NBA 2016: This is what it sounds like when Dubs fly

[Bonesy]

The dream is still alive. And I wasn't worried for a second. 

I was worried for like 500 seconds.

[DireWolfSpirit]

Memphis played decently for 3 quarters and then failed to execute in the 4th. Missed calls or not, they have only themselves to blame for coming up short in this one. I think I heard the announcer say they were 3 of 16 (shooting) over one stretch in the 4th.

[Relic]

The Spurs team defense is incredible. GS has 14 points on 21% shooting in the first...

[Ramsay B.]

Go Spurs Go!

[Jaime L]

Steph Curry is a God. Follows up a 16 point 3rd quarter by making a 65 footer...a millisecond after the buzzer. 

ETA: Beating a 39-0 at home Spurs team feels like the perfect way to earn pivotal win 72. 

[Ramsay B.]

26 minutes ago, Jaime L said:

Steph Curry is a God. Follows up a 16 point 3rd quarter by making a 65 footer...a millisecond after the buzzer. 

Like the 10th time he's done that shit this year too, it's nuts. Bulls record will fall .

[Jaime L]

6 minutes ago, Ramsay Blow said:

Like the 10th time he's done that shit this year too, it's nuts. Bulls record will fall .

Looks that way. Course the Bulls went 15-3 in the playoffs that year beating two 60+ win teams in the process. Warriors will have to at least match that to make their case as greatest team ever. Not gonna be easy. 

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

Whew! That was a close one. Record tied. I hope Scottie Pippen was watching. 

[Sir Thursday]

On 09/04/2016 at 7:35 PM, Calibandar said:

Popovich rested his starters against the Nuggets and lost that game ( barely btw, which says enough about the quality difference and Denver isn't even one of the worst teams) so it looks like he will play his best team against GS.

On another note I hear a lot of comments recently from guys who are being interviewed that the reason teams play differently nowadays is because there aren't any dominant centers anymore. Every one of them says the style has changed because the players have changed. There is no David Robinson/Olajuwon/Ewing/Shaq player any more they say, and that is why the game has changed.

I'm inclined to disagree somewhat with that. Not entirely, but somewhat. They say players aren't taught those skills anymore and the talent just isn't there. But I wonder if the 3-point style hasn't just taken over anyway, because it's more rewarding.

Cousins is surely a dominant center. Drummond is getting better each year and is already very good this year. Anthony Davis is a big guy who plays PF or center. And then you've got guys like DeAndre Jordan and Dwight Howard, one of whom has serious limitations which indeed puts far off the legendary center status, and Dwight of course has been in premature decline but may pick up again on a new team next season. Cousins and Davis are huge talents but even they are not getting their teams across the finish line. Drummond is important in Detroit but it's not like the offense goes through him all or even most of the time. I just wonder if those guys from the past were genuinely so much better than the current centers and power forwards, or if the game in the NBA has really just caught up that with that low post play anyway and another style is deemed more efficient?

 

 

One big factor is the rule changes. The rules preventing double teams meant that if you had a good post-game, you could take your man one-on-one in the post and score consistently. It was a great source of points. Now the rules have changed to allow double teams and defenses utilise them a lot more (there's also the 5-second count on post-ups, but I've only ever seen that called twice in an NBA game and I don't think it has the same impact). It it no longer an efficient and consistent source of points to catch the ball with your back to the basket and go to work - now you have to be alert to the double team and pass the ball out when it arrives. Because of this dynamic big men can't rack up the stats the way they used to.

As others have also said, I think the skill level probably was a bit higher in the post in previous days, but I would say its de-emphasis is most likely to be as a result of the rule changes making it not worth spending as much time on in training (although maybe there's some merit to the arguments about the damage the AAU pipeline causes).

ST

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

Was it still a mistake to schedule two Warriors/Spurs games this late in the season? 

That said, what a great game. I still think the Spurs should be favored in a best of 7, but at this point I think it's 50.1% vs. 49.9%.

 

[Red Tiger]

12 hours ago, Ramsay Blow said:

Like the 10th time he's done that shit this year too, it's nuts. Bulls record will fall .

I was wrong, I was wrrooooong. I.Was.Wroooooooooong

 

Bonus point if you get that reference.

 

[Relic]

So no Timmy, but i think more importantly, Diaw did not play. I think he's a major factor in a game against a team like GS.

That said, 73 games. Wow. I'm not ruling out Memphis coming out dead set on playing the villain, but odds are GS gets the win. Incredible season. 

[Jaime L]

35 minutes ago, Relic said:

So no Timmy, but i think more importantly, Diaw did not play. I think he's a major factor in a game against a team like GS.

That said, 73 games. Wow. I'm not ruling out Memphis coming out dead set on playing the villain, but odds are GS gets the win. Incredible season. 

Truly when those moobs start swaying it's almost hypnotic to the opponent. 

I think we should make the same bet as last year. 

1 hour ago, Tywin et al. said:

Was it still a mistake to schedule two Warriors/Spurs games this late in the season? 

That said, what a great game. I still think the Spurs should be favored in a best of 7, but at this point I think it's 50.1% vs. 49.9%.

 

Interesting. I mean you can definitely make a strong case for the Spurs. Genius coach, better point differential etc. But they did lose 3 of 4 to the Warriors and only figured out Steph once. I think the Warriors' A game beats the Spurs A game. But I also think the Spurs are more likely to be steadier with less variation in their performance. And honestly I'd be shocked (and dismayed) if we don't get this matchup in the WCF. 

[Maithanet]

5 minutes ago, Jaime L said:

Interesting. I mean you can definitely make a strong case for the Spurs. Genius coach, better point differential etc. But they did lose 3 of 4 to the Warriors and only figured out Steph once. I think the Warriors' A game beats the Spurs A game. But I also think the Spurs are more likely to be steadier with less variation in their performance. And honestly I'd be shocked (and dismayed) if we don't get this matchup in the WCF. 

I am probably going to get a month of SlingTV during the NBA playoffs, and the main reason is so I can watch Spurs vs Warriors.  I'll wait until at least the second round though, since none of the opening rounds are particularly interesting or even relevant.

I do think the Spurs have a legit chance of winning, and I don't see the two recent GS wins as particularly relevant.  If I had to pick one, I'd pick the Warriors, but it is very close.  One major X factor is how easily each team advances through the first two rounds.  If the Thunder give the Spurs as much trouble as they typically do in the playoffs, that could give GSW an edge, particularly if they are able to quickly dispatch the Clips/Blazers winner.

[Jaime L]

3 minutes ago, Maithanet said:

I am probably going to get a month of SlingTV during the NBA playoffs, and the main reason is so I can watch Spurs vs Warriors.  I'll wait until at least the second round though, since none of the opening rounds are particularly interesting or even relevant.

I do think the Spurs have a legit chance of winning, and I don't see the two recent GS wins as particularly relevant.  If I had to pick one, I'd pick the Warriors, but it is very close.  One major X factor is how easily each team advances through the first two rounds.  If the Thunder give the Spurs as much trouble as they typically do in the playoffs, that could give GSW an edge, particularly if they are able to quickly dispatch the Clips/Blazers winner.

Yeah it's virtually the only reason I'm keeping my cable subscription for a couple more months. And yeah the first round isn't looking that great. The only matchup that intrigues me is Celtics-Heat 

[sperry]

Thunder have always played well against the Spurs. That is not even close to a sure thing for the Spurs.  Unfortunately as a Thunder fan, the Golden State matchup is abysmal.

 

Thunder also look like they may be getting the easiest 1st round matchup with a completely depleted Grizzlies team.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

20 minutes ago, Jaime L said:

Interesting. I mean you can definitely make a strong case for the Spurs. Genius coach, better point differential etc. But they did lose 3 of 4 to the Warriors and only figured out Steph once. I think the Warriors' A game beats the Spurs A game. But I also think the Spurs are more likely to be steadier with less variation in their performance. And honestly I'd be shocked (and dismayed) if we don't get this matchup in the WCF. 

I'd argue that the Spurs looked like the better team until Curry put in his cheat codes. The main reason I think the Spurs can win is because the can get super physical with the Warriors' smaller players and that over the course of a long series that could have a huge effect.

[Rhom]

I feel weird... I like the Warriors as much as anyone who considers themself a fan of basketball without a specific team rooting interest; but the high school kid inside me wants Memphis to win to preserve my memories of the Bulls!

[Fez]

2 minutes ago, Rhom said:

I feel weird... I like the Warriors as much as anyone who considers them a fan of basketball without a specific team rooting interest; but the high school kid inside me wants Memphis to win to preserve my memories of the Bulls!

Unless the Warriors win the title though, it won't matter nearly as much as the Bulls' record did/does. So there's still that.

I would take the Warriors over the field, but winning a title is hard and the Spurs are really, really good too.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

4 minutes ago, Rhom said:

I feel weird... I like the Warriors as much as anyone who considers them a fan of basketball without a specific team rooting interest; but the high school kid inside me wants Memphis to win to preserve my memories of the Bulls!

Eh, I'm not sure the 2 are really mutually exclusive. That Bulls team will always be considered the best of its' era. I don't think one extra win would seal the argument in the Warriors favor or anything, given the difference in rules and such. I don't think it really takes anything away from that Bulls team, and don't forget the Warriors still have to win the ring to be put in the same conversation.