General playoff thread

[KingKev]

You know it baby!
How can this not be a successful season for them all things considered? I am happy I was fanning a team that got to the second round and put up this fight injuries and all. It was a good season for them. They’ll be back.

Next time Ex needlessly argues with me i’m going to bump that before I retort.

Grizz have solid draft capital and if they move Adams can free up decent cap space this summer also.

[MultiTroll]

I hate the Warriors they make my blood pressure boil. I'm very selective about the games I watch. I punted on the Nuggets series after game 1 because I figured the rest of the games wouldn't be worth watching and I was right. I punted on watching the Warrior home games in this series after Ja went out in game 3. I hate this team and I have been watching basketball since '91 but there is a no team I hate more historically than the Curry-Klay-Draymond Warriors.

You absolutely chose a correct game to pass. As you can see from the comments it was Classic Warrior clownery with WarriorRef a factor per par. Memphis added to their own demise, particularly Jones. But ya don't let the final score mislead, this was very winnable by the Grizz all the way up to final couple minutes. Definitely a game worth missing.

Pretty much called it…
warriorrefs help gs get one or two early games and the rest is just an uphill battle until game 6 when warriors pull one out at home and then prance around as if they didnt get any ref help

Again why daslicer made the right choice for himself. Pathetic isn't it Spurs Homer how you can actually just see and feel what is going to happen with the *Dubs*.
I happened to have some free time last night and watched albeit distracted but it's S ole S from Warriors.

[SAGirl]

Next time Ex needlessly argues with me i’m going to bump that before I retort.

Grizz have solid draft capital and if they move Adams can free up decent cap space this summer also.

Who do you think they target? I have no idea.

They’ll need a big to take up Adams minutes. Jaren is not ready to play center full time.

They have some tough choices with their roleplayers too, like Tyus Jones. He’s a good backup who can keep them afloat when the injury bug strikes and they don’t have any backup PG as 3rd string. What’s enlightening is that they haven’t even developed one in the Gleague this season either, so I think they want him back, but it just depends on who else wants him and what he gets.

Clarke is coming up for a deal too.

I think they’ll try to keep both Tyus and Clarke without overpaying, sign Bane to an extension, let Slowmo go and look for an Adams trade, but their GM is a guy that likes draft-centered trades and taking fliers on young guys. Not everything he’s done has panned out like the Justise Winslow trade, but he keeps pruning and taking risks around the edges and investing in youth and I think they will continue doing that. I have no idea who they would target in the FA market. They haven’t built their team so far that way, save for a couple of roleplayers.

[daslicer]

Yeah, I guess I didn't pay attention then. I might retract my praise if that is the case. I'd usually see Curry dancing around and Draymond acting like a fool, so I'd normally turn it off or change the channel at that point. You are right, I didn't focus in on Klay. I guess I don't remember any bad antics from him in games against the Spurs.



Yeah, it's looking at this point that I'd rather anyone other than the Warriors to win.



Darn, I thought Miami would have a shot if they made the finals. Have they not played well against the Warriors, or do they just match up poorly? How much of a shot do you give Miami to beat either Milwaukee or Boston in the next round?

I just feel uneasy about Miami vs the Warriors. Jimmy Butler is playing good right now but historically he's not been an efficient player offensively. I think the Warriors would be able to easily shut him down to make him an ineffective scorer. Outside of Butler the Heat don't have consistent offensive players that can keep up with the Warriors fire power of Curry, Poole, Klay, etc. They are also an undersized team which favors the Warriors since the Warriors are also undersized. You are not going to beat the Warriors playing small ball against them. By doing this you fall into their trap. The Heat's only chance of winning against the Warriors is to win ugly by slowing down the game but even in that situation the Warriors can prevail by hitting timely 3's. It will be like the Spurs vs Lakers in '02 where they lost in 5 but every game was close in the 4th quarter and was low scoring but they just didn't have enough offensive fire power to hang with the Lakers in the final minutes of the game.

If Bucks get Middleton back they will beat Miami but if they don't get Middleton back I see them losing to Miami. If Celtics face Miami then it's a coin flip since I give them a 50-50 chance of beating Miami.

[daslicer]

Thanks for your opinion. I think it’s very well informed. I honestly am not impressed with the Warriors this series at all. I am just a lot less impressed with the Suns to be quite frank with you, is my bottom line. They need and depend so much on CP3, and he’s a guy that will get injured and also is showing his age, particularly when you are active on both ends. That’s the reason I think it’s a hot take. I am not impressed with GSW. They are vulnerable and the Grizzlies wore them down. They became a TO machine. I think Dallas can replicate that more the Suns though.

Just a day after, I am already doubting GSW can win the next round.

I don't think Dallas has enough talent to beat GSW. Luka will definitely own them in a series. I don't think they will be able to stop Luka. Brunson also looks like he would be a problem for the Warriors since they would have to stick their best perimeter defensive player on Luka which is Wiggins which would allow Brunson to go off. I think Klay and Wiggins would be exhausted having to guard Brunson and Luka for a 7 games series and it will wear on them on both ends of the court. The Mavs have this going for them.

The problem is who is going to make Curry work on both ends of the court. Kerr will make sure Curry is never guarding Brunson or Luka since he doesn't have the speed to keep up with Brunson and doesn't have the size or height to check Luka. They will cheat and him guard either Bullock or Finney-Smith. I don't think those guys are consistent threats offensively to bother Curry and defensively I don't think they can slow down Curry.

The other problems are the Mavs are an undersized team, and their role players are inconsistent. I'm still a believer that being undersized against the Warriors will always favor the Warriors since small ball is their strength. No team has yet to beat them playing small ball since their incarnation of Curry-Klay-Draymond has been around. The role players in the series against the Suns have been wildly inconsistent when playing at home vs the road. Against the Warriors you are going to have to steal at least 1 game in SF or maybe even 2. To do this the role players are going to have show up which I don't have faith in them to do so.

[SAGirl]

^ You are right about the Mavs roleplayers daslicer. We arent even going to have this conversation if they aren’t able to win a close out game on the road. The odds are stacked against them. An underrated aspect of these playoffs is the level of home cooking from the referees the home team gets, how much physical defense teams are able to get away with and who thrives and doesn't in that kind of situation. If the Mavs aren't able to show up on the road at all, they aren't winning this series. All champions at one point or another need to win games on the road and this Dallas team is having trouble with elite teams on the road, which is not a good sign.

Inevitably, it seems like a Suns/GSW series. I hope its a good one. I can get behind the Suns, specially once you put into perspective the fact that CP3 wont be around for much longer and this elite version of them isnt going to last a long time.

[MultiTroll]

The other problems are the Mavs are an undersized team, and their role players are inconsistent. I'm still a believer that being undersized against the Warriors will always favor the Warriors since small ball is their strength. No team has yet to beat them playing small ball since their incarnation of Curry-Klay-Draymond has been around. The role players in the series against the Suns have been wildly inconsistent when playing at home vs the road. Against the Warriors you are going to have to steal at least 1 game in SF or maybe even 2. To do this the role players are going to have show up which I don't have faith in them to do so.

Would playing Boban for 10-15 be a good thing, like with Steven Adams?
As a former huge Boban honk, i realize now his knees are simply too gimpy to be Prime Boban 25 PER consistently. I attibute that to the cheapshot he took when on Philly resulting in pretty serious injury. Never was the same.

Oh and daslicer while i applaude your purposely missing the Warriors game last night, I'll see if i can find the clip of Wiggins or one of the Dubs goons twisting and throwing Adams to the floor. Complete cheap shot. Sure enough Adams looked like he hurt his wrist / arm pretty bad. Even motioned to the bench to come out and Adams is in no way shape or form a softie. If he wants out, he is seriously injured.

Ya the *great* Warriors.

No call of course.

[MultiTroll]

Here it tis.

Looney.

Looney the goonie.

[SAGirl]

^ Yea that was just called a common foul… that is what I mean by the level of home cooking from the referees and the kind of adversity you have to endure. CP3 is just going to get injured in some play or another, and it will be game over. That is what I am afraid of.

[daslicer]

Would playing Boban for 10-15 be a good thing, like with Steven Adams?
As a former huge Boban honk, i realize now his knees are simply too gimpy to be Prime Boban 25 PER consistently. I attibute that to the cheapshot he took when on Philly resulting in pretty serious injury. Never was the same.

Oh and daslicer while i applaude your purposely missing the Warriors game last night, I'll see if i can find the clip of Wiggins or one of the Dubs goons twisting and throwing Adams to the floor. Complete cheap shot. Sure enough Adams looked like he hurt his wrist / arm pretty bad. Even motioned to the bench to come out and Adams is in no way shape or form a softie. If he wants out, he is seriously injured.

Ya the *great* Warriors.

No call of course.

Definitely a cheap dirty play by Looney. The problem I feel is that the rest of the league is too scared to do retaliation to the Warriors for their dirty plays due to fear of unfair punishments when it comes to suspensions and fines. The Warriors take advantage of this by being dirty knowing they don't have to fear retaliation. I do feel the Warriors are a punk team that if they had to play team like the 90's Knicks that they would be in tears over what Starks,Oakley,Ewing,Mason would do for retaliation.

Adams was pretty much screwed from the beginning because he never retaliated against Draymond when he did dirty plays against him in the past. Just look at even game 5 when Draymond threw him to the ground, and he did nothing. This in return gave Looney the confidence knowing he could do this to Adams and get away with it. Think about an old school guy like Kevin Willis. Do you think a scrub like Looney or Draymond would think they could get away with doing the same things they did with Adams against Kwill. They wouldn't dare attempt it on Kwill because they know Kwill would punch them in the face. It's one thing I liked about Kwill is he would lay out guys when they played dirty against him and was unapologetic about it.

The only way to stop the dirty plays is some team or player is going to have to take it to his own hands and deck Draymond, Klay, Curry and be unapologetic about it and take the suspension and then do it again since the Warriors will think that after x player is suspended that he won't ever fight back again. Do it one more time and get suspended and then the Warriors will start to fear retaliation. They are the typical bully that if they get punched in the mouth more than once they will give up. Unfortunately, I don't see this ever happening in the current NBA.

[SAGirl]

Definitely a cheap dirty play by Looney. The problem I feel is that the rest of the league is too scared to do retaliation to the Warriors for their dirty plays due to fear of unfair punishments when it comes to suspensions and fines. The Warriors take advantage of this by being dirty knowing they don't have to fear retaliation. I do feel the Warriors are a punk team that if they had to play team like the 90's Knicks that they would be in tears over what Starks,Oakley,Ewing,Mason would do for retaliation.

Adams was pretty much screwed from the beginning because he never retaliated against Draymond when he did dirty plays against him in the past. Just look at even game 5 when Draymond threw him to the ground, and he did nothing. This in return gave Looney the confidence knowing he could do this to Adams and get away with it. Think about an old school guy like Kevin Willis. Do you think a scrub like Looney or Draymond would think they could get away with doing the same things they did with Adams against Kwill. They wouldn't dare attempt it on Kwill because they know Kwill would punch them in the face. It's one thing I liked about Kwill is he would lay out guys when they played dirty against him and was unapologetic about it.

The only way to stop the dirty plays is some team or player is going to have to take it to his own hands and deck Draymond, Klay, Curry and be unapologetic about it and take the suspension and then do it again since the Warriors will think that after x player is suspended that he won't ever fight back again. Do it one more time and get suspended and then the Warriors will start to fear retaliation. They are the typical bully that if they get punched in the mouth more than once they will give up. Unfortunately, I don't see this ever happening in the current NBA.

I think only Dillon the Villain from the Grizzlies so far has exhibited this kind of moxie:

He got what was essentially a two game suspension for a reckless play. Meantime gSW grabbed Jas knee. Draymond grabbed Clarke in the air and threw him, and Adams was a punching bag.... That's the kind of stuff teams are against. Zaza sliding under Kawhi's knee is on the level of grabbing Ja's knee and twisting it. ... I don't see anyone else issuing this kind of statements... Meaning that, while I think the Grizzlies are looking for an update from Brooks who can be very inefficient, his defensive tenacity and leadership is something they need.

[daslicer]

^ Yea that was just called a common foul… that is what I mean by the level of home cooking from the referees and the kind of adversity you have to endure. CP3 is just going to get injured in some play or another, and it will be game over. That is what I am afraid of.

No point of fearing it. If it happens it happens, I will just not watch the rest of the series then. Also you got to factor in the unknown for the Warriors. Curry's ankles are very vulnerable from getting taken out from a freak injury ala Marcus Smart inadvertently taking out his ankle a few months go when diving for a lose ball. His ankles are made out of glass and can shatter at anytime.

[daslicer]

I think only Dillon the Villain from the Grizzlies so far has exhibited this kind of moxie:

He got what was essentially a two game suspension for a reckless play. Meantime gSW grabbed Jas knee. Raymond grabbed Clarke in the air and three him, and Adam was a punching bag.... That's th kind of stuff teams are against. Zaza sliding under Kawhi knee is on the level of grabbing Ja knee and twisting it. ... I don't see anyone else issuing this kind of statements... Meaning that while I think the Grizzlies are looking for an update from Brooks who can be very inefficient, his defensive tenacity and leadership is something they need.

I respect Brooks for having that moxie. He was the only guy willing to play dirty back against the Warriors. I saw a clip randomly from last night when he shoved Curry from the back which I applauded and then jawed with Klay.

[TD 21]

Celtics-Bucks has been what I expected. Never for a second wavered on the former, even though their crunch time offensive issues persist.

I'm less convinced with the Suns since the Mavericks have the exact high variance formula to pull the upset: Superstar/best player in series, volume 3-point shooting and no external pressure. I'll still lean the former though.

[daslicer]

Celtics-Bucks has been what I expected. Never for a second wavered on the former, even though their crunch time offensive issues persist.

I'm less convinced with the Suns since the Mavericks have the exact high variance formula to pull the upset: Superstar/best player in series, volume 3-point shooting and no external pressure. I'll still lean the former though.

I had the Celtics winning before the series started. I felt the Celtics advantage with their perimeter players would edge out the Bucks despite Giannis' dominance. If Middelton was playing in this series, I would have the Bucks winning it. I have the Suns winning game 7. I think Luka will play great but the Mav's role players will fall apart playing on the road.

[Ice009]

I think only Dillon the Villain from the Grizzlies so far has exhibited this kind of moxie:

He got what was essentially a two game suspension for a reckless play. Meantime gSW grabbed Jas knee. Draymond grabbed Clarke in the air and threw him, and Adams was a punching bag.... That's the kind of stuff teams are against. Zaza sliding under Kawhi's knee is on the level of grabbing Ja's knee and twisting it. ... I don't see anyone else issuing this kind of statements... Meaning that, while I think the Grizzlies are looking for an update from Brooks who can be very inefficient, his defensive tenacity and leadership is something they need.

Welcome to the wonderful world of the GSW special treatment they get which is why we all dislike/hate them so much.

I really hope Dallas can somehow win game 7 as I've love to see them get revenge on the Warriors for the 2007 playoffs. As much as I disliked the Mavs back then, Dirk, I never once had a problem with. He was nothing but classy towards the Spurs, and probably to all other teams too. The Warriors are just a de able bunch.

[daslicer]

Welcome to the wonderful world of the GSW special treatment they get which is why we all dislike/hate them so much.

I really hope Dallas can somehow win game 7 as I've love to see them get revenge on the Warriors for the 2007 playoffs. As much as I disliked the Mavs back then, Dirk, I never once had a problem with. He was nothing but classy towards the Spurs, and probably to all other teams too. The Warriors are just a de able bunch.

I never thought I would find a team I hate more than the Shaq-Kobe Lakers, but the Warriors easily surpassed them. Somehow they managed to be more dirtier than those Lakers teams along with being even more arrogant than those lakers teams with the way they act and carry themselves.

[Ice009]

I never thought I would find a team I hate more than the Shaq-Kobe Lakers, but the Warriors easily surpassed them. Somehow they managed to be more dirtier than those Lakers teams along with being even more arrogant than those lakers teams with the way they act and carry themselves.

Yeah, I am going to have to agree. I didn't like the Lakers back then, but if I look back now, they're nowhere near as bad as I thought they were at the time. This GSW team has changed my mind on that. I actually thought once Durant left that I wouldn't hate the Warriors so much as I thought apart from Durant, they built their team from the ground up, so it wasn't like the Lebron/Wade/Bosh Miami Heat where they conspired to form a superteam (although what GS did was just as bad when they got Durant). When Durant left I thought they were humbled a little bit and might start acting different, but nope, soon as they're back near the top they show their true front running colours yet again.

I really do wonder if this stupid run of theirs would have even started if teams were healthy in the 2015 playoffs. The Spurs had Tiago and TP injured, I wonder what would have happened if they faced a fully healthy Spurs team (Steve Kerr did say that it felt weird when they won as he thought he was going to have to go through the Spurs to win it all). The Clippers and maybe Rockets could have also beaten them, but I think it was CP3 that was hurt towards the end of the Spurs series and Rockets fluked a series win, then as usual completely came apart in the WCF. They've had such a lucky run year after year, but instead of being humble, they push the line, get favouritism and act like clowns. How Curry still gets the respect amongst the average fans still astounds me with all the disappearances he's had in some of the biggest games. All those years that people called him the best player in the NBA based on regular season games on a stacked team was just wrong IMO as Lebron was clearly better than him in all the years anyone ever considered Curry the best player in the league, and a few other players were also better than him as well (Kawhi was in 2017 & 2019 and his own teammate Durant was in 2017, 2018 & 2019).

[Texas_Ranger]

Tony Brothers is reffing Mavs-Suns. There is a bigger chance Doncic gets sent off in the first half than the Mavs win.

[daslicer]

Yeah, I am going to have to agree. I didn't like the Lakers back then, but if I look back now, they're nowhere near as bad as I thought they were at the time. This GSW team has changed my mind on that. I actually thought once Durant left that I wouldn't hate the Warriors so much as I thought apart from Durant, they built their team from the ground up, so it wasn't like the Lebron/Wade/Bosh Miami Heat where they conspired to form a superteam (although what GS did was just as bad when they got Durant). When Durant left I thought they were humbled a little bit and might start acting different, but nope, soon as they're back near the top they show their true front running colours yet again.

I really do wonder if this stupid run of theirs would have even started if teams were healthy in the 2015 playoffs. The Spurs had Tiago and TP injured, I wonder what would have happened if they faced a fully healthy Spurs team (Steve Kerr did say that it felt weird when they won as he thought he was going to have to go through the Spurs to win it all). The Clippers and maybe Rockets could have also beaten them, but I think it was CP3 that was hurt towards the end of the Spurs series and Rockets fluked a series win, then as usual completely came apart in the WCF. They've had such a lucky run year after year, but instead of being humble, they push the line, get favouritism and act like clowns. How Curry still gets the respect amongst the average fans still astounds me with all the disappearances he's had in some of the biggest games. All those years that people called him the best player in the NBA based on regular season games on a stacked team was just wrong IMO as Lebron was clearly better than him in all the years anyone ever considered Curry the best player in the league, and a few other players were also better than him as well (Kawhi was in 2017 & 2019 and his own teammate Durant was in 2017, 2018 & 2019).

Curry is the most popular player among casual NBA fans. I saw a stat a week or two ago that said he was the second most viewed player for clips during these playoffs for fans on YouTube. The only guy that got more views was Ja Morant. I would say Curry's appearance plays a huge role in why he gets a lot of admiration and respect from casual fans. He looks like a 10-year-old and by NBA standards he's a little guy so a lot of fans can self-identify with him. Shaq said it best once when he said "Nobody wants to see Goliath win." That pretty much sums up NBA fandom for Curry.

I would also say Curry also benefited from casual fans hatred of Lebron. I can be honest I never liked Lebron, but I didn't hate him like a lot of NBA fans do. Lebron is very polarizing and NBA fans were willing to route for anybody that could take him down during the years he was going to the finals. Its why casuals started liking the Spurs during the '13 and 14 final runs. Those were only final runs where I heard great praise from casuals about how exciting the Spurs are to watch. These are the same casuals who normally would label the Spurs boring and dull but because they were whooping Lebron's ass they were no longer boring.

I never expected the Warriors to be humbled by the losing they suffered from '19-'21. Draymond is the leader of that team, and they all mimic his behavior. Draymond by nature is a filthy trashy arrogant guy and that was never going to change. There was a moment during the '15-'16 season that stood out to me about the impact Draymond has on the Warriors. Draymond and OJ Mayo got into a near altercation after the Bucks-Warriors game was over. They were separated and Klay Thompson also talked some to OJ. What really stood out to me was after the game when Klay said and I'm paraphrasing "Draymond talks a lot of trash and is arrogant and now he wants us as a team to be him like him. He pushes us to be arrogant and y and I'm getting better at it. We are all working hard to be as arrogant as we can be." That statement said all I needed to know about the Warriors and how they conduct themselves.

[BatManu20]

[R. DeMurre]

The thing that never gets enough coverage is how during the entire decade of the Spurs vs Lakers rivalry, the Lakers outspent the Spurs every single season, and often by a good margin. Mitch Kupchak always had much more money at his disposal than RC Buford. Give Duncan an additional impactful player every year in those seasons and the rivalry probably changes significantly.

[daslicer]

My favorite moment in Spurs history. To me it was the greatest playoff game of Duncan's career due to the significance. I think Duncan had close to 40 points on 70 percent shooting in that game and Shaq also had 30 some points on 60. Shaq was on a mission in that game to dominate that game and win game 6 like he did a year earlier against the Kings, but Duncan rose to the occasion and outplayed him. No one ever talks about that game when it comes to Duncan's legacy, but it should be talked about more.

[Ice009]

Curry is the most popular player among casual NBA fans. I saw a stat a week or two ago that said he was the second most viewed player for clips during these playoffs for fans on YouTube. The only guy that got more views was Ja Morant. I would say Curry's appearance plays a huge role in why he gets a lot of admiration and respect from casual fans. He looks like a 10-year-old and by NBA standards he's a little guy so a lot of fans can self-identify with him. Shaq said it best once when he said "Nobody wants to see Goliath win." That pretty much sums up NBA fandom for Curry.

Didn't realize that many people still watch Curry and that he's still near the top of the list. Despite winning MVPs (I can't remember if it was 1 or 2 he won, I am guessing 2), he was never the best player in the league any season IMO, but I guess like you said, people relate to him more. When I look at most of the best players since I started watching the NBA, I always pictured either a superhero athletic type of player or a dominant big man. I guess I don't associate little guys that look like the average person with being an NBA MVP. Having said that, I don't care what you look like or what size you are - if you are the best player I will give you props, so I wasn't hating on him because of his size and appearance. He was top 3-4 during his very best seasons, but I just didn't ever think of him as the best player in the NBA for any single season.

I would also say Curry also benefited from casual fans hatred of Lebron. I can be honest I never liked Lebron, but I didn't hate him like a lot of NBA fans do. Lebron is very polarizing and NBA fans were willing to route for anybody that could take him down during the years he was going to the finals. Its why casuals started liking the Spurs during the '13 and 14 final runs. Those were only final runs where I heard great praise from casuals about how exciting the Spurs are to watch. These are the same casuals who normally would label the Spurs boring and dull but because they were whooping Lebron's ass they were no longer boring.

Good point. I'm not in the US, so I didn't realize that fans back then actually got onto the Spurs wagon during the 2013 & 2014 seasons. I guess some of them really wanted to see Miami challenged. The Spurs did play great basketball, though, so I'd like to think that it wasn't all about them wanting to see someone beat Lebron and the Heat.

I never expected the Warriors to be humbled by the losing they suffered from '19-'21. Draymond is the leader of that team, and they all mimic his behavior. Draymond by nature is a filthy trashy arrogant guy and that was never going to change. There was a moment during the '15-'16 season that stood out to me about the impact Draymond has on the Warriors. Draymond and OJ Mayo got into a near altercation after the Bucks-Warriors game was over. They were separated and Klay Thompson also talked some to OJ. What really stood out to me was after the game when Klay said and I'm paraphrasing "Draymond talks a lot of trash and is arrogant and now he wants us as a team to be him like him. He pushes us to be arrogant and y and I'm getting better at it. We are all working hard to be as arrogant as we can be." That statement said all I needed to know about the Warriors and how they conduct themselves.

Well, darn, that explains a lot. I didn't know any of that. Seems like Draymond is the one behind it all. It's crazy how much of a scrub he looked like the past couple of NBA seasons, but now he's back to his old tricks acting like he did when they were on top. Very surprising to see someone at that level he was the past two seasons be so influential. Not only to his team, but also the way the refs and NBA treat him as far as leeway to do stuff other players aren't allowed to do. I just don't get why the NBA allows his BS antics.

[daslicer]

Didn't realize that many people still watch Curry and that he's still near the top of the list. Despite winning MVPs (I can't remember if it was 1 or 2 he won, I am guessing 2), he was never the best player in the league any season IMO, but I guess like you said, people relate to him more. When I look at most of the best players since I started watching the NBA, I always pictured either a superhero athletic type of player or a dominant big man. I guess I don't associate little guys that look like the average person with being an NBA MVP. Having said that, I don't care what you look like or what size you are - if you are the best player I will give you props, so I wasn't hating on him because of his size and appearance. He was top 3-4 during his very best seasons, but I just didn't ever think of him as the best player in the NBA for any single season.



Good point. I'm not in the US, so I didn't realize that fans back then actually got onto the Spurs wagon during the 2013 & 2014 seasons. I guess some of them really wanted to see Miami challenged. The Spurs did play great basketball, though, so I'd like to think that it wasn't all about them wanting to see someone beat Lebron and the Heat.



Well, darn, that explains a lot. I didn't know any of that. Seems like Draymond is the one behind it all. It's crazy how much of a scrub he looked like the past couple of NBA seasons, but now he's back to his old tricks acting like he did when they were on top. Very surprising to see someone at that level he was the past two seasons be so influential. Not only to his team, but also the way the refs and NBA treat him as far as leeway to do stuff other players aren't allowed to do. I just don't get why the NBA allows his BS antics.

1. I'm 6'2 and have a slim athletic build but I have never based my height on what players I root for but there are a lot of people who do this. Average height for man in America is 5'9-5'10 so a lot of guys identify with the little guy it's why Allen Iverson was super popular during the late 90's and early '00s. Little guys are very marketable to the public more so than your typical NBA giants. It's just that the majority of times the guys who are the best players in the NBA tend to be 6'6 or taller so the NBA doesn't get many opportunities to market small players but when they do they go into overdrive. Curry is not a little guy compared to the normal public but on TV he looks little compared to his peers and people self identify with that stuff.

2. Lebron is hated by a lot of fans in the US. For every fan that likes him there is an equal amount that hate him. I feel if it came down to Lebron vs Team Putin in the finals that half of the country would root for Team Putin. Curry definitely benefited from this, and it made him more liked by the public since all of 3 of his finals championships came at beating Lebron.

3. Draymond is definitely behind all of the Warrior's antics. You take him away and Curry and Klay and the rest of that team loses a great deal of their arrogance. They feed off of him and in return he protects them with his dirty antics. It's what I call symbiotic relationship he has with Curry and Klay. Curry, Klay and the rest of the team then has his back against the refs when they start yelling at the officials for calling fouls on Draymond. It puts a lot of pressure on the refs when they know if they give him tech that Kerr and the rest of the Warriors will start yelling at them. The league also allows Draymond to get away with his dirty antics because he is on the most popular team right now which generates high ratings in return that's money for the league. If Draymond was playing for the Kings, he would be getting tossed out of a lot of these games or fouling out.