LeBron still hasn't proven he can close in the Finals

[warriorfan]

Most 4th Quarter Points during the Finals

1995 Shaquille O'Neal 11.5
2000 Shaquille O'Neal 11.5 (61.1% TS)
2015 Stephen Curry 10.8 (75.1% TS)
1997 Michael Jordan 10.7 (55.1% TS)
1998 Michael Jordan 10.6 (50.6% TS)
2011 Dirk Nowitzki 10.3 (68.0% TS)
1993 Michael Jordan 10.3

[bigkingsfan]

3rd best closer.
https://media.giphy.com/media/MfJatCmM6tCCY/giphy.gif

[Ben Simmons]

Curry was only good because he could conserve his energy and then explode in the 4th. We saw what happened when he was forced to play defense.

[warriorfan]

Curry was only good because he could conserve his energy and then explode in the 4th. We saw what happened when he was forced to play defense.

Steph Curry 2015 Finals Stats

26/5/6/2/ 59% TS


Perhaps the most critical segment of this series came at the end of the third quarter of Game 4, Cleveland cutting the Warriors lead to three. The Q was rocking. The Finals hung in the balance.

Curry calmly called for the ball, shook a defender and drained a three, pushing Golden State to a six-point lead. In a reversal of roles, a gassed LeBron tried to answer with a three of his own at the buzzer, only to miss badly. When James went to the bench to rest at the start of the fourth quarter, the Warriors seized control of the game and the Finals.

Curry finished with 22 that night. He then dropped 37, including 17 in the fourth quarter, in Game 5. On Tuesday, he dropped a couple of massive threes to help stem a fourth-quarter Cleveland surge, then when double-teamed, hit a wide-open Klay Thompson for another.



Not only did Curry average an MVP-like 26 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals in 43 minutes per game, but as Kerr told his point guard, sometimes a point guard has to put his own game now in favor of managing the game for his teammates.

That is what Curry relayed when he said in the postgame press conference, "The Finals are not that different from normal NBA games. It's just the spotlight is different, and soar are the expectations. When you have an average game, you find out in the Finals that people were expecting more. But really, that stuff doesn't matter. It's all about winning. That's what I've learned. I just need to impact games, be myself every other night, do other things to help my team win and be OK with that. Manage the game from a point-guard standpoint, find a way to win and that's what we did … At the end of the day, stats really don't matter. It really doesn't matter."

This coming from a man who still had 25 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists in 43 minutes from a Game 6 that he was supposedly managing the game for others, downplaying his own role.

This coming from a man who still scored 156 points in a six-game Finals with a .585 true shooting percentage—a scoring total and efficiency only topped by three players in NBA Finals history (who all also did it coincidentally in six-game series): 1992 Michael Jordan, who scored 215 points with a .617 TSP; 2011 Dwyane Wade, who scored 159 points with a .614 TSP; 1987 Magic Johnson, who scored 157 points with a .590 TSP.



They did it with a wizard, Stephen Curry, at point guard. Curry nailed three key threes in Golden State’s 105-97 Game 6 victory in Cleveland Tuesday night, because that’s what he does. In the clincher, however, the regular-season MVP’s passing stood out. He patiently let the Cavs double-team him far from the basket – what choice did the Cavs have against a guy who can sink shots from Cincinnati? – and hit cutters down the lane. Or flipped one-handed passes down low. Or skipped the ball cross-court, or into the corner, to open three-point shooters. Curry had eight assists. Golden State finished with 13 three-pointers.


Most 4th Quarter Points during the Finals

1995 Shaquille O'Neal 11.5
2000 Shaquille O'Neal 11.5 (61.1% TS)
2015 Stephen Curry 10.8 (75.1% TS)
1997 Michael Jordan 10.7 (55.1% TS)
1998 Michael Jordan 10.6 (50.6% TS)
2011 Dirk Nowitzki 10.3 (68.0% TS)
1993 Michael Jordan 10.3

2015 Steph Curry had one of the most clutch performance in NBA history. The only player to score more 4th Quarter Finals points than Steph Curry was Shaquille Oneal, and he didn't even score one point more than Curry while Curry scored 14% more efficiently than Shaquille


In the 2016 Finals he was not able to play as well as he did in 2015

What happened in 2016 that didn't happen in 2015? The major MCL injury


http://i.ytimg.com/vi/m_8DziMFB8s/0.jpg


The MCL is one of four ligaments connecting the femur bone to the tibia at the knee. It helps keep the knee stable as it moves from the outside to the inside.

So the lateral movements are going to put pressure on the ligament.

Athletic trainers refer to what’s called a “valgus” position — that’s when the knee is turned inward toward the center of the body, and the MCL stretches to keep the joint stable.

Most people naturally stand in a slight valgus position, meaning they are putting a little pressure on their MCL without even trying. Playing basketball just adds to that stress, especially during quick lateral movements

“That valgus position occurs pretty often in basketball,” said Meredith Petschauer, an exercise and sports science professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “because what you have to do in basketball all the time is plant your foot and turn in a different direction.”


Here is a clip of healthy Curry showcasing his excellent lateral quickness and change of direction

https://media.giphy.com/media/vJJxhc46rAsnK/giphy.gif

These type of plays were routine for Curry before the MCL injury


The time table for return of an MCL sprain is 2 to 4 weeks.

(Keep in mind that healing timetable is for every day activity, nothing more strenuous than walking up one flight of stairs, NOT playing professional basketball)

Stephen Curry returned from the injury after only 2 weeks because the Warriors were struggling against Portland without him.

Stephen Curry re-aggravated his knee injury by coming back too early and then playing 40+ minutes of playoff basketball plus overtime in his record setting performance against Portland.


Therefore we can conclude that Curry's MCL injury was the differentiating factor which lowered Curry's production

[TheWinningFam]

[

Warriors fans live in constant fear that NBA superstar Stephen Curry will get injured

Almost half his NBA career Curry has been battling some type of injury

And when it happened in the 2016 NBA Playoffs, no one was suprised

As some may not know, Stephen had seven ankle sprains and 2 surgiers in a 16-month period

Because of his historical amount of ankle sprains/surgeries, he has unusually slow lateral quickness and struggles with stopping on a dime

Lets recap why he got himself injured:

- Curry gambled on Ariza when he tried a full court press and was blown right by instantly - Montiejunas trips and falls - Curry sees this in the corner of his eye

https://s31.postimg.org/vsgepifrv/curry1_5.png

- Curry tried forcing Ariza to go right - Ariza goes up for the pump - Curry struggles to stop and at the same time slips on sweat because he lacked awareness where he was on the court

https://s31.postimg.org/gxrtbc66z/curry3.png



The injury effected his game none whatsoever

His next game and following series versus the Houston Rockets, Steph perfomed at an elite level

https://s31.postimg.org/981kjrh3v/curry3_5.png

The following 7 game series versus the Oklahoma City Thunder he again performed at a spectacular level

https://s31.postimg.org/exht42na3/curry4.png

And as we all know, in the Finals, Curry just couldn't live up to the two previous series when he faced the Cleveland Cavaliers

https://s31.postimg.org/z656psml7/curry5.png

Infact, by looking at his past 3 Playoffs, 2016 Curry was right on par in nearly every category with his 2014 and 2013 Playoffs

https://s32.postimg.org/bsdxd1t5h/curry8.png


In conclusion we see that
1. Steph is injury prone has a long history of sprains with multiple surgeries
2. Steph's fragile ankles wouldn't allow him to stop on a dime/keep up with Ariza
3. Steph had bad court awareness after seeing Montie fall and drove right through a wet spot, tweaking his knee
4. Multiple sources say it was a grade 1 MCL, 2 weeks fully heal, "he was lucky"
5. Steph came back from injury and played 9 games averaging 31, 8, 7, 48%fg before playing Cleveland where he struggled at 22, 5, 4, 40%fg
6. Steph is a sub par Playoff and Finals performer compared to his regular season
7. GSW front office signed Durant as insurance, specifically banking on Steph's next upcoming injury

Warrior fan never learns doesn't he?

[warriorfan]

...he has unusually slow lateral quickness and struggles with stopping on a dime
Curry does not lack lateral quickness and ability to change direction, he actually exceeds in these areas

Here is a clip of healthy, pre-MCL Injury Curry showcasing his excellent lateral quickness and change of direction

https://media.giphy.com/media/vJJxhc46rAsnK/giphy.gif

[TheWinningFam]

Curry does not lack lateral quickness and ability to change direction, he actually exceeds in these areas

Here is a clip of healthy, pre-MCL Injury Curry showcasing his excellent lateral quickness and change of direction

https://media.giphy.com/media/vJJxhc46rAsnK/giphy.gif
Lets recap why he got himself injured:

- Curry gambled on Ariza when he tried a full court press and was blown right by instantly - Montiejunas trips and falls - Curry sees this in the corner of his eye

https://s31.postimg.org/vsgepifrv/curry1_5.png

- Curry tried forcing Ariza to go right - Ariza goes up for the pump - Curry struggles to stop and at the same time slips on sweat because he lacked awareness and where he was on the court, aswell as a lack of lateral quickness and ability to stop on a dime.

https://s31.postimg.org/gxrtbc66z/curry3.png

[TheWinningFam]

So a triple double on a broken wrist isn't closing op? :lol

[TommyGriffin]

Warriorfan is completely irrefutable.

[TheWinningFam]

Warriorfan is completely irrefutable.
Meltingdown on your alt again :roll:

[SouBeachTalents]

Well, maybe one day he can close as well as this guy can

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpjtV4qjJBU

[Doranku]

Well, maybe one day he can close as well as this guy can

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpjtV4qjJBU

Man, that was hard to watch. So bad. :oldlol:

[MP.Trey]

Except for the three Finals he closed, right?

[nathanjizzle]

but his chase down blocks though. those are pressure blocks.

[scuzzy]

Lebron James has never missed a playoff game for any reason. 42.5 MPG/182 games in playoffs

https://s31.postimg.org/63dobqrob/injury6.jpg

How is this possible when the opposing team is guarding James with 1-2 of their toughest defenders?

Not to mention, Lebrons game is built on driving to the basket getting whacked in the face, elbowed and tripped. Or in the post banging against power forwards and centers 20-40 pounds heavier.

Because staying healthy on the court is a SKILL

Lebron focuses on IN-GAME IMPACT DRILLS
[SIZE="3"]
Andre Iguodala - A perfect example with poor skillset at staying healthy

Just the past year Andre has battled with pulled hamstring, ankle swelling and a sore back

Here Iguodala is laying down with a minor sore back after having to guard Lebron James for 6 games in a row.

https://s32.postimg.org/sst2zr83p/injury3.jpg

Not uncommon though - Just the past 2 playoffs, several players guarding Lebron weren't skilled enough to take on his physicality and power
1. Demarre Carroll
2. Andre Iguodala
3. Loul Deng

Andrew Bogut - The leagues most injured player next to Andrew Bynum and Greg Oden

https://s32.postimg.org/ec5tl6imd/injury5.jpg
https://s32.postimg.org/mixtcr8p1/injury4.png


[SIZE="3"]LeBron

[scuzzy]

Lebron James fractured his wrist during game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals
"Most distal radius fractures take 4-6 weeks to heal."

The play happened as Lebron went up for the series winning dunk

He was contested by Warriors FMVP Draymond Green

https://s31.postimg.org/czuunblej/lebron3.png

The 2 collided with James falling 10 feet in the air helpless and bracing himself with only his right hand

https://s31.postimg.org/w2e8a8wez/lebron1.png

Cavs players, bench and staff all came over because they knew instantly what they witnessed was career ending in most cases

https://s31.postimg.org/ppz30etcr/lebron2.png
https://s31.postimg.org/josnvd6dn/lebron4.pnghttps://s31.postimg.org/gj8255nrf/lebron5.png


Astonishingly he was able to briefly recover and play on the rest of the game. With 12 sec left on a 1 possession game, he drew a foul and was sent to the line. Shooting on that same right wrist that was fractured, remarkably he sunk the game winning shot.

https://s31.postimg.org/j22hdt9uj/lebron55.png

Despite playing a 73-9 team at full strength (minus their Center who avg 12 min with net negative -14).

Injured James was still able to execute a triple double on the opponents home floor

27 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks

[scuzzy]

Draymond Green's temper tantrums spilled into the 2016 Playoffs

https://s32.postimg.org/4ut8ry3hx/draymond2.jpg

The Warriors leader and arguably best player ranks #1 in most fouls

In 2015-16 season, Draymond was #3 in the league in Technical fouls

The previous season (14-15), Draymond was #6

https://s31.postimg.org/4murk98qj/draymond_6.png

Green, who went into the playoffs saying "I will try to limit any discussions with referees to avoid racking up technicals" couldn't hold back and continued to throw up his arms in disgust for nearly the entire playoffs

It all started where he racked up 2 techs in the Rockets series, following with 2 more techs in the Portland series

Draymond was treading a fine line, where 7 technicals get you suspended for a game. [/SIZE]

But things started to only tumble worse

-First it was the flying knee to Steven Adams groin
https://s31.postimg.org/hlw43vpe3/draymond5.jpg
-This unsportsmanlike blow caused the media/fans to take note of Draymonds actions under a microscope. No tech/flag was called as one should of been

-The following game later, a brutal kick to Adams groin, again
https://s32.postimg.org/4w36ld5bp/draymond3.jpg
-While everyone thought he would receive a flagarant 2 and be ejected, he didn't. The NBA the following day ruled him with a Technical foul for his actions.

-Along with many more Groin attacks with no consequences
https://s32.postimg.org/euo57uer9/draymond4.jpg
-Green was up to 5 techs going into the Finals

-Finals, Game 4, Green intentionally threw a punch at Lebron James, again in the groin
https://s32.postimg.org/nlv623y2d/draymond_6.jpg
The fans, media, NBA had no choice but to take action on such unsportsmanlike behavior

Green was given a more than necessary Flagarant and by rule due to many technical fouls, was suspended 1 game.



When Kevin Love was injured for his concussion in gm5, Lebron James stepped up to carry the load and lead his team to a win

When Draymond was out, Stephen Curry failed to carry the load and lead his team to a blowout loss on his homecourt

Following the Finals, Green was arrested on assault charges for getting into a fight with a college student. Again unable to keep his cool


In conclusion:

1. Draymond Green is one of the top dirties players in the league and continues with his actions year after year
2. Green, regardless of suspension threat, makes bad decisions on/off the court
3. Has a loud mouth, constantly taunting other players and getting away with it
4. The league continued to give Green passes in the OKC series so they wouldn't lose (knowing that Draymond is the best GSW player)
5. Green let his team down when he received his flagrant, knowing that Curry couldn't lead a team past Cleveland by himself

[hold this L]

STFU warriorfan and let his fans enjoy his final run man. I don't like the dude but you have to show respekk to players you don't like when they deserve. He had one of the best finals ever, stop being an idiot. :facepalm

[Jasper]

3rd best closer.
https://media.giphy.com/media/MfJatCmM6tCCY/giphy.gif
well done

[Jasper]

Lebron James fractured his wrist during game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals

https://s31.postimg.org/w2e8a8wez/lebron1.png

Cavs players, bench and staff all came over because they knew instantly what they witnessed was career ending in most cases

https://s31.postimg.org/ppz30etcr/lebron2.png
https://s31.postimg.org/josnvd6dn/lebron4.pnghttps://s31.postimg.org/gj8255nrf/lebron5.png


Astonishingly he was able to briefly recover and play on the rest of the game. With 12 sec left on a 1 possession game, he drew a foul and was sent to the line. Shooting on that same right wrist that was fractured, remarkably he sunk the game winning shot.

https://s31.postimg.org/j22hdt9uj/lebron55.png

Despite playing a 73-9 team at full strength (minus their Center who avg 12 min with net negative -14).

Injured James was still able to execute a triple double on the opponents home floor

27 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks
This is the first I heard of this ...
Is this a fake injury like Curry fans claim he had ?? :confusedshrug:

[ShawkFactory]

"puts In In!"

[Wally450]

I know he's trolling, but why is OP posting 2015 stats when he was being guarded by a backup hamlet?

Oh, and he still didn't get a FMVP vote :roll: :roll:

[warriorfan]

I know he's trolling, but why is OP posting 2015 stats when he was being guarded by a backup hamlet?

Oh, and he still didn't get a FMVP vote :roll: :roll:

In 2015 Steph Curry saw more double teams than any other player in Finals history


No player draws more defensive attention without the ball than Curry. He's led the league the past two years in the stat, and he's doing so this year again, as he wraps up the most dominant shooting season of all-time.

[quote][i][b]The impact of that on Curry's teammates is obvious. With so much attention being focused on him

[K Xerxes]

Steph Curry still hasn't proven he can close a single FMVP vote in the finals.

[Rocketswin2013]

Steph Curry still hasn't proven he can close a single FMVP vote in the finals.
:lol

[warriorfan]

Steph Curry still hasn't proven he can close a single FMVP vote in the finals.
It has been widely accepted that Curry was robbed of the FMVP in 2015; in 2016 he was suffering from an MCL injury

[Papaya Petee]

It has been widely accepted that Curry was robbed of the FMVP in 2015; in 2016 he was suffering from an MCL injury
Nobody agrees on either of these points :roll: Iggy was clearly FMVP and Curry was healthy this year

0/22

[K Xerxes]

It has been widely accepted that Curry was robbed of the FMVP in 2015; in 2016 he was suffering from an MCL injury

Revisionist history doesn't quite work when it was just a year ago. Not many people had a problem with Iggy being voted FMVP. His defensive impact was arguably the biggest factor in the finals, limiting James to poor efficiency. And the series changed when he was inserted into the starting lineup. He made huge shots when they counted, while Steph was busy being invisible and underperforming. Stats don't tell the story of these finals.

Your claim that Steph was 'robbed' would be a little more justified if he registered like 4-5 of the votes. But it was a big fat zero.

Popular vote doesn't really help much either. Out of 50k votes, Steph still comes at the bottom :oldlol:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CHrSQ7FUEAAYyEJ.jpg

[Bigsmoke]

Most 4th Quarter Points during the Finals

1995 Shaquille O'Neal 11.5
2000 Shaquille O'Neal 11.5 (61.1% TS)
2015 Stephen Curry 10.8 (75.1% TS)
1997 Michael Jordan 10.7 (55.1% TS)
1998 Michael Jordan 10.6 (50.6% TS)
2011 Dirk Nowitzki 10.3 (68.0% TS)
1993 Michael Jordan 10.3


stop this cherry picking garbage.

the warriors lost and Curry got his ass whopped

[nba_55]

Lebron James fractured his wrist during game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals
"Most distal radius fractures take 4-6 weeks to heal."

The play happened as Lebron went up for the series winning dunk

He was contested by Warriors FMVP Draymond Green

https://s31.postimg.org/czuunblej/lebron3.png

The 2 collided with James falling 10 feet in the air helpless and bracing himself with only his right hand

https://s31.postimg.org/w2e8a8wez/lebron1.png

Cavs players, bench and staff all came over because they knew instantly what they witnessed was career ending in most cases

https://s31.postimg.org/ppz30etcr/lebron2.png
https://s31.postimg.org/josnvd6dn/lebron4.pnghttps://s31.postimg.org/gj8255nrf/lebron5.png


Astonishingly he was able to briefly recover and play on the rest of the game. With 12 sec left on a 1 possession game, he drew a foul and was sent to the line. Shooting on that same right wrist that was fractured, remarkably he sunk the game winning shot.


Despite playing a 73-9 team at full strength (minus their Center who avg 12 min with net negative -14).

Injured James was still able to execute a triple double on the opponents home floor

27 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks
LOL :applause:

[warriorfan]

Revisionist history doesn't quite work when it was just a year ago. Not many people had a problem with Iggy being voted FMVP. His defensive impact was arguably the biggest factor in the finals, limiting James to poor efficiency. And the series changed when he was inserted into the starting lineup. He made huge shots when they counted, while Steph was busy being invisible and underperforming. Stats don't tell the story of these finals.

Your claim that Steph was 'robbed' would be a little more justified if he registered like 4-5 of the votes. But it was a big fat zero.

Popular vote doesn't really help much either. Out of 50k votes, Steph still comes at the bottom :oldlol:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CHrSQ7FUEAAYyEJ.jpg

It's really hard to take you seriously when you make statements like this. If you want to take random internet polls seriously and pretend like Steph Curry was "invisible" during the 2015 Finals, fine. When you want to come back to reality we can continue a serious discussion.

[Schotsman]

But scoring % in the 4th quarter isn't necessarily the definition of closing out a game right? If you are up by a relative safe amount of points, surely defensive stats become very relevant as well? And I thought James defended very well during the finals, especially in the 4tj quarters.

[warriorfan]

LeBron cannot score efficiently in the 4th quarter of the Finals

[Mr Feeny]

https://swishnba.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo.jpg

[SouBeachTalents]

LeBron cannot score efficiently in the 4th quarter of the Finals

How'd curry do in the 4th in Game 7?

[Cone]

scuzzy is absolutely raping this thread. good shit bruh