The NBA

[cleo]

@Ms Blue Jay I doubted every step of the way lol. Having low expectations is how I survive as a Toronto sports fan. Glad I was wrong. Drake even grew on me! That game was so stressful though. 

GSW are very good, I have a lot of respect for them, they played hard right to the bitter end. Tough competitors. 

Anyway congrats to the Raptors, so happy for Lowry in particular. 

Edited June 14, 2019 by cleo

[Kip Hackman]

Congrats to the Raptors.

Will be a very interesting off season. The title race should be more wide open than it's been in a long time.

Edited June 14, 2019 by Kip Hackman

[nittany cougar]

6 hours ago, doodlebug said:

But injuries are part of the game. Golden State has been remarkably injury-free over the years and won several championships over teams who were missing key players due to injury.  What goes around, comes around. It was their turn to try to overcome the injury bug and they didn’t.

Congrats to the Raptors! Coming from a town where championships are rare, I remember that sweet feeling. Toronto is a terrific town filled with great people, despite the few exceptions.  They outplayed GS when everyone was sure they couldn’t compete and many felt the series would just be a formality on the way to another crown for the Warriors.  The better team won this time and also demonstrated that good defense will defeat good offense most times. They exposed and exploited the Warriors’ Achilles’ heel (apologies to KD).

I must say, the sour grapes of the GS fans are mighty tasty, too. While their team seemed gracious in defeat, from what I’ve seen online this morning, many of their fans are taking the low road.

Yes to all of this.  I lived in Houston in 1995 when the Rockets won and now live in DC, which enjoyed hockey championship last year.  It is very special when your team makes a run for the championship, especially when they were not favored.  It can really bring a city together.

The playoff run that Toronto put together was just unbelievable. I never paid much attention to this team but am a fan now.

Edited June 14, 2019 by nittanycougar

[topanga]

3 hours ago, Ohwell said:

Happy for Kawhi though.  I'll never forget that game-winning shot he made in the last series. 

I love that Kawhi gave himself 10 seconds to raise his hands and cheer after the game, but then it was back to business. 

And I was sad about the Philly losing that series, but now I'm glad they did. Golden State would've mopped the floor with the Sixers, even without KD. 

These playoffs turned out to be very entertaining, especially the finals. Which is a nice change. For the past few years, the playoffs beyond the first round have been boring AF. Everyone knew the Warriors were going to win--everything else was just for show.  

Throughout this years' Finals, I was on the edge of my seat for almost every game. I actually had to turn it off last night when the Raptors gave the ball back with 18 seconds on the clock, so I missed the Time out call. 

13 hours ago, Magog said:

YES!!!!! DING DONG, THE EVIL EMPIRE IS OFFICIALLY DEAD!!!! 

HA HA HA HA!!!

THANK YOU, TORONTO RAPTORS!!!

12 hours ago, MVFrostsMyPie said:

Honey, I'm not salty at all. I couldn't be prouder of the Warriors. 🙂

I was rooting for the Raptors, but I don't actually hate the Warriors. They all seem like they'd be fairly nice guys in real life (Draymond seems a bit annoying but not horrible). And I can't think of an elite athlete who isn't a bit smug or arrogant. You kinda have to maintain a certain level of confidence in order to reach that level of success. And people have been lauding your talents since you were like, 5, so how can you NOT believe that you're the greatest thing since sliced bread? 

[Artsda]

Congratulations Raptors! So happy to see a team win for the first time ever and all the happiness by the players and fans.

Crazy that the game was barely over before the Wizards offer for Masai came out.

Curry was a class act, loved his calling Drake and saying "how did you get that hat already?" LOL

Edited June 14, 2019 by Artsda

[Maximum Taco]

2 minutes ago, Artsda said:

Curry was a class act, loved his calling Drake and saying "how did you get that hat already?" LOL

Steph should never doubt Drake's ability to get swag. Especially after he came out in Game 1 in Dell Curry's autographed jersey (which apparently Steph was planning on doing in Game 2.)

[topanga]

14 minutes ago, Artsda said:

Crazy that the game was barely over before the Wizards offer for Masai came out.

Who is Masai? 

[Fukui San]

1 minute ago, topanga said:

Who is Masai? 

Raptors GM

[Ms Blue Jay]

1 minute ago, topanga said:

Who is Masai? 

President of Raptors.  Masai Ujiri.  He is a god in my country.

[Maximum Taco]

3 minutes ago, topanga said:

Who is Masai? 

President and GM of the Raptors, and all around shit disturber. 

He swears at public events, he gets fined by the league, he wins the championship and then assaults a cop. 

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/nba/raptors-masai-ujiri-accused-assault-nba-final-1.5175577

He is the most interesting GM in the League. 

[MVFrostsMyPie]

Yeah, can't say I'm surprised he punched a sheriff's deputy, and that's after winning. Keeping it classy, LOL. 

ETA before anyone gets their knickers in a twist- I do think the police should just drop it. But yeah, it probably wasn't the best idea to get physical (wait for it.... just like the asshole shover who pushed the Raptors player). 

54 minutes ago, topanga said:

I was rooting for the Raptors, but I don't actually hate the Warriors. They all seem like they'd be fairly nice guys in real life (Draymond seems a bit annoying but not horrible). And I can't think of an elite athlete who isn't a bit smug or arrogant. You kinda have to maintain a certain level of confidence in order to reach that level of success. And people have been lauding your talents since you were like, 5, so how can you NOT believe that you're the greatest thing since sliced bread? 

Yep. Plus, I feel like you have to have to have that kind of attitude when there's trolls that keep calling them evil.... for being good.

There's actually a certain level of satisfaction from seeing how strongly people hate GS. It wouldn't exist if they weren't so damn good. 🙂 Keep the bitterness coming, I say, to the folks who'll keep on hating for years to come. Just adds even more determination to a team who went above and beyond with heart, grit, and class, and who will always be recognized as one of the best ever in history. Nothing will change that. I couldn't be more grateful to be a fan and have witnessed the last few years up close and personal. 💛💙

Edited June 14, 2019 by MVFrostsMyPie

[topanga]

2 minutes ago, Maximum Taco said:

President and GM of the Raptors, and all around shit disturber. 

He swears at public events, he gets fined by the league, he wins the championship and then assaults a cop. 

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/nba/raptors-masai-ujiri-accused-assault-nba-final-1.5175577

He is the most interesting GM in the League. 

I see both sides of the issue: 

1) Masai was wearing a suit and didn't look like a random fan in a Raptors jersey.  Still, and I'm not accusing the security team of being racist, but race had to have played a role in the deputy's behavior. Not many team presidents and GMs are people of color. 

There was no one else from the organization around him who could vouch for him? 

--on the other hand--

2) Not everyone would know who Masai was by sight. He's not Mark Cuban, whom every NBA security person would recognize. Shouldn't he be wearing credentials anyway? He's not in his home stadium. 

Trust me, I know what it's like to be questioned or asked for identification in a place where I'm supposed to be. It pisses me off. But what do I do? I show my credentials. 

[Eyes High]

No one can convince me that KD wasn't pressured to play. And now he ruptured his Achilles and his career is in the toilet. Not that the Warriors give a shit because KD was up for free agency. I doubt they would have been in such a rush to get him back on the court if he were resigned for several years, but I guess since he was up for free agency, he was pretty much disposable, right? Fuckers.

And then after playing Klay and KD injured because they were that greedy for a threepeat, they not only lost the series but they lost two star players to severe injuries in Games 5 and 6. If they'd allowed KD to rest in Game 5, they probably would have lost, but they'd have spared Klay and KD their injuries. Instead, they played both KD and Klay, both players got horribly injured, and they lost anyway. Serves the Warriors fucking right. Dynasty deservedly ended. You sacrificed KD's career for nothing. Chew on that in the offseason, assholes.

In between KD, Klay and Looney, the Warriors medical staff also have a lot to answer for. Disgraceful. Kendrick Perkins pointed out that players should always keep in mind that the doctors work for the team, not the players. 

Edited June 14, 2019 by Eyes High

[cleo]

I can't seem to find any video of the actual Masai/cop incident, just a million videos of the moments after, when someone was standing in between them, so it's hard for me to comment on. 

Outside of that, I would be more upset if Masai left than than Leonard. 

[DrSpaceman]

Can't tell anything by those videos

Seems like the police/security are blowing it out of proportion to me though.  Just drop it.  Officer was not injured, probably just more annoyed and felt disrespected himself. 

Its a misunderstanding, no one was hurt, its over.

Do we have to turn EVERYTHING anymore into such a huge crisis?

[DrSpaceman]

9 minutes ago, Eyes High said:

No one can convince me that KD wasn't pressured to play. And now he ruptured his Achilles and his career is in the toilet. Not that the Warriors give a shit because KD was up for free agency. I doubt they would have been in such a rush to get him back on the court if he were resigned for several years, but I guess since he was up for free agency, he was pretty much disposable, right? Fuckers.

And then after playing Klay and KD injured because they were that greedy for a threepeat, they not only lost the series but they lost two star players to severe injuries in Games 5 and 6. If they'd allowed KD to rest in Game 5, they probably would have lost, but they'd have spared Klay and KD their injuries. Instead, they played both KD and Klay, both players got horribly injured, and they lost anyway. Serves the Warriors fucking right. Dynasty deservedly ended. You sacrificed KD's career for nothing. Chew on that in the offseason, assholes.

In between KD, Klay and Looney, the Warriors medical staff also have a lot to answer for. Disgraceful. Kendrick Perkins pointed out that players should always keep in mind that the doctors work for the team, not the players. 

His career is not in the toilet.  He will come back from this. 

They were down 3-1 and the title was on the line.  You only get so many chances to win a title.  You don't know what happened between KD and the staff.  My guess is they advised him of the risk and left the decision up to him on whether to play.  No one could have forced him to play if he felt he was not ready.  I think he chose to take the chance because he knew the title was on the line.  He and they gambled and lost. 

You don't know their dynasty is over either.  They could very well retool the team (they will have to, the depth on the team was pathetic in the finals) and still be contenders. 

[Ohwell]

If the Warriors hadn't played Durant, then some people would have been screaming "they should have played KD!" after losing.   I'm sick of the armchair doctors out there (looking at you, Jay Williams, in particular) but they don't know shit.  So I'll leave it up to the Warriors organization and KD as to whether it was the right call.  They knew.  I didn't.  And neither did the armchair doctors. 

[Maximum Taco]

1 hour ago, Artsda said:

Crazy that the game was barely over before the Wizards offer for Masai came out.

Update to this report. 

Washington Post writer Candace Buckner disputes the reports that the Wizards are preparing to poach Ujiri. 

Personally I think he stays in Toronto, he gets paid a lot there, and he has free reign to do whatever he wants when it comes to basketball. Maybe if the Wizards are really offering an ownership stake, then maybe he leaves. 

[Eyes High]

23 minutes ago, DrSpaceman said:

His career is not in the toilet.  He will come back from this.  

Unlikely. 

Quote

They were down 3-1 and the title was on the line.  You only get so many chances to win a title.  You don't know what happened between KD and the staff.  My guess is they advised him of the risk and left the decision up to him on whether to play.  No one could have forced him to play if he felt he was not ready.  I think he chose to take the chance because he knew the title was on the line.  He and they gambled and lost. 

KD was in no position to make a choice given the stakes. He was obviously facing enormous pressure, from the fans, from the media, from this bullshit macho sports culture that encourages players to play through injuries, and from the team. It was the team's responsibility to protect KD, from those pressures and from himself if necessary. The team failed. It's shameful.

Kendrick Perkins compared it to locking the pool door so that his kids won't drown. They may want to go out and swim in the pool despite how dangerous it is, but it's your responsibility to protect them, even from themselves. Saying that the Warriors were justified in putting this choice on KD is completely tone-deaf given the circumstances. Would you really expect him to be in any position to refuse?

And really, it was win-win for the Warriors. If KD played and did well, they would be that much closer to a threepeat. If he got injured, he was going to free agency anyway, so whatever. They played Russian roulette with his health and paid the price. It was supremely irresponsible at best, shockingly callous at worst.

I couldn't believe Bob Myers had the gall to go on TV and cry crocodile tears at how awful KD's injury was. The nerve of these people.

Quote

You don't know their dynasty is over either.

Klay and KD are out, possibly permanently in KD's case, and their bench strength is pathetic. And as was made very clear, Steph Curry is no LeBron. So no, the dynasty is over. Not a moment too soon, given this disgraceful KD business. They deserved to be annihilated. If they had won, it would have validated their treatment of KD and Klay in the eyes of many as a necessary, hard sacrifice to win. Instead, it's exposed for the reckless, negligent nonsense it was, and hopefully it will lead to some soulsearching.

Edited June 14, 2019 by Eyes High

[Ohwell]

Now that he's done his job, I'll bet Kawhi can't wait to get the hell out of Canada.  Taxes.  Oof.

[Maximum Taco]

8 minutes ago, Ohwell said:

Now that he's done his job, I'll bet Kawhi can't wait to get the hell out of Canada.  Taxes.  Oof.

He actually doesn't have to pay that much if he maintains a residence in the States, which he is cause he's got that house in California. He also doesn't have to pay any Canadian taxes on any signing bonus he receives (he will have to pay his state of residence's taxes, but that would be the same whether he plays in Canada or LA, since his residence is in Cali)

It would make more of a difference if he was a Canadian national, but he isn't. 

We just went through a similar situation with Auston Matthews of the Maple Leafs, he maintains his residence in Arizona, so by structuring his contract as almost all signing bonuses he avoids Canadian taxes almost entirely. 

Edited June 14, 2019 by Maximum Taco

[Ms Blue Jay]

4 hours ago, MVFrostsMyPie said:

Yeah, can't say I'm surprised he punched a sheriff's deputy, and that's after winning. Keeping it classy, LOL. 

Did you read the news story?  There is also video.  It's not like he won a game and went looking for a cop to punch.

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, topanga said:

2) Not everyone would know who Masai was by sight. He's not Mark Cuban, whom every NBA security person would recognize. Shouldn't he be wearing credentials anyway? He's not in his home stadium. ? 

Credentials in Masai's hand.

Edited June 14, 2019 by Ms Blue Jay

[topanga]

Just now, Ms Blue Jay said:

Every single picture of Masai at the game shows him wearing credentials Topanga.

Word??? I hadn't seen any of the pictures. That puts me more on Masai's side. So even while wearing credentials, there was at least one security guard who refused to believe he was who he (and his credentials) said he was. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

1 hour ago, topanga said:

Trust me, I know what it's like to be questioned or asked for identification in a place where I'm supposed to be. It pisses me off. But what do I do? I show my credentials. 

They should know the President of the Raptors.  This is Game 6.  I don't buy that he's not famous enough.  In Oracle Arena.

I'll just add that I'm very happy to pay my taxes to live here.  Not that Kawhi has to pay what I pay anyway, thanks @Maximum Taco.  I think the issue is more family and weather.  This has been a very bad June and not exemplary of the Junes we normally get.  Even so, we have 6 months of good weather, if that, and then 6 months of bad (my opinion).

Edited June 14, 2019 by Ms Blue Jay

[statsgirl]

I had no idea who the black guy in the well-tailored suit was but I had seen him him during the games so I would have figured that he was someone important. Besides, only team brass and coaches were wearing suits courtside. Not to mention, Masai had his credentials in his hand and there were plenty of people around yelling at the deputy who he is. It's hard to find a justification for that deputy's behaviour, especially since he kept going after Masai like someone on a reality TV show.

The sheriff's office is saying that they are going to sue Masai for assault. I say, bring it on. Let's shed some light on the situation.

Kudos to Lowry for being such a classy guy. No only is he a great player, the first thing he did after winning was hug Steph Curry, and then he waved Maasi over, letting him on the floor while people were trying to hold the deputy from assaulting him.

Speaking of being classy, Raptors fans sign Get Well card for KD

[Ohwell]

1 hour ago, Maximum Taco said:

He actually doesn't have to pay that much if he maintains a residence in the States, which he is cause he's got that house in California. He also doesn't have to pay any Canadian taxes on any signing bonus he receives (he will have to pay his state of residence's taxes, but that would be the same whether he plays in Canada or LA, since his residence is in Cali)

It would make more of a difference if he was a Canadian national, but he isn't. 

We just went through a similar situation with Auston Matthews of the Maple Leafs, he maintains his residence in Arizona, so by structuring his contract as almost all signing bonuses he avoids Canadian taxes almost entirely. 

Ok thanks, that's informative.  I just remember the Steve Francis episode when the Vancouver Grizzlies selected him but he didn't want to go to Canada because of taxes, weather and maybe other things.  He got a lot of grief from Canadians but he got his wish to leave and was traded to the Rockets. 

[Maximum Taco]

16 minutes ago, Ohwell said:

Ok thanks, that's informative.  I just remember the Steve Francis episode when the Vancouver Grizzlies selected him but he didn't want to go to Canada because of taxes, weather and maybe other things.  He got a lot of grief from Canadians but he got his wish to leave and was traded to the Rockets. 

We do have higher taxes in Canada, it's a well known fact, but the fact is back in the days of the Vancouver Grizzlies a lot of athletes were stupid and didn't employ anyone to handle their finances. Most nowadays do, and there are tons of work arounds, especially if you are an American citizen who wants to retire in America. 

There's another thing where some people who work in Canada, but want to retire elsewhere, use an account called an RCA to put the bulk of their salary away and then access it when they retire in another country, and they pay about half the tax they would normally pay. Think about it, Kawhi is gonna make close to 40M per year if he signs with the Raps. Nobody needs 40M every freaking year. He could put like 30M of it away (and still have 8 figures to spend if he really wants) and then not pay taxes on that until he wants to use it, and moreso pay a much lower rate. 

I'm sure Kawhi has someone advising him on his income, so Canadian taxes aren't likely to factor into his decision. Unfortunately that won't change how he feels about the weather. 

Edited June 14, 2019 by Maximum Taco

[ganesh]

16 hours ago, Maximum Taco said:

Super tight all the way through, Klay going down with that wonky knee, and Steph getting that good look and just clanking it, not to mention Draymond trying to call a timeout they didn't have.

I think Cousins should have been prepared for Curry's rebound and an easy put back. He totally bobbled it. But hey, maybe if you're 0-7 from 3 with less than 20 seconds in the game, you call a different play. An easy 2 would have been unexpected and you didn't necessarily need the 3 at that point. 

Calling the time out was the right move. The game would have been over right there. You do what you can. 

Losing those first 2 games at home really sealed it in my mind. Though, I can't say the dynasty is over. That's way to premature. People thought the Pats were done when Philly tore all over them too. 

Given how they stormed through the West without Durant at all, I'd be hard pressed to say they wouldn't be in the finals next year. 

The thing that killed Durant was not managing his minutes. He played the entire 1st almost. 

[statsgirl]

Little noted: The Raptors won every away game in the semi-finals and finals (I think).

I can see Kawhi not wanting to be in Canada because of the weather more than the taxes, especially if he can do that do-around. Taxes are not that much higher than in the States and most people accept them because they don't have to pay for health care on top of them (although you can still buy private insurance for things not covered by government care) but I don't see that being a factor at Kawhi's salary level.  With the  weather, it's only now getting decent in Toronto (around 75F); most of when he's here it's cold.

He was very diplomatic last night when asked if he would resign with the Raptors, gently saying that this isn't the time but he did talk about how the Raptors were willing to give him time and space to recover and do what he does.  He also seems like he has a good working relationship with some of the other Raptors players so that may factor into his decision too.

[topanga]

3 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

He was very diplomatic last night when asked if he would resign with the Raptors, gently saying that this isn't the time but he did talk about how the Raptors were willing to give him time and space to recover and do what he does.  He also seems like he has a good working relationship with some of the other Raptors players so that may factor into his decision too.

I hate it when journalists ask that question, although I suppose someone told them they have to. But he's in the midst of celebrating the championship he just won minutes ago. Do you really think he'll start a discussion with you about what he'll do next year in free agency? 

[catrox14]

3 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

President of Raptors.  Masai Ujiri.  He is a god in my country.

He is a god amongst Nuggets fans, too.

[doodlebug]

26 minutes ago, ganesh said:

The thing that killed Durant was not managing his minutes. He played the entire 1st almost. 

I think this is very likely a big factor in his injury, the guy hadn't played in a month, and, by all accounts, was still limping a couple days before the game.  Word was that he was to play sparingly and rest frequently.  Instead, he was put in there and given his usual minutes.  That is on Steve Kerr.  Really bad judgment all around.

25 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

. Taxes are not that much higher than in the States and most people accept them because they don't have to pay for health care on top of them (although you can still buy private insurance for things not covered by government care) but I don't see that being a factor at Kawhi's salary level. 

I'm in healthcare and have provided care for multiple pro athletes and their families although not the NBA.  In every case, the players' union guaranteed them top of the line health care coverage as part of their contract.  None of them paid a dime for anything, not even a co-pay on an office visit or a prescription.  I doubt the NBA is any different from MLB or the NFL and, that being the case, the Canadian health insurance coverage, excellent though it is, isn't going to be an incentive for a player thinking about joining a team there.

[catrox14]

2 hours ago, topanga said:

Word??? I hadn't seen any of the pictures. That puts me more on Masai's side. So even while wearing credentials, there was at least one security guard who refused to believe he was who he (and his credentials) said he was. 

This doesn't surprise me. Or alternatively, the cop knew exactly who he was and didn't give a shit and basically harassed him. That is my hot take.

[Ms Blue Jay]

37 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

He was very diplomatic last night when asked if he would resign with the Raptors, gently saying that this isn't the time but he did talk about how the Raptors were willing to give him time and space to recover and do what he does.  He also seems like he has a good working relationship with some of the other Raptors players so that may factor into his decision too.

There was a rumour going around that he bought property in Toronto and a reporter asked him about it (earlier game, not this one) and he said "No.  That didn't happen.  That didn't happen yet."  Just the word "yet" sent half this country into a frenzy 😁

I know I talk crap about the weather here, but I've been to Texas, and I couldn't survive there.  I never realized how much I like mild weather and dislike hot when I visited and came back.  But, Kawhi is probably the opposite of me, very sadly!  😞  (He's from California, I don't know what the weather is like there but I'm going to guess 100x better than here.)

Edited June 14, 2019 by Ms Blue Jay

[Ohwell]

For some reason that phrase "act like you've been there before" keeps running through my mind...........

[Ms Blue Jay]

Life is too short to wait for this since 1995 and not act excited about it.

Edited June 14, 2019 by Ms Blue Jay

[statsgirl]

39 minutes ago, catrox14 said:

This doesn't surprise me. Or alternatively, the cop knew exactly who he was and didn't give a shit and basically harassed him. That is my hot take.

Found this.  The first picture is in the hallway, the second just after he had moved away from the deputy.  It looks like Masai had his credentials in his hand.

https://twitter.com/_skennedy/status/1139599903372566528/photo/1

I know that there are people too fond of their own powerr, but what was he thinking to stop the GM of the team that has just won the championship at the championship game with a hundred cameras recording? And then the sheriff's department says that they are going to charge the GM for assault.

The celebration:  Montreal shut down two blocks for the celebration, Halifax had a huge party and in Toronto Yonge-Dundas square was so crowded that authorities were worrying that there were too many people. Toronto has been dry from a winning team for so long, people were so excited.

I wonder how the players handle the end of the season. Both teams are so  that they can practically read each other's minds, and then the trading begins.

[cleo]

It's exciting to see a whole country come together. The videos of people watching and celebrating in cities like Halifax, Regina, Edmonton, Vancouver, and throughout Ontario is exciting. If you listen to Nav Bhatia, the Raps fan, he talks about wanting to use the team to bring all different kinds of people together. This is the guy that has gone to every homecoming game since they started. 

It feels so rare these days for any country to come together in a spirit of positive celebration.

I'm Canadian so of course I'm biased but I'm proud of the team and the nationwide support. It is special for me  to see this country come together and I'm going out tonight to enjoy it. 

Good luck next season everyone!

[Crs97]

5 hours ago, MVFrostsMyPie said:

Yep. Plus, I feel like you have to have to have that kind of attitude when there's trolls that keep calling them evil.... for being good.

There's actually a certain level of satisfaction from seeing how strongly people hate GS. It wouldn't exist if they weren't so damn good. 🙂 

LeBron says hi.

[Fukui San]

This had to be the most catastrophic loss in any Finals series/Championship of all time with two huge stars knocked out of the subsequent season with injuries. As a franchise they’d have been much better off if they’d have lost to Houston. 

[MVFrostsMyPie]

1 hour ago, Crs97 said:

LeBron says hi.

Ok?

[Maximum Taco]

4 hours ago, statsgirl said:

Little noted: The Raptors won every away game in the semi-finals and finals (I think).

They lost the first two in Milwaukee, remember that Milwaukee was the 1 seed, so they started that series on the road. 

[nittany cougar]

On this morning's Sportscenter, (6 am edition in DC) ESPN is running an interview with their Warriors reporter.  The headline?  "Warriors express confidence about next year."   This is why people get tired of the Warriors.  The Raptors are the champions and they are still overshadowed by coverage of the Warriors.  ESPN, give us a break  from the cheerleading for a day or two,and head up to Toronto to cover the champs.

The truth is that no one knows what will happen with the Warriors since one star has a busted knee and another is entering free agency.

Edited June 15, 2019 by nittanycougar

[ganesh]

That's not the Warriors fault though. It's poor media coverage. 

[doodlebug]

7 minutes ago, ganesh said:

That's not the Warriors fault though. It's poor media coverage. 

Well, of course it is.  Just as other NBA fans complain about the constant focus on LeBron.  The media creates its own narratives and runs them into the ground.  Anyone with any knowledge of the sport can see that the Warriors are in a very precarious position at this point in time, not because they lost the series, but because two of their key players have suffered career-threatening injuries that will, at the very least, put them out of action for a good portion of next season.  Anyone who thinks the Warriors are full of confidence and not concerned about next season is delusional.  This could be a turning point for the franchise and they know it.

[nittany cougar]

38 minutes ago, ganesh said:

That's not the Warriors fault though. It's poor media coverage. 

I should have been more clear. I know it is not their fault but I am trying to explain why people dislike them.  

ESPN had the same reporter on every day of the playoffs hyping them.  At one point, he  even reported that they were that not worried about Durant's injury.  If you watch Sportscenter at the asscrack of dawn, you know what I am talking about. ( I watch it most work days from 6 to 6:30).

ESPN also has a business interest in the Warriors because they have a development deal with KD.  Perhaps that played a part in the hype.

Edited June 15, 2019 by nittanycougar

[Magog]

16 hours ago, cleo said:

It's exciting to see a whole country come together. The videos of people watching and celebrating in cities like Halifax, Regina, Edmonton, Vancouver, and throughout Ontario is exciting. If you listen to Nav Bhatia, the Raps fan, he talks about wanting to use the team to bring all different kinds of people together. This is the guy that has gone to every homecoming game since they started. 

Hopefully, that guy also gets a ring from the Raptors. He definitely deserves it. 

I can't imagine how Carmelo Anthony is feeling right now. Carmelo was badmouthing Jeremy Lin while they were teammates for the Knicks & basically help sent Jeremy Lin out of town. Now, Jeremy Lin somehow ended up with the Raptors & got himself a ring for his troubles. 

[Ohwell]

24 minutes ago, Magog said:

I can't imagine how Carmelo Anthony is feeling right now. Carmelo was badmouthing Jeremy Lin while they were teammates for the Knicks & basically help sent Jeremy Lin out of town. Now, Jeremy Lin somehow ended up with the Raptors & got himself a ring for his troubles. 

Wow.  Good for Jeremy Lin.

Karma is a bitch, Carmelo.

[LexieLily]

LeBron and the Lakers got their way. Pelicans agree to send Davis to the Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round picks, including this year's #4 pick. 

[Jx223]

I do wonder how well the Lakers will end up doing next season now that they have made this trade. I had saw they were picked as one of the favorites to win the title next year before this trade was announced. They traded away a lot of their young core, but I do that the young player they chose to keep Kuzma is one of their most talented young players.

I wonder who else they may end up picking up in free agency. I see some people speculating they may try and get Kemba Walker. Or maybe Jimmy Butler who has opted out of his contract with the Sixers.

Edited June 15, 2019 by Jx223