Cannot wait for Warriors vs Thunder. Doubt Thunder will win, but surely will be a great game.
Have a feeling Westbrook will either dunk on KD or block him once.
Have a feeling Westbrook will either dunk on KD or block him once.
NBA 2016-17
- Thread starter ArmchairCritic
- Start date
Durant 29 points in the first half!
Absolute demolition.
Absolute demolition.
Warriors playing well after a slow start. Charles Barkley on TNT at half time looks like somebody shot his dog.
Balances out Chris Webber on commentary. Awful pro-Warrior bias.
The commentary has been pro Golden State but they are playing well so I don't think it's that surprising. Chuck on the other hand just hates the Dubs. You can see from his whole demeanor he just wanted to see them get hammered. The fact they are not is killing him.
Curry's first three of the night comes deep into the third quarter. This has been a Kevin Durant show - perhaps a sign of things to come for the rest of the season.
I don't think this is a normal game. I think the Warriors as a whole wanted to make sure Durant got lots of opportunities to try and take over the game. I think everybody else is trying to sacrifice for him tonight.
They should do it every night. He's the best player on the team, and quite comfortably.
He's certainly been their best player so far this season.
True. I agree with Skills as well. He's the complete package. He should get at least one ring during the two years he's here. Although Kyrie and Lebron might have something to say about that.
Go LeBron! You stop this GSW team and I'll view you as the GOAT.
It's pretty funny watching Westbrook get rocked after what he wore to the arena, if you're going to do that son, then you better back it up not get run over like a bitch.
In his defence it is difficult to 'back it up' when he is carrying an entire team offensively against 4 all-stars (two of which are top 5 players in the league). He wasn't that bad either, just a few poor shots and frustration fouls.
He knew that coming in though and still chose to do what he did, made out like he was going to rock them tonight, funny is all.
Lakers tomorrow night should be more interesting.
He will be the same next time as well - as he should be. He can put up great numbers against this team. Probably hit him tonight though that the actual team battle is going to be one-sided, obviously.
More interesting? Why is that?
Back to back for warriors, as well as on the road against their former assistant who knows them well. Expect them to put up a better game.
It would be another blowout.
It'll be a blowout. Unless the Warriors decide to cruise. They were emotionally charged for the OKC game, Durant especially.
That's a bit harsh. Russ's problem is that he still hasn't figured out it's a team game. IMHO, I actually think he is the second most talented player in the League (after LeBron) but is only 5th or 6th in terms of best player. Unfortunately for him last night he was up against one of the most selfless and talented teams in the NBA. Russ actually reminds me a lot of MJ back in the mid/late 80s before/just after Scottie Pippen was drafted. Supposedly, it took a hell of a lot of convincing to make Jordan share the ball but when he did the Bulls became great, then greater, then probably the best ever. In his current situation, Russ doesn't have the horses, but if OKC can draft/free agent him some support it's still a lesson he's going to have to learn at some point if he ever wants to win a Championship.
Last edited:
I love Russ' antics
I doubt Russ will learn to share the ball as long as he plays at the level he is at currently. Something that might change that is if he plays with a Big Man who is around the same level. Something like what Kobe Shaq did.
I doubt Russ will learn to share the ball as long as he plays at the level he is at currently. Something that might change that is if he plays with a Big Man who is around the same level. Something like what Kobe Shaq did.
No, it's not harsh at all. Russ was 4-15. That's straight up bad. He was taken out - by the Warriors and the occation.
Allthough i agree with the second bolded part, I think it's going to be very difficult. He played with a top 5 player for years, and never won it. OKC's big three was superb, and Russ was a big part of it of course. But for him to win a championship, the team (with a superstar or two more) has to be built around him, and work for him. He's a superstar with an ego, and he's always going to try and do it all by himself. Unfortunately.
Not taking anything away from his talent, though. He's a beast. But his ego is getting the best of him i think.
Last edited:
It is a bit harsh. @Redondo_Pirri posted that it was funny that it happened. I'm a big Warriors fan and obviously wanted the Dubs to win but by the end even I felt a bit sorry for Russ. Sure he didn't play well but it wasn't for lack of trying. My impression is that the Russ/KD relationship meant a whole lot more to the former than the latter and I don't think Russ is angry, I think he's upset. Personally I thought it was sad rather than funny. Russ should have just played the game and moved on. Sometimes, unfortunately, that's just really hard to do.
Last edited:
It's like when you breakup and you can't take it that your ex has moved on so quick and is doing better. You want to put her down and show them you are doing better than them, and that breaking up was the wrong choice. It just seems just like that
He has figured it out. I would say after KD got his foot injury Russ did realise. His assist numbers have been good for a while now. It's easy to criticise him now because he has no one to pass the ball too. He has to be the dominant figure on the team because there is no one else. You do touch on that in your post but I think it's an unfair criticism. I don't think he's in the top 5 most talented IMO, but his will and desire pushes him into that bracket.
I love Russ' antics
I doubt Russ will learn to share the ball as long as he plays at the level he is at currently. Something that might change that is if he plays with a Big Man who is around the same level. Something like what Kobe Shaq did.
Basically what I said above, he has learned.
He never won it but it isn't really down to him. A lot of factors were against OKC over the KD/Russ/Harden/Ibaka years. Injuries, inconvenient rises in the salary cap and some questionable management decisions all contributed.
He has become a team player though. It's probably not as obvious to people who don't watch OKC a lot but he has gotten a lot better in that area. He dominates the ball now because he simply has to, but before this season he was deferring more. Not perfect by any means, but definitely better.
@charlton66 completely agree with what you say but will have to agree with @ZDwyr as well that you were probably a bit harsh on calling out on his teamwork - he's not at all a selfish player and even in this team where he's far and ahead the best player he distributes the ball far more than someone who'd be termed a selfish player world. Last night itself he had what 5 assists before he was subbed off in Q1? He finished the game in double digits assists (10 to be precise which was the highest on the night between both teams) again and uses his team really well usually. What you are saying is in terms of penetration and that is because there's no one else in the team who offers any penetration. So far apart from the Suns game where he really went for it he hasn't been on an individual mission and we have had players like Durant himself say how playing along with Russ made him better. He has no problem in sharing the ball even with this set of players let alone someone of the calibre of Scottie Pippen like you mentioned. He's obviously going to have a lot of time on the ball himself as well and keep driving with it as that's his primary game and what makes him the player he is.
Yeah, I may not have phrased that in the best way. What I feel is Russ's biggest problem is his decision making. He gets his team mates involved but when the game is on the line it seems to me he is often overcome by the "red mist" and wants to do it all on his own. With today's Thunder, him taking it on at the end of the game is probably the best way to go. When he had KD as a team mate he often made a lot of poor choices and left Durant out in the cold. One of my greatest memories of MJ was in game 6 in the 97 finals. Jordan had hit the game winning shot in game 5 and everybody was ready for a repeat in game 6. Instead Jordan PASSED to Steve Kerr - the rest is history. Russ Westbrook needs to to be more like Mike and learn to pass when he needs to during crunch time.
Last edited:
DeRozan is an absolute beast. First player to start with 30+ points in the first 5 games of the season since MJ.
Good call.
I apologise for doubting you. Very good call.
It is good for the NBA that the Warriors have been tested so far but, there is no reason to panic if you are a Warriors fan. There is a few underlying issues but, there is no way they are going to shoot this poorly all season. They will be fine.
#LakerNation 
Knew it was going to be close, but expected Warriors to win. Very impressed by the Lakers. You can see in them it's like they really want to win. These young players are fearless. Athough they should do a better job protecting their leads. Imagine these players in a few years
There go Curry's streak as well.
I am still waiting for the bottom to fall out on this years squad but I will enjoy .500 while I can. Randle is really starting to put it together. Swaggy P looks a whole new player.
I am still waiting for the bottom to fall out on this years squad but I will enjoy .500 while I can. Randle is really starting to put it together. Swaggy P looks a whole new player.
Steph Curry 0 from 10 3pt attempts?!
Was good while it lasted.
The odd thing was that he came out of the game with over 4 minutes to go. The only thing I can think of is that he cared about the record a lot less than the media did. If it had been me, I'd have been in there firing up threes like a madman, especially since the game was essentially over and he wouldn't have hurt the team by doing so.
Last edited: