The Cavaliers and Warriors are in the middle of a competitive Game 4 with the NBA title hanging in the balance (for one of them). If Cleveland can’t eke out a victory by the end of the night, they’ll be on the losing end of Golden State’s historic 16-0 playoff run and the offseason will have officially begun.
Such an impressive run, just one season removed from their historic 73-win 2015/16 campaign would put the already legendary Warriors club in even more impressive territory.
This isn’t a post about the Warriors winning the 2017 NBA title, however, as we at Hoops Rumors remain dutifully impartial and simply hopeful that the series will continue and hoops fans the world over get several more games of NBA action.
This is a post about last year.
Earlier this week, notoriously emotional Draymond Green told Zach Lowe of ESPN that he believes his suspension in Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals cost his team the title. Green, of course, was sidelined after an incident in which he appeared to take a swipe at LeBron James‘ groin.
Whether or not you agree that the suspension was warranted, the question we’d like to propose is whether or not you think having Green in the lineup for Game 5 last year would have changed the outcome of the best-of-seven series.
If the Dubs had pulled off the 2016 title, they’d be within a game from a threepeat here tonight, which comes with its own place among the league’s greatest dynasties.
The question is, if Golden State were reigning two-time defending champions, would they be perceived any different than they are? Would Kevin Durant still have signed? Would James’ legacy be impacted?
It’ll be a long 15 minutes as we await the third quarter of this fourth game of the 2017 NBA Finals, so join us on a hypothetical journey back to last year.
I think had they won two in a row it would have increased the chances of Durant signing.
Yea he wouldn’t even have thought about it.
That’s the difference between LBJ and KD. KD there’s no real legacy aspect. He’ll be a HOFer. The reason why old head players have a problem with what he did, is that he went to a proven product, a 73 win team, odds on favorite to win it all. He did it still early in his career, when all those other ring chasers they did everything the could to do it their way and then chased past their prime.
They wanted to beat Mike, Magic and Bird. Not change jerseys at halftime when they were down by 20 and then be like “What I was here the whole time”.
Anyone that says anything about LBJ going to Miami forgets the BIG 4. LBJ didn’t start this, Danny Ainge started this super team nonsense. LBJ was going up against KG, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Rondo by himself.
KG v Bosh
Allen v Wade
Pierce v LBJ
Rondo v The Field
advantage still was Boston.
GSW did a great job of drafting their big 3. Can’t be said enough. So when KD eventually gets that ring, it’s “yea but you went to a stacked team”. I equate that ring to Dhantay Jones getting a ring when Cleveland won last year. Even though KD is a great player, it’s so coat-tails feeling.
Ainge did that on his own without the aspect of two FA’s going to join a star, which is more impressive than Miami in my mind.
Ainge is good as swindling teams. If he called me as a GM I’d just hang up. Go trick someone else. Once the team was set though Big 4. What do you do? Cleveland GM wasn’t going to compete. Insert GM LeBron.
I love Durant and the Warriors but you certainly make a great point. Yet even Jordan and Magic (and throw in Koby) needed super teams to win rings. Bird seems to be the one who didn’t. McHale was great but Parrish was kind of a joke from what I’ve read. Maybe Kobe didn’t have a super team in the Gasol years. What do you think? I’m a fan who returned to the NBA last season after about a ten year abscence.
If the Warriors play defense like game four first half
There will be game seven
I guarantee it
Defense terrible
I call that all star defense
lol I see what you did there.
So anyone else 100% positive Zaza is out there with the intent of injuring James? Just like Leonard.
Nah.
Zaza practically injured himself every play. He is by far the clumsiest big I have seen in quite sometime and it makes me wonder how he got this far in his career with no hands, horrible footwork, and a complete lack of balance. That being said you can see in his facial expressions, interviews, and such that he isn’t intentionally hurting players he is just that bad
It’s just in replays like you see the subtleish ways he’s sticking his leg out or pretending to be clumsy to throw a shoulder
I equate it to Playoff or Olympic Hockey. You have Everyone out there skating, shooting, passing, making great high level moves, and 1 guy out there trying to goon it up b/c he can’t hang.
No dude, it’s just u