The funny thing is I actually very much dislike watching Houston play. Two players going 1on1 every time down the court is boring. Harden is boring to watch. I generally just watched their box scores this year.
But I'm drawn in only because that style, with that roster, is how to beat Golden State.
And instead of saying Houston never had a shot, let's just all admit we were wrong about them, and go about trying to build a team like that. Cause that's how you beat Golden State.
You get a bunch of guys who can switch around the perimeter and then at least two guys who can play isolation basketball to neutralize the Warriors wanting to switch everything. And you play boring ass, grind it out, 1on1 on ball and hoist a ton of 3s.
Kawhi is obviously the big dog.
But if not him, we could make it work with someone like Lillard if we could also get one of their wings like AMinu or Harkless. Kemba Walker, while not the same type of scorer, is a far grittier defender and can offer resistance on that end that Kyrie never could.
But we need to actively seek out big, long wings who can shoot and defend. So, Batum and Walker, or Lillard and Aminu. These things work and give us a shot as long as LeBron is playing like this again next year.
The trick is finding a player like Capela. I'm hoping Nance can be like 75% of that next year.
The key thing to takeaway though is this: they are NOT invincible. They aren't. I know after last summer I thought they were, along with everyone else.
But their bench sucks. They whiffed on all of their acquisitions this year. Iguodala isn't just hurt, he's flat not nearly as impactful anymore and all of a sudden Draymond Green is VERY afraid to shoot the ball, which has kinda gone unnoticed. He doesn't shoot 3s anymore. Or at least he hasn't been doing it much in the post-season.
You'll never be favored, but there are ways to give yourself a legit shot.
