NBA Thread

[verb_to_trust]

I see a lot of similarities between him and Rose as far as coming off a ROY and being a part of a young team on the rise. Thibs is going to form the same kind of bond with KAT and let it work. It's going to bittersweet to watch really...

[E.H. Ruddock]

[verb_to_trust]

Who is going to guard Westbrook? Igoudala? Klay? I'd love to see Curry get beasted but they are going to hide him.

[spike]

Who is going to guard Westbrook? Igoudala? Klay? I'd love to see Curry get beasted but they are going to hide him.

probably klay, even though...

Despite the Warriors' historic shooting and attacking defense, the Thunder do have some opportunities that they can look to exploit. On the offensive side, the Warriors have most frequently matched up Klay Thompson against Westbrook, but this is a matchup the Thunder can exploit. In the 89 possessions that Thompson has guarded Westbrook this season, the Thunder have scored at a rate of 127 points per 100 possessions. One of the main avenues for them to exploit this matchup is on pick-and-rolls. Typically, the Warriors have done a great job limiting the value of Westbrook in a pick-and-roll at the top of the key, letting the Thunder score only 0.9 points per chance, but when Thompson is guarding him, the Thunder are scoring 1.2 points per chance from pick-and-roll's at the top of the key. That is still not quite Westbrook's season average, but still very effective.

because iggy on durant means...

The biggest threat the Thunder face on the offensive end comes in the form of Andre Iguodala, who will likely be matched up against the thunder's most efficient scorer, Durant. Among players who took at least 1,000 shots this season, Durant ranks fourth with a 55.9% eFG, behind only Stephen Curry, Thompson, and Kawhi Leonard, despite taking the second hardest shots by qSQ (which uses the location and movement of the shooter and defenders, as well as the type of shot to measure the eFG% of an average player on that shot) of anyone in the top 10 in eFG% this season (Chris Paul took the hardest shots and was 10th in eFG%). When he has been marked by Iguodala this season however, this incredibly proficient scorer drops down to a 46% eFG which is Jamal Crawford/Evan Turner territory. Typically about 25 percent of Durant's shots are pull-up jumpers, and he has a 52 percent eFG on those shots -- below his average. Iguodala, however, has forced Durant to take pull-up jumpers far more frequently (40 percent of his shots) and has defended them better (25 eFG%). So the Thunder will need to minimize the opportunities for the Warriors to put Iguodala on Durant, and Durant will have to look to pass out of that matchup instead of taking the pull-up jumper of last resort.

[Monkey_Driven]

9 pm can't get here soon enough.

Who is Westbrook going to guard? He has not fared well guarding Curry this year.

[verb_to_trust]

9 pm can't get here soon enough.

Who is Westbrook going to guard? He has not fared well guarding Curry this year.

Hes guarding Curry. Curry is a shooter and that is 'Not nuthin I haven't seen' according to Russ.

[verb_to_trust]

Every time I try and talk myself into this being a 6 game series I remind myself that the guard depth behind Westbrook is Dion freaking Waiters and these guys:

[verb_to_trust]

If Bosh's career is over that really sucks. From what I gather, having to remain on the blood thinners indefinitely is preventing the team doctors from clearing him. I guess the thought would be if he splits his head open after being dunked on by Jimmy Butler or something he could bleed out and die on the court? The risk of injury seems so minimal it's a shame it could end up career ending.

[verb_to_trust]

Curry on Westbrook. His ego couldn't take all the talk about how Russ would bully him I guess.

[lennytheweedwhacker]

it's killing me hearing miller on commentary...i just want him to jump on the court and put on a 3-point shooting clinic

[Monkey_Driven]

Did Reggie just say you could make an argument Ibaka is the best shooter on the Thunder?!

[verb_to_trust]

Reggie is the worst

[verb_to_trust]

So far the okc defensive strategy of let the warriors walk into the lane unguarded in slow motion is backfiring.

[Monkey_Driven]

I feel like Westbrook is on the verge of Hulking out in the second half. Either in a positive or negative way for the Thunder.

[spike]

I feel like Westbrook is on the verge of Hulking out in the second half. Either in a positive or negative way for the Thunder.

He's heating up now.

[verb_to_trust]

The game still doesn't feel like it's in doubt for the warriors to me.

[4/5]

The Warriors are about to go on a 19-2 run any minute now. Then again, it basically always feels like they're about to do that.

[4/5]

With 5 minutes left, how big would the lead have to be to consider a game safe against the warriors? 30?

[Monkey_Driven]

Draymond has not been good on offense this game. Lots of forced passes and too many contested shots.

[4/5]

C'mon KD.......