[The Athletic] The Warriors and Rockets aren't as similar as you think — it's a fascinating strategi

BigMaloe · Jan 20, 2018

ThatBoyNick said: ↑

My biggest observation is the amount of players they have that can't shoot the 3. GSW really only has 4 capable 3PT shooters this year in Curry, Thompson, Durant and Young, the rest of the team can't shoot worth a lick basically, Casspi shocking has only made 9 threes total this season in 40 games.

GS is thought of as an insane 3PT shooting team, but its funny how top heavy their shooting is. Green, Iggy, Livingston, McCaw are all key non center rotation players who are shooting 30% or below.
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Belinelli incoming watch

napalm06 · Jan 20, 2018

(OP asks for article to be posted)
(clutchfans release their pent up Golden State worship)

hakeem94 · Jan 20, 2018

chenjy9 said: ↑

Does GSW have more talent on the offensive end than we do? Of course. People should not forget this one simple fact however: there is only ONE ball. What that means is this:

- Barring offensive rebounds, teams trade possessions
- Only one player has the ball at any given time
- Each successful possession has only one scorer

What this means for the Rockets in a vacuum is that per possession, it doesn't matter if they have 4 allstars in a spread offense while we only have 1 player running the PnR if both are comparable in their ability to end a score. The point of an offensive system is to efficiently manufacturer points and we have a damn good one under MDA, Harden, and CP3.

I hope people do not misunderstand what I am saying that roster doesn't matter, that their all-stars do not matter in comparison to our 2 superstars as they absolutely do in the sense that they can sustain injuries and fatigue much better than our team can. However, if we can keep up the energy in a series with them where 2-3 of our shooters are hot, we have as good a chance as any to beat them.
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AWESOME

Cstyle42 · Jan 20, 2018

hakeem94 said: ↑

AWESOME
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Lol he's right about it being one ball and getting the best shot each possession. Rockets don't have as much firepower but we do have enough to have a punchers chance

We just got to make this fight be the type of fight that favors our style.

YaoMing#1 · Jan 20, 2018

Lets just state the facts.

The warriors are the first team to have two mvp winners under the age of 30 on the same team.

The warriors also have 2 other guys who have made allstar teams and all nba teams.

One of those guys has won DPOY.

They won 67 game and a championship and the next year won 73 games and lost the championship in 7 games and that was without KD who’s their most talented player.

They were already historical without KD now there the best and most talented team in league history.

I really hope that over the next 2 years something happens and klay breaks free just so it evens the playing field a little bit.

I love the nba and I respect the hell out of the rockets for being the one team that really seems to be making the proper moves to give the warriors a run for their money.

But it’s not enough

The warriors are killing basketball. This is year 4 of them being 3 levels higher than anyone else with no end in site.

If they can keep their big 4 together they will win the next 4 championships with ease.

ipaman · Jan 20, 2018

No one has a chance to take down the Warriors and it's not anyone's fault but KDs. That said, we're the best chance of the no chance so I'll take it.

kjayp · Jan 20, 2018

We could get hot at any given time and outshoot the Warriors - but I dont see that happening enough to win a 7 game series...

If we beat the Warriors the key will be defense.

James and Curry have both been questionable defenders over the years... the difference is James can play good solid D - Curry really cant - Curry' on defense is a liability to be exploited.

In order to win a series...
a) We need solid D throughout - no leaving guys alone at the 3 pt line to shoot uncontested shots....
b) We need stellar shot selection - we need to adjust to take whatever the defense gives us - whether thats 3s, in the paint or mid-range - take the best % shot based on the defense you are facing...
c) We need to play as a team with proper ball movement for the entire game - no reverting to hero ball....

If we play smart ball... I think we could have a 50/50 shot at beating the warriors...

Unfortunately, I think MDA is too stubborn - he's gona wanna play 'his gameplan' without adjusting to the defense presented... and when times get tough and faced with adversity, defense will lag and we will revert to slowed down iso's and settling for contested 3s...

but hey, hope springs eternal... hopefully somebody in charge will see and avoid the pitfalls that we bring upon ourselves...

MD_in_Training · Jan 20, 2018

YaoMing#1 said: ↑

Lets just state the facts.

The warriors are the first team to have two mvp winners under the age of 30 on the same team.

The warriors also have 2 other guys who have made allstar teams and all nba teams.

One of those guys has won DPOY.

They won 67 game and a championship and the next year won 73 games and lost the championship in 7 games and that was without KD who’s their most talented player.

They were already historical without KD now there the best and most talented team in league history.

I really hope that over the next 2 years something happens and klay breaks free just so it evens the playing field a little bit.

I love the nba and I respect the hell out of the rockets for being the one team that really seems to be making the proper moves to give the warriors a run for their money.

But it’s not enough

The warriors are killing basketball. This is year 4 of them being 3 levels higher than anyone else with no end in site.

If they can keep their big 4 together they will win the next 4 championships with ease.
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Agree 100% here. The Warriors are so far above the rest of the league that it's just a charade at this point. Not sure why NBA viewership is up with their product being the worst in recent history - considering the horrendous refs and the dominant Warriors. I have not watched a single non-Rockets game this year start to finish. Why waste time watching two insignificant teams go through the motions when you already know the ending to the 2018 NBA Finals? Sure I like basketball, but I can get my fix from watching game summaries that are posted daily on youtube.

We have a non-zero chance at upsetting the Warriors, but that isn't saying much. We are in that second tier which is populated by the likes of Celtics, Raptors, and healthy Spurs. For a second tier team to even compete with the Warriors, each would need to add someone on the caliber of Lebron, Anthony Davis, or Greek Freak. And this is just to compete - not to be the favorites. This is the sad state of the NBA we are in today.

YaoMing#1 · Jan 20, 2018

MD_in_Training said: ↑

Agree 100% here. The Warriors are so far above the rest of the league that it's just a charade at this point. Not sure why NBA viewership is up with their product being the worst in recent history - considering the horrendous refs and the dominant Warriors. I have not watched a single non-Rockets game this year start to finish. Why waste two insignificant teams go through the motions when you already know the ending to the 2018 NBA Finals? Sure I like basketball, but I can get my fix from watching game summaries that are posted daily on youtube.

We have a non-zero chance at upsetting the Warriors, but that isn't saying much. We are in that second tier which is populated by the likes of Celtics, Raptors, and healthy Spurs. For a second tier team to even compete with the Warriors, each would need to add someone on the caliber of Lebron, Anthony Davis, or Greek Freak. And this is just to compete - not to be the favorites. This is the sad state of the NBA we are in today.
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The fact that a team with harden and cp3 would have to add Lebron to even compete is a huge problem. Not be the favorite but just compete. It’s awful

I’m sure most owners are not thrilled with the warriors.

Quite frankly the warriors games and playoff series are boring. They just steam roll teams and never have any game truely in doubt.

Sure they have a lot of highlights because that’s the byproduct of having two MVPs on your team. Those type of players make special plays that’s why there MVPs.

Klay and green while great players are not exciting to watch.

It’s interesting to see klay score 20 points in one quarter but when you break it down it’s just him shooting no dribble spot up shots. There would be no difference in him or Jj Redick doing that. Only reason its huge news is because it’s a warriors player.

The whole warriors image has grown tired on me. Like I hated them before they got KD but I also realized how good and entertaining they were to watch and respected how they got there.

But since acquiring KD it’s like I almost don’t care anymore. It was the ultimate FU to the rest of the league and fans.

Realisticly because of the way the cap spike fell right in their lap the year before Curry’s raise while KD was hitting FAs. This will never be duplicated and no team can make it happen without stars taking huge payouts and that’s not going to happen.

I can’t even understand how the warriors pay curry 40m KD 26m klay and green 20m and iggy 16m or whatever it is.

We’re is this money coming from?

It’s wack and it’s why like you I don’t watch any basketball other than the rockets nowadays which has never been the case for me.

Phillyrocket · Jan 20, 2018

If we play defense like we did during the winning streak we have a chance. During that streak we were getting steals and fast breaks, easy buckets, and we rebounded like crazy. That team fully healthy playing a top 5 defense has a chance but I still don’t think we can take them.

Add LeBron and subtract Ryno and Tucker next year and I think you are there. James will be a heat seeking missle wanting to take down the Warriors and disrupt their dynasty. And honestly I’m pretty damn confident LeBron comes to Houston no other team has a sniff of touching the Warriors but the Rockets.

hakeem94 · Jan 20, 2018

Phillyrocket said: ↑

If we play defense like we did during the winning streak we have a chance. During that streak we were getting steals and fast breaks, easy buckets, and we rebounded like crazy. That team fully healthy playing a top 5 defense has a chance but I still don’t think we can take them.

Add LeBron and subtract Ryno and Tucker next year and I think you are there. James will be a heat seeking missle wanting to take down the Warriors and disrupt their dynasty. And honestly I’m pretty damn confident LeBron comes to Houston no other team has a sniff of touching the Warriors but the Rockets.
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my eye test says rebounding is the key for us ....i would like to see the stats

napalm06 · Jan 20, 2018

RocketsMAN! said: ↑

https://theathletic.com/213642/2018...-fascinating-strategic-and-stylistic-matchup/

Can someone post the article please?
Click to expand...

Here's the article. It's long, and I have to break it into two posts due to character limit.

PART 1:

The Warriors and Rockets aren't as similar as you think — it's a fascinating strategic and stylistic matchup

By Anthony Slater Jan 19, 2018
HOUSTON — Steve Kerr gets several versions of the same question in media scrums all over the country. Sometimes it's less of a question and more of an established premise leading up to a question, like he got in Chicago this week.

The Bulls are reforming. Their offensive strategy is modernizing. They're taking 30 3-pointers a game, eight more than any other season in franchise history, bombing away like the rest of the league. So a reporter wanted to ask Kerr, the coach of the team “at the forefront of this 3-point revolution,” what he thought of the Bulls' experiment.

About an hour later, sitting down for an interview with The Athletic at the team's hotel, Kerr laughs at the idea.

“Nothing can be further from the truth,” Kerr said.

The Warriors have Stephen Curry, a revolutionary offensive player — altering how and from how far kids across the nation are comfortable jacking 3s — plus a modern defensive scheme, built around the switchability of the hyper-versatile Draymond Green, which others have tried to emulate.

But their offensive scheme? It's Curry raining those 3s from crazy distances and then a whole lot more 1980s than 2018, a whole lot more Triangle principles than pick-and-rolls.

They are far different than the team that is actually at the forefront of the 3-point revolution: Houston, the Warriors' next opponent (Saturday on ABC) and, to some, their biggest obstacle in the way of another title, now that Cleveland is melting.

In advance of a possible Western Conference finals, the series will be pinned up as the league's two most-efficient offenses going to battle, 3s galore. Some may expect to see modern mirror images. But these teams go about efficiently shredding defenses in divergent ways.

“We are so different from Houston,” Kerr said. “Houston bases their offense on just gathering as many 3-point shooters as they could and everything is pick-and-roll, whether it's (James) Harden and (Chris) Paul. We're more pass and cut, old-school ball movement.”

After a playing career absorbing offensive lessons from Tex Winter, Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich, Kerr retired in 2003 and began consulting the Phoenix Suns in 2004. That summer, Steve Nash returned for his second stint with the Suns and Mike D'Antoni was bumped from interim to full-time coach.

The Suns shot 14.7 three-point attempts per game the season before, middle of the pack in the NBA. The next season, D'Antoni's first with Nash, Phoenix took 24.7, then the most in the NBA. The next, they bumped it a peg up to 25.6.

“Teams were starting to shoot some more 3s, but it wasn't a philosophical shift,” Kerr said. “Guys were just shooting more 3s. Mike made it a philosophical switch for the entire league.”

Shawn Marion moved from small forward to power forward. Amar'e Stoudemire went from power forward to center. The Suns put Nash and Stoudemire in countless pick-and-rolls and spread shooters, like Marion and Quentin Richardson and James Jones and Eddie House and Joe Johnson, around them. Nash made all the decisions, but everyone bombed away.

“Nobody had ever done that,” Kerr said.

Kerr would later become general manager. There were some philosophical battles with D'Antoni, those traditional roots grumbling in his core. In February 2008, Kerr traded Marion for Shaquille O'Neal, an old school post-up center, even in his aged state. It never got Phoenix over the hump. Coach, general manager and franchise would all eventually part ways.

Now it's 2018 and life has rerouted them in different directions, lining up as NBA coaching rivals. Kerr runs the Warriors with somewhat of a modern flair, thanks in part to D'Antoni, he says. But D'Antoni has arrived in Houston and teamed with GM Daryl Morey and Harden — a modern, buffer Nash — to push his formula to the max, still leaving the rest of the league way behind.

This season, the Rockets are shooting an NBA-record 43.6 threes per game. No one else is taking more than 34.2, which would still be a non-Rockets record. But that gap between No. 1 and No. 2 is larger than it's ever been. The Warriors, at 29.1 per game, are 11th.

“What you're seeing in Houston now is really Mike and Daryl together — Daryl's belief in the math combined with Mike's vision for basketball and spacing,” Kerr said. “That's the team that is culminating the last decade plus of this revolution.”

Kerr took over the Warriors before the 2014-15 season. He inherited a Steph-centric offense that ran a ton of high screens. The Warriors were in the bottom half of the league in passes per game. He surveyed the roster, saw some untapped skills and let his inner Popovich begin strategizing.

“I came in thinking a lot about what good passers we had with our bigs — (Andrew) Bogut and David Lee,” Kerr said. “Didn't know how good Draymond was yet. But I knew I wanted to diversify the offense.”

The Spurs had just disposed of LeBron James' Heat in the Finals, demoralizing Miami in five quick games with an incredible blend of passing from all five spots.

“That's the team that we mirror most closely (right now) — the Spurs championship team in 2014,” Kerr said. “There's this beautiful mix of passing and shooting. But that team wasn't Houston. That (Spurs) team had a lot of guys who were just so-so 3-point shooters, but they had so many playmakers. That's who we are. That's who we most closely resemble, I think.”

Kerr went to Australia that summer to meet with Bogut. He showed him tape of an aging Tim Duncan, no longer the post threat he once was, but still remaining effective as a high-post facilitator, particularly with dribble hand-off action.

“We ran a lot of the same stuff,” Kerr said. “But we also ran a lot of the Chicago stuff, split cuts, that came right out of the Triangle. It's a hybrid.”

To run his scheme most effectively, Kerr needed to promote more fluid off-ball movement from Curry, a guy who had lived with the ball in his hands and didn't do a ton when it wasn't. Those were some of the sternest lessons that first season.

“We used to call it his dancing,” Kerr said. “When he'd get off the ball, he'd dance. Which would mean he wasn't cutting in either direction. The big would have the ball and he'd kind of just … he'd be moving his feet, but he wasn't going anywhere. I'd yell at him a lot about that: 'Stop dancing!' We made him either back cut or come off a dribble hand-off.”

Kerr needed to break Curry of some habits. But Curry also needed to break Kerr of some habits. Remember those clips in that first season, when Curry would dribble weave through a ton of defenders and fling up a ridiculous shot … but it'd go in? Then the replay would show Kerr cringing through the entire thing. The Phil Jackson in him was grumbling. The Mike D'Antoni in him was smiling.

“There were moments like that, many moments like that Clippers sequence, where it's, 'Oh, my God, what is he … ' and then he makes it,” Kerr said. “Crowd is going crazy. I quickly realized that's a big part of who we are — the shock value of Steph's skill and talent. So I have to live with a lot of his craziness because it's by and large really powerful and effective.”
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napalm06 · Jan 20, 2018

PART 2

“It reminds me a little bit of (Manu) Ginobili his rookie year with the Spurs,” Kerr said. “Pop was very disciplined. Ginobili would come down on a three-on-one fastbreak, throw a crazy pass out of bounds. Pop would be pulling his hair out. But by the end of the year, Pop got it. For every one of those plays, Ginobili would make five great plays. That 5-to-1 ratio is pretty good. Pop learned to live with Ginobili's insanity and I quickly learned to live with Steph's insanity.”

As Kerr's tenure has reached Year 4, as Curry's stardom rose, as Kevin Durant was added, as the roster continued to morph, the Warriors have discovered a perfect offensive balance between star point guard, coach and surrounding talent.

This season, in Curry's 1,014 minutes on the court, 39.7 percent of the team's shots come from 3-point range. That's not Houston — a stunning 50.9 percent of attempts, easily an NBA record — but it's still a number that would plant the Warriors above anyone else in a 3-happy NBA. Brooklyn, at 39.2 percent, is second.

But when Curry is off the court, when mid-range dinosaurs like David West and Shaun Livingston rule the land, that percentage drops to 30.1 percent, which would be in the bottom half of the NBA.

“We play to our strengths,” Livingston said. “The league has been transcended by 3-point shooting, but just cause you shoot them, don't mean they go in all the time.”

Curry and West play almost exclusively separate from each other. That's purposeful. At the top of the second quarter, when Curry rests, the Warriors go full '80s, working mostly out of West in the high post, bombarding defenses with a hurricane of movement and ping-ping-ping passing, looking to induce death by 1,000 back cuts.

“When Steph is out, we've got to get a little bit more organized,” West said. “That's what we do with our second group. We're just looking for best available shot, a good quality possession.”

In West's 585 minutes this season, the Warriors have scored 24.8 percent of their points on mid-range jumpers. That's an unheard of clip in today's NBA. At 18.0 percent, the Pacers lead the league in that category. The Rockets, dead last by a large margin, only get 4.7 percent of their points from mid-range.

“I think the mid-range shot is the one you're more likely to get in the playoffs,” Kerr said. “Teams purposely try to take away the 3-point line, they're more in tune with what you're running. So the shot that's open is the 17-footer at the elbow. A pump-fake and one, two dribbles. We happen to have a ton of guys who are really good at that shot.”

West has made 45 of his 78 mid-range 2s this season, a 57.7 percent clip. Livingston is 38 of 84, down from 50 percent a couple years back but still in the respectable 45 percent range.

“I just want an open shot and a rhythm shot every time,” Kerr said. “Doesn't matter if it's a 3 or a 2. I don't think about the math. I think that stuff all evens out if you get good shots.”

But it's not just bench role players who get mid-rangers up. Two of the Warriors' star scorers are two of the more proficient mid-range shooters in the NBA.

Klay Thompson has taken 140 shots from the 15-19 foot range this season. He's made 74, a 52.9 percent clip. The Rockets entire team has taken only 143 and made 69 in that pocket. Harden is 15 of 36.

“As a shooting guard, you want to be able to score at all three levels,” Thompson said. “Gotta be able to score in the paint, be consistent from mid-range and shoot above 40 percent from 3. I watched guys like Reggie Miller, Ray Allen, Rip Hamilton growing up, so effective in the mid-range using screens, I take that influence from their game.”

Durant has taken 114 shots from the 10-14 foot range, his preferred pocket this season. He's made 60 of them, a 52.6 percent clip, the best among anyone who has taken at least 100. But the Rockets, as a team, have only taken 157 and made 66 from that range, a 42 percent clip.

“You just got to have an anchor in your game at some point,” Durant said of his mid-ranger. “You don't want to have to bulldoze your way to the rim every time. In a tight game, that's hard to do. You lose a lot of energy.”

Durant's case compared to Paul's is a perfect example of how the franchise's established mid-range ideologies differ.

Durant was a prolific mid-range shooter in Oklahoma City. He took 396 his last season there, compared to 481 3-pointers. This season with the Warriors, he's taken 227 mid-rangers compared to 235 threes. His percentage of mid-rangers has actually gone up since joining the Warriors.

Paul has long been known as a mid-range assassin. With the Rockets, he's still shooting it well — 36 of 70 this season, better than 50 percent. He's just shooting it way less.

Last season with the Clippers, Paul shot more mid-rangers (322) than 3s (302). This season under D'Antoni's attack, entering Thursday, Paul has taken way more 3s (173) than mid-rangers (70).

That's the system overriding the personnel, just like it did during Harden's recent absence, compared to Curry's.

When Curry missed 11 games after spraining his ankle earlier this season, the Warriors only took 30, 26, 20, 22, 34, 21, 24, 27, 37, 22 and 20 threes, an average of 25.7 per game, a chunk below the 31.4 they were averaging to that point.

But when Harden, the Rockets' primary 3 creator, missed seven games recently with a hamstring problem, the Rockets still got up 34, 50, 47, 54, 38, 47 and 44 threes in his absence, an average of 44.8 per game, which is actually more than they averaged with Harden out.

Another difference between the offensive strategies: Assist distribution.

Houston, operating primarily out of the pick-and-roll, gets 9.1 assists per game from Paul and 9.0 per game from Harden. That makes up a huge chunk of their 22.5 per game. Here are the assist averages of the Rockets' next seven guys: 2.6, 1.7, 1.2, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0.

The Warriors, conversely, lead the league with 30.5 assists per game, but, led by Green, it's spread around more evenly. Their top nine: 7.6, 6.5, 5.4, 3.4, 2.5, 1.9, 1.8, 1.8, 1.7. They assist on 69.9 percent of their field goals, five percentage points better than anyone else. Houston assists on 57.1 percent, 19th in the NBA.

“When's the last time any of our guys had 15 assists?” Kerr said. “Maybe Draymond. I love the wealth distribution with our assists and scoring. Those are the things that make me the most happy.”

What's clear: Both strategies are working, even if they are more divergent than people realize. The Warriors have an offensive rating of 113.6, tops in the NBA. The Rockets are second at 112.3. Those are historic clips, achieved when legendary talent is placed in a system that fits their skills.

But the question is whether Houston's lethal but predictable attack (which contains other strengths the Warriors don't possess, like a better ability to get to the free-throw line) can thrive come playoff time against a Warriors defense that'll have two weeks to prepare and adjust, knowing the exact spots on the floor the Rockets want to get shots, the pockets of the floor they are hesitant to shoot from and the two guys who create nearly everything, besides an Eric Gordon isolation.

Preventing the 3 has been a Warrior strength the past few seasons. They were first in the NBA last season, holding teams to 32.7 percent from deep. A lack of steady focus has led to a dip this season. They're ninth, giving up 35.7 percent.

But in their two games against the Rockets, the Warriors' long-limbed defenders have been engaged and active. They've held the Rockets to 15 of 41 and 17 of 50 from 3, solid defensive showings. Throw it back to last season — when they held the Rockets to 12 of 37, 5 of 31, 7 of 35 and 14 of 44 in four games — and the Warriors have held Houston to 29.4 percent from 3 in six D'Antoni-coached games.

“The argument I disagree with is the sheer volume of 3s as a math equation,” Kerr said. “Because, I think, if you're facing a good defensive team, I think a lot of those 3s are going to be bad shots. I don't agree with just taking 3s for the sake of the math involved.”

Saturday night in Houston, with Harden back — the league's first ABC showcase game of the season — should be fun. A West finals would deliver a thrilling clash of successful offensive styles. The Warriors don't play like the Rockets. The Rockets don't play like the Warriors. But one coach and one team's system has definitely influenced the other.

“I do feel like I'm kind of a bridge between Phil Jackson and Mike D'Antoni,” Kerr said. “Phil was kind of the guy who demeaned 3-point shooting. Remember the 'goink'? As a player, I had so much respect for the Triangle offense and what it did to empower all five guys. So a lot of what we do is based on that philosophy — movement, cutting, the energy that comes from it. That was really where I came from.

“Yet I was watching D'Antoni's magic unfold (while in Phoenix) and it was beautiful. One of those most beautiful things I've ever seen were those Nash teams. So for me, it was my own basketball education coming together — the Phil Jackson philosophy and the Mike D'Antoni system. What you're seeing from our team is sort of a hybrid of that.”
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MystikArkitect · Jan 20, 2018

The games all boil down to Klay and EGo. CP3 and Harden nullify Durant and Steph. Draymond is a defensive presence but not capable of carrying an offensive load.

If Ryno played with some balls I like our chances. He’s like the opposite of Lin. I don’t care if he misses, just shoot the effing ball dude. That’s what you’re supposed to do. No reason he can’t be our X factor. I’m still holding out hope for him. If I’m CP3 I’m screaming at him to not pass up open shots.

RHU525 · Jan 20, 2018

We have two chances.

1. Somehow trade m Ryno for Lebron.
2. Dmo sweat stain takes out curry again.

Verbal Christ · Jan 20, 2018

Dubs shoot a bunch of 3's, but have good shooters throughout. Rockets shoot a bunch of 3's with a few professional shooters and the rest just chucking.

The offense creates the open shot, but you have to fill the roster with guys who can hit it.

Deuce · Jan 20, 2018

Pretty much this.

Also, hard to believe but the Warriors have THREE players: Durant, Curry, Thompson that are just a hair off from ALL of them being in the 50/40/90 club. I mean, with that kind of SUSTAINED shooting, it is hard to beat a team like that.

YaoMing#1 said: ↑

Lets just state the facts.

The warriors are the first team to have two mvp winners under the age of 30 on the same team.

The warriors also have 2 other guys who have made allstar teams and all nba teams.

One of those guys has won DPOY.

They won 67 game and a championship and the next year won 73 games and lost the championship in 7 games and that was without KD who’s their most talented player.

They were already historical without KD now there the best and most talented team in league history.

I really hope that over the next 2 years something happens and klay breaks free just so it evens the playing field a little bit.

I love the nba and I respect the hell out of the rockets for being the one team that really seems to be making the proper moves to give the warriors a run for their money.

But it’s not enough

The warriors are killing basketball. This is year 4 of them being 3 levels higher than anyone else with no end in site.

If they can keep their big 4 together they will win the next 4 championships with ease.
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YaoMing#1 · Jan 20, 2018

Deuce said: ↑

Pretty much this.

Also, hard to believe but the Warriors have THREE players: Durant, Curry, Thompson that are just a hair off from ALL of them being in the 50/40/90 club. I mean, with that kind of SUSTAINED shooting, it is hard to beat a team like that.
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Tbh it’s prob impossible unless houston gets Lebron or Anthony Davis and can keep every player currently on the roster.

Including Ryno.

But unless Lebron is willing to come here for 15m and cp3 resign for 15m that isn’t Happening.

Cp3/Gordon
Harden/Gordon
Ariza/luc/green
Lebron/Ryno/tucker
Capela/nene/Black

That’s 12 really good players and still it might not be enough but it gives y a lot of options

ballscientist1 · Jan 20, 2018

hakeem94 said: ↑

my eye test says rebounding is the key for us ....i would like to see the stats
Click to expand...

That is the reason you need Boogie Cousins now, and the next 10 years.

Owner may not like LeBron. Cavs have lost 120 million cash last 3 years.

Owner business model is Warriors, which make almost 300 million cash last 3 years.

Warriors players salary last 3 seasons:

2014-15 spent 73 million to win Championship

2015-16 spent 91 million to win 73 games

2016-17 spent 101 million to win Championship

TheRealist137 · Jan 20, 2018

The Warriors offense is more difficult to stop whereas ours is more gimmicky therefore can be shut down more consistently.

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[The Athletic] The Warriors and Rockets aren't as similar as you think — it's a fascinating strategi

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