0fficial 2017-2018 NBA Postseason Thread....NBA Finals Cavs vs Warriors 0-4(dubs back 2 back champs)
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Warriors one win away from NBA title after a not-so-smooth season by Golden State standards
By Al Iannazzoneal.iannazzone@newsday.com@Al_Iannazzone Updated June 8, 2018 6:38 PM
From left, Draymond Green, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors celebrate during Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Photo Credit: Getty Images North America / Jason Miller
CLEVELAND — The Warriors entered Friday night’s Game 4 on the verge of sweeping the Cavaliers out of the NBA Finals and winning their third title in four years — all against Cleveland. But it hasn’t been as easy as it seems, certainly not by Golden State standards.
They lost as many games this regular season (24) as the last two years combined. They lost their stars to injuries for long stretches, and they were pushed to the brink by the Rockets in the Western Conference finals.
Yet there they were at Quicken Loans Arena Friday with a chance to put away the Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Finals and perhaps end LeBron James’ second tour in Cleveland. All the Warriors went through ultimately made them stronger.
“Going into this season, I don’t think anybody could have guessed or predicted the ups and downs and the roller-coaster we’ve been on,” All-Star guard Stephen Curry said. “I think for us to do what we did in the Conference finals and win a Game 7 on the road, we had never done that before. And now to be one game away, it’s been a crazy ride. So now we’ve just got to finish the job.”
No one is feeling sorry for the star-studded Warriors and all that they went through this year to get to this point.
They’ve lost one playoff series in the last four years, won an NBA-record 73 games two years ago and were 16-1 in the postseason last year. Rival teams probably are rooting for some Golden State adversity. They got some, but it didn’t slow the Warriors.
Curry missed 31 games in the regular season and the first seven of the playoffs. Kevin Durant sat out 14 games, Draymond Green missed 12 and Klay Thompson nine. The Warriors ended the season losing 10 of their final 17 games. They lost just nine all season two years ago.
In the playoffs, they were down 17 and 15 to the Rockets in Games 6 and 7 of the West finals, but their championship mettle won out. Had Chris Paul not missed the final two games with a hamstring injury, it may have been a different ending.
The Warriors also trailed Cleveland by double digits in Games 1 and 3, and again were able to win — Game 1 in overtime. The Warriors never seem to get rattled. Their rocky regular season — relatively speaking — and everything they’ve experienced throughout this four-year run have prepared them for that.
“I think it’s been our most inconsistent season,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “It’s been our most difficult season. But our guys sense the finish line, and they turned it on right from the beginning of the playoffs defensively.
“I think the last few years have shown up in terms of our experience in these Finals. I remember our first year in 2015 it just seemed chaotic. It seemed so up and down. Now it seems more businesslike. We seem more poised. In the overtime in Game 1 we executed in those five minutes. We executed beautifully in Game 3 to finish the game. I feel like the experience we’ve gained has helped us dramatically. It just feels more natural now.”
Most teams would sign up for 58 wins and being on the brink of a championship. But it’s the Warriors’ run of success that has teams such as the Rockets gunning for them and trying to assemble a team that can knock off Golden State.
James could leave Cleveland to form such a team since he hasn’t been able to beat the Warriors with Durant. But even in the position he’s in, James can still appreciate what the Warriors have done this season.
“At the end of the day, you can never count out a champion, no matter what’s going on in the course of their season,” James said. “It’s impossible to do that, because they’re built from a different cloth, and I know that firsthand.
“When you win a championship and you’re around guys for a long period of time, and you know what you’re capable of doing, all you need is to get healthy. If you can get healthy and guys are playing at the right level at the same time, then you can feel like you can beat anybody.”
By Al Iannazzoneal.iannazzone@newsday.com@Al_Iannazzone Updated June 8, 2018 6:38 PM
From left, Draymond Green, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors celebrate during Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Photo Credit: Getty Images North America / Jason Miller
CLEVELAND — The Warriors entered Friday night’s Game 4 on the verge of sweeping the Cavaliers out of the NBA Finals and winning their third title in four years — all against Cleveland. But it hasn’t been as easy as it seems, certainly not by Golden State standards.
They lost as many games this regular season (24) as the last two years combined. They lost their stars to injuries for long stretches, and they were pushed to the brink by the Rockets in the Western Conference finals.
Yet there they were at Quicken Loans Arena Friday with a chance to put away the Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Finals and perhaps end LeBron James’ second tour in Cleveland. All the Warriors went through ultimately made them stronger.
“Going into this season, I don’t think anybody could have guessed or predicted the ups and downs and the roller-coaster we’ve been on,” All-Star guard Stephen Curry said. “I think for us to do what we did in the Conference finals and win a Game 7 on the road, we had never done that before. And now to be one game away, it’s been a crazy ride. So now we’ve just got to finish the job.”
No one is feeling sorry for the star-studded Warriors and all that they went through this year to get to this point.
They’ve lost one playoff series in the last four years, won an NBA-record 73 games two years ago and were 16-1 in the postseason last year. Rival teams probably are rooting for some Golden State adversity. They got some, but it didn’t slow the Warriors.
Curry missed 31 games in the regular season and the first seven of the playoffs. Kevin Durant sat out 14 games, Draymond Green missed 12 and Klay Thompson nine. The Warriors ended the season losing 10 of their final 17 games. They lost just nine all season two years ago.
In the playoffs, they were down 17 and 15 to the Rockets in Games 6 and 7 of the West finals, but their championship mettle won out. Had Chris Paul not missed the final two games with a hamstring injury, it may have been a different ending.
The Warriors also trailed Cleveland by double digits in Games 1 and 3, and again were able to win — Game 1 in overtime. The Warriors never seem to get rattled. Their rocky regular season — relatively speaking — and everything they’ve experienced throughout this four-year run have prepared them for that.
“I think it’s been our most inconsistent season,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “It’s been our most difficult season. But our guys sense the finish line, and they turned it on right from the beginning of the playoffs defensively.
“I think the last few years have shown up in terms of our experience in these Finals. I remember our first year in 2015 it just seemed chaotic. It seemed so up and down. Now it seems more businesslike. We seem more poised. In the overtime in Game 1 we executed in those five minutes. We executed beautifully in Game 3 to finish the game. I feel like the experience we’ve gained has helped us dramatically. It just feels more natural now.”
Most teams would sign up for 58 wins and being on the brink of a championship. But it’s the Warriors’ run of success that has teams such as the Rockets gunning for them and trying to assemble a team that can knock off Golden State.
James could leave Cleveland to form such a team since he hasn’t been able to beat the Warriors with Durant. But even in the position he’s in, James can still appreciate what the Warriors have done this season.
“At the end of the day, you can never count out a champion, no matter what’s going on in the course of their season,” James said. “It’s impossible to do that, because they’re built from a different cloth, and I know that firsthand.
“When you win a championship and you’re around guys for a long period of time, and you know what you’re capable of doing, all you need is to get healthy. If you can get healthy and guys are playing at the right level at the same time, then you can feel like you can beat anybody.”
I'm might not watch the whole game I'm so disgusted with the Cavs....
Lebron need to score 50-60 points for them to have a shotI'm might not watch the whole game I'm so disgusted with the Cavs....
How y'all feel tonite or what y'all feeling tonite....
I think the dubs close it out, they been playing with so much ease.
Going under the screens has made the game very easy for the dubs...
After the game Lebron congratulate the Warriors and let them know he'll see them again in the finals next year....
With a retooled Cavs squad
I think the dubs close it out, they been playing with so much ease.
Going under the screens has made the game very easy for the dubs...
After the game Lebron congratulate the Warriors and let them know he'll see them again in the finals next year....
With a retooled Cavs squad
It don't matter,this series should be possibly be 2-1 Cavs yet they blew leads with 5 minutes or less in the fourth quarter... To make it worse,the Cavs actually played well in the third quarter,something they haven't done all year and on top of that's the quarter the Warriors usually make there run.
If,the Cavs manage to have a lead in the fourth quarter I gotta worried about them blowing it.
Man I really ain't completely mad at the Cavs...
The crazy thing is that you played pretty well and might get swept
They might not, they didn't played great in game 3 but did win...
Curry had like 6 points in The last minutes that opened the lead up...but other than that they wasn't hot
Fuck that. Cavs-Warriors ends tonight.
Fuck this game and both of these teams.
Curry very good at fronting the lob pass
I hate this jump into the defender draw a foul 2018 shit
Yup....must smaller guard should do that...
Mark Jackson been calling for George Hill to front KD
Jr smith is the king of blown coverages
10-16
Cheatcode gonna win MVP
Yea he was 3rd behind Durant and Lebron....if he keeps it up he'd probably get it