Hmmm... Not a good look for the NBA. Too many easy narratives about it being rigged.
The only solution I see is for Scott Foster to ref every game Chris Paul plays until CP3 wins one of them. That will prove that it's not rigged! If it takes the rest of these playoffs and into next season, so be it!
Could it be that Foster "doesn't allow Chris Paul to play his game?" i.e., no fouls called for his rip throughs, stop dribbling and let the player run over you, and fouls called for all the grabs, slaps, and nut punches?
I watched the last quarter of NOP-PHO and it was pretty strange. In the first part the Suns played strong defense and came back from an 8 point deficit. Hitting shots and the Pels stumbling. Then from around the 6 minute mark to the 2 minute mark the game became a shootout. Both teams stopped playing defense and just took turns running down and getting relatively easy layups, or quickly hitting a three. And it seemed like each team hit 8 or 10 shots in a row.
Looking at the stats, the Suns hit 5 in a row and the Pels hit 8 in a row during this Q4 crunch time. Thus the Pels won.
Some great shooting, but it wasn’t especially interesting basketball. The most complex play either team ran was a dive and pass to a corner. Certainly it is fun when the team you are rooting for hits lots of barely contested shots. But I understand when people complain about the ‘new’ NBA being dull.
Yes, I’m a Dubs fan and homer, but they play with such grace and style. Who else does?
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.
I think the biggest difference between the Warriors and the Spurs is Steph & Draymond vs. Duncan. Duncan was the offensive and defensive anchor of those Spurs teams. And his game was mundane and clinical more than exciting, as evidenced by his nickname, The Big Fundamental. He would get to his spots on offense, use his excellent footwork and touch, and make easy looking shots (they weren't easy, but he made it look easy). Defensively he was similarly clinical, used his size to make things difficult for his opponent and rarely fell out of position, but didn't wow with athletic feats, big blocks, or snarls. Contrast that to Steph and Draymond who always appear to be doing the impossible:
"He's 6'6", there's no way he can actually successfully guard a 6'10" MVP in the post, can he?"
"He's sprinting away from the basket, there's no way he can make that fadeaway 3 pointer with a hand in his face, can he?"
Other than that, yeah... totally exactly the same. And I mean that sincerely.
It says something about this lineup that the fifth/forgotten man happens to be averaging 17+ ppg, is a defensive rock and an all-star too boot. That's just unfair.
Dray also said that he foresees JP3 starting during the playoffs after Steph returns. If that’s the case, the logical move is moving Wiggs to the 2d unit. Thoughts?
My preference is to move JP3 to the 2d unit, while still giving him 30+ minutes. I’d like 2 of Steph, Klay, JP3 in the game at all times.
I love how he called Wiggins a "Fence Bender". Someone who bends the fence back and forth, back and forth, until it eventually gives out so others can get through. When Wiggins drives it slowly breaks down the defense and eventually the floodgates will open.
i) Anyone else recall the Chase crowd really getting behind the team and firing them up for the 2nd quarter run when we were down 12?
ii) Bjelica was really good cutting to the rim and didn't seem as much of a liability on defense!
Ps, At this point, with all the line up name suggestions, I don't think there will be a consensus. Which is a bit sad and frustrating for us fans. But at the same time it must be more frustrating for the opposition (who never saw this lineup in the regular season) to try and get to grips with.
How can you counter that which cannot be defined?!
Have people commented on Steven A’s “Lethal Weapon 3” moniker?
Steven A is bad, but the nickname is … not that bad? Nice triple entendre, imo: three lethal offensive weapons (1) who hit threes (2) for the third generation of this lineup (3).
Ha, okay, throw it on the pile! Steven A shouldn’t get a say, anyway.
I kinda like “Poole Party” since JP is the distinguishing feature from the other versions; and it evokes splashing, joy, and all manner of fun. (Ask Magic Johnson).
I like Pool party. (With or without the e. I imagine Steph and Klay as 7 yr old brothers, jumping of their backyard diving board, calling themselves the splash brothers. But when they invite their friends over JP, Dray, Wiggs, it turns into a pool party.
SAS has toned it down and I can actually listen to what he has to say now. Lethal Weapon 3 is just silly but so are the other 50 or so names being thrown out there.
Just going from the box score, this seems to be a shooting variance win for the Pels (17-31 from 3). However, if the Booker injury is severe, then this might be a series (though I'd still favor the Suns).
Bro he’s blowing a quad or worse yet an Achilles if they get him anywhere near playoff Level intensity at this point. There’s a reason why they also shut down Iames Wiseman for the year even though he’s probably healthy enough at this point
Lost Booker in the middle of the 3rd quarter due to hamstring tightness. Pelicans continued to play well after the 3rd quarter rally, and the team went on to win game 2 of the series.
I'm certainly concerned about the Grizzlies as a series the Warriors could lose. But in the scenario where the Warriors and Suns are in the Conference Finals, I want both teams healthy so there are no excuses when the Warriors win in 6.
Yeah, I don’t care about health as an excuse anymore. We’ve been on both sides of that coin. You could argue that we missed out on 2 championships due to injury.
Given the team’s history and the players’ East Bay connections, hell yea Oakland carries a lot of weight. The JTA story alone is enough to make you weep and then choke back the tears and feel pride at all he’s accomplished.
But I can’t agree with the Dubs doing something terrible to Oakland, nor the point of view about San Francisco. The NBA is a business and the new stadium was a gold mine they couldn’t say no to. I live in San Francisco (been here 30 years, my kids were born here, and I guess I’m a tech scum) and the city is far from a dystopian wasteland. Actually one of the most awesome places to live in the world, yes, with its own share of problems. The people here try to make things better, often hideously fail, but try more than the leaders of most places.
I guess I look at it differently since they were at the Cow Palace when I started following the Lucas/Mullins/Thurmond Dubs. I identified the Raiders and A’s much more with Oakland.
Loved it - and I just recognized that I know the writer -- we went to college together and he dated my roommate. No surprise he gets it -- he's from the East Bay!
“…a place that wouldn’t cross the bridge to see you play before the championship years.”
False. Even in the lean years, the Warriors have always drawn from all over the bay. I both sat in traffic and sat on countless BART trains with Warriors fans to/from games.
New thread https://dubnationhq.com/p/gold-blooded-playoff-musings-warriors?s=r
Fun fact I saw this morning: CP3 is 0-14 in playoff games officiated by Scott Foster.
Hmmm... Not a good look for the NBA. Too many easy narratives about it being rigged.
The only solution I see is for Scott Foster to ref every game Chris Paul plays until CP3 wins one of them. That will prove that it's not rigged! If it takes the rest of these playoffs and into next season, so be it!
Could it be that Foster "doesn't allow Chris Paul to play his game?" i.e., no fouls called for his rip throughs, stop dribbling and let the player run over you, and fouls called for all the grabs, slaps, and nut punches?
Except I saw Chris Paul get two foul calls late in Q4. One a rip through, the other a bogus bump.
Damn you, Scott Foster!
I watched the last quarter of NOP-PHO and it was pretty strange. In the first part the Suns played strong defense and came back from an 8 point deficit. Hitting shots and the Pels stumbling. Then from around the 6 minute mark to the 2 minute mark the game became a shootout. Both teams stopped playing defense and just took turns running down and getting relatively easy layups, or quickly hitting a three. And it seemed like each team hit 8 or 10 shots in a row.
Looking at the stats, the Suns hit 5 in a row and the Pels hit 8 in a row during this Q4 crunch time. Thus the Pels won.
Some great shooting, but it wasn’t especially interesting basketball. The most complex play either team ran was a dive and pass to a corner. Certainly it is fun when the team you are rooting for hits lots of barely contested shots. But I understand when people complain about the ‘new’ NBA being dull.
Yes, I’m a Dubs fan and homer, but they play with such grace and style. Who else does?
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.
I think the biggest difference between the Warriors and the Spurs is Steph & Draymond vs. Duncan. Duncan was the offensive and defensive anchor of those Spurs teams. And his game was mundane and clinical more than exciting, as evidenced by his nickname, The Big Fundamental. He would get to his spots on offense, use his excellent footwork and touch, and make easy looking shots (they weren't easy, but he made it look easy). Defensively he was similarly clinical, used his size to make things difficult for his opponent and rarely fell out of position, but didn't wow with athletic feats, big blocks, or snarls. Contrast that to Steph and Draymond who always appear to be doing the impossible:
"He's 6'6", there's no way he can actually successfully guard a 6'10" MVP in the post, can he?"
"He's sprinting away from the basket, there's no way he can make that fadeaway 3 pointer with a hand in his face, can he?"
Other than that, yeah... totally exactly the same. And I mean that sincerely.
Light on evidence, but some nice Wiggins love: https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/04/19/kurtenbach-the-warriors-new-smallball-lineup-could-break-the-nba-andrew-wiggins-holds-it-together/amp/
It says something about this lineup that the fifth/forgotten man happens to be averaging 17+ ppg, is a defensive rock and an all-star too boot. That's just unfair.
Dray also said that he foresees JP3 starting during the playoffs after Steph returns. If that’s the case, the logical move is moving Wiggs to the 2d unit. Thoughts?
My preference is to move JP3 to the 2d unit, while still giving him 30+ minutes. I’d like 2 of Steph, Klay, JP3 in the game at all times.
Dray spoke glowingly of Wiggins’s play in his latest Volume video.
I love how he called Wiggins a "Fence Bender". Someone who bends the fence back and forth, back and forth, until it eventually gives out so others can get through. When Wiggins drives it slowly breaks down the defense and eventually the floodgates will open.
I love Draymond.
Ugh, we really have to go yet another day without getting to watch the Infinity Five play???
Glad they get the rest, but I want mooooaarrr basketballllllls!!!
Is “Infinity Five” a Marvel reference, as if each of them are one of the Infinity stones?
Yes. Because they are inevitable.
But weren’t there six Infinity Stones? Can we include Looney to form the Infinity Gauntlet?
Sure. I mean, it's not a perfect analogy but five out of six ain't bad. Add in Kerr as the last one?
Power=Wiggins (he adds the muscle)
Mind=Green (his brilliance runs the show)
Reality=Curry (he bends reality around him)
Space=Thompson (give him any space and he's deadly)
Soul=Poole (a third splash brother is soul crushing)
Time=Kerr (he's been around long enough that he's seen it all)
Combined they are inevitable
I cannot seem to ‘like’ this. This is a great analysis!
I say let Looney by Time (he’s bending time by being the oldest 25 year old ever) and let Kerr wear the Gauntlet.
Two things I haven't seen mentioned
i) Anyone else recall the Chase crowd really getting behind the team and firing them up for the 2nd quarter run when we were down 12?
ii) Bjelica was really good cutting to the rim and didn't seem as much of a liability on defense!
Ps, At this point, with all the line up name suggestions, I don't think there will be a consensus. Which is a bit sad and frustrating for us fans. But at the same time it must be more frustrating for the opposition (who never saw this lineup in the regular season) to try and get to grips with.
How can you counter that which cannot be defined?!
The lineup that Shalt Not Be Named (SNBN)
New Thinking Basketball episode about the Warriors performance in game 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5vPv62B178
Have people commented on Steven A’s “Lethal Weapon 3” moniker?
Steven A is bad, but the nickname is … not that bad? Nice triple entendre, imo: three lethal offensive weapons (1) who hit threes (2) for the third generation of this lineup (3).
Not a fan of it.
I like Death Ball 2 [or 3], or DB2. So, just going with that until something else sticks.
Death Part Deux
Ha, okay, throw it on the pile! Steven A shouldn’t get a say, anyway.
I kinda like “Poole Party” since JP is the distinguishing feature from the other versions; and it evokes splashing, joy, and all manner of fun. (Ask Magic Johnson).
I like Pool party. (With or without the e. I imagine Steph and Klay as 7 yr old brothers, jumping of their backyard diving board, calling themselves the splash brothers. But when they invite their friends over JP, Dray, Wiggs, it turns into a pool party.
SAS has toned it down and I can actually listen to what he has to say now. Lethal Weapon 3 is just silly but so are the other 50 or so names being thrown out there.
It sort of leaves out Draymond and Wiggins.
No weapons, thank you. Lets go with the light, positive aspect of our heroic Dubs!
Passer's Paradise
All western series tied at 1-1...except the Warriors :)
This is especially nice as the Suns were the anointed ones, from what I could tell from the major sports news feeds.
Just going from the box score, this seems to be a shooting variance win for the Pels (17-31 from 3). However, if the Booker injury is severe, then this might be a series (though I'd still favor the Suns).
15pts above average
Pelicans, wow! Zion off the bench for game 3??
Bro he’s blowing a quad or worse yet an Achilles if they get him anywhere near playoff Level intensity at this point. There’s a reason why they also shut down Iames Wiseman for the year even though he’s probably healthy enough at this point
No.
Umm…. Just tuned in. WTF happened to the Suns? LMAO?
Lost Booker in the middle of the 3rd quarter due to hamstring tightness. Pelicans continued to play well after the 3rd quarter rally, and the team went on to win game 2 of the series.
Ingram: 37 points 13/21 FGs, 3/4 threes, 8/8 FTs
11 rebounds (2 off.), 9 assists, 4 turnovers, 1 steal, 1 block
McCollum: 23 points 7/18 FGs, 6/10 threes, 3/4 FTs
8 rebounds (2 off.), 9 assists, 3 turnovers, 1 block
Booker: 31 points 12/19 FGs, 7/11 threes,
2 rebounds (1 off.), 1 assist, 2 turnovers
Bridges: 19 points 7/11 FGs, 2/3 threes, 3/4 FTs
6 rebounds (2 off.), 2 assists, 2 turnovers, 1 steal, 1 block
I'm certainly concerned about the Grizzlies as a series the Warriors could lose. But in the scenario where the Warriors and Suns are in the Conference Finals, I want both teams healthy so there are no excuses when the Warriors win in 6.
One of the truisms of sports is that the most healthy teams do the best.
Grizz are the team I'm most scared of out of both conferences. Then the bucks
That’s a fools errand. There is always some reason to blame. I bet Scott Foster gets to ref one of the games
It's not though, no one respects excuses about the refs except for the 2002 WCF
Yeah, I don’t care about health as an excuse anymore. We’ve been on both sides of that coin. You could argue that we missed out on 2 championships due to injury.
Grizz/Warriors will be a battle between the 2 most chaotic teams in the league lol. I don't think my heart will be able to cope with that series.
That’s why we’re rooting for the Timberwolves, right?
I suppose. But I kinda wanna beat the Grizz too after last year.
oh yeah, big time, we want that smoke (also, I think the chaos would make for a lot of fun)
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/18/sports/basketball/golden-state-nba-playoffs-oakland.html
Cool article on warriors soul being oakland
Given the team’s history and the players’ East Bay connections, hell yea Oakland carries a lot of weight. The JTA story alone is enough to make you weep and then choke back the tears and feel pride at all he’s accomplished.
But I can’t agree with the Dubs doing something terrible to Oakland, nor the point of view about San Francisco. The NBA is a business and the new stadium was a gold mine they couldn’t say no to. I live in San Francisco (been here 30 years, my kids were born here, and I guess I’m a tech scum) and the city is far from a dystopian wasteland. Actually one of the most awesome places to live in the world, yes, with its own share of problems. The people here try to make things better, often hideously fail, but try more than the leaders of most places.
I guess I look at it differently since they were at the Cow Palace when I started following the Lucas/Mullins/Thurmond Dubs. I identified the Raiders and A’s much more with Oakland.
Loved it - and I just recognized that I know the writer -- we went to college together and he dated my roommate. No surprise he gets it -- he's from the East Bay!
Jesus Christ.
“…a place that wouldn’t cross the bridge to see you play before the championship years.”
False. Even in the lean years, the Warriors have always drawn from all over the bay. I both sat in traffic and sat on countless BART trains with Warriors fans to/from games.
Way to go Ingram! Also, with that beard he would've fit right in on the Lakers this year...