GMP said:

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sycasey said:

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Well, just too short handed tonight. Someone besides Curry needed to get hot and it didn't happen.

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Disagree. Draymond, Cook, and Iguodala all hit some shots. The defense sucked - that's why they lost.

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No one else scored more than 17. They needed the scoring to make up for the expected drop in perimeter D with Klay out.

So, who think KD will play in this series?

And who thinks Klay will be able to perform?

I'm dubious on both.

sycasey said:

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GMP said:

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sycasey said:

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Well, just too short handed tonight. Someone besides Curry needed to get hot and it didn't happen.

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Disagree. Draymond, Cook, and Iguodala all hit some shots. The defense sucked - that's why they lost.

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No one else scored more than 17. They needed the scoring to make up for the expected drop in perimeter D with Klay out.

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Partially because Steph (rightfully) took 31 shots. They scored 109 points - the same they scored Sunday. They gave themselves a chance to win on offense. They did not play well defensively.

okaydo said:

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Looooot of wolfin for a team who still needs to win 2, and just won a game against a team missing 2 of its top 4 players.

GMP said:

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sycasey said:

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GMP said:

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sycasey said:

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Well, just too short handed tonight. Someone besides Curry needed to get hot and it didn't happen.

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Disagree. Draymond, Cook, and Iguodala all hit some shots. The defense sucked - that's why they lost.

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No one else scored more than 17. They needed the scoring to make up for the expected drop in perimeter D with Klay out.

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Partially because Steph (rightfully) took 31 shots. They scored 109 points - the same they scored Sunday. They gave themselves a chance to win on offense. They did not play well defensively.

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Okay, fine. Defense was also bad because they were undermanned.

sycasey said:

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GMP said:

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sycasey said:

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GMP said:

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sycasey said:

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Well, just too short handed tonight. Someone besides Curry needed to get hot and it didn't happen.

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Disagree. Draymond, Cook, and Iguodala all hit some shots. The defense sucked - that's why they lost.

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No one else scored more than 17. They needed the scoring to make up for the expected drop in perimeter D with Klay out.

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Partially because Steph (rightfully) took 31 shots. They scored 109 points - the same they scored Sunday. They gave themselves a chance to win on offense. They did not play well defensively.

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Okay, fine. Defense was also bad because they were undermanned.

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Absolutely. I'm not saying they aren't missing important, difference making defenders. Just saying - I thought guys stepped up and made shots. There was enough offense to make that run - but unlike in Game 2, they didn't lock it down.

any doubt that curry was the best player on the court?

Ws defense was HORRIBLE, although it doesn't surprise me when you look who was on the court (no Klay and no Looney)

i was surprised the game was as close as it was once I saw thompson not playing, but that was the worst defense I've seen from the Ws, and the Raptors were playing confident and loose because there was no pressure on them

as I said before the game, I hope that the Ws strategy is to rest Klay in game 3, basically conceding the game (although they didn't tell Curry that), with the plan to have both Klay and KD for game 4

okaydo said:

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Lol.
Clearly many others laughed about the gg bridge image had them going wrong way.

GMP said:

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okaydo said:

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Looooot of wolfin for a team who still needs to win 2, and just won a game against a team missing 2 of its top 4 players.

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4 out of 6, in a sense.

1. KD out
2. Curry
3. Klay out
4. Draymond
5. Looney out
6. Cousins ain't himself, limped off with ice.
7. Iggy

The defense was poor, indeed. However, we also made only 12 3s and shot 33% from deep, while Toronto made 17 3s on 44.7% from deep. Yes, some of that is on our defense but the W'a also missed a lot of open 3s. Those two issues are not mutually exclusive. They both impacted the result.

okaydo said:

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In that photo, they're heading to San Francisco, not Oakland!

concordtom said:

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So, who think KD will play in this series?

And who thinks Klay will be able to perform?

I'm dubious on both.

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I think KD is out for the entire series. Klay will be back for game 4. With Klay back, the Dubs have a chance. If both KD and Klay come back, the Raptors are dead.

Yeah, pretty sure Klay is back for game 4 and KD doesn't play. Might not be enough. Cousins may have been used too much coming back from his injury, and the best remaining big man option is Bogut...

It's going to take everything the W's can possibly muster to prevent game 4 from being their last ever game at Oracle.

Steph'S 47 was the 8th most ever in a Finals game

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/pts_game_finals.html

Curry led the warriors with 8 rebounds.
Curry led the warriors with 7 assists.
Only 3 turnovers, and 2 steals. 1 foul.

At the starting SG spot, Klay was replaced by Livingston, who went 1-4 in 17 mins.
McKinnie and Cook filled (18 and 27) minutes there, too, and Scored 3 and 9 points, on Combined 1-5 from deep.


.....
Cousins added 1-7 FG.
Jerebko added 1-6 FG.

Jerebko added 1-6 FG

He was terrible on offense and defense

Overall the Ws biggest problem was defense. Absolutely terrible

The impact of losing Klay and Looney's defense was as big as losing their offense

As a Warriors fan, I still just find this fun. There would be no shame in losing the Finals with all these injury problems. If they win, then it's a three-peat and a remarkable achievement.

I think they have to roll the dice with Klay and KD Friday -- lose that one, you're down 3-1 with two games left in Toronto.

And if KD pulls his calf again, it doesn't impact his career or future, nor would Klay snapping his hamstring.

But go back to Toronto 2-2, with KD and Klay both at 80% or better, and Cousins playing better (not surprising he would struggle Wednesday -- he's been out a long time), things would look pretty good.

sycasey said:

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As a Warriors fan, I still just find this fun. There would be no shame in losing the Finals with all these injury problems. If they win, then it's a three-peat and a remarkable achievement.

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Totally agree.
But let's go ahead and win.
:-)

ClayK said:

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I think they have to roll the dice with Klay and KD Friday -- lose that one, you're down 3-1 with two games left in Toronto.

And if KD pulls his calf again, it doesn't impact his career or future, nor would Klay snapping his hamstring.

But go back to Toronto 2-2, with KD and Klay both at 80% or better, and Cousins playing better (not surprising he would struggle Wednesday -- he's been out a long time), things would look pretty good.

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Jalen Rose says he thinks KD won't play at all, and that seems nuts to me.
I agree with you. The warriors have 3 games to go to win a title, and so who cares if you go for it and can't go.
Jalen thinks KD is holding out for the big long term contract. Wait, how stupid is that?!

First, KD already has taken less money twice to be with the warriors and win a title. So, that contradicts KD's prior action.
Second, KD is gonna get the max no matter whether he plays or not.
Third, KD can get more if he stays with GS.

If KD and KT can play, they will.
We all saw what happens when they don't.
And KD isn't playing basketball solely to collect money. He's 3 games removed from winning it all in a historic 3-peat.

Last night was the perfect set up.
"You are needed."

concordtom said:

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Kawhi travelled on that dunk and-1.
That's a sign of his injury, couldn't just rise up.

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The third angle shows it best, and look at Kerr immediately signal for traveling.

Durant is out for game 4, won't be on the court to work out today (Thursday).

Hot Take: KD won't push hard to get back into action as long as he thinks the Warriors will lose the series without him, because he will love the "Warriors lost because they needed Durant" narrative.

My understanding is that further injury to KD could well lead to a chronic problem.

To Kerr's credit he will not pressure KD to risk his future.

It's pretty easy to hold the guy out when you've already won two titles with him.

In some of the least shocking news of my entire life, the Warriors part owner who shoved and yelled at Kyle Lowry last night is an alumnus of and trustee for... USC. OBVIOUSLY.

https://news.usc.edu/trojan-family/mark-stevens-usc-trojan-success-story/

A big difference in game 3 is when the Ws started scoring in an attempt to comeback, their defense couldn't get a stop

In the past, Ws would score on offense and hold on defense

Looney is a bigger loss than people are thinking (although I'm sure the coaches understand when they were watching the raptors shred or 3rd and fourth string bigs

Klay will be compromised.
KD ain't coming back.
Raptors are going to win.

Kawhi will leave team.
KD will leave team.

Neither team will be in finals again next year.

That's my Hot Take.

Kawhi could get hurt.

I wonder when and how the warriors are going to retool with youth.
The core is getting older and more expensive. We see now that the team suffers from quality depth.
It's crazy to be having these thoughts when many have said this is the greatest roster ever assembled.

concordtom said:

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I wonder when and how the warriors are going to retool with youth.
The core is getting older and more expensive. We see now that the team suffers from quality depth.
It's crazy to be having these thoughts when many have said this is the greatest roster ever assembled.

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If KD leaves there will be more resources freed up to spend on role players (I also assume Livingston will be done after this year), so there will be a chance to add depth around the remaining core, assuming they also stay.

sycasey said:

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concordtom said:

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I wonder when and how the warriors are going to retool with youth.
The core is getting older and more expensive. We see now that the team suffers from quality depth.
It's crazy to be having these thoughts when many have said this is the greatest roster ever assembled.

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If KD leaves there will be more resources freed up to spend on role players (I also assume Livingston will be done after this year), so there will be a chance to add depth around the remaining core, assuming they also stay.

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Is that right? The team can of course go over the cap to re-sign its own players. But they are so far over the cap that I don't think KD and Livingston leaving get them under.

Anyways, I don't agree with Tom that this is the last time they're in the Finals if KD leaves. They'd still be the best team in the West.

concordtom said:

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concordtom said:

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Kawhi travelled on that dunk and-1.
That's a sign of his injury, couldn't just rise up.

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The third angle shows it best, and look at Kerr immediately signal for traveling.

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Come on, that was only four steps.

GMP said:

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In some of the least shocking news of my entire life, the Warriors part owner who shoved and yelled at Kyle Lowry last night is an alumnus of and trustee for... USC. OBVIOUSLY.

https://news.usc.edu/trojan-family/mark-stevens-usc-trojan-success-story/

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...and since we are talking all things fines:

"The most fined owner is Mark Cuban, for 20 fines totaling $2,240,000; alone this is about 10% of all fines since 2000. Cuban is not only the most fined owner, he is the most fined individual person in NBA history, in terms of both total number of fines and total amount fined. His largest fine to date, $600,000 was for saying that the Dallas Mavericks should tank for the rest of the 2017-18 season. Cuban says every time he gets fined, he matches that amount and donates it to a charity of his choice."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_fines

Yes, Mark Stevens did a very bad thing for which he is being justifiably punished. He has also done good things in his life:

"A philanthropist, Stevens has signed the Giving Pledge, created by billionaires Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to get America's wealthiest individuals to give away more than half of their wealth to charity. S-Cubed Capital also manages the family's philanthropy, with focus areas in education, environment and research universities." Forbes