General Playoff Thread: The Long 2nd Season

luckiestman

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I don't think we can appreciate the shot making going on enough.

I'm fucking humbled by Klay and Steph.

I love everything about Klay's game. I'm working up a healthy dislike of Curry the same way I disliked Sugar Ray Leonard when I was a kid. Dbag Green and Aww Shucks face Kerr can suck a bag of dicks too.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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This series was over two games ago according to the pundits and a lot of fans. Recency bias is a bitch as is regression to the mean. The Thunder weren't that great and the Warriors not as bad as they seemed. I don't know who wins a game seven but Goddamn I am glad we get one. Thompson and Curry were beasts.
 

BigSoxFan

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3rd best player in the league shoots a lot for his team. Is called selfish. News at 11?

10-31 ain't gonna get it done. Turnovers were obviously killers. Calling that "selfish" is hilariously short sighted.
Yes, he was selfish down the stretch. Forced everything. It happens.
 

luckiestman

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This series was over two games ago according to the pundits and a lot of fans. Recency bias is a bitch as is regression to the mean. The Thunder weren't that great and the Warriors not as bad as they seemed. I don't know who wins a game seven but Goddamn I am glad we get one. Thompson and Curry were beasts.

Reminds me a lot of when Celtics went up 3-2 on the heat.
 

jablo1312

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This series was over two games ago according to the pundits and a lot of fans. Recency bias is a bitch as is regression to the mean. The Thunder weren't that great and the Warriors not as bad as they seemed. I don't know who wins a game seven but Goddamn I am glad we get one. Thompson and Curry were beasts.
I know you're happy for your team, as you should be, but STFU with the "everyone thought this series was over" garbage. Anybody with half a brain gave the Warriors a solid chance of coming back in this series.
 

RoDaddy

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Switching back and forth b/w the game and James Taylor on Austin City Limits (love when he sings "Steamroller'!). GS's great comeback underscores the power of the 3 and how much the Celts need a 3-point shooter
 

Cellar-Door

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Iguodala great down the stretch on D.
OKC's offense fell apart though, they went from moving the ball to dribbling down the clock so they could launch an ISO into a doubleteam over, and over, and over. Just brutally bad offense going into prevent mode.

Underrated mistakes by Donovan, having Roberson hack to get 5 fouls then pulling him out when he was playing great D, that was a stretch where Waiters gave up a bunch of open looks to Thompson and the lead disappeared.
 

luckiestman

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Switching back and forth b/w the game and James Taylor on Austin City Limits (love when he sings "Steamroller'!). GS's great comeback underscores the power of the 3 and how much the Celts need a 3-pointer shooter

If you like Sweet Baby James, you should definitely listen to his interview on WTF with Marc Maron
 

ifmanis5

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Iguodala great down the stretch on D.
OKC's offense fell apart though, they went from moving the ball to dribbling down the clock so they could launch an ISO into a doubleteam over, and over, and over. Just brutally bad offense going into prevent mode.

Underrated mistakes by Donovan, having Roberson hack to get 5 fouls then pulling him out when he was playing great D, that was a stretch where Waiters gave up a bunch of open looks to Thompson and the lead disappeared.
Yup. 0 assists for OKC in the 4th qtr.
 

Kliq

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I know you're happy for your team, as you should be, but STFU with the "everyone thought this series was over" garbage. Anybody with half a brain gave the Warriors a solid chance of coming back in this series.
I imagine the Skip Bayless' of the world said that, but I don't recall anyone on the board saying that GS was done.
 

RedOctober3829

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I know you're happy for your team, as you should be, but STFU with the "everyone thought this series was over" garbage. Anybody with half a brain gave the Warriors a solid chance of coming back in this series.
I don't think there were many people saying GS had a solid chance of winning this series after Game 4. Most gave them Game 5, but not many gave them a shot in Game 6. Anyone who had watched this series would think OKC would finish them off tonight given how they played GS at home in this series.

OKC simply did not play the same brand of basketball tonight that they did to win Games 3 and 4. GS's two stars outplayed OKC's two stars. Curry played a great overall game tonight and Klay was otherworldly shooting the ball.
 

Ed Hillel

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He'll be leaving close to that much on the table if he signs a long-term deal this summer and doesn't get hurt -- to say nothing of the risk of being marooned in OKC for the rest of his prime if Westbrook bolts next summer.
So why would he return to OKC at all? I don't see it.
 

mauf

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Underrated mistakes by Donovan, having Roberson hack to get 5 fouls then pulling him out when he was playing great D, that was a stretch where Waiters gave up a bunch of open looks to Thompson and the lead disappeared.
I don't think that's a mistake by Donovan -- to the contrary, he realized how much his team would suffer with Roberson on the bench and correctly left him in the game. Not his fault that Roberson picked up #5 on a bonehead play.
 

Cellar-Door

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I don't think that's a mistake by Donovan -- to the contrary, he realized how much his team would suffer with Roberson on the bench and correctly left him in the game. Not his fault that Roberson picked up #5 on a bonehead play.
No I was saying benching Roberson when he did in the 4th was the mistake. Should have let him play with 5, he sat him and immediately GS went on a run. Also he used him on the hack-a earlier I believe, which upped his foul count.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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I know you're happy for your team, as you should be, but STFU with the "everyone thought this series was over" garbage. Anybody with half a brain gave the Warriors a solid chance of coming back in this series.
My statement was factual. And they aren't really my team. Note that I never called out any posters here - I would agree that many folks here gave them a chance. Not so much in the media

Finally, you are telling me to STFU? Are you a mod here? Do we need to get one involved because you are one of those people who want to stifle those who have differing views from you? Frankly, its weak message-boarding.
 

jablo1312

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I don't think there were many people saying GS had a solid chance of winning this series after Game 4. Most gave them Game 5, but not many gave them a shot in Game 6. Anyone who had watched this series would think OKC would finish them off tonight given how they played GS at home in this series.

OKC simply did not play the same brand of basketball tonight that they did to win Games 3 and 4. GS's two stars outplayed OKC's two stars. Curry played a great overall game tonight and Klay was otherworldly shooting the ball.
"Not many gave them a shot in Game 6.

They were 3 point underdogs. Idk if that = "not having a shot" but w/e, I guess.

My statement was factual. And they aren't really my team. Note that I never called out any posters here - I would agree that many folks here gave them a chance. Not so much in the media

Finally, you are telling me to STFU? Are you a mod here? Do we need to get one involved because you are one of those people who want to stifle those who have differing views from you? Frankly, its weak message-boarding.
I guess we're just talking to different people then. I don't know anyone, nor have i seen any person or pundit that said GSW was "done" after 4 games. Especially with 2 of those to go at home. I think some people said "If the Warriors continue to play like trash, they will not win this series". Which remains true.

Not stifling anything. I'll watch the abbreviations if that's frowned upon. But:

"This series was over two games ago according to the pundits and a lot of fans."

is not "factual" in the reality that I live in.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Wait, DeJesus you're not a warriors fan? Wtf
I am a bandwagon fan from back in the 2007 "We Believe" Baron Davis, Don Nelson days - I don't want to insult the true die-hards like SamRayNot (who is probably over the moon right now). Back then this forum was me, Rocco, who apparently died from eating something gnarly, HRB, and a few others. I was born and raised to root for the Boston Celtics though.

And I want to be clear, I never said anyone here called the series over but many media pundits (see Simmons, Bill for example) and casual fans did.

This forum is cool because we have all sorts of fans here with many different perspectives. I cannot imagine how AMS25 feels right now and I am bummed for that poster so no celebratory posts from me. Also because I think the Thunder can still take this series, even in Oakland. But I have no time for people to telling other posters to shut up because they don't like their opinion. Its bullshit and weak - it has no place here. "STFU"? Really?
 

nattysez

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As soon as the GSW went up 3, Durant went into panic mode and gave the game away. I'd say I'm surprised, but IIRC, OKC had 4th q issues all year. Dubs are currently an 8 point favorite in Vegas for G7.

Klay is such an enigmatic player. He looked AWFUL early tonight, to the point that Kerr sat him. But then he locked in.

That game was amazing.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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This game the Thunder shot 13% from behind the three point line (3-23). That is not a typo. Roberson deferred (he didn't take a shot or was denied the opportunity), Waiters was his standard 1-3 and Westbrook was 0-5. The other two made threes were from Durant who was 1-8 and Ibaka who was 1-6. I suspect they will bounce back but unless you are committed to shooting from deep and have the right personnel to do it, its folly to use it as a strategy.

That said, I think OKC will counterpunch with Roberson hard on Klay on Monday while everyone else thrashes on Curry. Meanwhile, Russ will continue to create havoc in the paint and hope to kick it to the open man as the defense collapses on him. The Thunder can win this game but they need to tune out the crowd and what has happened to date. That is, obviously, easier said than done.

Finally, Durant should stay in Oklahoma City long-term regardless of what happens on Monday. Adams is the real deal, Westbrook is brilliant and seems to have found a new gear. Ibaka is a rim protector with offense and Roberson is a true defensive stopper with an ability to score here and there. If they can add a few pieces, this team is a title contender for sure. I would love him in Boston or Oakland/SF, not so much in San Antonio but the right spot for him is to stay with the Thunder. Its not his fault he and Westbrook are the only scoring options for the team so his shooting tonight is completely understandable. The guy is a stud and people killing him are missing the point.
 

tbrep

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Finally, Durant should stay in Oklahoma City long-term regardless of what happens on Monday. Its not his fault he and Westbrook are the only scoring options for the team so his shooting tonight is completely understandable. The guy is a stud and people killing him are missing the point.
I think people are perfectly justified in criticizing Durant heavily. It's not just the shot selection and execution (if the jumper isn't falling, you've got to drive more than he did). The most disappointing part of his night was how sloppy he was with the ball - crucial turnovers at critical times and it would've been even worse if he wasn't bailed out by some soft foul calls when he lost the ball on fast breaks.

This was a truly awful game beyond the poor shooting numbers.
 

reggiecleveland

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To begin the 4th Westbrook abandoned the J and was getting to the rim. GS really can't guard him if he gets the ball after a rotation, with quick passing. I love Durant, but he blew it. He put the ball on the floor and forced the issue. It is too simplistic to say that OKC doesn't have enough scorers. When they were swinging the ball with the pass they were killing GS on the window. They needed to have Durant take those shots as the clock wound down, not on the 1st pass or two.

I feel confident GS wins it all now.
 

tbrep

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Your memories of 2012 have faded -- the answer is LBJ, and it's not close. That might be the best non-Jordan playoff performance I've ever seen.
Nah, I agree with you. I'd go with Lebron because he just took control from the opening tip.

But I can see the argument for Klay. 11/18 from downtown single handedly CPR'd the Warriors' season. They would've been down 20 heading down the stretch if it wasn't for his shooting.
 

johnmd20

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I know you're happy for your team, as you should be, but STFU with the "everyone thought this series was over" garbage. Anybody with half a brain gave the Warriors a solid chance of coming back in this series.
His posing about anything Golden State is pretty bad and very tiring. Agreed on the STFU. Nobody thought this series was over. Recency bias claim is a joke. Golden State broke the record for wins in a season. Nobody was giving up on them.
 

BigSoxFan

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Your memories of 2012 have faded -- the answer is LBJ, and it's not close. That might be the best non-Jordan playoff performance I've ever seen.
Agreed. He also had the weight of the 2010 playoff loss and the 2011 Finals loss on him in that one. The stupid "LeBron is a choker" stuff was at its max levels before this game. And he came out and just dominated. And then went on to win 2 titles to erase any questions about his legacy (although if he loses again this year there may be some 'LeBron is 2-5!!!!" stuff.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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I wonder how much of a role fatigue is playing on both sides. We've talked about curry but also KD, RW, and Klay have critical roles on both defense and offense. KD I'm sure isn't used to chasing guards for 48 minutes plus his role in OKC's offense.

OKC went to hero ball when things got tight. It would have been worse if they didn't get a couple of put backs off air balls.

looking forward to game 7.
 

HomeRunBaker

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As soon as the GSW went up 3, Durant went into panic mode and gave the game away. I'd say I'm surprised, but IIRC, OKC had 4th q issues all year. Dubs are currently an 8 point favorite in Vegas for G7.

Klay is such an enigmatic player. He looked AWFUL early tonight, to the point that Kerr sat him. But then he locked in.

That game was amazing.
Hey I'm all for drama and everything but to simply make stuff up that didn't occur and post as fact is irresponsible. Had someone not watched the game and saw this post they would think Klay was actually benched for poor performance. Klay played 41 of the games 48 minutes, taking his normal rotation rests for 4 minutes in the first half and 3 minutes at the end of the 3rd. Kerr never "sat him."
 

BigSoxFan

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I wonder how much of a role fatigue is playing on both sides. We've talked about curry but also KD, RW, and Klay have critical roles on both defense and offense. KD I'm sure isn't used to chasing guards for 48 minutes plus his role in OKC's offense.

OKC went to hero ball when things got tight. It would have been worse if they didn't get a couple of put backs off air balls.

looking forward to game 7.
I'm sure a significant role for OKC. They're just not deep at all. But I don't think fatigue was the reason they lost their way in the 4th. You could see Durant panic after Curry drained the 3 to GS up 104-101. Westbrook even threw his hands up in the air and gave him a "WTF, dude" look. Durant knew this was his chance at a finals appearance and simply got out of his game. Obviously, the fact that his shot was off all game didn't help matters.
 

Gunfighter 09

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TNT highlighting the worst officiated game ever?
Kings robbed in game 7 vs Lakers. Shameful.
That was game 6. The Kings got straight beat at home in game seven when they missed 14 of 30 free throws, 18 of 20 3s and nobody but Mike Bibby wanted to shoot while Kobe took over in OT.
 

amarshal2

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I'm sure a significant role for OKC. They're just not deep at all. But I don't think fatigue was the reason they lost their way in the 4th. You could see Durant panic after Curry drained the 3 to GS up 104-101. Westbrook even threw his hands up in the air and gave him a "WTF, dude" look. Durant knew this was his chance at a finals appearance and simply got out of his game. Obviously, the fact that his shot was off all game didn't help matters.
Probably just a typo but with a game/quarter/shot that big Klay needs the credit. Curry hit the one before, I think.
 

BigSoxFan

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Probably just a typo but with a game/quarter/shot that big Klay needs the credit. Curry hit the one before, I think.
Whoops - my bad. Was going off memory and hard to remember the sequence since they were both draining clutch shot after clutch shot down the stretch.
 

jablo1312

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In time, I think that Klay performance will take it's place in the decades great playoff games (i.e., I'm thinking it will hold up very well historically) 11-18 from 3. That's insane enough. Doing it on the road, with as much pressure as a favorite can face, down by a solid margin in the 4th...it's on the short list of greatest shooting performances in the history of the league IMO (not scoring, but shooting).


Those last 3 shots are incredible. The 2nd to last one with 5:00 left, down 7...I mean, he doesn't even set his feet on that shot. That was the point where it felt like OKC could push the lead to 10 and have a real chance to run the clock out, and then that dagger drops and its a whole new game. Legendary stuff from that guy.
 

ifmanis5

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You know who was also great last night? Marv Albert. Right on top of everything, doesn't save his Breengasm for some players and not others, keeps the broadcast about storylines and action, not hot take commentary.
 

BigSoxFan

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It was amazing. Thompson went on his three point barrages when OKC had GS on the ropes in the 2nd quarter and again in the 4th when a couple stops and scores would have won the game for OKC. Everybody will remember the 4th quarter stuff but it was the second quarter streak that allowed Curry and everyone else to settle down. Should have been a 10-15 point halftime deficit for GS and was only 5.
 

Gunfighter 09

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You know who was also great last night? Marv Albert. Right on top of everything, doesn't save his Breengasm for some players and not others, keeps the broadcast about storylines and action, not hot take commentary.
He was great, that was also the first time I have heard (or at least noticed) Webber and he was excellent as well. I really appreciate the way he provides insights that he sees from his courtside seat that we don't. I think the best example is how he was giving a play by play on the elbows and pushing between Green and Adams throughout the game that was largely happening outside of the camera's view. He is so much better than Reggie Miller and certainly better than Jackson.
 

jon abbey

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Actually Marv has slipped somewhat, he messes up a handful of calls every game ("Out of bounds! (pause, pause, pause) Oh, now they're calling it a foul."), but for a guy who started calling the Knicks in 1967, his longevity has been impressive.
 

DannyDarwinism

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A Game 7 with four guys (and I wouldn't put it past Draymond either) who can basically go God Mode is pretty exciting. Loving this series.
 

Kliq

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He was great, that was also the first time I have heard (or at least noticed) Webber and he was excellent as well. I really appreciate the way he provides insights that he sees from his courtside seat that we don't. I think the best example is how he was giving a play by play on the elbows and pushing between Green and Adams throughout the game that was largely happening outside of the camera's view. He is so much better than Reggie Miller and certainly better than Jackson.
Webber was great. I remember Webber said something like "The referees have to step in and control the paint, Mo Speights just three and elbow and the game is getting too chippy inside." Literally the moment he finished that sentence the refs whistled Speights for putting a headlock on Waiters while trying to post up. The sign of a good color commentator for me is to point out things that I wouldn't have noticed otherwise and Webber was right on top of everything.