All of the data points to Steph being the bus driver, its pretty clear cut.
This notion that there's no driver on the Warriors is completely false, even the current team is mediocre at best without Steph, I'd argue maybe not even playoff bound. They go from a borderline playoff team at best, to championship caliber.
KD got exposed in the sense that he tricked people into thinking he was someone that he wasn't, he wasn't the best player in the league, he wasn't better than LBJ, he wasn't better than Curry. KD is and always will be the best pure 1v1 scorer in the game, but beyond that this game is played 5v5, he simply doesn't bring the same value to a team as the other two.
Steph's value is unparalleled.
The Warriors net ratings during that run with just Steph alone on the court w/o Durant, Thompson, Green laps Durant, Thompson, and Green put together when Steph is off the court, you could stick literally any lineup with Steph on the court and they dominate, you remove Steph and they immediately become a middle of the pack team.
I'm not even exaggerating when I say this, Curry's value is greater than Durant, Thompson and Green combined, much less just Durant alone. That's pretty jarring.
KD got exposed in the sense that he tricked people into thinking he was someone that he wasn't, he wasn't the best player in the league, he wasn't better than LBJ, he wasn't better than Curry. KD is and always will be the best pure 1v1 scorer in the game, but beyond that this game is played 5v5, he simply doesn't bring the same value to a team as the other two.
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Steph's value is unparalleled.
The Warriors net ratings during that run with just Steph alone on the court w/o Durant, Thompson, Green laps Durant, Thompson, and Green put together when Steph is off the court, you could stick literally any lineup with Steph on the court and they dominate, you remove Steph and they immediately become a middle of the pack team.
I'm not even exaggerating when I say this, Curry's value is greater than Durant, Thompson and Green combined, much less just Durant alone. That's pretty jarring.
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I can't help but be shameless in light of that stupid loss 
I'm sad, man. I wish he was in his prime with Embiid. I wish he, Embiid, and CP3 were a super team and MDA was the coach. Scott Foster would've been the most beloved ref of all-time
I'm sad, man. I wish he was in his prime with Embiid. I wish he, Embiid, and CP3 were a super team and MDA was the coach. Scott Foster would've been the most beloved ref of all-time
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barkley may have phased it wrong but fact of the matter is, KD joined a 73 win team that already won a championship. GSW didn’t necessarily needed KD to beat those Cavs team, maybe another all-starish level player. KD shouldn’t have been getting any “best in the world” title during those years for winning titles with that squad
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maybe the hamstring is still bothering him but he has basically no first step or vertical right now. Should have gotten traded to the sixers last year, trying to carry the nets while kyrie was mia may have screwed him
I'd argue not even an All star caliber player, just a starter caliber player would have sufficed.
Even with Steph operating around 70% those playoffs, when both teams were fully squaded up, Warriors were up 3-1 on the Cavs, when Andrew Bogut went down, it got rid of the only reliable interior defender GSW had at the time, and then Iggy's back gave out, these two things meant LBJ had a field day. Ofcourse Draymond being out 1 game also made a difference. Even with all that and with Harrison Barnes going 0 for a million on open 3s, it went right down to the last shot in a game 7.
Really the only issue was health. Warriors were bound to remain a juggernaut in the west, and the best team in the league, but a beatable one, vs literally unbeatable with KD. I'd argue what helped Warriors more was not KD simply joining them but KD taking himself away from a major title threat in the west, OKC was no longer in their path, that was the biggest threat to the Warriors.
Even with Steph operating around 70% those playoffs, when both teams were fully squaded up, Warriors were up 3-1 on the Cavs, when Andrew Bogut went down, it got rid of the only reliable interior defender GSW had at the time, and then Iggy's back gave out, these two things meant LBJ had a field day. Ofcourse Draymond being out 1 game also made a difference. Even with all that and with Harrison Barnes going 0 for a million on open 3s, it went right down to the last shot in a game 7.
Really the only issue was health. Warriors were bound to remain a juggernaut in the west, and the best team in the league, but a beatable one, vs literally unbeatable with KD. I'd argue what helped Warriors more was not KD simply joining them but KD taking himself away from a major title threat in the west, OKC was no longer in their path, that was the biggest threat to the Warriors.
Right. I was talking about Lebron's impact on the Cavs offense. I would say Lebron's impact was as big as Steph's impact on the GSW offense (Thats coming from a Lebron hater 😂 😂 ). The reason is Kyrie is more of a scorer than a playmaker. Lebron's playmaking skill complemented Kyrie's mediocre playmaking.
Giannis is also on the route to being such a player if not already. He is not a great playmaker either but he is the best defender and rebounder in the league. I am trying to say the players "who can decide the direction of everything and lead the team to success" have something special more than just scoring. In Steph's case its his range, gravity and off-the-ball movement. In Lebron's case, its his passing and playmaking. In Giannis' case, its his rebounding and defense. KD's only exceptional talent is his scoring and thats not enough to "decide the direction of everything and lead the team to success" in my opinion.
Giannis is also on the route to being such a player if not already. He is not a great playmaker either but he is the best defender and rebounder in the league. I am trying to say the players "who can decide the direction of everything and lead the team to success" have something special more than just scoring. In Steph's case its his range, gravity and off-the-ball movement. In Lebron's case, its his passing and playmaking. In Giannis' case, its his rebounding and defense. KD's only exceptional talent is his scoring and thats not enough to "decide the direction of everything and lead the team to success" in my opinion.
That's right. They thought it was still the same team that almost beat them last season
Tbf, I think the 2017 cavs actually had a higher ceiling than the 2016 version, they were an all time offensive team (although their defense was a bit worse) who just ran into the most stack team in history. I think they would be slightly favored if the Warriors ran it back with Barnes for example, who was like a lower-end starter level player.
i completely agree with your second point though, which is why KD going to the warriors was such a bs move. I think there were rumors that the thunder would have gotten Hortford that summer too if KD stayed and they would have been running a starting lineup of Westbrook-Oladipo-KD-Hortford-Adams which is a signifcant upgrade to the 2016 Thunder team that got a 3-1 lead themselves over the warriors
Yeah, I think I heard somewhere that 17% of his shots at the rim was getting blocked during the RS, which is insane. He was never jump out the gym athletic but he had underrated hops and agility imo and those are just mia right now. I dont think hes come to terms yet that he needs to make some significant lifestyle choices to get his body right now that hes in his 30s, either that or hes just unwilling
i completely agree with your second point though, which is why KD going to the warriors was such a bs move. I think there were rumors that the thunder would have gotten Hortford that summer too if KD stayed and they would have been running a starting lineup of Westbrook-Oladipo-KD-Hortford-Adams which is a signifcant upgrade to the 2016 Thunder team that got a 3-1 lead themselves over the warriors
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Yeah, I think I heard somewhere that 17% of his shots at the rim was getting blocked during the RS, which is insane. He was never jump out the gym athletic but he had underrated hops and agility imo and those are just mia right now. I dont think hes come to terms yet that he needs to make some significant lifestyle choices to get his body right now that hes in his 30s, either that or hes just unwilling
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lmao KD butthurt at Chuck after he got called a bus rider (on GSW) and after the sweep 🤣
anyone that wasn't Harrison Barnes bricking open shots to replace him would have been enough for the Warriors to win in 2017/2018 (or possibly repeat in 2016)
Chris Paul still hasn't figured out how to beat a Scott Foster-led team in the regular season or the playoffs @GrandmasterChef Zonji 🤣
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anyone that wasn't Harrison Barnes bricking open shots to replace him would have been enough for the Warriors to win in 2017/2018 (or possibly repeat in 2016)
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Chris Paul still hasn't figured out how to beat a Scott Foster-led team in the regular season or the playoffs @GrandmasterChef Zonji 🤣
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What a shameless fuck Kevin Durant is.
Kyrie is nothing without LeBron and Durant is nothing without GSW people are feasting atm.
There is honestly no one in the East that should pose problems for the Celtics. Harden would have to turn MVP mode so he can keep up with Embiid and potentially come at the Celtics. I might jump to the gun too early but I will be surprised if Bucks take more than 2 games at best from the Celtics.
Rooting for Golden State Warriors vs Boston Celtics final matchup. Firstly because they are playing the best basketball and secondly because it's the best for buisness.
Let's be honest people will more willingly pay to watch GSW vs Celtics rather than some fucking Hawks or Bucks.
Kyrie is nothing without LeBron and Durant is nothing without GSW people are feasting atm.
There is honestly no one in the East that should pose problems for the Celtics. Harden would have to turn MVP mode so he can keep up with Embiid and potentially come at the Celtics. I might jump to the gun too early but I will be surprised if Bucks take more than 2 games at best from the Celtics.
Rooting for Golden State Warriors vs Boston Celtics final matchup. Firstly because they are playing the best basketball and secondly because it's the best for buisness.
Let's be honest people will more willingly pay to watch GSW vs Celtics rather than some fucking Hawks or Bucks.
