Earlier Lex said regular season records mean nothing in a Warriors/Lakers playoff. Maybe, but it doesn't mean we can't learn from them.
On defense a healthy Anthony Davis protecting the rim and using his length to deflect drive-and-dish passes will be troublesome in a way Sac's Sabonis was not. He's a Warrior killer when healthy. Lebron James' familiarity with the Warriors' offense lets him anticipate passes and create turnovers-tough, tough opponent for the Dubs. Plus they can shutdown any Warrior wing not named Curry. Weirdly, even Steph gets cold when playing at whatever they now call the Staples center.
Kerr is going to need to pull out some match-up magic and coach the heck out of this series. The Lakers SHOULD have the edge (it's a tough match-up for the Warriors and I'd have preferred to play the Grizzlies) but it's close.
This is a different Warriors club. I heard Tim Kawakami remark that the early Warrior runs to the finals were built on long two-way players that didn't make you choose between O and D. They no longer have that. For the most part their good defenders are so-so on offense and their good offensive players are so-so on defense. The Sacramento series showed between game adjustments are critical. Coaching the Warriors is no longer as easy as it was in the early title runs when almost every player was world class on offense and defense.
Enjoy the ride however long it lasts. The Sacramento series was fantastic for basketball fans and I'm hoping for the same in the Lakers series.
On defense a healthy Anthony Davis protecting the rim and using his length to deflect drive-and-dish passes will be troublesome in a way Sac's Sabonis was not. He's a Warrior killer when healthy. Lebron James' familiarity with the Warriors' offense lets him anticipate passes and create turnovers-tough, tough opponent for the Dubs. Plus they can shutdown any Warrior wing not named Curry. Weirdly, even Steph gets cold when playing at whatever they now call the Staples center.
Kerr is going to need to pull out some match-up magic and coach the heck out of this series. The Lakers SHOULD have the edge (it's a tough match-up for the Warriors and I'd have preferred to play the Grizzlies) but it's close.
This is a different Warriors club. I heard Tim Kawakami remark that the early Warrior runs to the finals were built on long two-way players that didn't make you choose between O and D. They no longer have that. For the most part their good defenders are so-so on offense and their good offensive players are so-so on defense. The Sacramento series showed between game adjustments are critical. Coaching the Warriors is no longer as easy as it was in the early title runs when almost every player was world class on offense and defense.
Enjoy the ride however long it lasts. The Sacramento series was fantastic for basketball fans and I'm hoping for the same in the Lakers series.
In 1938 Neville Chamberlain declared "Peace in our time", Superman first appeared in Action Comics, Seabiscuit beat War Admiral ....... and C.a.l last won the Rose Bowl.