Topic: NBA Discussion

[b_joseph]

Fuck me...These Warriors are true champs. They dont quit at all

[Lush is the best medicine...]

That dumb turnover literally cost 6 points

[Lush is the best medicine...]

Ah fucker, great heart from golden state there but looks like no more KD and Looney and that should help get the job done, need to shoot better from 3

[elsewhere]

Never underestimate the heart of a champion

[vagabond]

well that was deflating

[elsewhere]

Being some silly series, only once home team won out of 5.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Livingston should have retired in this match.

Warriors need someone to help Klay and Curry, not named Boogie Cousins.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

Livingston should have retired in this match.

Warriors need someone to help Klay and Curry, not named Boogie Cousins.

saw someone suggest if KD goes they should throw in a first rounder and do a sign and trade to get that trade exception, not the worst idea

[trimore]

Sucks, but there is no doubt this Raps team has what it takes to shrug off the heightened emotions of the situation and go for the kill at Oracle. And it really, really sucks for KD, shouldn't have been out there even if they would have taken the L without him. These players are stuck in such no win situation with the fans and teammates pushing him to comeback, but he should have been selfish and thought of his career over everything else.

[elsewhere]

Damn, Myers being in tears while talking about KD's achilles injury was a blow, he will be out for a while, i feel for him.

[unknownuser]

Nick Nurse shouldnt have called that time out when we were on a run and Kawhi was hot.
I think we can do them at the Oracle. No game 7 please.

[elsewhere]

Nick Nurse shouldnt have called that time out when we were on a run and Kawhi was hot.
I think we can do them at the Oracle. No game 7 please.

I think we get the win in Oracle but Raptors win the last game in a blow out fashion but i hope i'm wrong and we win in 7.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

I think we get the win in Oracle but Raptors win the last game in a blow out fashion but i hope i'm wrong and we win in 7.

if golden state win in 7 they’ll do it with a losing record at home, if the raps win in 6 they will also do it with a losing record at home, can’t remember any time that’s happened before

Nick Nurse shouldnt have called that time out when we were on a run and Kawhi was hot.
I think we can do them at the Oracle. No game 7 please.

Yup, but to be fair he’s well in credit so he deserves a pass for this

[lorenzo]

Can Steph do what James done?

I think if warriors loose this people will appreciate how great James really is and the reality that as good as Steph is he needs KD without a doubt. It’s over for Green and klay and Steph can’t get it done.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

Woj and Ramona shelburne saying it looks like a torn right Achilles for KD, there’s that video of it where you can see something in his calf go so obviously a nasty one, don’t expect to see him until late next year at the earliest

[Doc Red]

Strangely enough, Raptors seem to play better away from home these playoffs.
Feel for Durant, shouldn't have been on the court, probably felt pressure from the owners, supporters, and teammates, to play. All the talkshows/tabloid clickbait media were going on about how his teammates were upset he didnt play whilst not 100%fit.

Players need ti wake up and realise their priority to is to be healthy first,  the owners' priorities are to win or maintain financial growth.

Could be a career changing injury.

Up 3-1 with 2 out of 3 games scheduled to be played in Canada, Raptors better not do a 'Warriors ' choke and let the trophy slip through their fingers. They'll never be in a better position to win a title with w home games and facing a team bereft of their best player.

[Broad Spectrum]

Were there not fears earlier in the playoffs he'd done his Achilles? Silly decision to risk him given the stress and strain they put on their lower limbs, he's 240lbs for fuck sake.

[rafathegaffa83]

Can't say I'm surprised about KD getting seriously injured. Beggars belief as to why he came back. It will probably harm his free agency status this summer, perhaps in terms of contract length. The Knicks will still want him.

And yeah the Raptors fucked up with that timeout

[DelTrotter]

Shocking finish from Toronto, up 6, 3 mins left and have the ball, playing for a championship, you gotta get that shit done. Pressures only going to get heavier from here.

[Bobinhood]

Cant say its not exciting. ffs an open look for all the marbles not even close.

but GS paid dearly for that win, no way Durant should have been playing.

[Lynndenberries]

Cant say its not exciting. ffs an open look for all the marbles not even close.

but GS paid dearly for that win, no way Durant should have been playing.

To be fair, Draymond got a hand on Lowry's last shot. I still don't understand why Kawhi didn't take the ball to the rim and at least try to draw a foul.

Classless performance from Toronto fans, not just those in the arena, but also in Jurassic Park. Mocking an injured player is as low as it gets.

[Doc Red]

I think the injury puts New York in pole position to sign Durant.
We may have an owner that lacks the knowledge to put the pieces together to win, but he has no limits to how kuch he's willing to spend  to get success. The salary cap was put in place precisely because of owners like him, wealthy and willing to spend, albeit incompetent.

Come on over Durant, we won't push you to prove your passion to win by forcing you to play whilst not healthy.

Still can't believe the Raptors lost that game, would have been a fitting end. Now they'll be feeling all the pressure, and as we've  seen in recent years, fear of failure can takeover the mindset of even the best of teams.

Dammit Toronto, don't  gift them a title, they've gotten enough fortuitous events along their way to 4 titles, they don't need more.

[Lynndenberries]

Still can't believe the Raptors lost that game, would have been a fitting end. Now they'll be feeling all the pressure, and as we've  seen in recent years, fear of failure can takeover the mindset of even the best of teams.

Dammit Toronto, don't  gift them a title, they've gotten enough fortuitous events along their way to 4 titles, they don't need more.

Me neither. I would hate waking up today as a Raptors fan, even though I am confident they will still pull it out. The Warriors are so depleted at this point, and are completely reliant on Steph and Klay to create everything for them offensively.

I will say though, if Warriors pull this out, it will be fully deserved regardless of how it's done. Klay, Steph, and Draymond have left everything on the court so far. They deserve respect for how they've carried the team since Durant went out.

[elsewhere]

To be fair, Draymond got a hand on Lowry's last shot. I still don't understand why Kawhi didn't take the ball to the rim and at least try to draw foul.

I think we doubled him there and his lane was closed so he decided to pass it.

[elsewhere]

Can't say I'm surprised about KD getting seriously injured. Beggars belief as to why he came back. It will probably harm his free agency status this summer, perhaps in terms of contract length. The Knicks will still want him.

And yeah the Raptors fucked up with that timeout

Does he have the player option? I won't be surprised if he opts in and we owe it to him, then he signs next summer for Knicks. But i really don't see him playing a minute next season if it's rupture.

[rafathegaffa83]

Does he have the player option? I won't be surprised if he opts in and we owe it to him, then he signs next summer for Knicks. But i really don't see him playing a minute next season if it's rupture.

He does. And it's $35m . Can't see him declining it now, which will probably change the trajectories of a few teams/players

[elsewhere]

He does. And it's $35m . Can't see him declining it now, which will probably change the trajectories of a few teams/players

Given that Knicks won't mind him healing at Warriors for a year for that money and Warriors feeling sort of responsible, he will opt in. Imagine he comes back strong and wins a title with us next year than signing max with us though

[elsewhere]

He does. And it's $35m . Can't see him declining it now, which will probably change the trajectories of a few teams/players

Yeah checked and it's 31.5M, a lot of money to decline.

[Canada Loves Anfield]

Deflating, but I think we can take it at Oracle. Props to the Warriors. Curry, Klay and Draymond have been fighting like hell. We are getting really lucky with injuries, of course.

I hate all the media going crazy about the fans being happy when Durant went down. Yeah it was stupid but it was in the moment. You think if Kobe/Lebron ruptured their achilles in the Garden during the Finals, Celtics fans wouldnt cheer? Come on.

[Clayton Bigsby]

Hope that Raptors don't blow this

[elsewhere]

Deflating, but I think we can take it at Oracle. Props to the Warriors. Curry, Klay and Draymond have been fighting like hell. We are getting really lucky with injuries, of course.

I hate all the media going crazy about the fans being happy when Durant went down. Yeah it was stupid but it was in the moment. You think if Kobe/Lebron ruptured their achilles in the Garden during the Finals, Celtics fans wouldnt cheer? Come on.

Yeah i think there is a bit bias against Raptors fans in US media and US fans are buying it. They wouldn't make this such an issue if it was a US team doing it to be honest.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

Yeah i think there is a bit bias against Raptors fans in US media and US fans are buying it. They wouldn't make this such an issue if it was a US team doing it to be honest.

to be fair I don’t think most realised it was as bad as it was at the time, more a pulled calf than an Achilles tear (certainly that’s what I thought when watching it on tv, more something that would put him out for the series not something that will put him out for a year or so), max kellerman made an interesting point that it’s something of a sign of respect for him that people are delighted he’s injured

I think the injury puts New York in pole position to sign Durant.
We may have an owner that lacks the knowledge to put the pieces together to win, but he has no limits to how kuch he's willing to spend  to get success. The salary cap was put in place precisely because of owners like him, wealthy and willing to spend, albeit incompetent.

Come on over Durant, we won't push you to prove your passion to win by forcing you to play whilst not healthy.

if the knicks do get him as an FA he’d probably end up as a permacrock, if he goes to the nets he’d be the only man ever to come back successfully from this, such is the knicks luck, but I doubt he opts out now

[trimore]

Yeah i think there is a bit bias against Raptors fans in US media and US fans are buying it. They wouldn't make this such an issue if it was a US team doing it to be honest.

I could care less about the media and whether they like the Raps or not. Media goes from praising a fanbase for being passionate to ripping them when they inievitably go too far in their eyes shocker, it's happened before and it will happen again.

But Klay cursing out and attacking the fans like that after the game? That was incredibly pathetic. Neither the Raptors fanbase nor the organization has absolutely ZERO to do with Durant playing or subsequently getting hurt. It happened because Klay with Steph alone couldn't beat us, because they were passive aggresively trying to push Durant to play, because their idiotic medical staff cleared him and Kerr for some insane reason played him for 14 of 17 minutes. Then for Klay to take his anger out on the fans? Who again had nothing to do with a career threatening injury, but does help grow the league and pay his contract. All in a transparent attempt to use the injury as "motivation" to beat us. Steph should give Klay lessons on how to act like a professional and not like a1 10 year old.

I have lost all respect for Klay in this series, it's clear to me that he is low key one of the biggest pieces of shit in the entire league.

[Doc Red]

if the knicks do get him as an FA he’d probably end up as a permacrock, if he goes to the nets he’d be the only man ever to come back successfully from this, such is the knicks luck, but I doubt he opts out now

Didn't Kobe come back pretty successfully after his surgery (obviously relative to his age and his career at that moment)? And Durant is much younger than Kobe was.
The Knicks would be crazy if they didn't push all in and try and bring him in right at the moment.

[Doc Red]

I could care less about the media and whether they like the Raps or not. Media goes from praising a fanbase for being passionate to ripping them when they inievitably go too far in their eyes shocker, it's happened before and it will happen again.

But Klay cursing out and attacking the fans like that after the game? That was incredibly pathetic. Neither the Raptors fanbase nor the organization has absolutely ZERO to do with Durant playing or subsequently getting hurt. It happened because Klay with Steph alone couldn't beat us, because they were passive aggresively trying to push Durant to play, because their idiotic medical staff cleared him and Kerr for some insane reason played him for 14 of 17 minutes. Then for Klay to take his anger out on the fans? Who again had nothing to do with a career threatening injury, but does help grow the league and pay his contract. All in a transparent attempt to use the injury as "motivation" to beat us. Steph should give Klay lessons on how to act like a professional and not like a1 10 year old.

I have lost all respect for Klay in this series, it's clear to me that he is low key one of the biggest pieces of shit in the entire league.

I want to disagree, but I can't.
I think you're spot on in all of your points.
Deflecting attention on the fans won't or shouldn't make us avoid the fact that they played him knowing the risks, they pressurised him whether explicitly or tacitly to play. And they being the players, coach, and front office.

Hope players pick up on this. Teams care about winning and finances first, lpayers second. Look how the Celtics dealt with Thomas, played him when he wasn't fully fit, and traded him when he inevitably got crocked. Too much negative spin was spread about Leonard when he left an organisation like the Spurs, but he had a point. His body, his career, his risk. He should decide when he's ready to come, and to hell with the opinions of his teammates/coaches/front office.

One of the greatest scorers the game has seen, has had his career potentially put at risk, because his team was desperate to win at all costs. The owner can cry all the crocodile tears that he wants. I wonder how emotional he would have felt for Durant if the Warriors were up in game 7 by 20 points and Durant got injured. Call me cynical, but all the emotional rhetoric coming out of Golden state feels more like it's about the inevitability of failing to 3peat rather than about what they've done to Durant.

[Bobinhood]

To be fair, Draymond got a hand on Lowry's last shot. I still don't understand why Kawhi didn't take the ball to the rim and at least try to draw a foul.

Classless performance from Toronto fans, not just those in the arena, but also in Jurassic Park. Mocking an injured player is as low as it gets.

I turned off the tv in disgust, never saw a replay. Better Green got a hand on it that way. I thought he just missed i was numb.

As to the fans: Im pretty sure i can explain that, because i did the same thing at home. He was the Danger man. The very first thing that comes to mind when you see Durant go down, is "he's re-aggravated his injury, hes not going to be able to continue, he was the difference, we are going to win the title. Holy shit! we are going to win the Title. They cant stop us now."

 I pumped my fist and cheered. I did. I was thrilled. You've got to understand, we really want this. 25 years we cant get decent players in because we are considered some exotic foreign location, cant buy a call from a ref, draftees tell us they wont come here, no respect from anyone, ever. It continues to this day. Now we are just about to win the whole ball of wax at odds of a trillion to one-people are emotionally invested man.   

Anyway, after the initial outburst of joy, and yes , it was joy, it was -THEN and only then the players reactions, the replays, Durant himself, it start to become apparent that its not just a tweak of a bad calf, that the guy has in fact sustained a new and fairly serious injury. That obviously changes everything, and you go from being very happy to feeling very sorry for the guy, an all time great,  pretty much in a heartbeat. Thats what happened to me at home, and pretty much every other Raptor fan watching imo. That changed things. everybody stood, and there was a very long standing ovation for the guy as he was helped off, which was in fact very classy. I applauded at home myself. They applauded him all the way to the locker room on the tv screens and it was completely sincere. So the narrative is quite simplified compared to the reality. Nobody was ever happy to see the guy get badly hurt. Everybody was initially happy that he couldn't continue. Two different sets of facts, two different human emotions, and both of them are totally legitimate. I remain thrilled that he's out of the series, and very sorry for him that the injury he sustained appears to be serious. 

The real issue is Golden State playing the guy in the first place. In the warmup he was hanging off the rim rather than just falling to the ground on a dunk. it was super clear he was broken. He should sue his own team.

[vagabond]

Watching that happen reminded me of all the times people on here would post about how suspicious it is that Daniel Sturridge doesn't play through the pain and come rescue the team.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

Didn't Kobe come back pretty successfully after his surgery (obviously relative to his age and his career at that moment)? And Durant is much younger than Kobe was.
The Knicks would be crazy if they didn't push all in and try and bring him in right at the moment.

it was around 2013 so he would have been around 35, he came back but the lakers were never close to being a playoff team

[Doc Red]

Watching that happen reminded me of all the times people on here would post about how suspicious it is that Daniel Sturridge doesn't play through the pain and come rescue the team.

Agreed.
A strong mentality doesn't make your body any more invincible than it already is, only your and our perception of it.
Sturridge showed strong fortitude in keeping his body healthy and fit and not taking risks, though I should point out that their didn't seem to be any pressure from Klopp to make him play ASAP. In fact, Klopp's strict training regime meant that Sturridge could only be available to play if hwe went unscathed during a specific number of training sessions.

Sometimes it's not even about the play, it's about the manager/coach and ownership. Luckily, we have Klopp and FSG completely behind him, Durant had Kerr and whatz-his-name, caring more about their legacy than his career.

[Lynndenberries]

I totally get being excited in the moment, that's far more defensible, especially when it hits you that the injury increases the likelihood of winning a title dramatically. There were people waving at him and taunting him though, which really rubbed me the wrong way.