So it's actually the Warriors who get a free pass to the Conference finals

[J Shuttlesworth]

-Pelicans... really? Bunch of playoff virgins led by Monty Williams :roll:
-Grizzlies... great competition... except Conley is injured, basically turning them to a team not much better than the Pels.
-CP3 doing the dirty working knocking out the Spurs now has a hamstring injury :facepalm Now the Warriors won't even have to beat the defending champs

Of course everyone complains about LeBron having easy two rounds, but nobody bats an eye when a team in the west has it

[Smoke117]

Except people have been saying Warriors have an easy road to the ship'. Good fail.

[warriorfan]

-Pelicans... really? Bunch of playoff virgins led by Monty Williams :roll:
-Grizzlies... great competition... except Conley is injured, basically turning them to a team not much better than the Pels.
-CP3 doing the dirty working knocking out the Spurs now has a hamstring injury :facepalm Now the Warriors won't even have to beat the defending champs

Of course everyone complains about LeBron having easy two rounds, but nobody bats an eye when a team in the west has it


this cat is scared of losing to the bulls

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Even without Conley (expected to be back this series), the Grizzlies are REALLY ****ing good. One of the best teams regardless of conference.

And the Pelicans? A lot better than the Celtics, that's for sure.

What's up with you hating on everything/everyone that is a threat to LeBron?

[ArbitraryWater]

Cmon breh, literally the only break a Western team gets in todays age is if you make the first seed, win 60+ games, and get to face an easy opponent in first round, the Davis led Pelicans... thats it, thats the break, and it only exists because of KD's injury :oldlol:

Ridiculously stacked... compare this to 2009-2011, anyone actually believe the West was stronger those years?

Sure, on average, you get a better first round opponent in the West, those years... maybe even a stronger 2nd round one.

But as far as actual title candidates go:

2009 West: Lakers
2009 East: Celtics, Magic, Cavaliers

Those were the 4 best teams, same story in 2010.

As for now and the Warriors' situation, they're actually playing a good opponent, Conley injury is awfully timed, but he'll come back... but yeah, this is somewhat easy for them right now.

Clippers (and Paul, once again, unlucky SOB), would have to go through one of the tougher title/playoff runs in recent time....

edit: wow, through 2 rounds the Cavs' path will actually be harder than Golden State's, lol. The conference final though...

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

But as far as actual title candidates go:

2009 West: Lakers
2009 East: Celtics, Magic, Cavaliers

The Nuggets were better than Orlando, Cleveland and the injured Celtics.

Lay off that kush, dude.

[ArbitraryWater]

The Nuggets were better than Orlando, Cleveland and the injured Celtics.

Lay off that kush, dude.

:facepalm

Sorry, yes, this is facepalm worthy.. yeah, Celtics without KG, for those 10 something games in May. Got that one, yay

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

:facepalm

Sorry, yes, this is facepalm worthy.. yeah, Celtics without KG, for those 10 something games in June. Got that one, yay
KG missed more than a quarter of the season, and didn't play the entire playoffs.

Were you watching then?

[ArbitraryWater]

KG basically missed half the season, and didn't play the entire playoffs.

Were you watching then?

KG played 57 games, backfire...

Didn't the East win more games against the West than the other way around in 2009?

And the Cavs won TWELVE more games than the Nuggets, the Celtics EIGHT more, as you said this is WITH KG missing time, and even the Magic won 5 more games... and this is in a conference that won the H2H.

[Ca$H]

-Pelicans... really? Bunch of playoff virgins led by Monty Williams :roll:
-Grizzlies... great competition... except Conley is injured, basically turning them to a team not much better than the Pels.
-CP3 doing the dirty working knocking out the Spurs now has a hamstring injury :facepalm Now the Warriors won't even have to beat the defending champs

Of course everyone complains about LeBron having easy two rounds, but nobody bats an eye when a team in the west has it

Bruce Jenner.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

KG played 57 games, backfire...

Didn't the East win more games against the West than the other way around in 2009?

And the Cavs won TWELVE more games than the Nuggets, the Celtics EIGHT more, as you said this is WITH KG missing time, and even the Magic won 5 more games... and this is in a conference that won the H2H.
He didn't play the entire playoffs.

THE ENTIRE PLAYOFFS.

Sooo they shouldn't even be discussed; they weren't better than Orlando or Cleveland without KG. Period.

The Nuggets played in a tougher conference so I'm not gonna go off regular season wins. Off pure talent and how they matchup in the playoffs, the Nuggets were the team that gave LA the most trouble. Not Orlando.

Hell, Bruceblitz made tons of threads that year where he predicted the Nuggets would beat LA. :oldlol:

[ArbitraryWater]

He didn't play the entire playoffs.

THE ENTIRE PLAYOFFS.

So they shouldn't even be discussed; they weren't better than Orlando or Cleveland without KG. Period.

The Nuggets played in a tougher conference so I'm not gonna go off regular season wins. Off pure talent and how they matchup in the playoffs, the Nuggets were the team that gave LA the most trouble. Not Orlando.

KG missing 25 games and the Celtics still being a 62 win team, does however influence the Cavs placement... it would mean the Nuggets don't have HCA in the first round if its top 16, as they were in the weaker conference top heavy wise, anyway.

They probably gave LA the most trouble, true... but you feel safe relying on one entire series?

LA peaked in the Finals, and Denver won 1 more game than Orlando, which lost TWO games in Overtime.... the series wasn't your typical 5-game one, pretty equally close to me.

And no, LeBron isn't losing to the Melo-led Nuggets.

[Heavincent]

Warriors starting to make people real salty.

Calm down, it's just 1-0.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Also, that East against West W/L stuff is silly. It doesn't adjust for the top teams in the West (the 6 or 7 teams that had ~50 wins).

[Jameerthefear]

He didn't play the entire playoffs.

THE ENTIRE PLAYOFFS.

Sooo they shouldn't even be discussed; they weren't better than Orlando or Cleveland without KG. Period.

The Nuggets played in a tougher conference so I'm not gonna go off regular season wins. Off pure talent and how they matchup in the playoffs, the Nuggets were the team that gave LA the most trouble. Not Orlando.

Hell, Bruceblitz made tons of threads that year where he predicted the Nuggets would beat LA. :oldlol:
they matched up better

[lilteapot]

They get a supposed free pass to the finals because they're the best team in the league by far. They've been killing teams all season, no reason to believe they'd take care of any other team besides the Spurs handily en route to a Finals berth.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

KG missing 25 games and the Celtics still being a 62 win team, does however influence the Cavs placement... it would mean the Nuggets don't have HCA in the first round if its top 16, as they were in the weaker conference top heavy wise, anyway.

They probably gave LA the most trouble, true... but you feel safe relying on one entire series?

LA peaked in the Finals, and Denver won 1 more game than Orlando, which lost TWO games in Overtime.... the series wasn't your typical 5-game one, pretty equally close to me.

And no, LeBron isn't losing to the Melo-led Nuggets.
Whatever the case.. Denver would've beaten Orlando, Cleveland and a KG-less Celtics team in 2009. They turned it up to close the season, and were REALLY good in the playoffs.

A lot of guys, including Bruce who used to post here and whose knowledge you value, had the Nuggets winning in that series.

[ArbitraryWater]

they matched up better

And Magic's 3-point shooting went cold in the finals, stole almost stole a couple of games... shit went right down to the buzzer, even including a controversial ending in game 4... it was reaaallll close.

[Jameerthefear]

Whatever the case.. Denver would've beaten Orlando, Cleveland and a KG-less Celtics team in 2009. They turned it up to close the season, and were REALLY good in the playoffs.

A lot of guys, including Bruce who used to post here and whose knowledge you value, had the Nuggets winning in that series.
u don't know this

[Jameerthefear]

And Magic's 3-point shooting went cold in the finals, stole almost stole a couple of games... shit went right down to the buzzer, even including a controversial ending in game 4... it was reaaallll close.
not to mention jameer came back and kinda screwed with the chemistry a bit

[Chadwin]

starting PG of all opponents either out or injured until the finals

free pass

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

u don't know this
Yes I do. I'm a fortune teller, phagg0t.

[LAZERUSS]

The Warriors should do the honorable thing and forfeit this series.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

The Warriors should do the honorable thing and forfeit this series.
Yeah, there's just not enough competition in a superior conference. Heh

[LA_Showtime]

They won 67 regular season games and tore through the Western Conference. Earned.

[bobopenguin]

lol wtf..
west: warriors, rockets, grizzlies, portland, spurs, dallas, pelicans, clippers.

east: cavs, bulls, hawks, nets.

[Milbuck]

lol wtf..
west: warriors, rockets, grizzlies, portland, spurs, dallas, pelicans, clippers.

east: cavs, bulls, hawks, nets.http://i.picasion.com/resize80/c74662a3218e313fadaa68d010c368a0.jpg

[sportjames23]

Even without Conley (expected to be back this series), the Grizzlies are REALLY ****ing good. One of the best teams regardless of conference.

And the Pelicans? A lot better than the Celtics, that's for sure.

What's up with you hating on everything/everyone that is a threat to LeBron?


You really have to ask, bruh? Lebron stans are the most insecure bitches on the internets.

[sbw19]

Wouldn't surprise me if series goes 6-7. If Paul can play, I'd say all teams have chance to advance.

[icewill36]

the warriors will probably win the title this year. they are the only contender that is healthy.

i think the only team left with a chance to beat them is the clippers. not because they are just as good as them, because they arent, but they are rivals and very familiar with them. that can help them play above their heads enough to have a chance at the end of games.

if only that long haired ****** from the celtics didnt injure kevin love, we could have an epic cavs warriors finals. :mad:

[StephHamann]

Cmon breh, literally the only break a Western team gets in todays age is if you make the first seed, win 60+ games, and get to face an easy opponent in first round, the Davis led Pelicans... thats it, thats the break, and it only exists because of KD's injury :oldlol:

Ridiculously stacked... compare this to 2009-2011, anyone actually believe the West was stronger those years?

.

This year sort of is asteriks for the warriors.
Spurs only 6 seed because of injuries, OKC injured, Rondo disater in Dallas,crippled Blazers, Rockets are missing 2 starters, Conley injured, CP3 injured all while the Warriors are 100% ready and healthy.

Not taking anything away from this great Warriors team, but the competition is weaker than last year for example.

[dubeta]

And ppl told me the West was 'harder' :oldlol:

[SyRyanYang]

BREAKING!!: Winning more games puts the team at a better position to win it all

:facepalm


Still

Pelicans>>>>>>>>>Celtics
Grizzlies>>Bulls
HOU/LAC>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ATL/WAS