Houston looking better that i thought (Harden i mean), dude decided to show up. Stop flopping, looking for calls and running in to opponents though.
clippers got to one more to go. gs hasn't played well outside of curry, imo. they're going to need to stop with the incredibly stupid turnovers. this is the conference finals, dammit.
Jerry West took Harrison Barnes under his wing, mentored him like he did Kobe Kurt Helin May 22, 2015, 8:31 AM EDT Getty Images Kobe Bryant was Jerry West’s special project. West virtually hoodwinked then Nets coach John Calipari not to draft Kobe back in 1996, allowing the future star to fall to Charlotte, who drafted Kobe then traded him to the Lakers in a deal based around Vlade Divac. West then took Kobe under his wing, worked out with him, and taught him everything he could about the game. That worked out pretty well for Kobe and the Lakers. Harrison Barnes has now gotten the Kobe treatment from West. After a few years of begging for the chance, this summer West relented and brought Barnes out to his Los Angeles area home for a week of workouts and lessons, something Sam Amick details in a fantastic story at the USA Today. For five days, Barnes joined the Hall of Famer whose Bel-Air home is just down the street from one of the more infamous basketball courts you’ll find. By day, they worked on the regulation-sized court that’s inside the home of shoe mogul Steven Jackson – a replica of the Staples Center, “Lakers mausoleum,” as West describes it, that visiting NBA teams will sometimes use for shoot-arounds or practices. By night, they all sat in the West’s family dining room, where his wife, Karen, would take food requests from Barnes and try to replenish all those calories he’d burned learning tricks of the trade from her legendary husband… “It was crazy,” Barnes said. “To be able to not only spend time with him on the court, but off the court as well, to see how he saw the game, how I need to see the game, the things that he saw in my game. He actually took the court and practiced on certain things… “We’d work out in the morning. We’d get some work in, and then he’d show up and put me through a workout. He’d show me stuff he would do, and then we’d go out to eat and talk about what the league is like today, stuff he saw back in the day. Who were the toughest players he guarded? Who were the tough players he went against? What was his mentality going into games? And then we just talked about life, about how he enjoyed LA, about my childhood, his childhood, all that type of stuff.” These workouts, plus changes from Steve Kerr to both start Barnes and get him working off the ball more — always his strength — led to Barnes having the best season of his career. He averaged 10.1 points a game, shot 40 percent from three, and was a key starter on a Warriors team that won 67 games. Barnes has looked even better in the playoffs. Golden State wants to keep Barnes but likely doesn’t offer him a contract extension this summer, waiting until next summer (they also have Draymond Green‘s contract to deal with, and he is more central to what the Warriors do right now). Whatever happens, Barnes has been given a chance and an insight into one of the games greatest competitors that few get the chance. And he’s going to be a better player and a better person for it. http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports....-like-he-did-kobe/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs
Very true on all accounts. They have to stop the unforced turnovers. They are playing too sloppy and I don't like how they have been ending these games, especially. So I do agree with you. On the other side, the veterans on the Sprockets are doing a good job (outside of Josh Smith). Ariza and Terry are playing very well, particularly. It won't be a cake walk to close these guys out and GS is going to have to play better to do so. They've been doing just enough to win, but not enough to discourage Houston.
I still find it fascinating that the Warriors are playing very sloppy in general - this is definitely not the best basketball they can play - and they still won against MEM in 6, and have a 2-0 lead against HOU. I mean, that's not bad.
That's what happens when you mix an inexperienced roster with a rookie coach...growing pains. Lucky for them their talent trumps that. Hopefully it's enough to trump Bron and his cronies too.
Game #3 today. The Warriors are now 6-0 against the Rockets this season. However, I fully expect Houston to win today. They simply can't afford to go down 0-3. Desperation time! Of course, Harden has to dominate once again, but at least two other players (Ariza/Terry/Dwight?) need to join him in terms of scoring if they want to win... except if the Warriors have an absolutely awful shooting night. Which could happen; anything's possible in the playoffs.
i'll be surprised if this series isn't 2-2 going back to gs. the warriors simply haven't been sharp. I think Houston's going to blow the doors off them in one of these next two. maybe that will wake them up and help them realize that this might be their best and only shot at a title. ask okc what it's like to be young and looking at a ring. things can change quickly. take advantage.
It has to be this one. They are not coming back from 0-3. If they win, let's see how the Warriors respond.
I did not expect Bogut to dominate, of all people. He's had some pretty athletic moves lately. Good to see. Too bad health issues held him back for so long.
Warriors up by 12 at the end of 1. They are shooting 48%, which is solid - typical for them even. But their defense is truly impressive. Nothing is easy for the Rockets (they are shooting 31%). It's hard to believe, but every time this season GSW have at least a 15-point lead, they win the game. They are not there yet though. Just need to continue playing good defense, that's the key.
Dwight allowed Curry to grab a rebound under the basket. How does that even happen? I'm not sure Curry could move me out of the way.
Curry just broke Reggie's playoff record for the three-pointers. In 9 less games. This kid is insane.
