basically given the factors below, there is a limit or a ceiling on how many points (read: production) a basketball team can have in any given game relative to their collective talent level. The rest comes down to consistency of the execution.

- Only 5 players on the court at the same time
- 48mins of regular time
- Set shot clock
- Variability of health
- Variability of officiating

My argument is that we have the talent to reach that ceiling just as they do. Do they execute more consistently at a micro and macro level? Sure, that's why they have the better record. But that's not to say we can't match that level on a seconds, minutes, games, and 7 game series course.

We absolutely can.

Wether or not we will or have built up the habits to do so is another story we may see play out if we end matched up against them in the Finals.

 

[TheProdigy]

 

[Simon]

 

[Ohio]

 

[FritzLn]

smh. not even going to watch the playoffs this year. KD is really going to be rewarded for being a bitch. worst year ever

 

[Jscc]

I have no sympathy for Houston. They're making Green look like prime Mutumbo in the paint.

 

[Scholar]

Much as I despise Mr Green, watching that clip, Harden did have a handful of the front of Draymond's jersey.