Who’s Watching the Finals?

[Handy Johnson]

If you haven’t been you’re missing some highly entertaining and high drama brand of ball. It’s also reinforced the reality that a legit Post presence & playing defense hasn’t become obsolete. Draymond Green’s big mouth can’t stop Ibaka down low & as much fun as it is to jack up 3’s, there ain’t no “D” in Splash Brothers...

[HuskerFever]

I know, right? It's so hard to believe that a team with a long history like the Blues have never won a single Stanley Cup game in 3 appearances and yet they're one win away from winning the Cup.

 

Wait...wrong sport. As much as I'd like for the Drake curse to continue, the Warriors need a reality check.

[jimmykc]

Finally, underdogs to root for in contests where I don't hate the favorite either. Basically, the Dubs seem like pretty good guys under Kerr (with the possible exception of Green) but karma  intervened to even things up by removing Durant from the equation. And I once took an interest in hockey by watching the Bruins while spending some time in Maine but again it seems karma has decreed that Boston has had enough success in the past year. So give the dogs a bone.

[khoock]

2 hours ago, Handy Johnson said:

If you haven’t been you’re missing some highly entertaining and high drama brand of ball. It’s also reinforced the reality that a legit Post presence & playing defense hasn’t become obsolete. Draymond Green’s big mouth can’t stop Ibaka down low & as much fun as it is to jack up 3’s, there ain’t no “D” in Splash Brothers...

Ppl called me crazy when I said Raptors in 6 (assuming KD didnt play). I think Golden State got way over hyped with the sweep of Portland in the WCF. A series in which Portland blew second half leads of 15+ in THREE DIFFERENT GAMES.

 

I also believe most NBA fans forgot how damn good Kawhi Leonard is. The Raptors have a top 3 player in Kawhi and a plethora of players that can drop 15-20 any given night (Pascal Siakam, Kyle Lowry, Danny Green, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, Fred Van Vleet). Also like you mentioned, with Toronto's post presence they are much more balanced offensively.

Edited June 8, 2019 by khoock

[Handy Johnson]

With Klay & KD supposedly out the door, this could be the beginning of the end for the Warrior dynasty. I didn’t think Toronto would get past the Bucks, I also didn’t think Leonard would dominate to the degree he has. Will see, not over yet & I have to believe Durant will try to make a go of it in game #5...

[khoock]

1 hour ago, Handy Johnson said:

With Klay & KD supposedly out the door, this could be the beginning of the end for the Warrior dynasty. I didn’t think Toronto would get past the Bucks, I also didn’t think Leonard would dominate to the degree he has. Will see, not over yet & I have to believe Durant will try to make a go of it in game #5...

I think he has an achilles injury and he and the Warriors are trying to keep it on the hush.

 

I havent heard anything about Klay leaving (aside from wishful thinking Lakers fans). 

[AuroranHusker]

1 hour ago, Handy Johnson said:

With Klay & KD supposedly out the door, this could be the beginning of the end for the Warrior dynasty. I didn’t think Toronto would get past the Bucks, I also didn’t think Leonard would dominate to the degree he has. Will see, not over yet & I have to believe Durant will try to make a go of it in game #5...

 

Sixers almost ousted the Raptors, don't forget.... one crazy shot that bounced 4 times on the rim on a freakin' baseline jumper by Kawhi away from the ECF. Sixers could be doing what Toronto is. The top 4 Eastern conference squads have essentially caught up to the great teams of the West.

 

 

Edited June 8, 2019 by AuroranHusker

[khoock]

16 minutes ago, AuroranHusker said:

 

Sixers almost ousted the Raptors, don't forget.... one crazy shot that bounced 4 times on the rim on a freakin' baseline jumper by Kawhi away from the ECF. Sixers could be doing what Toronto is. The top 4 Eastern conference squads have essentially caught up to the great teams of the West.

 

 

You could almost say top 5. People forget the Pacers were shaping up to be a legit contender in the East before the Victor Oladipo injury. They held the 3 seed by a few games over Philly and Boston before his season ending injury.

[Handy Johnson]

2 hours ago, khoock said:

I think he has an achilles injury and he and the Warriors are trying to keep it on the hush.

 

I havent heard anything about Klay leaving (aside from wishful thinking Lakers fans). 

Wishful Lakers fans want LeBron to retire or get hit by a bus, sign Kawhi, Anthony Davis and go from there...

[khoock]

6 minutes ago, Handy Johnson said:

Wishful Lakers fans want LeBron to retire or get hit by a bus, sign Kawhi, Anthony Davis and go from there...

We must not know very many of the same Lakers fans. The way it sounds, LeBron is the least of that organizations problems rn.

Edited June 8, 2019 by khoock

[Handy Johnson]

I can name the starting front court from the ‘78 squad without a google machine... & I know LeBron took a 35 win team to 37. Yes they have a myriad of problems right now, but bringing in James & the “Circus” that follows has turned out as badly as I had feared. Anyway here’s hoping Toronto closes out Golden St. Monday night!

[AuroranHusker]

6 hours ago, khoock said:

You could almost say top 5. People forget the Pacers were shaping up to be a legit contender in the East before the Victor Oladipo injury. They held the 3 seed by a few games over Philly and Boston before his season ending injury.

 

That's true. Top 5 in the East are comparable to the playoff teams in the West.

[Fullbacksympathy]

23 hours ago, khoock said:

We must not know very many of the same Lakers fans. The way it sounds, LeBron is the least of that organizations problems rn.

 

Yeah.. it LA makes ONE good acquisition in free agency or a trade, I think they’ll be the favorite in the west next season with a healthy Lebron.  That 4th draft pick miracle will pay huge dividends if they play their cards right.  

Edited June 9, 2019 by LK1

[Handy Johnson]

If Toronto wins the title, you’d think Kawhi would be MORE likely to stay than go to L.A. or anywhere else for that matter. I’ve also heard the Lakers might package the 4th pick with player(s) X to get Anthony Davis. We’ll see what Kurt Rambis’s wife or LeBron’s barber has to say...

[khoock]

14 hours ago, Handy Johnson said:

If Toronto wins the title, you’d think Kawhi would be MORE likely to stay than go to L.A. or anywhere else for that matter. I’ve also heard the Lakers might package the 4th pick with player(s) X to get Anthony Davis. We’ll see what Kurt Rambis’s wife or LeBron’s barber has to say...

The best proposal i have seen is a three team trade with including the Wizards

 

Lakers: Anthony Davis

Wizards: 4th overall pick, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart

Pelicans: 10th overall pick, Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma

[Handy Johnson]

WOW I wouldn’t have believed that if I hadn’t seen it ... back to Oakland!

[TourneyBound]

that timeout Toronto called with 3 minutes left could end up costing them a championship!!!  They had all the momentum and then called a TO....

[royalfan]

8 minutes ago, ConkintheCorner said:

that timeout Toronto called with 3 minutes left could end up costing them a championship!!!  They had all the momentum and then called a TO....

 

Yeah, Leonard was exhausted but so was Golden St. and you had all of the momentum.  Have to continue to ride the wave IMO.  

[AuroranHusker]

10 hours ago, royalfan said:

 

Yeah, Leonard was exhausted but so was Golden St. and you had all of the momentum.  Have to continue to ride the wave IMO.  

 

GSW was very fortunate that Kawhi cooled off when he did. And Klay & Steph splashed those final three triples. Curtains averted. Back to Oracle 1 last time before it's San Fran as home in 2019-20. Hope to see this TOR-GSW series go seven, it's highly entertaining basketball...

 

 

[Huskerpapa]

Great game going on now...

[HuskerFever]

8 minutes ago, Huskerpapa said:

Great game going on now...

 

Will it be a barbecue or a tea party?

[AuroranHusker]

2 hours ago, HuskerFever said:

 

Will it be a barbecue or a tea party?

 

More like a Blues Bash in STL.

 

[Handy Johnson]

In the latest WTF moment, Golden St’s GM is now being blamed for Durant’s achilles injury. If yer down 3-1 & KD says he’s good to go, you play him. That’s a complete no brainer. Did his latest injury happen because he was overcompensating for the calf? More than likely, but that’s a chance you take, and THAT’S sports...

[khoock]

35 minutes ago, Handy Johnson said:

In the latest WTF moment, Golden St’s GM is now being blamed for Durant’s achilles injury. If yer down 3-1 & KD says he’s good to go, you play him. That’s a complete no brainer. Did his latest injury happen because he was overcompensating for the calf? More than likely, but that’s a chance you take, and THAT’S sports...

We will probably never know. If he was really cleared and actually healthy and it was a freak accident than noones at fault. But if you listen to the reports of how his rehab was progressing and the intensity/duration of his practices, theres no way KD was ready to play and the fact that he was cleared to play by the med staff and leaders of the organization is a shame. 

[HuskerFever]

On 6/8/2019 at 6:43 PM, Handy Johnson said:

Wishful Lakers fans want LeBron to retire or get hit by a bus, sign Kawhi, Anthony Davis and go from there...

 

On 6/8/2019 at 6:50 PM, khoock said:

We must not know very many of the same Lakers fans. The way it sounds, LeBron is the least of that organizations problems rn.

 

On 6/9/2019 at 6:28 PM, LK1 said:

Yeah.. it LA makes ONE good acquisition in free agency or a trade, I think they’ll be the favorite in the west next season with a healthy Lebron.  That 4th draft pick miracle will pay huge dividends if they play their cards right.  

 

It seems Vegas likes the Lakers next season: