Warriors vs Rockets |GM-3|

Thank you! I don’t want to be the guy always crying foul or dirty. But geeezus! He hunts it!

Athletic Alchemy

Alc, I retweeted Bill Simmons and Bay Area Sports Guy tweets to you showing the clip of CP3 clipping Andre on the end of game rebound. It just seems like another CP dirty play. Hopefully you tie in with Bill Simmon's 5.8 million viewers.....

Dray blew/got him self ejected for game 5 in 2015, then he proceed to play lights out but with the Bogut injury we ended up blowing a 3-1 lead even with Dray playing great post him blowing it. we blew a 3-1 league and Dray admits he blew it. Steph just had to be Below average and not play the worst game of his playoff career and KD's 46 would have been enough. We just blew a 2-0 league. If steph plays below average we take a 3-0 lead and they fold. But SC30 gave them life the same way dray did in 2015 when he got him self ejected. Wed in the bay, KD will get announced 1st and SC30 will get announced last, because of what really??????????????????????????? You can hear HOU chanting "New Your Knicks" tonight. The organization may be light years ahead be we as a fan base are a joke!!!!!!!! Steph played very good tonight on "O" however their entire game plan is to target him on "D" as he suspect. So much of our D strategy is designed around hiding SC30, When KD fighting to get the chance to guard Harden in the closing min all while we trying our best to hide steph.......I don't know how else to say this.....but SC30 will get announced last tomorrow because we are stupid. KD is as good a defender on harden as Iggy, Dray, or Klay. The only dude that has no chance is SC30 and he is the dude we are going to anounce last???? and that's why i'm not going to blame KD when he leaves after we 3 peat as we as dub fans deserve it.

He balled out! We need Klay to show up at some point.

Athletic Alchemy

get jb in there to rip harden's eye out

Kyle Most

time to send jb at harden'

Kyle Most

Spot on BH O

Athletic Alchemy

Too late at this point. A lot of guys with his built don’t. 1 they never have the leverage advantage 2 for most of their youth, they could just reach up over everybody. The habit is created young.

Athletic Alchemy

That’s my biggest gripe with him as a player. I wish he was more comfortable getting mad and playing mad.

Athletic Alchemy

Thanks for highlighting how Steph was able to beat guys off the dribble. I missed that. I was too caught up on all the other negatives and thinking Steph's head isn't right and his confidence is shot and then getting angry at why he can't do what Dame, Kyrie, Kawhi, and Harden all seem to do: impose their will against playoff level defense. I want Curry to get fucking mad already. Give out more elbows to the face. Shove guys. Yell and scream like Draymond and show more passion during the game. We've seen it before countless times. We've seen Curry have a bad shooting night but still have high +/- and defensive impact. I just pray that hand isn't a lingering problem because he wasn't good on the glass and that's half his offensive game right there.

Thomas Ogas

Man, it was so painful to see Steph miss so many layups. We can probably still win with KD alone, but having Steph share the floor and not producing hurts. And as you pointed out, as good as KD was in the game, he still doesn't block out. It's been a few years now. I really don't understand why they haven't fixed this aspect of his game yet.

I want to see Jordan Bell play. He actually sets screens and did decently well against Harden last season. Get him on the floor when Draymond is out.

Paradox

i really hope thats the case

Tony Stark

I feel like we are going to get a classic 3rd quarter with him screaming into the camera as Houston takes a timeout

Athletic Alchemy

The fact that we played a stinker (in a few categories) and still took them to overtime is all the silver lining you need. Steph played a shitty game. Twitter and Reddit's MINDS ARE BLOWN like Steph is already being lowered into the ground. Houston's basically going to have to play a perfect game tonight to win. Injury notwithstanding. But the fact that they got taken to overtime when they played a great game, you know in the back of Houston's mind they know they are toast.

Major Powers

Sad thing is in my opinion at least 51% of Dub fans, don’t give KD the respect he deserves. Bleacher Report’s game of zones has a Kobastian episode breaking down how lakers nations is more Kobe fans than lakers fan...we currently have that problem in dub nation with respect to curry....KD has said: “I just want to make sure I get as much money as I can on my next deal so I can stack up my money and figure it out," Durant said on Posted Up with Chris Haynes. "That's just the plan. Play basketball and stack money." ...however, the 5 year 221M, 57M’s more than any other team could offer, is not enough to guarantee KD stays, because, we, dub nation, are at least 51% dumb and it pisses me off because of nights like tonight. The sad truth is if he leaves we as dub fans have no one to blame but ourselves. The other day Nick Wright was on this mainstream media panel saying KD is robin to Steph’s Batman and there was essentially no real push back to that nonsense...they want us broken up...if we don’t push back, who will? If KD signs a long term deal with SC30 already locked up, we could position ourselves to be in the conversation for greatest NBA dynasty in the modern era....whole situation is embarrassing.

Agree 100%. The main reason KD might leave is because he doesn’t get the respect he deserves. The fact is too many Golden State fans and media members were unwilling to support KD and say ‘we need him’

The narrative that KD’s Finals MVPs are suspect because he rides Curry’s coat tails officially died on 5.4.19. And I’m done with all dub nation residents that can’t recognize that. There are reasons why curry has never one a finals MVP. The same way harden isn’t the same with the playoff whistle vs the reg seasons whistle, curry isn’t the same with playoff physicality vs regular season physicality, our movement offense is less effective in the more physical playoffs. I’m honestly fine with curry being less effective in the playoffs as it’s good business to identify a problem and address it. We’ve done that via KD. However what makes me so sick to my core is how we Dub Nation then proceed to pretended there was never a problem to address ???? We allowed the “KD is unnecessary” narrative to live, allowing KD to get murdered from every talking head this side of the Mississippi, we, generally speaking, sat back at let that narrative resonate in an attempt to be loyal to curry, when we are suppose to be dub fans first, curry fans second. All the external chatter is geared to break us up via diminishing KD and there is basically no push back from Dub nation, that’s what makes me sick. If we don’t officially push back against the narrative, then I get why KD would leave. Tonight is a pivotal point in our organization’s history. I believe we will win game 4 and this series. However from this day forward we as dub nation have to see things for what they are and proceed accordingly!

Warriors have game planned putting KD in the point, bringing the ball up situation, it's a top down team decision....It's not as if KD is rogue....anybody that doesn't realize that, save ur breath.

Steven Stanley

MarkN56 - so according to you we should ignore KD’s hot streaks and his free throws in evaluating his effectiveness? LOL. KD is averaging 37 per game on 67% TS this playoffs. And you say he is the problem. If Curry played half way decent we would be up 3-0.

MarkN65 you must be a Curry Stan. You are saying that KD is messing up the Warrior offense? Wrong. KD is saving the Warriors. Dude is putting up 37 per game on 58%TS. While your idol Curry is putting up role player stats: 18 points on 48% TS.

I really wasn't expecting to this one getting into OT was just a token of how impossible it will be to win 4 games. They shot the lights out and we had terrible performances from multiple people. Durant shot HORRIBLY in the first quarter, he went playoff mode to keep us in it but if he hits a few more of his easy shots same as Klay or Curry. Good game from what I saw! Won't happen again. And who cares about the dunk. Wouldn't have mattered anyway still down three with free throws coming. Not gonna win that one.

Nathan Glanzer

Some ridiculous people here blaming KD for stagnating the offense and not give Curry and Klay enough shots. Get out of here. If not for KD taking over the Warriors would be down 1-2 or 0-3.

Dude's basically got a broken finger. Shit'll buff out.

Nathan Glanzer

Realistically we should have been blown out that game with how well they were shooting and how poorly we shot. Even getting to OT was a statement that nothing they do can stop the fact that they will lose. You can't do this 4 games haha.

Nathan Glanzer

My feeling wtaching last night is that we had two guys playing really well, Dray and Iggy, two who looked kind of disengaged in the first half, Steph and Klay, and KD doing what he's been doing since LAC #3, dominating the offense without making it more efficient. Klay kind of came on more in the 2nd half, but I remember when Steph had those three free throws I thought before he shot them that he'd miss one, because it already seemed like the finger was bothering him, but if he missed two it would be a clear indication that it was a real problem, even if just erosion of his confidence. So after that the rest of the game was no surprise. KD had one great run at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth for about 5-6 minutes when he hit six straight shots, three of them threes, but otherwise was just kind of chucking and missing more than hitting. Re Steph, I think the combination of the ankle, the finger and the inability to get out of the ref's shithouse really got to him on a night when the game didn't mean that much, but I'm concerned the finger thing might linger. But they really need to find a way out of this KD-dominant offense or this run is going to become a real slog.

ur right.. lots of silverlinings...

Tony Stark

That was one of the worst choke jobs ive seen from a player, ever. 2011 Lebron level right there. I'm not joking, that was a horrible choke job by steph. He was a liability, he was having a negative impact on the game, and thats unheard of from a player of his caliber.

Tbh I really thought based on the first half of first quarter we were going to win easily. Steph was far more aggressive, actually handling the offense in hand court. Rockets coudln't handle the set plays. I mean we built a substantial lead and things started to fall apart quickly when Dray/ Iggy/ Curry sat. Based on net rating, Klay and Kd just doesn't play all that well together. When Curry came back in he was back to being passive. Looking at the layups though, some of these actually should have been done with the left hand. The bad shooting to me is similar to Klay's, it's a rhythm problem where they felt rushed this game. But much of it is compounded by lack of good quality shots, not created from effective off ball movement or screens.

Paradox

Right! He is so due to just completely take over a game

Athletic Alchemy

Good numbers! I think some of KDs extra shots are because Steph just isn’t taking some. It’s a chicken or egg thing I know. The Kerr thing we have been complaining all year.

Athletic Alchemy

Oh man! I didn’t bring that up enough in the breakdown! I was pissed as played out. But That doesn’t seem to be in Kerr or this teams DNA. We never seek that out. My guess is the philosophy is it’s fools gold that takes you out of what you really want to do. At times it is... in playoffs tho! Got to do it!

Athletic Alchemy

I agree, but does Curry want the ball right now? I guess it’s kinda like running the football. It doesn’t always work right away but you got stick with it in Order for it to work. Just use a first quarter to let him get going with it. Some of this falls on Steph tho. He pouts!

Athletic Alchemy

when PJ Tucker checked back in in the 4th, I think we did a horrible job attacking him. Had he picked up a 5th, I think he would’ve been less aggressive. As for Steph, I expect a good game for him in on Monday, but his performance last night is inexcusable, absolutely disgusting

This series has not been unexpected for me at all. It is very reminiscent of our series last year. The only differences are that KD is scoring a little more efficiently and Iguodala is still healthy. Otherwise, to me, this is a very similar series. People forget how subpar Curry played in our series last year in Games 1-5. He was inefficient and not himself. The series flipped last year in G6-7 bc we began initiating the offense with Curry and putting the ball more in his hands. We are making the same mistake this time with Curry that we did last year in G1-5. Curry is the best playmaker on the team yet we're playing him like JJ Redick. Why are we running him off ball all game long when HOU is switching everything? By now, we all know what unlocks Curry. Bc we've seen it for years. We all know what gets him cooking. He must be sick and tired of how he is being utilized. You put the ball in the best playmaker's hands. It's as simple as that. We need to make the same adjustment we made last year and have Curry initiate the offense. KD scoring 50 with Curry being a spectator is enough to beat the Clippers but not HOU. Never forget, Curry is the system, KD said it himself. We need to unlock Curry and the only way to do that is putting the ball in his hands.

Better bit rate too.. I’m gonna go ahead and invest in a year of hosting. I’m tired of dealing with YouTube.

Athletic Alchemy

I’m liking the Vimeo player. Working better on mobile than the private YouTube did

Kenneth

Not much you can say about the worst performance I've seen from Curry on both ends of the floor. The dynamic of this team has been weird the last few games. Here's the stat I read since KD came back from rest all the way until the Clippers game 3 (15 game sample size). This was when he hit that "passive" phase we talked about: average of 12.4 FGA. But games after "You Know Who I Am"? He is averaging more than double: 24.85 FGA. And it has very little to do with the defensive schemes either as KD can shoot whenever he wants being unguardable. And here's the interesting part: the games we lost in that span were games where KD took over 18+ FGA. There's no doubt Durant is carrying us offensively but it's a double edged sword because him being able to create a shot at any given moment is not necessarily the best offensive scheme the Warriors have. KD is at his best in isolation, he's not really a good off ball player and he actually shoots better slightly contested. But that usually means we're not moving the ball, setting screens, or moving Klay/ Curry off the ball to create open looks for those guys. We're not utilizing their gravity enough to get guys like Looney enough free baskets. Kerr said he needed to get Klay some better shots; that suggests he has more control over the team offense than people think. He needs to stop being arrogant and run more sets.

Paradox

On the bright side going forward, Steph can't possibly play worse than he did in game 3

Branden Edwards

As long as you are not in China you should be able to see it. check your pop up blocker maybe, or click and open it on Vimeo its self/ I have a youtube link coming its just uploading super slow.

Athletic Alchemy

ok, what am I doing wrong? When I click to play the link, I get a blurred image of the thumbnail and nothing plays. Sounds like others can view it...am I missing something?

Matt M.

got to remain dynamic and change it up at times. switch, and have IG help back over, he is the superior decision maker.

Athletic Alchemy

Eh this was the game to lose. Of course they got all those hustle plays and rebounds, they lose this one, thats a wrap. Let’s just get game 4. Everyone looking just fine aside from klay and steph. We are still in the strong position. That was a damn close game, ill take it.

Spence

As much as I didn’t want to rewatch this game, I always look forward to your breakdowns to settle my emotions down. My worry really is that HOU has figured out our “gimmick” defense. The gimmick defense is Steph showing and hiding against any kind of shooter. Look, it worked the first 2 games to a certain degree but it seems like HOU figured it out and finding ways to exploit our scheme. Our defense at times got so confused and prioritizing so much about Steph switching to a non shooter that it left so many blown coverages or simply them finding ways to get the switch on Curry and attacking him relentlessly. This game really hurts even more because of how clutch KD, Dray and Iggy were. I mean they truly gave us hope in this game but it was simply a missed opportunity.

Law of averages is gonna play out, I think Steph will bounce back. I don't know if it's a good thing or bad thing considering his personality but he didn't seem too upset or fazed by his bad night.

Edward Zeng

that was just frustration, he knows going up for a dunk for him is 50/50

Athletic Alchemy

everybody has slumps, Id just like to see some more emotions, some more urgency. He seems to willing to accept his struggles.

Athletic Alchemy

Man this was really poor from steph, guy has one of the worst mental lapses I've seen from a superstar. Not sure how you can miss a dunk that bad! .

Everyone knows game 3 KD was a real thing. And I just wanted to also add on that I was right about Game 3 Steph also being real. I mean lord have mercy what a shit game from him. If he even makes 10 shots instead of 7, the warriors win this game and end the series mentally for the Rockets. This loss really bothered be because they just totally died in OT. I expected them to get blown out in the 4th quarter. And I almost wish they had so I could accept the loss. But seeing them come back kept me engaged. And seeing them waste all that effort and more brilliance from KD just really bothered me. Let's all hope Curry finally starts playing like he did in game 1 vs. Clippers. He literally hasn't done a thing since that game. It's a shame really.

Jansen E

give it a min to get to HD. Posted it as soon as it was uploaded because I hate being late

Athletic Alchemy