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Kevin Durant to Warriors (Two years, $54.3M)

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by batkins, Jul 4, 2016.

  1. Icehouse

    Icehouse Contributing Member

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    Name one team who didn't have players dinged come playoff time. No one is completely healthy that late into the postseason and folks should stop blaming Curry's play on an injury that had a short recovery time. GS surely isn't.
     
  2. CCity Zero

    CCity Zero Member

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    I think it'll be interesting how long people remember this (if betting a lot longer)... The record keeping/access to instant video will make things a lot different vs the old days. Most people don't remember the 80s (or earlier) or even parts of the 90s correctly but with easy access to video/articles/records (and more of it now, just like a super explosion of data) it's easier to keep people in check.

    Haha, back in the day at the bar... You'd get in an argument/discussion about a sport and some guy would have this fairytale sport story... of how something obviously didn't occur etc, - - - but now you can pull your phone out and say "look, you're WRONG/go home you're drunk" (you know.. in case you're wrong, lol). It's definitely changed bar etiquette, of course... There's still the crazies that will then question how the phone knows, But.... hopefully you don't run into the borderline crazy :)
     
  3. Liberon

    Liberon Rookie

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    With the way Curry and Thompson shoot it while Green takes care of the dirty work and occasionally shoots it just about better than any of the best shooters on other teams, it's hard to see how Durant will be the best player on that team. I've seen stretches of Thompson that were better than anything I've seen from Durant. But I'm just sayin'...
     
  4. CCity Zero

    CCity Zero Member

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    I also like to bring up the point... GSWs won their chip playing injured teams every round, you can't have it both ways and argue "but, Curry was hurt" and then in the next point say "they deserved that first one though, injuries happen in this league, it's not the Warriors fault!!".

    I also don't think it was that bad, when he was lighting it up in some of the games after... people didn't go "he's still injured". It was only after Bogut got hurt (so less dirty plays/screens/some defense), and LeBron and co got too physical things changed. Once Curry lost his cool in game 6 after fouling 10 times... He basically came across as a joke (LeBron was and still is the MVP). If Curry left the Warriors they're still a great team, when lebron left Cleveland they were lotto bound (not now, but then).

    Curry is the greatest shooter sure, but LeBron does everything else. Curry can't even win a finals MVP. I really think chasing 73-9 did them in, Curry isn't durable like MJ. I mean if Curry took a foul like lebron did on that final drive... We'd have a seriously hurt Curry.

    I do think he handled game 7 loss well, but... it's nice to have them out of the argument as best team ever, best regular season sure, but who gives a damn about that, lol.
     
  5. A_3PO

    A_3PO Member

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    If one is going to argue, consistency is required.

    IMO, GS wouldn't have won last year if they didn't have the cakewalk against backup PGs. On the other hand, if not for D-Mo's sweat, they would have closed the sale this year.
     
  6. Icehouse

    Icehouse Contributing Member

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    Exactly.

    I can see how someone could've bought into the hype during the regular season but the playoffs clearly showed that was just hype. They finally faced legit healthy squads in the last two rounds and got down 3-1 then blew a 3-1 lead. Teams finally took advantage of Curry's defensive weaknesses. It even took them 6 games to beat LeBron and nobody the prior year. If you walked away thinking you were watching one of the greatest teams ever I have dont business deals to pitch to you.
     
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  7. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    I consider the DMo sweat thing to be a joke. But it keeps getting repeated. Do ppl really think Curry was affected by that all through the finals. Dude just finally had to guard some superstars (7 vs WB, then 7 vs Irving) and his high motor offense suffered
     
  8. Icehouse

    Icehouse Contributing Member

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    Curry had an injury with a short recovery time. He came back in a timely manner and still played great. His boneheaded plays and lack of D had nada to do with his injury. Teams were finally allowed to be physical with him and he actually had to hold someone. He underwhelmed in the previous finals too. Folks need to stop making excuses for him. He isn't making them for himself.

    Is Curry having surgery on something? No. He had a minor knee injury that needed rest. He got rest. He's not the only guy to play dinged.
     
  9. A_3PO

    A_3PO Member

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    You are assuming recovery from NBA injuries is always linear. This is not true. Very often there are ups and downs and (sometimes) setbacks.

    Believe what you want. This horse is beyond dead.
     
  10. Icehouse

    Icehouse Contributing Member

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    I'm assuming that if his injury didn't prevent him from setting scoring records in OT games or getting off in others when he was playing well then the injury isn't what made him play bad. I'll go with the other things that clearly changed that can impact a shooter, like being allowed to be physical with him and making him expend energy on defense.
     
  11. Liberon

    Liberon Rookie

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    Even, without Durant signing, I think the Warriors at full strength with a healthy center that can do what Bogut did and stay healthy 100% and with Green doing the 3/4 combo thing, would make them the best team still and probably have beaten the Cavs. They are still the best team in the league.
     
  12. daoshi

    daoshi Contributing Member

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    It's a joke you guys talking about Curry's injury was not an issue. The guy missed a bunch of the PLAYOFF games, wouldn't have played at all if it's the regular season., how could that not effect his playing?

    He rarely had any lift/explosive to go by even the big guys, that's when OKC/CAVs switch on PnR, you think those guys can hang with him prior to his injury?

    Don't forget NBA kept Green out of a key game, which led to Bogut's injury, which essentially made Warriors' front line no-existent for the last three games. Even with that, they were a couple of Barnes open misses away from winning it.
     
  13. t_mac1

    t_mac1 Contributing Member

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    The Cavs didn't even peak last year. They had a lot of issues throughout the season and also some in the playoffs. You're assuming the Cavs have plateaued which is wrong.

    Lebron now has another monkey off of his back, probably the heaviest one. He will play even with more freedom next year

    Kyrie will be better knowing what he just did

    Love will play better now knowing what his role is.

    Plus their team chemistry will be better knowing they are the defending champs.

    You have to remember in the last FIVE games of the Finals, Cavs led EVERY game going into the 4th. They just blew game 4 after leading by double digits b/c Lebron wasn't aggressive enough. If the Cavs met the Warriors again with the same team, Cavs would beat them in 5 or 6. Warriors knew they had to get better and they did with Durant.

    Even with Durant, I still have the Cavs as favorites next year b/c the Warriors still don't have a guy who can defend Lebron/Kyrie.
     
  14. t_mac1

    t_mac1 Contributing Member

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    That's BS. Everybody is dinged up at that time of the year. Curry had 36 points in game 7 v. OKC. He looked perfectly fine there. Moving, going through screens, rebounding...

    What people seem to overlook OKC and CLE made a point to target him on defense. He never had to exert much energy defensively prior to those series. Defense can wear players down. That's why most offensive players don't try as hard on that end throughout the season. And Curry rarely had to with Klay guarding the best guy.

    But v. OKC and Cle, they made it a point to switch Curry on WB/Kyrie and made him defend.

    If Curry has to defend the best offensive player 50% of the game, he wouldn't be able to shoot the way he does or score the way he does.
     
  15. daoshi

    daoshi Contributing Member

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    Just as you said yourself, that's total BS.

    You are obviously didn't watch many Warriors games, otherwise you won't make those BS comment. Other teams have tried everything before he got injured, include attack him to force him defend, trap him to get the ball out of his hand, etc. The result was 73 win, him winning unanimous MVP while shooting 50-45-90.

    You obviously have no idea about playing with injury. Remember what Mike Conley did to the Warriors the year before? Players can play above their head even with injury, but that's not sustainable.
     
  16. CCity Zero

    CCity Zero Member

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    This, exactly!! Lol, I always try to explain to people how regular season and playoff ball are different... Some still buy into this hype of regular season... I mean I'm not saying winning 73 is easy, but you better be ready to change gears for the playoffs and have more in the tank. I mean the game is called differently (finally closer to the refs usually letting the guys play), it's more physical (obviously not quite like the 70s-90s, but a hell of a lot closer compared to some of this regular season carebear stuff), and you're playing a team for the whole 7 games sometimes (that has to take a toll on you especially if you're playing against their star and trying to do it on both ends etc. just like you mentioned).

    Best example of regular season not meaning anything are of course the 6th seed 95 Rockets. But there's been plenty of teams that just do enough to stay in top 2/3 spots to be healthy for post season and then win it. I mean Spurs clearly show that, so you have to think Kerr is probably going to wonder if the 73 was worth it. I mean he has to know (obviously first hand) that Curry isn't durable like Mike. I bet he keeps wondering if it was worth the chase... I mean he could have gave his guys weeks off (obviously mpg were super low, but Curry and his ankles could have used it).
     
  17. t_mac1

    t_mac1 Contributing Member

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    I do watch a lot of Warriors games. I pretty much watched all of their games post the All-star break.

    He had 4 or more fouls around 10 times all regular season. he got 4 or more fouls 4 times in the 7 games series v. the Cavs. Why do you think he was in foul trouble so many times v. the Cavs?

    And FYI, the shot that won the Finals was the Cavs PURPOSELY switching Curry onto Kyrie.
     
  18. daoshi

    daoshi Contributing Member

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    My point is not if other team attack Curry, or not, it's that he suffered a knee injury, which effected his play. Do you truly believe he would have played that bad had he not injured? It's not like other team didn't tried that before, he was just not himself with that injury, I don't know how you can disagree with at.
     
  19. t_mac1

    t_mac1 Contributing Member

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    Curry is an absolute stud. last season was an all-time season, one of the best offensive regular seasons ever. No doubt about it.

    But what annoyed me (and I was glad JVG pointed this out) was when Curry played poorly, people brought up the injury. When he played great, they said it was b/c he was great. The narrative changes throughout the playoffs when he has a bad v. a great game.

    People have to understand the playoffs are a different beast. Durant shot worse in the playoffs. WB shot worse in the playoffs. Leonard shot worse in the playoffs. It's harder to play as well in the playoffs. You exert more energy on both ends. Every play involves max effort. It's not the regular season where you can coast a play here, a quarter there, a game even.

    What Curry needs to do now is to elevate his game to the same level in the playoffs.
     
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  20. t_mac1

    t_mac1 Contributing Member

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    How so? He averaged like 30 points prior to facing the Cavs after coming back from the injury. 4 of his next 9 games were 30+ points; 6 of his 9 games were 28+ points. He shot 45% and 42% from 3s. Game 7 v. OKC was arguably his best game ALL playoffs with 36 points, 7 3s, 8 dimes, and he played 40 minutes.

    So no, the injury did not affect him much.

    He struggled v. the Cavs b/c the Cavs attacked him on, forced him to exert more energy, got him in foul trouble, and got him out of rhythm. What is that so hard to understand?

    There is a reason many stars' game regressed in the playoffs, not just Curry. KD, WB, Leonard all played worse in the playoffs. It's a different beast. The true greats elevate their games in the playoffs (MJ, Hakeem, Lebron...).
     

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