Dub Nation HQ Comments of Week, plus open thread
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Dub Nation HQ Comments of Week, plus open thread
The debut of the Super Splash Bros Super Monkey Death Car Lineups
Explain: Gary Payton II joins Steph Curry in…
oh great another lineup to name
Renailun (18 ♡):
Great analysis as always, Apricot! But I have to protest the lack of a celebration hug audit? I really liked how Jokic came over and hugged half the warrior’s team and a bunch of their coaches! We all need to praise the fair-play good vibes of the Nuggets. So different from some other teams I could name, but won’t.
storytellinsabrina (13 ♡):
Watching CP3 play basketball is such a painful, painful experience. He is so trash.
Goofus (13 ♡):
We’ll know he’s watching if we ever see him tell a defender, “You should follow Steph Curry…no one ever got fired for that.”
invo.k.shen (12 ♡):
Pels have a new fan in me. Nothing but respect. Every game they had a chance.
belilaugh (12 ♡):
A classic CP3 cheapshot and a classic CP3 getting away with a cheapshot
Eric Apricot (12 ♡):
It’s just so easy to root for these Pels and to root against CP3.
OGG Gurl (9 ♡):
Seeing Willie Green tear up kinda got to my heart. He should be very proud of his team.
CP3, on the other hand, makes me want to throw things.
ServantOfLuna (9 ♡):
I liked how Kerr didn't stick with the Curry-Poole-Klay-Wiggins-Green lineup in crunch time to win the game. Since Poole wasn't playing well and the Nuggets were getting so many rebounds, he replaced Poole and Wiggins with GP2 and OPJ for defense and rebounds.
Warriors put away the Nuggets
Big showing late from the core helps put a rest to a resilient Denver squad
Eric Apricot (32 ♡):
I just wanted to tell you all that I love you
storytellinsabrina (25 ♡):
Janie McCauley
@JanieMcCAP
·
42m
Klay Thompson on Splash Brother Stephen Curry: "He’s our leader, our longest-tenured player, our MVP. And without him, life is difficult. Steph Curry is one of a kind."
jeckyllhouse (17 ♡):
Dray to Jokic: "I told him thank you for making me better, it's an honor & a pleasure to play against someone so talented & so skilled."
BornInDaEB (13 ♡):
Gentlemen's Sweep. Warriors so classy. ;)
ServantOfLuna (12 ♡):
Steve Kerr: "Jokic is ridiculous. I'm really happy to not have to worry about him anymore."
SoCalJusticeWarrior (12 ♡):
Alright, y’all, gonna take a break until round two. My years-long writer’s block has evaporated, so I’m trying to seize the moment! Go Warriors!
ServantOfLuna (11 ♡):
"I really appreciate our matchup," Nikola Jokic said of playing against Draymond Green. He called Green the Warriors' "eyes and their ears. Amazing player."
"To be honest, he's stopped much better offensive players than me through his career."
Click on the link for the tweet and the image below for the quote:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FRaOHzkWYAEAbOW?format=jpg&name=medium
rcknfn (11 ♡):
Team rankings for Dubs for playoffs as of today:
- PTs: #1
- FGM% #1
- 3PTM%: #1
- FTM%: #15 (Boo!!).
- Rebounds: #15 (Boo!!)
- Assists: #1
- Steals: #1
- Blocks: #3
- TOVs: #5th Lowest
- Off Rating: #1
- Def rating: #8 (mild boo!!)
- Net rating: #3
- EFG%: #1
- TS%: #1
Abaddon (11 ♡):
Last thought. Thank god we didn’t pull a Philly and lose our 3-1 game……
g8tgod (11 ♡):
On a night when Thompson and Poole were not hitting, thank GOD for Gary Payton II. I love watching the guy do his thing.
Warriors-Nuggets Game 5 preview: Curry's…
Time for change? Or will a little home cooking be enough to oust Denver?
belilaugh (14 ♡):
Excluding the few seconds they ceremonially started together against Cleveland on Klay's return, tonight will be the first time Curry/Klay/Draymond have started together since the 2019 Finals.
Captain Jack (11 ♡):
Little OT but S/O to all of the humble stars that played basketball the right way and handled themselves off the court in a professional manner throughout history. Duncan, Dirk, Steph and Giannis are the first 4 names that comes to mind
Trogdor (10 ♡):
I, for one, like the decision to start the Gauntlet. It's a bit of a gamble, but if they jump out to an early 10+ point lead, how is Denver going to respond? Let's land the knockout blow early and let them try and come back from that.
Of course, the risk is foul trouble, and if they weather the storm then you've essentially already shot your best arrow.
We've all be frustrated by the slow starts. Well, Kerr has heard our cries and has responded accordingly!
Edit: I will also point out that I stated my desire for Kerr to start this lineup in the comment section in an earlier post. I'll take this as proof that the Warriors coaching staff pays close attention to our comments here and adjusts accordingly.
Five Alarm Freddy (10 ♡):
I get that the play didn’t work, Jokic knew it was coming and Austin Rivers made enough of a block to keep it from Wiggs.... but really, if OPJ had just thrown a better pass, with Wiggs athleticism and inside positioning he had a shot. But, oh well small potatoes. On to this game...
DFiB (9 ♡):
Seriously, if the warriors make the right play, pass well, and make shots, all plays can work. Opponents call out our split action allll the time, and defend it will most of the time. That doesn’t mean Kerr is a bad coach.
Dr. Nirav Pandya joins the DNHQ Vidcast to…
HE KNOWS THE GAME!
Curryfan33 (20 ♡):
As a physical therapist I can answer this question - Robert Williams got a partial menisectomy. This basically means that they opted for a surgical route where they cut out the part of the meniscus where the tear was. This option creates a very short recovery (usually 3.5-6 weeks) but creates a longer term risk of early onset arthritis (because the knee now has less cushion between the bones due to having less meniscus).
In contrast, both JJJ and James Wiseman got a meniscal repair. This basically means that instead of cutting out the torn part of the meniscus like described above, they essentially sewed the meniscus back together where the tear was. This is a much longer recovery (because you have to allow for the meniscus to heal) which usually takes 9-12 months for non elite athletes (can vary a little more with elite athletes and depending on the sport).
Hope that helps!
Sleepy Freud (14 ♡):
Let's goooooooo Wolves!!
I'm not even sure the Wolves would be a less difficult matchup for us — I just want to see Dillon Brooks and all the Grizz stans crying in their soup.
That, plus homecourt.
belilaugh (11 ♡):
Minnesota. Come here. No, no, come close, I need you to hear this.
YOU HAVE A DOUBLE DIGIT LEAD, YOU NEED TO WIN THIS FUCKING GAME YOU STUPID ASS TEAM, DON'T FUCK THIS UP
Bel (11 ♡):
More injuries: Butler out for today's game due to right knee inflammation. LaVine has entered Covid protocols. Mitchell's with quadriceps contusions.
Warriors: Please stay healthy
belilaugh (10 ♡):
The god stuff isn't that deep though. The 5 Percenter religious movement would call each other "god" out of a belief that the black man is god, 5 Percenter culture and lingo became embedded in early rap especially on the East Coast:
KD probably just picked it up along the way as a nice positive affirmation. I can see how it comes off as incredibly narcissistic but in context I don't think it is.
Nuggets survive Game 4 with gritty effort vs…
Well played Denver, well played.
The Sword Of The Morning (17 ♡):
"We're good right now."
Truckeeman (14 ♡):
I agree. These young men have lives, and KD was a solid citizen during his time with the Warriors, despite the total media circus. I don't resent him leaving at all. Glad to have been able to watch him up close for a couple of years. Hopefully, he's getting what he wants in his personal life. I don't mind that the basketball side isn't working out, although I think they would have won the title last year if they hadn't traded all those youngsters for Harden.
In the meantime, I love watching Steph, Klay and the rest of the Warriors play team basketball. If they happened to make it to and win the Finals, well, that will validate Kerr's approach as well as the brilliance of the Splash Bros.
Duby Dub Dubs (14 ♡):
still working the day job, but I just wanted to come in and guffaw at the Nets getting swept.
Eric Apricot (12 ♡):
Yes, KD clearly didn’t leave GSW for a better shot at a ring. He wasn’t happy and like an artist, he wanted to build something new with his pals and not have to be a star on the team Steph built.
I’m still glad BRK lost… I believe it’s important for the league that superteams don’t win just through collecting overpowering talent and rolling the ball out
Trogdor (11 ♡):
I'd prefer the Warriors win yesterday, but the Nets being the only team to get swept in the first round is kind of fun.
belilaugh (11 ♡):
Pretty simple but effective strategy from the Pelicans to pressure CP3 fullcourt with Alvarado. With Booker out, I think the only other ballhandler on the roster is Payne? Popovich used to do this to Curry back in 2012-2013 with Cory Joseph, usually makes more sense for the backup to bring the pressure since the starting PG McCollum needs to conserve energy for offense too.
Warriors are much better insulated against this strategy because they have Draymond, and the opposing PF/C is most likely either supposed to be patrolling the paint or incapable of pressuring full court. Yet another subtle benefit of Draymond Green.
jzalvarado (10 ♡):
KD takes a lot of flack for having left such a good situation to go play in Brooklyn but I will say this, you can tell he genuinely enjoys playing with Kyrie even tonight. That last season with the dubs seemed like a chore for him to get on the basketball court. Sometimes playing with your best nba friend (while still making max money) is probably slightly more important than playing for the Chip year in and year out (and I’m not trying to say that snidely)
thesarunas (10 ♡):
The Sixers now go to Canada with Embiid not looking quite right, Thybulle unable to travel and playoff Harden looking petrified as usual. What could go wrong?
Warriors lose shooting touch, can't quite…
No sweep for Golden State, as Denver gets tough at home
Duby Dub Dubs (14 ♡):
Also, Klay looked GREAT!!
First 30 point game since.... well, a long time ago!
Captain Jack (10 ♡):
Seeing the Suns and Grizzlies in a dogfight makes me feel a bit better about today's loss. Game 5 isn't technically a must win but you lose that game and a lot of doubt will start to creep in. Let's finish the job properly. No close game. Blitz them from the jump and show no mercy.
BKisforSF (9 ♡):
I think this was good for us. Everyone was crowning us when Denver was playing soft, but smashmouth football and a bad whistle is what we’re up against if we’re going to win this, and we got both today.
Kuminga on the floor for Beli means that Kerr is capable of learning, which is a hopeful sign, as was Kuminga’s interior defense and poise. As was Klay looking his deadly self and actually playing some increasingly solid D this game as well, notwithstanding being roasted by Barton on one memorable one-on-one.
Wiggins looked good as well and generally made good decisions. Was surprised by Dre’s poor decision making, but I think that’s rust and another reason an extra game will help. The bounce’s didn’t go our way and neither did the shooting variance, but a still close loss in spite of that was actually a good thing in the context of the broader agenda.
If the rotations continue to tighten up in our game 5 win, it will be a really good sign for the tough test that lies in front of us
belilaugh (8 ♡):
Don't worry, this L was just for the Game 5 revenue that will pay for GP2's next contract.
bobbita (8 ♡):
I just heard something I never thought I would. Chuck said kd wasn't the best player on the warriors.
On Explain One Play’s music
Eric Apricot (11 ♡):
Hi everyone, I don’t know how I missed until now the mega thread in about the E1P music haha. Rest assured that I’m not offended by honest respectful feedback about the background music.
The music feedback I get is about 90% of people don’t care. Of the 10% who do, I’d say about 75% really like the music and 25% really don’t. I’ve tried to change the music in the past and I actually got a number of complaints from people who wanted the old music back.
But if people want to make suggestions for music tracks, I can hear them out. They have to be either royalty free or something you wrote that you can give me permissions. It would actually be kind of fascinating to run a comparison under the same video and commentary. Maybe on one of these off-days I can ask for suggestions.
I might not have energy for that until after the playoffs though…
Trogdor (12 ♡):
As someone who has made podcasts I completely get a. The challenges of royalty issues, and b. How time consuming it would be to come up with different music for different episodes.
I say find *your* brand and stick to it. I personally like the music as I know associate it with E1P and so have those positive associations. As long as the music is authentic to you and your product I'm cool with whatever you do (but please no Bieber.)
storytellinsabrina (10 ♡):
I really like the background music. It's part of the brand that is E1P.
OGG Gurl (13 ♡):
I feel the opposite. I don’t want the music distracting from the analysis. The “elevator” music provides a calming background that allows me to concentrate on the content…and this is coming from someone who gets her day started with hip hop.
Sit back and watch the carnage: NBA Playoffs…
THERE WILL BE L'S!
EyeBlack22 (10 ♡):
Saw this tweet…
With two wins, Chris Finch is now 2nd all time in Timberwolves playoff coaching history.
Eric Apricot (10 ♡):
This is the best of all worlds. I think MIN holds on, but both teams look horrible in crunch time
Asher B. (10 ♡):
This just comes down to who wants it less.
belilaugh (8 ♡):
Just win this one game Minnesota, we know you won't win the series but win this one and tire the Grizzlies out a little for the next round.
Eric Apricot (8 ♡):
You’ll get this and you’ll like it
Chaos_Samedi (7 ♡):
Watching low iq basketball is draining
WarriorsGoldenGirl (7 ♡):
Wow, Bane hit a long three at the buzzer. Warriors may need to plan for him. Now let this series go to 7.
Captain Jack (7 ♡):
The Grizzlies might be young and talented but god damn their inexperience is showing
Explain: Steph Curry puts Nuggets to bed and…
Getting closer
Asher B. (26 ♡):
Some thoughts here. First, we've all become used to it, but it's thoroughly insane that our 6'6" power forward is guarding the much heavier 7'0 center who is the reigning MVP, and it's the Nuggets whose strategy is "How the heck do we get their defender switched, he's too good?" That's just nuts. Draymond sees all AND does all. Second thought: Until maybe seven years ago it might have made sense to view Steph as a sub-optimal defender, mostly because he had even better defenders on his team, so by contrast he seemed poor. But he is defending at elite levels. He's tearing around screens, he's extremely active with his hands, he's drawing charges -- all-NBA defense level work. Third: The lineup-nicknaming bonanza and the general enthusiasm in the media -- and here -- regarding the Chaos Lineup has been by omission *extremely* insulting to Wiggins. He is out there playing great defense, hustling for rebounds, attacking the basket, moving the ball along, setting the right screens, hitting clutch threes, providing gravity, not making many mistakes... He's as vital to the success of the lineup and the team as anyone. Fourth: please sweep these nice gentlemen, go home healthy and rested. The next team we play will be more challenging. Probably Memphis, which to me says we might see more GPII and Iguodala, so it was interesting watching them yesterday. I would die happy to see Ja unable to bring the ball upcourt because GPII has decided that he will not permit it.
Abaddon (26 ♡):
Just wanted to throw out there that Klay played a team-high 37 and a half minutes. With the recent Steph and Draymond injuries and them missing time it's easy to forget Klay was on a minutes restriction not that long ago. For all of the unforeseen struggles this year with health, Klay coming back and looking as good as he does now was something a lot of us believed in and a lot of national pundits scoffed at. Awesome to see him back and happy again.
DFiB (23 ♡):
Poole is like the unplanned kid. You had your first two kids 2 years apart, and you think you're done with two nice Splash Brothers that can grow up together. Then 8 years later you're messing around and Oops, we got another one.
Captain Jack (22 ♡):
Crazy how Steph is just as competitive and has won way more without being a little bi*ch
Dilip Goswami (18 ♡):
A bit of a random aside but folks have been upset with Kerr sometime bc he has a short leash with rookies committing bad fouls or being wrong place wrong time. Perhaps at times it could be a bit too short, but watching KAT last night, that’s what happens when you never emphasize these things to a very talented player. He’s in some ways a more talented player than Jokic or Embiid (at least arguably) but nowhere on their level in terms of winning. Organization’s fault more than anything, but we’ve got a good infrastructure in place here to teach winning habits.
Goofus (17 ♡):
With all of JP3’s slippery, spinning moves to the basket, shouldn’t we be calling him “Whirl-Poole”?
mDuo13 (14 ♡):
Certainly makes me appreciate Warriors basketball a bit more. For all KD's discontent with the system, it shows how big a difference it is when "give it to your best player and let him work" is Plan A and it stops working.
One of the more infuriating things about Kerr's strategies is that he, well, sandbags. He saves his best cards for high-leverage moments (not always the last minutes, though! Less predictable than that). Over and over, Warriors fans are frustrated by stats that say things like, the Curry-Green P&R is by far the highest-percentage play in the book and yet the Warriors run it precious few times. He also does this with lineups—this season was a really fascinating case study in how the team scheduled who was resting on which days too: there were a ton of games that were very close (often narrow victories) even when a bunch of guys were out.
In the long run, history shows that Kerr's somewhat quirky approach *does* maximize the team's potential. It's easier to run the motion offense as a Plan A, get some quality looks off of teamwork where possible, and then fall back to the simple yet effective plays when you really need them. Let's be honest, Steph & Draymond don't need to practice their wing pick & roll technique. But it makes it way harder for opposing teams if there's a bunch of *other* actions they have to defend against to even reach the point of facing that last boss of a play. Using your strongest cards sparingly while building up your weaker cards when they're good enough is a tough balance to strike, but it's worked pretty damn well so far.
stopnpop (13 ♡):
Dray's review of Game 3.
* Reiterates JP is MIP.
* Admits he's 6'5 3/4" (with a 7'2" wingspan)
* Denver altitude is no joke. (I thought the team felt zoned out for a lot of the game... like those wtf TOs in the 2nd and 3rd... and Dray wasn't yelling as much even through that stretch of 3745 fouls in a row)
* Props to Klay, Wiggs, and Andre for playing winning basketball.
Aaannnd1 (13 ♡):
I am more like Pavlov’s dogs. As soon as I hear the music, I begin salivating for the fascinating content of the video.
Abaddon (12 ♡):
I'm a fan of that lineup at times for sure, Bjelly's shooting threat and passing helps space the floor and then take advantage of it. I think he gets way too much flack and has shown his value in this series already.
Duby Dub Dubs (11 ♡):
"Celebration Audit" lol
Also, loved the Wiggins rebound that led to that wild Poole layup. Huge rebound; and then found some stout defense when Jokic got the switch on him?
Trogdor (11 ♡):
A few random thoughts:
That backboard camera shot of the Wiggins offensive rebound is amazing. Three blue jerseys and then a white blur just comes in and steals it away. That is playoff hustle right there. That's how you close things out.
Nuggets fans are heaping lots of blame for this loss on Barton. Sounds like they're pretty frustrated with him overall and just want him gone. That logo three over Draymond when Jokic had Klay on the switch is really driving them nuts. Apparently they feel he's a Nuggets killer just like Fitz thinks he's a Warriors killer.
It's so nice to see someone bought a ticket for their child to come down on the bench with them. Must be really special to be down with all of his basketball heroes for a playoff game. Almost makes him feel like one of the team. Oh wait, that was Chiozza. My bad.
Speaking of the bench, I'm so glad that the bench practiced their excitement and celebrations all through the season to get them ready for the playoffs when it matters the most. Only half joking here, honestly. So many benches in the regular season just always look so board. Caring about the game isn't new to these guys!
Post Game Party Thread: Dubs take 3-0 lead
Warriors pull out difficult mile high victory with late game heroics
Eric Apricot (39 ♡):
I just wanted to let you all know that I love you
EyeBlack22 (38 ♡):
I’m honestly not sure that Draymond will ever get the proper respect that he deserves. Even when he retires, it will be easy for people to overlook him based on his stats.
But people who know, know. Draymond is one of the all-time great players this league has ever seen.
ndubs (28 ♡):
what about GP2 knocking down 3/3s? for a dude that's a career 32% 3 pt shooter, that's pretty good! not to mention picking up some rebounds and scaring up some steals.
rcknfn (22 ♡):
All 5 (nay 6) guys made key plays.
Wiggs - 3 ptr
Klay - Defensive rebound
Wiggs - Offensive rebound
Poole - Corkscrew under the basket layup
Team - Great D for shot clock violation
Curry - Charge on Gordon
Klay - Jokic box out
Curry - Drive by Jokic for layip
Dray - Steal on likely MVP.
Iggy - Block on 3 ptr.
These guys are F-ing giants.
Chasing Rings... (22 ♡):
I'm extremely grateful for this space, to share this adventure with you all. #Daps&Hugs
Especially being in a country that doesn't follow it much at all :(
Joe Barely Cares (21 ♡):
I'm not suggesting that he's needed. Just imagining how awesome they would be if he had stayed around. BTW, I'm 75 and became a fan 43 years ago in 1979. I suffered through all those years of futility and broken dreams. I earned the right to enjoy the current dynasty. Despite walking back the comments, I agree with Klay about the bandwagon fans who have no perspective. My wish is that JP, JK, MM, JW will extend this another 10 or 15 years or so so that I can die without ever having to root for a bad team again.
bobbita (20 ♡):
I can't wait till next year to see him play. I'm guessing him moody and kuminga will all play in the summer league so it'll be fun watching that team dominate
AttilaTheHun (19 ♡):
Good offense beats good defense except if the defender is Draymond Green.
storytellinsabrina (19 ♡):
3 wins down.
13 to go.
Chasing Rings... (18 ♡):
I wasn't old enough to experience “Now, There's A Steal By Bird”, but I'll take "Green stole the ball! Green stole the ball!"
GlueAndBold (17 ♡):
I loved Steph’s felix the cat eyes after the late blow-by that put Jokic to sleep. When he is having fun, he shows it so well!
Stefano Gelati (17 ♡):
Thank you all for another amazing night. Now I need a powerful breakfast. Good night and gold/blue dreams.
stopnpop (17 ♡):
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
That's how you spell Draymond Green. Man that steal on Jokic was like that Jordan strip on Malone... except instead of Rodman and Jordan, it was just Draymond.
GlueAndBold (16 ♡):
We are insanely blessed as fans
Duby Dub Dubs (16 ♡):
oh man, I'm so happy. Huge win. Great contributions from all around!
storytellinsabrina (16 ♡):
StatMuse
@statmuse
·
1h
Most all-time playoff 3s:
480 - Steph Curry
432 - LeBron James
386 - Klay Thompson
With 4 3P before the start of the 4th quarter, he passes Ray Allen
storytellinsabrina (15 ♡):
Kendra Andrews
@kendra__andrews
·
5m
Pretty incredible stat from
@ESPNStatsInfo
: 43% of the Warriors' field goal attempts this series have been uncontested (3rd highest in NBA).
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole have taken 61 of the team's 103 uncontested shots.
Duby Dub Dubs (15 ♡):
seriously, hearing the TNT guys talk about how Jokic has to take advantage of the little dude... come on. It's been years!!
jzalvarado (15 ♡):
I haven’t watched the last 3 games. Just doing my part for The Cause. Y’all are welcome.
Richard (14 ♡):
So much balance to the Dubs lineup. Yes, of course, the even steady flow of buckets from Steph Klay and Jordan. But steady team defense, crisp passing, great effort and movement kept the game in rhythm until it became a foul fest late in the 4th. I was especially happy with defense and movement by OPJ, Bjeli, and of course GP2. Andre came out pretty cold but had some big moments (hey now that dunk and one!!) in the end.
Of course Draymond’s crazy D and Steph’s gravity bend the court in ways unmanageable by mortals. But Poole and Klay has their own gravity warp Denver’s defense and every single player contributed to D. Strong, HUGE team team team effort. Awesome win.
Warriors-Nuggets Game 3 Preview: A New Death
How Poole, Curry, and the Warriors are redefining themselves, and kicking butts along the way
Captain Jack (20 ♡):
I truly feel like we are watching the (no pun intended) golden era of the Warriors. I highly doubt we'll ever assemble all time great talent/personalities like Steph, Klay and Draymond at the same time again. Their loyalty to the franchise has been extremely underrated too and that's so hard to find in the modern era. I hope JFK and Poole follow in their footsteps
Duby Dub Dubs (20 ♡):
Just stay healthy!!
Buck lost Middleton for at least a few weeks, Suns without Booker... tough times!
Five Alarm Freddy (17 ♡):
Lots of love being heaped upon the likes of Curry, Poole, Thompson, Wiggins and Green... but where is the love for Playoff Bjelli? The guy has been phenomenal.
BadlyBrowned (15 ♡):
Yup, enjoy this for all it's worth while it lasts.
Duby Dub Dubs (14 ♡):
Curry talking about coming off the bench, leading by example, etc
Man, we are sooooo lucky that we got this dude as our superstar
Asher B. (12 ♡):
If your nickname proposal fails to acknowledge Wiggins, I will boo it.
Sleepy Freud (12 ♡):
There’s zero correlation between the crap we say on sites like this and the mindset of the team.
The Nuggets are a broken team — physically and likely to some degree emotionally — that the ascendant Warriors should stomp.
And yes, of course that means I think the Warriors should take them as lightly as possible. The later they stayed out clubbing and drinking last night, the better. Steph, Klay, and JP should try to play the whole game left-handed, just for kicks and giggles. :-)
Gold Blooded playoff musings; Warriors the…
Not a bad start to the postseason, eh?
alv66 (31 ♡):
KD: "They're playing me with 2, 3 guys sometimes when I'm off the ball, mucking up actions when I run off stuff. I see [Horford] leaving his man and come over to hit me sometimes. They're just playing two or three guys grabbing me wherever I go."
Steph: "Must be difficult, what you're going through."
Dan goutz (20 ♡):
Im just gonna fuckin say it:
Curry is the best player
Warriors are the best team
Lacob is the best owner
Myers is the best GM
Kerr is the best coach
And I'm happy I'm not a fan of the other 29 teams
mDuo13 (18 ♡):
I'm sympathetic to Jokic's position, because I can only imagine how exhausting it is to carry a team at the highest level of competition like he has so far and then hit a wall. But my confidence that Denver will stretch the series out to 6 has collapsed, for two reasons.
First, the counter-argument: the series hasn't really started until the home team loses a game. I think this is for real and we should expect a colder shooting night from the Dubs sooner or later, especially in Denver.
But I was expecting Denver to play like the team that came back from 3-1 twice in one playoffs. Maybe they still can. But it looked to me in game 2 like they are already mentally defeated.
I was expecting the Dubs to get overconfident and let up on the gas. That might also still happen; maybe even more likely given how the narrative has shifted in their favor after the opening games. But what it looked like to me is that they have entered shark mode instead. These Warriors sense blood in the water and they are ready to finish things off as fast as they can. They're not playing with Denver any more, they're showing off to the rest of the league.
This first road game is the Warriors dynasty's chance to post, "I lived, bitch" to the doubters who said they were past their prime. I get the feeling that they would very much like to do that.
P.S. on the off chance Minnesota gets past Memphis, THAT should be a fun grudge match for a certain quiet member of the Light Years lineup.
stopnpop (15 ♡):
> Draymond has really been hurting us. People aren't really noticing that. Draymond has really hurt us. He's just controlling tempo, he's getting them all these shots, he's beating up ____.
There, I turned it into a template that can be re-used in each series.
Eric Apricot (15 ♡):
I think it’s all part of the process of creative brainstorming… GSOM was calling it the Small Ball Death Squad for a long while before the national media watered it down to Death Lineup.
And Draymond calls it the New Death Lineup in his podcast, so I’m sticking with that until an alternative gets critical mass. My personal preference of all the brainstorms is Super Splash Bros.
Dan goutz (14 ♡):
Kerr: "oh shit, iso hero-ball ain't working? Weird lol"
storytellinsabrina (13 ♡):
I am people and I noticed.
crusty quips (13 ♡):
Nice to start the morning with a hot mug of gold blood. Haven't been around much recently due to some real life concerns but it feels great to take in the playoffs with club DNHQ. It's going to be taste especially sweet when GSW decisively thrash the Suns, assuming they get out of their side of the bracket. Hoping that Book is back by then so we don't have to listen to any lame excuses (though I'm sure some of those will persist due to CP3's knack for physically falling apart in the playoffs).
Speaking of gold blood - Daniel, are you getting any royalties from the Warriors 2022 playoff slogan? Seems awfully familiar.
Explain: Steph Curry is back and the New…
This is a good habit to form
Goofus (17 ♡):
He was born in a taunted mansion.
racsan (16 ♡):
All western series tied at 1-1...except the Warriors :)
Trogdor (12 ♡):
People watch other teams to see individual greatness. The players can be exciting while the style itself is boring.
What's really interesting is that the Warriors' style is similar (but not identical) to the Spurs' dynasty style of play, which people complained was extremely boring.
What the Warriors have been able to do is blend exciting players with a team focused scheme, which actually allows for an even more exciting brand of basketball that also wins a whole lot.
Let's never take for granted the awesomeness we're seeing. It's a very unique combo of having the right players and coaches plus the continuity to make it all work. You can see very good players feel clunky in our system if they don't buy in, while just okay players thrive because they're the right fit.
The SMDS, the death lineup, the Hampton 5, and now the Infinity Five only work because we have coaches willing to try new things and players willing to be flexible and buy in to direct roles than they probably grew up with.
storytellinsabrina (12 ♡):
Oh my. I like this one. Need a second one that includes Wiggins though.
Connor Letourneau
@Con_Chron
My personal favorite nickname for the 3-guard lineup that's been floated out there: Super Splash Bros. We'll see what sticks.
Goofus (12 ♡):
🚨 “Highly recommend” alert! 🚨
The first 20 minutes of The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor and Chris Vernon’s podcast is all Warriors. They cover the Warriors performance so far and the new death lineup. Draymond’s greatness and a BIG chunk of time on Poole emergence going all the way back to the draft. O’Connor had him ranked in the 40’s pre-draft and said he feels stupid now, but that Poole landed in a perfect spot and will window for years. (He also said he Poole as #2 MIP.) They also touched on Moody and Kuminga.
Fun to hear when the national media guys (who aren’t knuckleheads) think of what’s going on with GSW.
Goofus (12 ♡):
Absolutely, he’s a low-key taunter of the highest order. The head scratches, the stare downs and weird faces; he’s not loud like Beverly or Draymond, but definitely always trying to get in opponents’ domes.
Five Alarm Freddy (11 ♡):
"Steph against oxygen". That is good.
Bel (10 ♡):
I think Green sums up what many of us are thinking and praising.
"It's a passer's paradise for me," Green said after the Game 2 win. "You've got those three guys [Curry, Thompson and Poole] out there at the same time, for me as a passer, that's heaven. ... You can't ask for anything more on the offensive end, any more options than that."
Curry, Poole, Warriors way too much for…
Once again, Golden State rolled out the small lineup, and rolled over Denver
Chaos_Samedi (31 ♡):
Again, this only possivle because draymond a 6'6 point forward can handle a 7 foot best offensive player in the league center and completely dominate him
storytellinsabrina (21 ♡):
Joe Viray
@JoeVirayNBA
The still-as-of-this-moment nameless 5-man lineup of Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green:
- 11 minutes
- plus-29
- 204.3 ORTG
- 75.0 DRTG
- 129.3 Net Rating
Chaos_Samedi (20 ♡):
This game was prime fucking warriors basketball matter of fact this game might be one of the best examples of warriors basketball ever, we play incredible small ball defense, reign 3s down and completely demoralize a team.
Shoutout to wiggins for playing damm near perfect in his role, his impact will be felt much more when we play memphis or the suns when he has a good player to guard.
And shoutout to klay for playing like old klay, completely stopping the isos, playing good defense and shooting good shots
Tim & Chris Burger (19 ♡):
Loving the nickname parade and the lineup, but count me as another “please no” to “PTSD,” as someone with loved ones who suffer from the actual condition!
Asher B. (19 ♡):
This playoff run -- so far -- should bring a HUGE shoutout to the front office. Obviously we drafted Steph-Klay-Dray way back. Then there's the Wiggins trade THEFT, which yielded Wiggins and Kuminga. Poole is proving to be an amazing pick. There's Wiseman, which was absolutely the right call, hey injuries happen. Moody looks solid. The vet minimum guys, Porter, even Bjelica playing well despite my late-season frustration with him. GPII absolutely injected intense energy as soon as he came in tonight. The Iguodala comeback? Poor health has really hurt this one, but he may yet have something to say about this playoff run. And then there's all the non-moves that could have been made -- like the clamoring for Bradley Beal in some corners (that I prayed against), or the trades they must consider and reject all the time. The only minor duds have been second rounders like Mannion and Paschall but we also moved on quick. Many here called for a backup center move and that still seems like it could have been reasonable but pickings were slim and I get the small ball emphasis. Bob Myers, take a bow.
Mr Teal (17 ♡):
“If you feel like you’re getting under their skin you press up a little more,” Green said after the game. “If you don’t feel like you’re getting under their skin, you press up a little more.”
Asher B. (16 ♡):
I think it would be hard for non-fans to understand quite why we are so excited after two wins against a lower-seeded opponent. The thing is, Warrior fans don't just want to win a championship, although of course that's the main goal. But we also want to do it in a way we can feel proud of, feel excited about, feel mesmerized by. The first championship team with HB and them wasn't just great, it was new, young, exciting, outrageous. How can you possibly bench your center? How can you run a fast break by gunning a three-pointer with no one there to rebound? Is that allowed? Is Klay going to go for 74 straight threes in a game? It's just SO FUN. Add to that a corporate culture of repeatedly emphasizing joy and teamwork, of players sacrificing for each other, of role players getting love, and it's like a fan's fantasy. And then we hit a patch of rough years, and we wondered: 1. Will we win again? and 2. Will it be fun to watch and root for? And last night's game emphatically answers both questions. We didn't just win, we did it the way we want to. Gary Payton decided to, you know, just block the MVP. Draymond Green at 6' whatever he is decided to shut him down. Relatively unsung slogging vet Looney toiled away exactly as we needed him to. Formerly disdained Andrew Wiggins suddenly an all-star and fitting right into the deadliest lineup. The world's greatest shooter resurrected, hitting threes with no conscience, four point plays, goofy celebrations. Klay hitting three after three without bothering to aim, after two years of struggle to return to the game he doesn't just love -- that's understating it. The ball and players flying around on offense like they're Globetrotters, but playing world-class basketball. The defense playing out of its mind, intense, suffocating, you-can't-come-in-here attitude. And then Jordan Poole, the new face of all this. He's both rejuvenating the familiar Splash approach, draining audacious threes, flying around the court, passing and shooting like he's a Steph clone; yet also his own style, the crazy faces, the hesitation-speed up making an athlete like Aaron Gordon look silly with fakes and blow-bys. Are we making too much of two wins? Not at all. Take a team like Chicago. Suppose they win it all. Well, good for them, respect, their fans can be happy. But is there anything new there? Anything magical? I don't see it. We, on the other hand, are trying to do the Impossible, Take Two: win while being the most entertaining team ever. So if you have someone in your life who is wondering what the big deal is, that's some of the answer: it's about winning, and winning in a way that is vastly entertaining and done in a special way. Keep this up and let's get Kuminga a few highlights and useful minutes, and there's really no more storybook an experience.
storytellinsabrina (16 ♡):
Monte Poole
@MontePooleNBCS
·
4m
Steph Curry is the first player in the NBA shot-clock era to score 30 points in as little as 23 minutes in a playoff game, per Elias via Warriors. He had 34
WastingCurrysPrime! (15 ♡):
When KD bought in fully during the 2017 playoff run, this team was the greatest team I have ever seen. He literally completed that lineup with everything it needed: efficient offense, and length on D.
I honestly thought the W’s should have gone 16-0 in that playoff run. It was THAT good, and THAT unstoppable.
Poole and Wigs aren’t at that level yet. But they are damn close.
(PS: Something tells me that KD will one day look back on his time in GS and see that his time here was the closest he will ever get to being on a team that was worth his talent and abilities. He fit in sooo well here in 2017, and I doubt he will ever get the chance to fit in as perfectly well on any other team again)
Sleepy Freud (13 ♡):
Kerr now 79-28 career in the playoffs (.745) Best playoff winning percentage all-time, and by a pretty wide margin (Phil Jackson #2 at .688). Unless you count Ime Udoka and Chris Finch at 1.000…
#FireKerr
A close look at how the Warriors and Nuggets…
Golden State's small ball unit run roughshod over Denver, can they be stopped?
Sleepy Freud (23 ♡):
Career Playoff Scoring Efficiency Ladder (TS%)
.541 Kobe Bryant
.551 Larry Bird
.560 Klay Thompson
.561 Damian Lillard
.567 Kyrie Irving
.568 Michael Jordan
.583 LeBron James
.595 Magic Johnson
.598 Kevin Durant
.609 Stephen Curry
.908 Jordan Poole
belilaugh (18 ♡):
Could see it as the glass half Poole or the glass half Evans
Trogdor (17 ♡):
Can they get Jokic tired again? I feel like this low elevation is just an unfair advantage for the Warriors. Jokic isn't used to the heavier air and so it's wearing him down faster. That sea level advantage is just rough on mountain teams.
That's how it works, right?
storytellinsabrina (14 ♡):
Jordan Poole everyone. Destined to be a Golden State Warrior from very early on. Obv.
GlueAndBold (13 ♡):
This is the best time I’ve had watching basketball in years
Marina (9 ♡):
I'M VERY SLEEPY BUT I LOVE YOU ALL!
Captain Jack (9 ♡):
Mike Malone is like ...... ...
....
.. there's 3 of them now..........................
Captain Jack (9 ♡):
May I add the Swim Team
Golden Gate Warrior (8 ♡):
Don't know if talked about but Wiggins had 8 boards tonight. I love that.
DNHQ Vidcast: Patrick Murray talks Jordan…
Also we talk why the Warriors need to pull out the brooms on Denver.
sundaygirl (13 ♡):
Thank you for this - I really appreciate the honest, rational, and intelligent dialogue - I learn so much from these talks (along with Eric’s E1Ps) that takes my Warriors fandom to the next level. This team and DNHQ community are really something special.
Captain Jack (10 ♡):
We should make it a rule that every time we beat Denver in the playoffs, we get one of their players that offseason. I choose Jokic.
Daniel Hardee (9 ♡):
LOL I'm the Gold Blooded King going back to my start on the GSOM board, and the Weaponized Joy thing was the name of my first lengthy fanpost in 2017 on that board
Brian Windhorst stole the phrase for an ESPN bit on the now extinct show "The Jump", and the rest is history.
mDuo13 (6 ♡):
The best thing is Poole looks like the same guy he did all season and even parts of last season except his 3's are splashing like crazy. He's still taking long-distance, off-the-dribble, and curl-around shots, but the shooting motion looks a little less rushed and the results look quite a bit different. But a lot of it feels like he just stuck with it until it worked.
Backpack23 (5 ♡):
Thanks for putting this together HQ. I enjoyed Pat coming back to revise his earlier estimate of JPs value. No blame thrown here though, the guy has gone nuclear in the last few months. Hope he stays healthy and can keep it up (JP that is, not Pat…although I hope he stays healthy and goes nuclear as well).
Sphe (4 ♡):
Man United dominated British football for over 15 years with the class of 1992. They just kept adding teenagers like Cristiano Ronaldo. In football if the teenager is good enough, they play. I've carried that belief to basketball and I believe JK and Moody are good enough. I also believe that Looney is the best center in the history of the game so, there's that.
Funes (4 ♡):
Just watching the video now and i feel like daniel’s point about how role players know exactly what they need to do, and execute it *with the intensity of a superstar*, really holds true for kuminga and moody. I feel like when - not if - JK gets his shot in the playoffs, it will be within this kind of framework that will allow him to succeed. Not sure how much sense this is making but anyway, i appreciate the analogy you’re drawing bc i follow the premier league pretty intensely and it’s fun to try to draw out those connections…
Aaannnd1 (4 ♡):
What I liked was this very measured approach to analysis. It is a very good wake up call for those of us who are hyper-reactive and want to trade every player, fire every coach, fire any manager… maybe even eliminate Joe Lacob. 😀 I was feeling very frustrated by Jordan Poole, but now look what we got!
Explain: how the new Warriors smallball death…
2022 First Round Playoffs, Game 1
pooryorick (13 ♡):
No, don’t hate on Austin Rivers, he’s been a solid contributor to many Golden State playoff victories down through the years
pooryorick (11 ♡):
Great recap, Eric, as per usual, you can almost track JP’s defensive IQ ticking upward game by game, he’s rarely lost out there anymore and with fewer long close outs, running him out with 4 geniuses while still expecting him to hold his mud on the defensive end could end up putting finishes on a future two way ⭐️
alv66 (8 ♡):
Not enough triple doubles. Also not old enough for LA.
OGG Gurl (8 ♡):
Love the E1P breakdowns. Cool to see how Dray defended the Jokic spin move in the lane after Jokic scored on Loon on that exact same play/move earlier in the game.
TwoRingTest (8 ♡):
I thought that Bjelica, outside of 2 or 3 nail-biting drives that amazingly didn't end up as turnovers, played very well yesterday.
I think (am not sure) that your point is that not playing Kuminga is somehow stunting Kuminga's growth.
But, the flipside is also true .. Bjelica needs to be kept tuned up to play at his best for the playoffs.
Right now, Bjelica is probably more important than Kuminga, just due to the team's lack of size. Having a big that Jokic needs to guard, and can pull him out to the three point line is huge (as Doris mentioned in the telecast). It may also be important in other series.
Bjelica is the only 5 on the roster that has a shot which needs to be respected.
Captain Jack (8 ♡):
Any enemy of Klaybot is an enemy of mine!
ServantOfLuna (7 ♡):
Lol at the Lakers not keeping him.
belilaugh (7 ♡):
He's their version of Wiggins. Right now he's in too big of a role whereas Wiggins has slid back into his proper role
WastingCurrysPrime! (6 ♡):
That Nets-Celtics series is going to be a straight up knock-down drag out fight. Both teams are going to beat the holy hell out of each other, and it will likely go 6-7 games. There is legit bad blood there between the two teams, and neither will take crap from the other. Wouldn’t shock me to see a fight break out somewhere down the line there.
The story is much the same with the Raptors-Sixers series, only maybe without the bad blood. But it will also be a dogfight. Embiid is going to demolish the Raptors inside and on the glass, since they have no big man answer for him. Thing is, the Raptors have an answer for literally any and every other option the Sixers have (yes, even James Har_en, who will have no D as usual). That one goes at least 6, guaranteed.
Another brewing dogfight is that Wolves-Grizzlies series. Both are young and athletically gifted, plus they are hard-nosed. The Wolves already won a game at Memphis, so that series is likely also going at least 6. Of course, it gets REALLY interesting if the Wolves go home up 2-0. Because you have to believe the Grizz won’t get taken out so quickly and so early, right?
We may not seem to have as hard a series as those other ones, but we would do well not to lower our guard, either. The Nuggets do have an elite player in Jokic, and he always gives them a chance to win games. Still, if we stay switched on and show our level (that of a champion), I foresee us winning this clearly.
Can’t see the Heat, Suns, or Bucks having too much trouble in their series. But who knows?
Dub Nation HQ Comments of Week, plus open thread
Putting up a fresh new open thread https://dubnationhq.com/p/warriors-v-grizzlies-complete-schedule
I don’t remember Looney’s joking😆
https://twitter.com/nbcswarriors/status/1520122586050486273?s=21&t=jCML72-5qSElfUyDCiLbAg