He was also getting bounced in the first round, while averaging over 40 points a game. It’s not a knock against Jordan at all - the league didn’t seem nearly as uneven as it does now. James’ teams are virtually guaranteed a berth in the Conference Finals at least, given LeBron James and the paucity of strong teams in the East. When your current “powerhouses” are Toronto, Chicago, Boston, and Atlanta (outside of LeBron James-led teams), there’s nothing really scary until the Finals.
I regret the fact that I was too young to truly understand Jordan’s dominance while he was playing. Does the NBA have anything like NFL’s Gamepass where I can go back and watch all his games? I’d pay real money for that.
Yeah, but he already has had tremendous success. Especially after the heroics of last year I think his reputation is pretty much sealed. Thirty years from now it will be nothing much more than a footnote that he went team-hopping - his overall brilliance will outshine everything else over time.
I expect much the same to happen with Durant, if he wins a championship or two. In thirty years nobody will really care he left Oklahoma ( after an eight year investment ) to form a super-team.
Adam Silver is probably having nightmares about GS sweeping Cleveland in the Finals. That neither team had any real challenge to get there is already not a great look for the NBA. If the GS superteam blows the doors off the Cavs, you have to wonder what’s the point.
I think it was expanded to 7 to increase the chances of seeing a upset. And that’s what we saw in 2006 when the 8th seed warriors upset the number 1 seed macs in the first round.
Which is why, despite Bradley Beals’ assertions, Cavs - Wizards would have been a total shit show. Washington had, easily, the worst bench in the playoffs. Starters vs. starters would be amazing, then we’d get treated to 5-10 minutes of absolutely no one scoring when the benches went in, and eventually it would become an MLB-style coaching duel, just waiting out the other team to substitute and take advantage. Cavs would still easily win the end because, y’know, Lebron, but it would not be entertaining for anyone.
An upset is more likely in a best of 5 format. I still remember the Nuggets beating the Sonics in 1994 or 95? Will never forget the iconic image of Dikembe Mutumbo holding onto the ball while on the ground (and Gary Payton’s disbelief). But to the point, the ‘lesser’ team has to win fewer games, which makes it easier for the upset. The Warriors upset the Mavs that year because they simply outplayed them.
I guess we’ll find out soon enough, but while I agree that Golden State is arguably the favorite to win it all, I don’t think the Cavs will be pushovers. But that being said, Kevin Durant is good at both ends of the floor and if he can harass the layups and block some shots, Cleveland’s going to find this year’s finals different than last.
The NBA (and ABC) really, really want this series to go 7 games. If I were a cynical person I’d wonder how these games will be officiated. It’s bad enough we’re getting the third straight matchup of the same two teams in the Finals.
I went to my local watering hole for the first half and even though it was respectably close, didn’t bother to watch the 2nd. I could tell that Cleveland was struggling just to keep the deficit within 10 points. It wasn’t that the Cavs were playing badly - they just had no answers for GS’s pace. Even without Durant, the Warriors pose all sorts of defensive match-up problems but at least the Cavs’ defense can step up and try to keep the game out of the paint and force the swoosh brothers to beat them from the perimeter. But with a healthy KD there are just too many ways the Warriors can win. Cleveland might win a game, but I can’t see this going past 5. Not unless there’s a key injury.
I didn’t get to see the game, I fell asleep before it came on (damn late West coast games!), but apparently I didn’t miss much.
Was hoping this series would be more competitive, and this was only Game 1, it could still be.
I’ve recently embraced the fact that I prefer to watch sports when I don’t care who wins. I do have teams I like, but watching them is very stressful. I don’t want to have to care. I just wanna see some cool shit.
It sure looks like the Warriors are going to roll over the Cavs. In a weird way, this might bolster LeBron’s legacy. These Warriors are going to be remembered as a great team, which ends up making the 2016 finals a more impressive feat for LeBron.