2016 NBA Playoffs: SEMIFINALS

[JCM]

OKC shot 3-23 from downtown, and 22-32 from the line. I don't even know how this was close. In the two would be close out games KD has shot 22-62. What an epic choke job from him. Westbrook hasn't been much better at 21-55. You saw the difference between a championship team and a pretender in the 4th quarter.

Waiters has played 60 minutes the last 2 games and has 3 points. How is that even possible? His ORtg has been 66 and 83 while his DRtg has been 124 and 117. The guy is literally useless. Westbrook and KD will both have to play at an MVP level to win game 7. I'm not holding my breath.

[_MJ_]

Confession:  I missed the game.   The event I was at went long.  As soon as it was over, I fired up my phone and I navigate to the ESPN site.  While it slooooowly loaded, I had my fingers crossed.  As soon as the picture of Curry holding seven fingers started to load, I hung my head.  That was the game OKC had to get. 

This Thunder team is a weird one, and yeah, they're good enough to win a game 7 even in Oakland.  At the same, they're bizarro enough to get blown the fuck out in game 7 too.

I'll say this for Klay Thompson: his hot streaks are definitely more rare, but his hot streaks might be more dangerous than Curry's.  He's kind of like a 6'7 machine when he gets going, and his offense just becomes automatic during those streaks.  That's not to say he's the better player, and I still remember him disappearing a few of those FINALS games against the Cavs last year, but the stat guys/gals still don't have all the best data to accurately measure how much good defender consistently effects the game.

 

I guess I gotta watch the replay of the game while crying in a shower with a beer in hand.

[_MJ_]

40 minutes ago, JCM said:

Waiters has played 60 minutes the last 2 games and has 3 points. How is that even possible? His ORtg has been 66 and 83 while his DRtg has been 124 and 117. The guy is literally useless. Westbrook and KD will both have to play at an MVP level to win game 7. I'm not holding my breath.

Waiters is what Waiters does.

[Jiji]

Seriously, I love me some mercurial guards going back to the days of John Starks. Dion Waiters is probably the closest we have in the league right now to a Starks, though JR Smith was the leading candidate prior to this year. These types of shot takers and emotionally volatile guys will either make you or break you and there's generally no in-between with them. Love it (just so long as they aren't on my team, if the NBA didn't already take away both of "my teams").

[Shadow]

Not gonna lie, the Lil B curse is looking more and more real by the game.

[Greggulator]

1) Starks was so much better than Waiters. Starks had his infamous playoff metldown, but he was an All-Star level player who busted his ass on the regular. He was a top-tier defensive player who could also shoot it. And Starks came up from the CBA and always looked like he appreciated having a NBA career and knew he had it with hearts and guts alone. He's probably the most beloved Knick for people who didn't get to see their 70s teams.

Waiters is a guy who pretty much sucks but has had a few moments. He's like a lesser Lance Stephenson. I do love guys who think they're better than they are, but more on the Lowry and Dame style. Those guys aren't as gifted as Steph or Russ, but they think they are and just will themselves to a level above where they're at. Dion thinks he's an All-NBA type guy and isn't, and he wills himself into taking dumbass shots and getting beat on cuts.

2) Great friggin' game last night. I think this is the best matchup in the NBA. OKC and GSW have had the two best games of the season (last night's thriller and the legendary BANG! BANG! BANG! regular season game). I wish they played on a neutral court and we could get a "Fight Forever!" chant.

3) I really, desperately hope that wasn't KD's last home game on the franchise he built. He shouldn't go out like that.

4) I think Russ is better than KD. Not by much, and they're obviously different players, but Russ just fucking rules.

5) Klay's been the most underrated guy in basketball this season. He made the third most amount of threes any player has had in a single season the same year his teammate made 400. That's such a mindboggling stat. He's also a really good defender who knows how to really use his length. Steph's the MVP of the team. Draymond became the mouthpiece loudmouth ginzy knife. But GSW isn't winning 72 games without a guy who really might become the second best guy from deep ever in the NBA. (With apologies to Ray Allen.) Mark Jackson is largely a duncecap but he was right about Steph/Klay being the best backcourt ever. The best trade never made was Klay for Kevin Love.

6) I would give an organ to have Klay's jumpshot. It might be the most aesthetically pleasing set jumpshot of all-time. I love his base so much -- it's slightly wider than most jumpshots, but he has such an uncanny balance when he is set. His body is aligned perfectly and it has such a gorgeous arc. He drained over KD a few times this series with Wizard of Oz rainbows.

7) I have no idea why anyone counted GSW out down 3-1. They're so fucking great. I also don't know why GSW has (as of last time I saw) a 7.5 spread in Game 7. Haven't people seen what OKC has done the past three weeks? I'm predicting we get a crazy Steph vs. KD duel. One of those dudes is dying on a shield.

[_MJ_]

Russ does some things better than Kevin D, but if you're asking me which one of them I would take first to build and support a team around, it's Durant every time.  That's more valuable to me.

[_MJ_]

Tonight's the night:

Darren Rovell ESPN Senior Writer 

Floor seats to tonight's Game 7 listed from $7,500 to $26,000 on Warriors resale site. Two $29,000 seats sold yesterday.

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So who you got tonight?  Anyone bold enough to pick the Thunder?  I think....I might...little confidence...whispers...thunder win?

[Charlie M.]

It's always possible that OKC plays the "wrong" way and still win because Durant hits all those ridiculous shots and Russ is unstoppable.

 

[Jrag]

I predict Curry has his best game of the series, the Thunder win and someone on ESPN to immediately yell CURRY IS HURT!

I also think this is the Curry/Russ trading punches game.  It feels like they have been doing it at different times over the course of the series.  I really want to see both of them be *on* at the same time.

 

[Infinit]

Or OKC loses by 30 lol

[Charlie M.]

Yeah that's always a possibility with them. They try to answer their critics by involving their teammates more, they miss a bunch of shots and then Russ and KD go into hero mode but it's too late.

[Niners Fan in CT]

I'd be very surprised if this was within 15.  I give the Thunder maybe a 5-10% chance.

[Dolfan in NYC]

43 minutes ago, Niners Fan in CT said:

I'd be very surprised if this was within 15.  I give the Thunder maybe a 5-10% chance.

FiveThirtyEight has the Dubs at 62% favorites

http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2016-nba-picks/

[Niners Fan in CT]

I think the home team in game 7s wins something like 70% of the time.

[hammerva]

Adams with an impressive DDT to the floor on Green.   That will teach you to "accidentally" kick someone in the dick

 

 

[Niners Fan in CT]

Every time OKC takes a bit of a lead they start jackin up dumb shots and then GS goes on a 3-point barrage.  Same story as last game.

[hammerva]

The Thunder might be one of the greatest disorganized NBA team ever.  I mean tons of talent but just don't have a clue how to handle it and use it like it like a team.  Was an issue with Scott Brooks and Donovan hasn't done much better.   You can see them cracking under the pressure

 

 

[Brian Fowler]

That was not the third quarter the Thunder needed or wanted. Damn.

[Kuetsar]

Assuming they lose, do you break up the Thunder? Trade either Westbrook or Durant(sign-trade) for a shit ton of picks, or just accept that they will never get over the top?

[elizium]

The Thunder should really stop Waiters from shooting.

[Brian Fowler]

Missed layups is one way too let them back in.

And you definitely do not break this team up if OKC loses. Nearly everyone is 27 or under and bare minimum they took a 73 win team to game seven in the WCF. You only break them up if you get no other choice.

[Niners Fan in CT]

2 minutes ago, Brian Fowler said:

they took a 73 win team to game seven in the WCF.

That means nothing if they don't win. They were up 3-1 in the series and made a ton of mistakes to lose it and that's who they've been for the past five years. No sign of growth. You can't break them up but they'll never win like this.

[SirFozzie]

There are times when the Warriors make it look like they set the game to Easy mode.

[Brian Fowler]

3 minutes ago, Niners Fan in CT said:

That means nothing if they don't win. They were up 3-1 in the series and made a ton of mistakes to lose it and that's who they've been for the past five years. No sign of growth. You can't break them up but they'll never win like this.

The last three years one of their core was hurt during the playoffs. Again, they're almost all 27 or younger.

Man the Warriors are beautiful when it clicks. Klay screens for Steph, Iggy screens for Steph, then rolls into a screen for Klay off the ball, Curry hits Klay, Thompson drills the three. Just a beautiful bang bang bang three man action.