[Strauss] Talked to someone in the Warriors FO about what marked the start of the turnaround. His response: Trading Maggette (twitter.com)
[ESPNStatsInfo] Elo Ratings projections: Jordan’s Bulls had > 66% chance to win in 5 of 6 Finals; LeBron’s teams had < 33% chance to win in 4 of 6 Finals (twitter.com)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">From the mind of <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNationGIF">@SBNationGIF</a> comes the Star Wars-NBA Finals mashup you've been waiting for: <a href="https://t.co/C00JZPWIMF">https://t.co/C00JZPWIMF</a> <a href="http://t.co/f5loGtdB1J">pic.twitter.com/f5loGtdB1J</a></p>— SB Nation NBA (@SBNationNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNationNBA/status/611283450381774848">June 17, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
While people talked about injuries to other teams, they forgot to mention the injuries the Warriors suffered to players, all starter in the previous season. Bogut was out for more than a qtr of the season due to injury, never be able to get fully healthy, had to play limited minutes during the regular season (~23min), and playoff. David Lee was out most of the season, never had chance to get back in shape & team rotation because of that. Say all you want about Lee, but the guy was an all star, 3rd team NBA two years ago, average 20/10. He certainly would help the Warriors if healthy. Ezeli had a season ending injury, didn't play at all last season, still recovery when the season started, barely got the time to get back in shape and rotation. He was their starting center before the injury, the Warriors had high hope on the guy prior to the injury. Injury happens to every team, luck is part of the whole deal. No one felt sorry for the Warriors when Curry couldn't shake the ankle injury for several years.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Warriors fans galore on this flight to SF. Seating delayed slightly by guy trying to jam Steph Curry cardboard cutout face in overhead bin.</p>— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) <a href="https://twitter.com/sam_amick/status/611299561945059329">June 17, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congrats to <a href="https://twitter.com/andre">@andre</a> on the MVP honors last night. Well deserved, Dre</p>— Allen Iverson (@alleniverson) <a href="https://twitter.com/alleniverson/status/611299359129518082">June 17, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">"Ma, they told me I couldn't play on this league. ***** em all, ***** em all!" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoonUp?src=hash">#GoonUp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PayDray?src=hash">#PayDray</a> <a href="http://t.co/pRdBRnCHmw">pic.twitter.com/pRdBRnCHmw</a></p>— Jae Azizi (@JaeAzizi) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaeAzizi/status/611348789140459521">June 18, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
fair enough...clippers would have made it tougher, but still think they'd be the underdogs by a good margin
Harrison Barnes says Warriors' championship champagne was his first alcoholic drink: Two Warriors famously abstain from alcohol, Iguodala and Harrison Barnes, and both were under more pressure to drink than college freshmen. “They didn’t get me,” Iguodala claimed. “They got me,” Barnes admitted. When Barnes slipped out the door a little before 3 a.m., saying he needed to shower back at the Ritz, reserve guard Justin Holiday hollered after him: “You’re going to be asleep in 10 minutes.” Barnes, true to his word, returned. The party churned past 5 a.m. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-b...-was-his-first-alcoholic-drink-160336480.html
Warriors health personnel had done something to all their players to avoid or lessen their injuries. You can read on Curry's quad training as your reference. Even Kerr told his players to get whatever they need to be healthy. Massage, treatments, training, anything... It's on ESPN. Injuries can be lessened with proper care and proper recovery. It's not pure luck.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Shawn Marion just told ESPN via text he indeed plans to retire now to stay in line with what he announced earlier this season to <a href="https://twitter.com/paulcoro">@paulcoro</a></p>— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/611632534154186752">June 18, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Are you trying to pretend that this isn't the NBA standard? The media hyped that cryo-recovery device that Lebron used while the Rockets have had one for a few years. Also, the Rockets have access to some of the best PTs in the world because if the med center yet suffered a ridiculous injury riddled season. What's the narrative now?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Parade bus for Stephen Curry & Andre Iguodala have their Twitter handles on it <a href="http://t.co/Q63pTvu0BH">pic.twitter.com/Q63pTvu0BH</a></p>— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) <a href="https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/611918032861036544">June 19, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Not pretending on anything, but there are corrective and strengthening exercises for example that only few teams are implementing now. E.g., Phoenix Suns, they're pioneers of this and became famous because of this (Grant Hill). GSW followed through. I don't know if it's the same case though with the Rockets... http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/201...ayoffs-how-stephen-curry-put-ankle-issues-him I bet you know Greg Oden and his famous injury and the analysis on his uncorrected gait. Of course some injuries can't be entirely avoided due to the nature of the game, but the injury can be lessened so recovery time can be lessened too. Admit it or not, GSW players right now are well managed from gait, food (Barnes and Iggy tasting alcohol through the championship champagne for the whole year) down to their playing time. I'm not an expert but you can't argue GSW's success. Best PTs in the world? They're only there for recovery but to avoid or lessen the injury, it's modern sports science.
You can read more on Curry's training here... http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/201...ayoffs-how-stephen-curry-put-ankle-issues-him
