Kevin Barkley vs Charles Durant thread formerly AtL

[Probie2429]

Warriors are stacked on paper, but their bench just took a big hit. They are the best team in the league, but if they suffer an injury to one of the big 4 (Durant, Curry, Klay, or Green), they become exposed quite rapidly. Their C and PF play will be atrocious, and if they can't rebound the ball consistently, it won't matter how many 3s they can hit.

 

[clonetrooper264]

Warriors are stacked on paper, but their bench just took a big hit. They are the best team in the league, but if they suffer an injury to one of the big 4 (Durant, Curry, Klay, or Green), they become exposed quite rapidly. Their C and PF play will be atrocious, and if they can't rebound the ball consistently, it won't matter how many 3s they can hit.

Well Green/Durant will be playing a lot of PF so I think they'll be good there. Zaza isn't a shotblocker, but he does rebound well so they'll at least get Bogut like rebounding from him, which might be all they really need. However, it is true that one injury could cripple them. Their top 7 is looking pretty solid though. If they can somehow get some ring chasing big who can block shots that'd really be something, but I don't think such a player is on the market right now.

 

[Troy23]

Calling it now. Warriors will not make the finals

 

[PolarBear]

Calling it now. Warriors will not make the finals

I think you're kidding yourself. This isn't like that Lakers team with Dwight, Kobe, Nash and Pau. All of those guys need the ball in their hands for the most part to be effective. This Warriors team doesn't.

Adding Kevin Durant doesn't hurt anything in the long run. I expect them to "struggle" (kind of) for the first part of the season as they get acclimated to playing with each other but once Durant gets used to playing in a system that is tailor made for him to get open looks, this team will be humming.

The Warriors now have legitimately the two most efficient scoring machines in all of basketball. They get buckets and they don't need a lot of shots to put up huge numbers. Then you add Klay and Draymond? I am sorry but unless there is an injury, or some sort of complete meltdown...This is all but in the bag.

 

[AussieBear]

WOW. KD to Golden State on a 2-year, 54 million dollar deal.

agreed... wow..

player option after 1 year tho..

 

[PolarBear]

Think about when this team goes small with Green at the 5...

PG - Steph
SG - Thompson
SF - Iguodala
PF - Durant
C- Green

Good luck NBA.

 

[clonetrooper264]

Think about when this team goes small with Green at the 5...

PG - Steph
SG - Thompson
SF - Iguodala
PF - Durant
C- Green

Good luck NBA.

Death lineup just got deadlier

 

[Novak]

There really is no point to watching the NBA next year. Draft just happened but the champs are already decided..

 

[Scoot26]

There really is no point to watching the NBA next year. Draft just happened but the champs are already decided..

Season should be forfeited.

 

[FireFox]

I bet golden state some how botches it. People said the same about the 2011 NBA finals. Look what happened, the mavs beat the heat.

 

[clonetrooper264]

I bet golden state some how botches it. People said the same about the 2011 NBA finals. Look what happened, the mavs beat the heat.

The difference is that GS is already a title contending team. They won without Durant and nearly did so again. That said, Curry, Thompson, and Durant have all proven themselves to choke in the Finals, so it's entirely plausible that they choke themselves out of it again.

 

[Scoot26]

The difference is that GS is already a title contending team. They won without Durant and nearly did so again. That said, Curry, Thompson, and Durant have all proven themselves to choke in the Finals, so it's entirely plausible that they choke themselves out of it again.

My vote was they be up 3-0 in the finals and then lose 4 straight to Cleveland.

 

[clonetrooper264]

My vote was they be up 3-0 in the finals and then lose 4 straight to Cleveland.

Iggy can't save them this time

 

[Novak]

If GS does somehow NOT win the finals, that would be such a disappointment on their end. After the horrendous choke job this last year, they are putting all their eggs in this Durant basket. If they don't win... that would be turrible. But also lulzy as fuck

 

[FirstTimer]

Hmm

Well GSW has 80 million in committed salaries, and the cap is set at 94.. So really that would say they only have 14 in free space at the moment. My guess is they're gonna trade Iggy for nothing to gain another 11 in free space and make Durant's first year fit in at 25 million.

They'll trade Bogut, not Iggy. Why would they make Iggy part of their pitch then trade him?

 

[Scoot26]

They'll trade Bogut, not Iggy. Why would they make Iggy part of their pitch then trade him?

Yesterday when I wrote that, I wasn't aware of the pitch or that now the bogut trade is already made.

 

[FirstTimer]

Yes but this obviously changes things. They just renounced their rights to Ezeli and probably would have kept Bogut had they not gotten Durant. Obviously I would much rather have Durant but it gives you less money to get guys to fill out the team. They are particularly thin at C/PF which suggests more minutes with a small lineup and more wear and tear.
Then again with those 4 guys all you need is a warm body at C to bang and eat minutes.

This same Special person bullshit was being said when the Heat got together in 2010...they went to four straight Finals and won two.

 

[BNB]

The difference is that GS is already a title contending team. They won without Durant and nearly did so again. That said, Curry, Thompson, and Durant have all proven themselves to choke in the Finals, so it's entirely plausible that they choke themselves out of it again.

Another difference between MIA and GS is the way they play and the type of players they have.

Neither LBJ nor Wade are good outside shooters, and both of them were used to dominating the ball prior to joining forces. In Toronto, Bosh played in the post a lot more, and then became more of a jump shooter with Miami. So they all had to get used to playing different roles.

With KD joining GS, the way they play really won't change at all. It just makes them a lot more deadly since Curry, Thompson, Durant, and even Green can shoot from the outside. They all move well without the ball. You can't double anyone, because if you do, one deadly shooter will be wide open. But even if you're in front of them, Curry, Klay and KD are more than capable of taking you to the basket.

Playing D on this team is going to be hell. Initially, not many people said this about MIA. Sure, everyone knew guarding LBJ, Wade and Bosh was going to be hard, but their weaknesses on offense were obvious. At this point, it doesn't look like GS has many weaknesses on O.

A lot of people are talking about how the Warriors D is going to suffer, and that may be true. But honestly, if they're putting up 120 a game, who cares if they give up 105 a game?

 

[clonetrooper264]

A lot of people are talking about how the Warriors D is going to suffer, and that may be true. But honestly, if they're putting up 120 a game, who cares if they give up 105 a game?

I do because they stopped scoring 120 a game in the Finals and had to actually defend and rebound and struggled mightily.

 

[FirstTimer]

Another difference between MIA and GS is the way they play and the type of players they have.

Neither LBJ nor Wade are good outside shooters, and both of them were used to dominating the ball prior to joining forces. In Toronto, Bosh played in the post a lot more, and then became more of a jump shooter with Miami. So they all had to get used to playing different roles.

With KD joining GS, the way they play really won't change at all. It just makes them a lot more deadly since Curry, Thompson, Durant, and even Green can shoot from the outside. They all move well without the ball. You can't double anyone, because if you do, one deadly shooter will be wide open. But even if you're in front of them, Curry, Klay and KD are more than capable of taking you to the basket.

Playing D on this team is going to be hell. Initially, not many people said this about MIA. Sure, everyone knew guarding LBJ, Wade and Bosh was going to be hard, but their weaknesses on offense were obvious. At this point, it doesn't look like GS has many weaknesses on O.

A lot of people are talking about how the Warriors D is going to suffer, and that may be true. But honestly, if they're putting up 120 a game, who cares if they give up 105 a game?

I really haven't understood this mindset. Durant can and has been an elite defender in the NBA. He just hasn't really been asked to do it. IMO the Warriors just got better on defense overall.