We Just Saw the Real Finals TBH

[Calispursfan11]

The Spurs and Clippers were literally the two best teams the last 20 or so games of the season and very closely matched throughout the series. I think the Clippers may run the table on the rest of the West and whatever East team they face should they make it to the "finals" if Paul can come back and be reasonably effective (he's got that will to win look in his eyes and this game will go down as a Willis Reed type thing (although clearly not as bad as it was with Willis). Tonight was an awesome game but I just had that strange sense from the getgo that the Clippers were going a step faster and wanted it more tonight. It was so close though, this series really came down to a couple of plays - 50/50 balls and some luck but the Clippers' final edge was desire.

Thanks to Pop and the Spurs for a great series and always being professional class acts. The Clippers also pleasantly turned out not to be quite the team of whiny punks I'd come to expect. If Timmy comes back next season and we can retain most of our pieces, I don't see a huge drop off even if we lose Manu and or Tony. Maybe there's actually improvement with Kawhi refining his game even more and really showing the league he belongs in the MVP conversation which he arguably already does.

[Malik Hairston]

:lol Warriors will destroy them, tbh..

[Mugen]

:lol

[baseline bum]

The Spurs record to end the season was fool's gold. The two Houston games were bad and the Phoenix game they looked like shit in, it's just that Phoenix missed tons of wide open shots. Then New Orleans destroyed them.

[baseline bum]

The real Finals will be Golden State vs Cleveland.

[024]

Clippers' crunch time offense is just as bad as the Spurs'. They only seem good when Chris Paul decides to show up in the clutch. Clippers aren't a championship caliber team.

[dabom]

They losing in the second round. I don't know why anyone would watch a hobbled CP3 get his shit pushed in the second round. If they were healthy it might have been a different story though but that's not the case.

[siraulo23]

Spurs worst matchup, Clippers and Rockets tbh

GSW matchup well with everyone except the Spurs

[testies]

i am so betting on warriors

[Sean Cagney]

The real Finals will be Golden State vs Cleveland.

I don't know if Cleveland is making it man, plus they are not better than the Clipper or Spurs IMO or half the West but they are out East so they have a shot. I got the Bulls.

[milkyway21]

They might win if Paul can keep his hamstring drama going.

I'm sorry but I don't think he's hurt, I think. it was all for a show.
Like baby Davis..maybe hurt a little bit, but exaggerated a lot more :lol

[EIC]

I understand where you're coming from, OP, but I respectfully disagree.

I think if the Spurs had advanced, they would have torn through the Rocket's like they were tin foil. I think they would have used this series as a wakeup call and would have been firing on all cylinders the rest of the way, just as the Dallas seven-game series seemed to prime the Spurs for their Finals run last year.

But I think the Clippers got a great matchup against the Spurs. The Clippers are probably the most athletic team left in the playoffs and their physical, athletic style really gave them an advantage over the Spurs' Euro-soft passing game. This is not to mention that the Clippers were shooting at an extremely high percentage all series. Griffin, Paul, Jordan, Rivers, Barnes, Redick, all had unbelievably incredible performances that don't feel sustainable. I combine all that with the emotional nature of the way last year's playoffs ended for the Clippers, the seven-game nature of this series, and the fact that they finally advanced to the second round, and to me it all spells a 5- or 6-game loss to the Rockets.

Rockets-Warriors for the WCF.

[EIC]

The real Finals will be Golden State vs Cleveland.

No way that Cleveland team gets through Chicago the way they are playing right now.

[therealtruth]

I guess we'll get some new blood for the championship. Clippers along with Warriors are definitely favorites to win it all now. I hate how the Spurs fail to live up to expectations when they're the unanimous pick.

[daslicer]

Basketball is a game of matchups. It doesn't work like if team B beats team A that team B should beat team C because team A is better than team C. The Spurs were unlucky to some degree in this series but the clippers were a tough matchup due to Griffin and Jordan being super athletic that allowed them to disrupt the team defensively and get a ton of rebounds. I don't think they match up well with the Rockets due to CP3 being banged up and also Dwight/Jones/Smith athletic ability is on the same level as Jordan/Griffin. Also factor in they have no one who will be able to guard Harden.

[therealtruth]

Spurs worst matchup, Clippers and Rockets tbh

GSW matchup well with everyone except the Spurs

Maybe if Pop had coached the Pelicans game like a game 7 we wouldn't be in this spot.

[dabom]

They might win if Paul can keep his hamstring drama going.

I'm sorry but I don't think he's hurt, I think. it was all for a show.
Like baby Davis..maybe hurt a little bit, but exaggerated a lot more :lol

DOC has done this before.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNPh0qOdeD8

[dabom]

He was probably covering his face from all the smiling.

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

Warriors will make the Clippers their bitch. We wouldn't have stood much of a chance against the Warriors either tbh

This is the Warriors year to win it all. The East doesn't have a shred of hope to compete with the West

[FromWayDowntown]

That wasn't the real finals (I don't actually think either the Spurs or Clippers can/would have won the title this year), but it might end up being the best series of the entire playoffs -- it will certainly be hard to top, even as the stakes get higher.

[ElNono]

No, it wasn't the real finals...

At least it will be nice to be able to sit back and watch a stress-free playoffs now... haven't had the opportunity in 3 years, tbh...

[Mugen]

No, it wasn't the real finals...

At least it will be nice to be able to sit back and watch a stress-free playoffs now... haven't had the opportunity in 3 years, tbh...

:lol yeah, not really sure what to do with this free time in May/June tbh

[Kool Bob Love]

The Spurs record to end the season was fool's gold. The two Houston games were bad and the Phoenix game they looked like shit in, it's just that Phoenix missed tons of wide open shots. Then New Orleans destroyed them.

fools gold but they took the CLips to 7 games? your drunk,

[Mikeanaro]

Real finals my ass, Golden State is 3 times better than Spurs & Clips.

[K...]

Clippers won the right to be the second best team unless the Cavs can play gsw closely.

[baseline bum]

No way that Cleveland team gets through Chicago the way they are playing right now.

The way they're playing now? Dropping two of their last three games to a shitty Bucks team?

[EIC]

The way they're playing now? Dropping two of their last three games to a shitty Bucks team?

I meant since Rose's return. Also, didn't they just fucking murder the Bucks by 56 points?

[DMC]

Real Finals my ass. Clippers will get embarrassed pretty quickly. Typical shitty take by the bottom bunk shitty poster.

[baseline bum]

I meant since Rose's return. Also, didn't they just fucking murder the Bucks by 56 points?

So they have looked good one game.

[Russ]

Steve Kerr is probably almost as happy as Doc tonight.

[EIC]

So they have looked good one game.

Yes. One game plus the three others they won to take the series.

[siraulo23]

No, it wasn't the real finals...

At least it will be nice to be able to sit back and watch a stress-free playoffs now... haven't had the opportunity in 3 years, tbh...

it's not as exciting not rooting for a particular team tbh, maybe i should jump on the warriors/clippers bandwagon for the rest of the POs xD

[ElNono]

it's not as exciting not rooting for a particular team tbh, maybe i should jump on the warriors/clippers bandwagon for the rest of the POs xD

I love watching the game, tbh... I really could care less who wins the championship now...

[Calispursfan11]

Tbh (blow out rockets on home floor w out Chris Paul). Lmao. You doubters will see.

[Malik Hairston]

:lol the Rockets aren't a contender, nobody thinks they are outside of their fans, they are trash..

The Warriors are levels above the rest of the NBA, clearly..

[hommeaetage]

This is why I am more pissed at Pop and Parker, win that series against the Clippers and we probably on our way to repeat. This Houston team is trash and the Spurs match-up really well against the Dubs

[Mugen]

This is why I am more pissed at Pop and Parker, win that series against the Clippers and we probably on our way to repeat. This Houston team is trash and the Spurs match-up really well against the Dubs

Pop said the team was basically running on empty during the Clippers series. The Clippers are gonna get taken out back by the Warriors in about a week tbh.

[SpurPadre]

:lol the Rockets aren't a contender, nobody thinks they are outside of their fans, they are trash..

The Warriors are levels above the rest of the NBA, clearly..

Dubs are good but you're overeating them just a tad. Can't crown them yet.

[Malik Hairston]

Dubs are good but you're overeating them just a tad. Can't crown them yet.

Spurs were the only team that matched up well with them, tbh..

[SpurPadre]

Spurs were the only team that matched up well with them, tbh..

Clips can match up well with them too though not as well as we did, I'll give you that. They're still the last team to beat the Dubs in a 7 game series.

[Skull-1]

The real Finals will be Golden State vs Cleveland.


Oh man, I won't be able to stand watching LeBron make the Finals again...

[Skull-1]

This is why I am more pissed at Pop and Parker, win that series against the Clippers and we probably on our way to repeat. This Houston team is trash and the Spurs match-up really well against the Dubs


Yep. We beat GS for sure.

[Spurs 4 The Win]

Oh man, I won't be able to stand watching LeBron make the Finals again...

Its hilarious how bad the East is. Spurs wouldve made it to the Finals at least 7 of the last 9 finals if they were in the East and the Heat switched places with us. And yet they will give Lebron credit for making it and getting swept this year.

[Skull-1]

Its hilarious how bad the East is. Spurs wouldve made it to the Finals at least 7 of the last 9 finals if they were in the East and the Heat switched places with us. And yet they will give Lebron credit for making it and getting swept this year.


No joke. The West is a friggin' buzz saw.

[kobyz]

To me once again we lost the title on a single shot, maybe single rebound, single free throw... Why we always lose in the most heartbreaking ways, why we once again let the title to slipp from our hands, This curse keep killing us and I'm even still didn't got over 6, #5 was great but not enough to wash away the demege of 6 to my soul, I'm so crushed, don't want to live anymore... Why pop why???

[Spurs 4 The Win]

To me once again we lost the title on a single shot, maybe single rebound, single free throw... Why we always lose in the most heartbreaking ways, why we once again let the title to slipp from our hands, This curse keep killing us and I'm even still didn't got over 6, #5 was great but not enough to wash away the demege of 6 to my soul, I'm so crushed, don't want to live anymore... Why pop why???

Lol, losing in round 1 is not a rebound away from a title. We really werent that close. Sure we couldve won but it wouldve taken a fucking miracle to win all the series without homecourt with how emotionally and physically drained we were, and knowing us (and our ways of devestating failure when trying to repeat), we wouldve laid an egg in the Finals of all places and got hammered by Cleveland or something soulcrushing like that.

[Skull-1]

Kobyz, you ask that question almost every year. I sense a trend.

[Skull-1]

Lol, losing in round 1 is not a rebound away from a title. We really werent that close. Sure we couldve won but it wouldve taken a fucking miracle to win all the series without homecourt with how emotionally and physically drained we were, and knowing us (and our ways of devestating failure when trying to repeat), we wouldve laid an egg in the Finals of all places and got hammered by Cleveland or something soulcrushing like that.

If we wound up losing to Cleveland I think a lot of us would slit our wrists in a warm bath.

Tim is 2-1 against James. I want to keep it that way.

[Spurs 4 The Win]

If we wound up losing to Cleveland I think a lot of us would slit our wrists in a warm bath.

Tim is 2-1 against James. I want to keep it that way.
Imagine Lebron winning a road game 7 on our floor when we were that close to a repeat. Knowing our Spurs, probably wouldve happened on a buzzer beater 3 by Kyrie with 3 guys on him, just to make it suck that much more.

[Skull-1]

Imagine Lebron winning a road game 7 on our floor when we were that close to a repeat. Knowing our Spurs, probably wouldve happened on a buzzer beater 3 by Kyrie with 3 guys on him, just to make it suck that much more.


Dude, you nailed it. Yes, I can definitely see that happening. And then Tim would get even less respect than now.

[kobyz]

Lol, losing in round 1 is not a rebound away from a title. We really werent that close. Sure we couldve won but it wouldve taken a fucking miracle to win all the series without homecourt with how emotionally and physically drained we were, and knowing us (and our ways of devestating failure when trying to repeat), we wouldve laid an egg in the Finals of all places and got hammered by Cleveland or something soulcrushing like that.

So you can look at this as one regular season win against the lakers or the knicks away from another title, no metter how you want to look at this we blow the easiest oportonity we ever had to win a title, clippers with HCA was the only scenario that can beat us and also only with miracle, and spurs couldn't avoid it...

[kobyz]

If we wound up losing to Cleveland I think a lot of us would slit our wrists in a warm bath.

Tim is 2-1 against James. I want to keep it that way.

This is such an immature and stupid thought...

[Johnny RIngo]

Spurs were the only team that matched up well with them, tbh..

Enrique always holding us back from a repeat.

[Skull-1]

This is such an immature and stupid thought...


Yes, because James needs more false hype at our expense, right?

[ThaBigFundamental21]

The Spurs and Clippers were literally the two best teams the last 20 or so games of the season and very closely matched throughout the series. I think the Clippers may run the table on the rest of the West and whatever East team they face should they make it to the "finals" if Paul can come back and be reasonably effective (he's got that will to win look in his eyes and this game will go down as a Willis Reed type thing (although clearly not as bad as it was with Willis). Tonight was an awesome game but I just had that strange sense from the getgo that the Clippers were going a step faster and wanted it more tonight. It was so close though, this series really came down to a couple of plays - 50/50 balls and some luck but the Clippers' final edge was desire.

Thanks to Pop and the Spurs for a great series and always being professional class acts. The Clippers also pleasantly turned out not to be quite the team of whiny punks I'd come to expect. If Timmy comes back next season and we can retain most of our pieces, I don't see a huge drop off even if we lose Manu and or Tony. Maybe there's actually improvement with Kawhi refining his game even more and really showing the league he belongs in the MVP conversation which he arguably already does.

After crushing Houston without Paul you may have a point. But everyone here is terrified of Houston lol.

[Russ]

Spurs were the only team that matched up well with them, tbh..

Yes. Win that NO game and the brackets set up perfectly.

[SASdynasty!]

Tbh (blow out rockets on home floor w out Chris Paul). Lmao. You doubters will see.
Bbbbbbutttt Tony Parker sat out the second half of G6 against the Thunder and we still won. There's no way a team can win without their best player, lol.

[$pursDynasty]

I would prefer the Dubs or Grizz or Bulls or Wiz, or Hawks win the title more than the Clips, Rox or Cavs. I for whatever reason enjoy the Clips/CP0 can't get out of the 2nd round narrative. That being said getting past the Spurs might be akin to the Red Sox getting past the Yankees on the way to that first modern era World Series title. I used to enjoy the loveable losers BoSox narrative but it has been laid to rest. The Clips especially after last nights trouncing of the Rox (w/o Cliff Paul) are like, we beat the best, screw the rest. To be the man you have to beat the man and we are the team that just beat the man!
.

[ajh18]

I ran into a Clippers fan right after the game and she made some comment about how awesome the Clippers are. I responded that we still had five rings, and she very seriously said "just let us get one, and I'll die happy." That's how the fans of most teams feel, and how spoiled we are as fans.

Also, there is a lot of bs here about how "the Spurs always get so screwed! Poor us!" Yes, if EVERY break goes our way (aka, 0.4, the Manu foul in 2006, *6, and this year) we probably have 8 or 9 titles at this point. But we could also easily have just the 1999 one.


2003 game 5, Big Shot Bob misses a 3 to win the game for the Lakers in the game's closing seconds. Think that might have changed that series if the Lakers had gone up 3-2 on that shot?
2005, Horry hits the game-winning 3-pointer to beat the Pistons in game 5 of the finals. Think that series turns out differently without that?
2007, the "Horry Hip Check" and subsequent suspensions happen. Many Suns fans think that bit of luck and rule interpretation cost their team a title.
2014, Manu hits that clutch 3 against OKC to send game 6 into overtime. Miss that, and last year's redemption may never have happened.


The point is, luck hits everyone positively and negatively. Stop playing the damn victim card and realize the Spurs have benefited from luck/fate/etc. as much as any team. This year, we were injured. Not in rhythm. No body "cursed" us. We're actually probably one of the luckiest teams in professional sports.

[sexinthatsx]

Everybody's so quick to ride Warrior's jockstrap, but the fact of the matter is Curry is an ankle sprain away from the team falling apart to pieces. After losing Kevin Love, Cavs look vulnerable as well.

Tbh, you should start bracing yourselves with one of the most random NBA Finals ever. I honestly am not surprised if Hawks make the finals, or Rockets (as much as I'd hate to see that).

[Clipper Nation]

The Warriors haven't been tested yet, they've just beaten up on tomato cans. Their tendency to start heroballing, chucking up heat-check circus shots, and showboating is going to bite them in the ass against a real team.

[SpursFan86]

The real Finals will be Golden State vs Cleveland.

No way. Cleveland without Love isn't that special. In the ~450 minutes this year where LeBron/Kyrie were on the court but Love wasn't, Cleveland was outscored by opponents.

People are either underrating Love, or overrating Cleveland's depth when they act like Cleveland still has a chance at winning anything this year. They might be able to get past Chicago, but I'm not giving them a chance in hell at beating whoever comes out of the West. GS would beat them in 5.

[SpursFan86]

The Warriors haven't been tested yet, they've just beaten up on tomato cans. Their tendency to start heroballing, chucking up heat-check circus shots, and showboating is going to bite them in the ass against a real team.

There have been 7 other teams besides GS to put up a double digit point differential over the course of an entire season. 6 of those teams won the title, and the '72 Bucks lost to the Lakers, another team that had a double digit point differential. People really need to stop acting like GS is just your typical 60+ win team that looked impressive in the regular season :lol

GS has absolutely proven they're clear title favorites, especially with Love now out for the playoffs and SA getting eliminated. You haven't been paying much attention to basketball this season if you think otherwise.

They're not unbeatable, but what "real teams" do you think would beat them? LAC is the only one with a remotely realistic shot, and even then, I'd gladly bet money on that series...especially with GS having HCA and CP3's health being in question.

[Malik Hairston]

:lol The Cavs aren't legit contenders without Love, tbh..the East is an embarrassment, even more than usual without the Heat..

[SpursFan86]

One of the most impressive things about GS is that they didn't even play their best players heavy minutes en route to putting up all-time great numbers. Curry led the team in minutes and he didn't even average 33 mpg. Bogut didn't even play 25 mpg. It's not like they were having to run their starters into the ground just so they could win a bunch of regular season games.

You can't have a "real Finals" when the clear best team in the league isn't even a participant. I agree with whoever said that Spurs/Clippers might end up being the best/most competitive series of the playoffs...but calling it the "real Finals" is stupid.

[FromWayDowntown]

One of the most impressive things about GS is that they didn't even play their best players heavy minutes en route to putting up all-time great numbers. Curry led the team in minutes and he didn't even average 33 mpg. Bogut didn't even play 25 mpg. It's not like they were having to run their starters into the ground just so they could win a bunch of regular season games.

You can't have a "real Finals" when the clear best team in the league isn't even a participant. I agree with whoever said that Spurs/Clippers might end up being the best/most competitive series of the playoffs...but calling it the "real Finals" is stupid.

I hadn't actually watched much of the Warriors until Sunday afternoon. I think the thing about them that is striking, aside from their versatility, is just how easily they can find offense and relatively uncontested shots. As the Spurs series with the Clippers wore on, it was clear that finding good, uncontested looks had become a major problem for the Spurs' offense. Some of that was Parker's injury/ineffectiveness (a lot of it, probably), but whatever the cause, those great looks that came so easily in 2014 for long stretches of the playoffs just weren't there for the Spurs.

It's amazing how much easier winning seems in the playoffs when you can find easy offense.

[SpursFan86]

It's because of the attention Curry demands. You literally have to go over screens even when he's 28 feet from the basket because he can pull up from just about anywhere. Without him, their offense would look WAY different. It also helps that they now have a competent coach in Kerr who can actually call plays to get guys open looks, rather than taking the Mark Jackson approach and just saying "Here's the ball Steph, make something happen" every possession.

Their defense is astounding too. People have this notion that they're a "regular season team" because their defense isn't good enough to win in the playoffs...they had the #1 defense in the league for christ's sake :lol They have two DPOTY-caliber defenders in Draymond/Bogut, along with another great defender in Iguodala. Klay Thompson is a bit overrated defensively, but he's still good on that end. Even Curry has become a serviceable team defender...not trying to start an anti-Parker thread, but Curry is miles ahead of Parker defensively. He might not be a shutdown defender, but he's definitely not a liability either.

I just don't think people realize what GS has done this year. I don't know if they just haven't seen them play or what, but so many of the takes on them are laughably bad. I've seen people compare them to the '07 Mavs...this year's GS team has looked FAR more impressive than that Mavs team ever looked. That team didn't even lead the league in point differential that year despite winning 67 games (Spurs did, and we won the title). Like I said, there hasn't even been 10 teams in NBA history that have performed at the level GS has this season. The vast majority of the teams that DID perform as well as GS went on to win the title. Lumping GS in with the group of great regular season teams who weren't built for playoff success is incredibly naive.

Again, they might not be "unbeatable"...but they're sure as hell the clear favorites to anyone who's been paying attention this year. Vegas has given them a 60+% chance at winning the title at this point. Even if the Spurs made it to the WCF, GS would've been favored. I think we could've given them a run for their money, but it wouldn't have been surprising at all if we lost.

[baseline bum]

No way. Cleveland without Love isn't that special. In the ~450 minutes this year where LeBron/Kyrie were on the court but Love wasn't, Cleveland was outscored by opponents.

People are either underrating Love, or overrating Cleveland's depth when they act like Cleveland still has a chance at winning anything this year. They might be able to get past Chicago, but I'm not giving them a chance in hell at beating whoever comes out of the West. GS would beat them in 5.

Golden State is beating everyone in four or five or most likely. The Cavs have a puncher's chance because they'd have the best player on the floor.

[Spurs 4 The Win]

Looking like this may be right, at the very least it may have been the 2nd/3rd place series

[szkorhetz]

The Spurs and Clippers were literally the two best teams the last 20 or so games of the season and very closely matched throughout the series. I think the Clippers may run the table on the rest of the West and whatever East team they face should they make it to the "finals" if Paul can come back and be reasonably effective (he's got that will to win look in his eyes and this game will go down as a Willis Reed type thing (although clearly not as bad as it was with Willis). Tonight was an awesome game but I just had that strange sense from the getgo that the Clippers were going a step faster and wanted it more tonight. It was so close though, this series really came down to a couple of plays - 50/50 balls and some luck but the Clippers' final edge was desire.

Thanks to Pop and the Spurs for a great series and always being professional class acts. The Clippers also pleasantly turned out not to be quite the team of whiny punks I'd come to expect. If Timmy comes back next season and we can retain most of our pieces, I don't see a huge drop off even if we lose Manu and or Tony. Maybe there's actually improvement with Kawhi refining his game even more and really showing the league he belongs in the MVP conversation which he arguably already does.


Good take, TBH.

[eDizzle20]

The Clippers are playing some great ball. The series they are in now is so sloppy and cheap shots are beginning. The way the Spurs play and conduct themselves is second to none. Even in game 7 TD was helping up Blake after fouling him.

[DMC]

lol OP is a faggot... "real finals"

[DMC]

Tbh (blow out rockets on home floor w out Chris Paul). Lmao. You doubters will see.

All these high quality takes from a high quality cocksucker.

[Mikeanaro]

Clips made a half-assed run after all.